Am I the only one that does not have flares but daily ongoing pain?

Posted by eascusa @eascusa, 4 days ago

Am I the only one that doesn't get flares but instead has daily chronic pain in my body? And daily symptoms. In about a 50-day time frame I seem to cycle through my symptoms and pain levels. That will then repeat. I will experience the same pattern of symptoms throughout that time. There will be anywhere from 2 weeks to one month of moderate daily to sometimes severe pain in the same areas, although it can be one leg one time and the other leg the next and then switch. Or be both at the same time. And then about one week or so of a more milder pain. But still there daily. Symptoms such as insomnia will always be there and some of the other Fibro symptoms are every day while some of the other stranger symptoms will cycle throughout that same time period. And it will go on and on like this, never stopping.
Now that I am older, I have other complications such as uncontrolled Diabetes 2 and Degenerative Disk Disease in my back to give two examples, but they have nothing to do with my Fibromyalgia and that can make things more confusing and harder, but I have learned to tell the difference for the most part.
I was diagnosed in 2001 when I was only 25 years old. I was diagnosed by two Fibro specialists. As well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. And it has always been the same for me. No flares just daily pain and symptoms with only the intensity changing. Or is that what a flare is? But I use the term cycle because that is what it does. It is predictable. Flares I thought were not. And I read or so it seemed to me that when not in a flare people with Fibro feel normal or almost normal. Every day I feel pain it is just where it is located exactly that can be a little different but not always and the coming of some symptoms while other symptoms move on just to repeat the same process and pattern and in the same time frames.
All the research I have done through the years if it is in forums with people or information read on the internet, or in books, by doctors, or things I here, flares are always being talked about. This has always made me feel uneasy about my diagnosis and has me wondering sometimes if I don't have something else. At the time of diagnosis though I was perfectly healthy otherwise. And like I said I was diagnosed by specialists. And not just any specialist but one of the leading Fibro Specialists in Los Angeles names Dr. Silverman who worked at the Mayo Hospital and clinic (still might) and has written books on the subject. As well as another Fibro Specialist and back surgeon that also has a lot of stuff written on the topic and is well known in his area. Can anyone here relate to or experience this same kind of cycling behavior? Do you also not have flares but daily everyday pain? I have been like this for 23 years.

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eascusa | @eascusa | 3 hours ago

Part of the problem is as I age, I get a bunch of other symptoms of things. And because fibro has so many symptoms and mimics so many other conditions, I can't tell what it is sometimes or most of the time. I know I said I can now. And that is true when it comes to the things I've had for at least a couple of years. But the new stuff is confusing, and I feel like new things come all the time. I don't like going to the doctor, so I keep away. I don't care for my primary doctor, but he is the only one in my small town. And no one in the last 8 years or so has been able to give me over to a Fibro doctor. Around 8 years ago my primary thought they found me a fibro doctor who was a rheumatologist about an hour's drive from me. But when I got there, he said he doesn't treat Fibro which was a lie because he had a sign for it right there in his waiting room. During that same time, my doctor managed to find another Rheumatologist that would but when I called, they said they were not bringing in any new Fibro patients. And it went like that for two more doctors before I gave up. I am in a small town, and I would have to drive there any way at least an hour or so to get to one. I can't drive because my uncontrolled Diabetes has left me with very poor eyesight. But even so, I haven't been able to find one. It is pretty sad that even now in 2024 that is how it is.
But back to what I was saying. Too many symptoms and issues with the body has me confused and upset about whether or not something is serious enough that I should be seeing a doctor for it and get help or of it is just another "Fibro thing", or if perhaps I am experiencing something new. You would think that one person couldn't have so many things wrong with them, but I think it goes with Fibro territory. It seems that people with Fibro also have a lot of other conditions. Maybe not at first but eventually. I don't know. I could be wrong. My brother likes to basically say I am either a hypochondriac (he doesn't use that actual word) or I am exaggerating, or I am mistaken about what is happening in my own body because there are so many things wrong with me. Because he thinks since we are 100% brother and sister, he would have more things wrong with him too if it were the case. I don't doubt for a second that I have physical things going on in my body because of a hard life or that came out because of it. There is that mind-body connection after all. But I know that I am feeling what I am feeling and have years and years of paperwork backing me up. Such as MRI's and blood test-type stuff. But he and pretty much all my family, except my Mom, don't care about the facts and won't look at any of my stuff, talk to me about it, or look anything up on the web. They want to point things out though of course. Not to me but behind my back with other family members. So yeah, not very supportive. Sorry, I am confusing the subject here. I guess it has just been too long since I have talked about things.

mackaymouse | @mackaymouse | 3 hours ago

I to have fibro, along with Rheumatoid Arthritis, IBS C, Osteoarthritis Arthritis, menopause, hyper hydronic.
I have noticed that my attacks come from repetitive motions like exercise, mopping floors, etc. They are always in areas that have been where I was badely injured in car accidents (whiplash), strained muscles or bad falls. An attack is like feeling like someone has hit me across the back with a two by four. It is accompanied by nausea and the only thing that helps me is sleep or lying on a heating pad. November is my worst month because of the acclamation to the cold weather. I tense up and Damm. I also start sweating like crazy but my temp doesn't go up, just crazy fatigue. Doc's keep telling me it's menopause, 15 years!
I don't get hot and I never believed that I was having hot flashes. You are the first person that I have heard that has the sweating ( hyper hydrosis) with is a medical condition by itself. Lately I have been using underarm deodorant on my forehead and it seems to stop the sweats.
I think it is the thyroid that regulates the bodies temperature have you had it checked out?
Thankyou for sharing your story! Through out my pain journey my sense of humour has been my best medicine!!!!!!