What Caused the Initial Onset of Your Fibromyalgia?
 

I've done a lot of reading about what may cause the onset of fibromyalgia. It seems there are two major causes, as far as they can tell. One is that fibro can begin after hard blow to the head or neck, such as a car accident - or some other major trauma to the body. The other is a traumatic emotional event that is extremely devastating, after which fibro may show up.

I can trace the onset of my symptoms to an extreme, drawn out emotional trauma that left me in a seriously bad emotional state for probably the better part of a year. During that time, I began to feel bad, exhausted, with other symptoms that I couldn't explain. I was very confused for a long time about what was happening to me. After a lot of research and seeing doctors and chiropractor, it was decided that I had fibromyalgia. This was 4 years ago. Since then, it's been off and on, severe, mild and sometimes to the point of debilitating. My massage therapist said that when she entered menopause, fibro. came with it. Now that she's through with menopause, she said it's been a year since she's had any symptoms at all. She feels that there is some connection btwn. menopause and fibro. I'm also at that stage, and wonder if/how much of this misery can be attributed to perimenopause?

I was just wondering if any of you can draw any correlation to what may have been the initial trigger for your fibro? Physical vs. emotional? Thanks.

I don't know for sure what triggered mine initially, but I believe it was fluorescent lighting. Once I began controlling my lighting, my symptoms went away, and have only returned twice in 5 years: once due to an injury about 3 years ago (actually the treatment for the injury was the trigger) and then again for few days in February (I think it was a combo fluoro/gluten/stress trigger).

I advise everyone who mentions that they have fibro keep away from alternative forms of lighting, as fluoro, halogen, and LED all have unpleasant effects for me.

Yes, I can agree with that. I don't remember seeing symptoms of fibro until at the age of 27, I was going through a divorce, had a stress related hormone imbalance, and then was in an auto accident. yes, I had SAD before then, but I didn't have the fibro symptoms until after the accident.

I think it's leaky gut and autoimmune related. My fibro was related to the autoimmune disease I had, according to my rhuemy. However, I got it under control with a paleo diet.

Interesting that there have been only 3 replies to this question. Do people generally not know (or at least suspect) what started their fibromyalgia? hmmm....

Origination of my fibro
 

In my family, it is genetic. We did not all have "trauma" together or separate from one another. As I aged, I noticed the symptoms more but I can think back and now see that I've always had it (my mom sees this in herself too). I remember in my teen years that I could never get past a certain "fitness" level; I always leveled out even though I tried to build more muscle. Still the same today. When puberty hit, I needed a lot of sleep. I was always in bed by 8:30 p.m. I also had sleep issues throughout my childhood and still do. I sleep deep but am not rested. Unfortunately fibro is rampant in my family and I always tried to find "similar" experiences that might have caused it but have come to the conclusion that it is genetic.

Mine started after a car wreck that gave my back and neck a pretty good whack. I was pretty debilitated, arms would suddenly give way with a feeling that someone had struck my forearms with a baseball bat. Doc told me I was SOL as the mildest of arthritic medicines caused immediate internal bleeding. His words "you better pray you never get a serious case of arthritis"

Interestingly enough, Fibro was nearly eradicated by LC, dieting and a conscious effort to change stress levels and find happiness in life. It's been 20 years now, and will still flare up when under severe stress.

My FM affects my skin, causes it to burn like fire and can't tolerate the touch of a sheet on it, does anyone else's?

That's an unusual symptom for Fibro-actually never heard of anyone having that. My husband has RSD and that is what he feels very intensely. My Fibro is a deep pain not skin burning.

Awwww I'm sorry to hear that Lisa. I'd never heard of RSD before, but it sure looks like a mighty rough disease. How is your hubby doing? Hoping the best for you both.

