Living With Fibromyalgia

Calm, restful bedroom in soft light
Fibromyalgia After Cancer: When the Treatment Ends and the Pain Begins
TL;DR: Many people develop fibromyalgia, or fibromyalgia-like widespread pain and fatigue, after cancer treatment. The physical toll of chemotherapy and radiation, big hormonal shifts, and the sheer prolonged stress of... Read more...
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Fibromyalgia Symptoms: The Complete, Honest Guide
TL;DR: The main symptoms of fibromyalgia are widespread body pain, deep fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, brain fog ("fibro fog"), heightened sensitivity to touch, light, sound and temperature, morning stiffness, and mood... Read more...
How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed
How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed? What to Actually Expect
TL;DR: There is no single blood test or scan that confirms fibromyalgia. Doctors diagnose it by taking a careful history, checking that you have had widespread pain for at least... Read more...
What Causes Fibromyalgia
What Causes Fibromyalgia? Who Gets It, When, and Where It Starts
TL;DR: No one knows the single cause of fibromyalgia, and anyone who tells you they do is guessing. The current understanding is that the nervous system starts processing pain signals... Read more...
Can Fibromyalgia Be Cured
Can Fibromyalgia Be Cured? An Honest Look
There's no known cure for fibromyalgia right now. It can be managed, though, and many people get to a point where symptoms affect their lives a lot less, through a... Read more...
Fibromyalgia Invisible Illness
Fibromyalgia as an Invisible Illness: 'But You Don't Look Sick'
TL;DR: Fibromyalgia is an invisible illness: you can be in severe pain and still "look fine," which leads to doubt, judgement and the exhausting job of constantly proving you are... Read more...
Working With Fibromyalgia
Working With Fibromyalgia: Jobs, Sick Days, and the Guilt
TL;DR: Working with fibromyalgia is hard, and the guilt around it can be as heavy as the symptoms. There is no one right answer about whether to keep working, change... Read more...
Fibromyalgia vs Other Conditions
Fibromyalgia vs. Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis and Lupus: How to Tell the Difference
TL;DR: Fibromyalgia is often confused with chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus and other conditions because the symptoms overlap so much. The short version: fibromyalgia is mainly about widespread pain and... Read more...
Fibromyalgia and Sleep
Fibromyalgia and Sleep: Why You Wake Up Tired, and Gentle Ways to Rest Better
TL;DR: Fibromyalgia disrupts the deep stages of sleep, so you can spend eight hours in bed and still wake up feeling like you never slept. This unrefreshing sleep then makes... Read more...
Live a Long Life With Fibromyalgia
Can You Live a Long, Normal Life With Fibromyalgia?
Yes, you can. Fibromyalgia is not life-threatening, it isn't degenerative, and it doesn't shorten life expectancy. It doesn't damage your joints, muscles, or organs. It can make daily life genuinely... Read more...
Gentle Movement for Fibromyalgia
Gentle Movement for Fibromyalgia: Exercising Without Triggering a Crash
TL;DR: Gentle movement is one of the most consistently recommended things for fibromyalgia, but the catch is in the word "gentle." Too much too fast causes a crash; the right... Read more...
Living With Fibro Fog
Living With Fibro Fog: Coping With the Brain Fog No One Sees
TL;DR: Fibro fog is the brain-fog side of fibromyalgia: losing words mid-sentence, forgetting why you walked into a room, struggling to focus or hold a thought. It is one of... Read more...
Newly Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia
Newly Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia: What We Wish We'd Known
TL;DR: A fibromyalgia diagnosis is a lot to take in. The things most people say they wish they had known sooner are simple: it is real and not your fault,... Read more...
What Does Fibromyalgia Pain Feel Like
What Does Fibromyalgia Pain Actually Feel Like?
TL;DR: Fibromyalgia pain is not one single feeling. Most people describe a deep, all-over ache like a bad flu, but it also shows up as burning, stabbing, tight knotted muscles,... Read more...
Ease Fibromyalgia Pain
What Eases Fibromyalgia Pain? A Comfort-First Guide
TL;DR: Fibromyalgia pain has no quick fix, and we will never pretend otherwise. What helps most people is a layered routine of gentle comfort and pacing rather than one magic... Read more...
Naturopathy for Fibromyalgia
Naturopathy for Fibromyalgia: An Honest Look
TL;DR: Naturopathy is a form of complementary medicine built around diet, lifestyle, herbs and other "natural" therapies. Some people with fibromyalgia find parts of it genuinely helpful — especially the... Read more...
Does Diet Affect Fibromyalgia
Does Diet Affect Fibromyalgia? An Honest Look at Food and Flares
TL;DR: There is no proven fibromyalgia diet, and no food cures it. That said, many people find that some eating patterns leave them feeling a little better and others seem... Read more...
7 Signs of Fibromyalgia
The 7 Common Signs of Fibromyalgia (and Why You're Not Imagining It)
The seven most common signs of fibromyalgia are widespread body pain, deep fatigue, sleep that doesn't refresh you, "fibro fog," heightened sensitivity to touch, light and sound, morning stiffness, and... Read more...
Calm a Flared Nervous System
How to Calm a Flared-Up Nervous System: Gentle Things That Soothe
When your nervous system is overwhelmed in a flare, the goal is usually to lower the input and add gentle comfort. That means warmth on tense muscles, a dark and... Read more...
Fibromyalgia Sensory Overload
Sensory Overload and Fibromyalgia: Why Crowds and Shopping Wipe You Out
TL;DR: If a trip to the supermarket leaves you exhausted, dizzy and on edge, you are not imagining it. Fibromyalgia often comes with sensory overload: bright lights, noise, crowds and... Read more...
When Doctors Don't Believe You
When Doctors Don't Believe You: Fibromyalgia and Medical Dismissal
TL;DR: Being dismissed by doctors is one of the most common and painful experiences in fibromyalgia. Many people are told it is "all in your head," psychosomatic, or just stress,... Read more...
Loving Someone With Fibromyalgia
Loving Someone With Fibromyalgia: A Partner's Honest Guide
TL;DR: Loving someone with fibromyalgia means learning to support a person whose pain and energy change without warning, and whose illness you cannot see or fix. The most helpful things... Read more...
Fibromyalgia and Cold Weather
Fibromyalgia and the Cold: Why Weather Triggers Flares and How to Stay Warm
TL;DR: Many people with fibromyalgia find that cold weather and sudden temperature changes make their pain and stiffness worse. The science is still catching up, but heightened temperature sensitivity is... Read more...
Fibromyalgia Flare-Day Kit
What Helps a Fibromyalgia Flare Day? A Comfort Checklist
A good flare-day kit keeps comfort within arm's reach so you don't have to think on a bad day. Most people pack a heat source, an eye mask, something warm... Read more...