The 3 Kinds of Days I Have in Life With Fibromyalgia
Having fibromyalgia often feels like I am living without knowing how I will feel from day to day. I struggle with so many different symptoms that I often won’t know what is going to happen with my body each day. While I do experience multiple symptoms each day, I have days where certain symptoms dominate my daily experiences. The following are three kinds of days I struggle with regularly due to my fibromyalgia.
- What is Fibromyalgia?
- What Are Common Fibromyalgia Symptoms?
The Fatigue Day
Fatigue is a symptom I frequently experience due to my fibromyalgia, but there are days when my fatigue is extremely problematic. I tend to be unable to leave my bed and spend the entire day sleeping. This fatigue is all-controlling, and I haven’t found anything that has helped it other than allowing myself to rest.
The Pain Day
Other days, I am dominated by pain. My skin becomes incredibly sensitive and painful to the touch, and it feels like my muscles are being torn apart. On these days, I often need to use heat to help with the pain, but other than rest, I haven’t been able to find anything that has really helped my pain. I am in the process of trying out different natural supplements and other pain relievers to try and manage my pain, but it has been a process.
The Brain Fog Day
The brain fog day tends to be my least favorite day. It is during these days that my mind feels fuzzy, as though I am a million miles away. I struggle with my memory during these days as well as being able to socialize with others. I have found that resting during these days is the best way to manage my brain fog, but that is not always possible. When I have to do a lot of interacting with others during these days, I find that I run out of energy quickly, which makes it hard to function.
Fibromyalgia can make each day unpredictable, and unfortunately, I have not found a steadfast way to manage my symptoms yet. However, this is something that I am still exploring. While I can experience numerous symptoms at once, I find that I often have days where one symptom is stronger than the other symptoms, and I find that it tends to dominate. Describing different fibromyalgia symptoms as taking over different days helps me to be able to understand how my fibromyalgia affects me day to day.
Fatigue Day, Pain Day, and Brain Fog Day are the three most common days I experience. While I experience fatigue almost every single day, I have found that it is stronger on some days and seems to dominate other symptoms. I also experience pain in some form nearly every day, but some days I am in so much pain that it seems to take over any other sensation I am experiencing. I find brain fog to be quite common, but some days it really impacts how I am able to function and how I am able to interact with others. It is so hard knowing that I experience multiple symptoms that can take over my body and make it hard to function.
Fibromyalgia is a complicated illness that can be difficult to treat. It is often hard to know which symptoms will hit on which days and how they will impact an individual’s day. Having coping mechanisms that have proven effective for you is vital, as well as being kind to yourself when you are really struggling. Fibromyalgia can impact every aspect of an individual’s life, but the more we work on finding ways to ease our symptoms, the more comfortable our lives can be.
Getty image by LumiNola.
Mental Health Specialist & Coach - Author - Bibliotherapist - Book Reviewer My name is Ashley Nestler, and I have my master's of social work with an emphasis in mental health, as well as certifications in mental health coaching, art therapy coaching, crystal healing, dialectical behavior therapy, and bibliotherapy. I utilize my eclectic variety of skills to inform my mental health practice and provide my clients with the best skills to be able to manage their mental health. Apart from my professional experience, I am a survivor of Schizoaffective Disorder, Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder, Fibromyalgia, multiple eating disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Complex PTSD. I use my personal experiences with my mental health and health to inform my work. In addition to my work in mental health, I am also a professional book reviewer. I run the publications Peachy Keen Reviews & Bibliotherapy - Celebrating the Healing Power of Art - and The Horror Maven - A Celebration of the Macabre. Books, and horror, especially, have helped me a lot through my struggles with my mental health, and I enjoy sharing the healing power of books with others. I am the author of three novels, and my poems and short stories have been published in various anthologies. I specialize in borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, schizoaffective disorder, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I utilize art therapy and bibliotherapy in my mental health work, and I work with individuals struggling with mental illness, as well as their loved ones. I offer a variety of courses and free mental health articles, as well as one on one sessions.
ashleynestlermsw