He is back to work and takes Lyrica, Norco and wears a Fentanyl patch. He just had a spinal cord stimulator removed-he hated how it felt-he said it was like having a vibrator (like in a recliner) in your back and hated it. His attitude is good and he's only 42 so my biggest fear is that it could spread to his other limbs-his right leg is affected. Strange and horrible disease-it took 2 months to get a firm diagnosis. It came on suddenly-his grandmother died the night after Thanksgiving and we were there (hospice at home) and I couldn't wake him up the next morning and when I finally got him up I thought he had had a stroke. Couldn't walk because his right leg kept buckling, slurring his words & couldn't stay awake. We were in a little county town and the doctors were baffled-we got the diagnosis when we got to a hospital at home-we live in the burbs of Chicago. He goes to the pain clinic at the local hospital and has a great young doc trained in orthro/neuro. His Fentanyl patch has been lowered since the onset but we will see in the winter-cold accerbates the symptoms. Thanks for your kind words and sorry for the long ramble. :lol:

I heard about them using Botox in one case to treat RSD. I think I saw it on Mystery Diagnosis.

Wouldn't work for him. He has had spinal blocks which have helped before the spinal cord stimulator. They wouldn't be able to inject the botox in the nerves from the spine down to the leg.

Causes of Fibro
 

Well you summed it up great in the initial post here, so if anyone is wondering why we are not adding posts it's 'cause you told it like it is.

In our family we only recently 2007, realized that all the gals on Mom's side has it. I came down with it bad during stress at work as the economy was just starting to hit and layoffs were coming closer to my dept.

We each have our own way of dealing with it.

I read a magic book: "What You Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia"
by Dr. R Paul St Amand and did this crazy protocol and in 6 months I felt good in 12 months I thought I was cured and then in the 14th month my anxiety vanished, so it's all gone now. I can run 10 miles now. Further than in my whole life. It's so cool. But you have to REALLY REALLY want to get better.

But the protocol is 10x worse than chemo-therapy and you have to really want to get better to succeed with this treatment.
It hurts a ton for 6 months, you can't really work and do it at the same time.
You have to have about 3-5 months of time to just be sick.

Then you get better and you feel totally cured. There is no cure for Fibro, but this is the closest thing there is.

Most people get really bad info about it and when they get to the YUCKY part they stop and think it sucks. But it's so sad because, they had just reached the part where the condition begins to reverse itself!...and they walk away confused as to why it made them sicker.

It's dirt cheap and has been around for 40 years, but since they are a non-profit organization, they cannot advertise it.

You can get the book on Ebay for dirt cheap or from the library. Or super fast from Amazon.

There are many gals on this site that swear by it too. One did not do well, but it's easy to make mistakes on it, so you gotta study the book twice to make sure you do it right.
http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com

I'm totally clear of all symptoms now and I try to help others to follow it to the letter and to find a good doc who believes in Fibro and the Treatment.

I'm a 46 year old housewife. I used to be a well-paid scientist, but I went undiagnosed for so many years and was bed-ridden for a few years, so I don't know what I want to do now with my health back.

I don't want to go back to a stressful job and hubby makes good money so I don't have to work.

Not sure how to answer this.

I had a messed up epidural during the emergency caesarean birth of my youngest daughter. I was out cold and still don't know why I needed one. Nobody asked if I wanted one, either. (course I guess they couldn't if I was already knocked out)

Anyway, I've been having back seizures since then when I get very upset or angry. I'm conscious, but my back and neck muscles become rigid and then spasmic, then it feels like the top of my head is being pulled off. As soon as I calm down, I can function but not at 100 %.

But the actual flares didn't start until my divorce. Not sure which culprit to point at.

3 back-to-back illnesses: Bad case of Mono, then German Measles, then a bad flu bug. After that, my body was never the same. Happened over thirty years ago. Oh, also gluten intolerance and casein intolerance undiagnosed until 2009.

A new card turned up...I fell on my icy front steps almost 2 months ago. A month later, a full blown flare. I'm still recovering.

I think mine was when I got Valley Fever, it set in and has never left.