believe it or not my gastroenterologist diagnosed me with it but i think it is BS they say (look it up on Google) that your pain is a 3 but your brain is saying it is a 10....doesnt matter to me i need to deal with the pain...tried Gabepentin got so sick then they tried me on cymbalta got low blood pressure and i am trying to ween off it now and it is terrible...you know what do some research on the computer and then find yourself a good pain management doctor.......dont go on either of those two drugs unless you want to experiment....some people can take them some can't but my fibromyalgia is causing me the most grief.....

Yes. As a child I was sensitive emotionally and seasonally. Things in my home started going badly when a was about 6. This kept my brain on alert. At 7 I wanted to die because life had become so dark and painful. I got sick more than other kids.Overtime I think I learned to dissociate from the emotional pain, trying to deal with things rationally. I did not realize I often couldn't access my emotions in the moment. In college I tried to do the internal work of healing. I developed hard to diagnose symptoms of an endocrine nature, and had so many bladder infections...this was a pattern that extended for 40 years. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in my mid 30's by a rheumatologist via a reluctant referral from my primary care doc who didn't believe it was a thing. During those decades I had recurrent sinus and bladder infections. Headaches. Unexplained headaches. I've had two sinus surgeries which confirmed extensive disease. A car accident caused carpal tunnel in both wrists which preceded the fibromyalgia symptoms. I have many comorbidities which are common to the clusterfuck of this. I've had numerous trips to ER, often sent by my doctor, with physical symptoms which didn't correlate with lab work or tests. Sometimes CT scans a week or two later WOULD show diverticulitis. But my theory is I can feel things in my body that others cannot at the same stage of disease. That may sound beneficial, but i find it difficult to know if the pain I feel is actually worth investigation. If my body rings alarms prematurely or to misdirect me, that is NOT helpful. Case in point, today I met with friends. I've been isolated in my home and was happy to see these 4. Not long after the party, I began to have chest pain. I have it now again.
Instead of feeling my difficult feelings at not having really caught up with someone, my body gave me chest pain. Now I looked it up. I'm 63. At my age, it's unanimous, go to ER. I did not.
I'm about to have a subtotal colectomy for numerous areas of diverticulosis which have also had active disease. Life on my Left Side is a book title. Just a week ago I thought my surgeon was taking 4-8 inches. Now he's only leaving that much. But he said to me his concerns about my surgery are my pain. Pain explored but found unverifiable by a condition. When your brain becomes hyper vigilant it turns up the volume on symptoms and pain. Pain is normal after this surgery. But my previous pains may recur. And I'm more likely to have phantom pain like amputees. This was a grim forecast. I get bladder pain. A urinalysis only shows an increase in leukocyte esterase. Usually it's tossed. But if allowed to grow in a culture, there is significant bacteria.
None of this is easy. My daughter has similar neurology at work. Some theorize that dealing with trauma, whose memories are stored in the body, can help change the brain. Locked up feelings. Also, some recommend thinking very differently about pain, befriend yourself, observe how you feel but use calming positive language in talking about it. Because the brain shows greater excitability and is more likely to turn up the volume if you use dramatic words vs calming language. Just using calming language and shifting focus can help. 'I feel like I have a wire of fire around my waist' vs 'I'm less comfortable than I'd like to be.'
My daughter referred me to the Curable app and podcasts by the founder Nicole....Exercise, gratitude, some daily activities you look forward to, connection with people, counselling, and journalling are all helpful. I think it's a difficult journey. Find a primary care doc who is supportive, respectful, and understands the complexity this brings to diagnosis and treatment. I've felt very alone in this. And my will to continue becomes impaired. But so far, God helping me I am alive.