My Experiences With Remission From Fibromyalgia

The most common description of fibromyalgia is that it is a chronic condition you never get rid of. My experience has been somewhat different.

• What is Fibromyalgia?
• What Are Common Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

According to my rheumatologist, there is no question I have fibromyalgia. I possess all the “trigger points” of sensitivity, of pain when pressed. I remember being reduced to tears, the pain of those areas being pressed hurt so much. They still do.

My fibromyalgia was initiated by an extremely stressful point in my life. I was experiencing emotional trauma, and was told by my psychiatrist that emotional trauma often later presents itself physically for a while. Some people experience migraines, others might experience symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. I experienced pain everywhere, especially in my feet, and it stayed with me for about a year, long after my psychiatrist felt the symptoms should have stopped.

I would have regular “fibro flares,” where the pain felt unbearable, and no amount of painkillers would help me. Even the strongest hospital-grade medications made little difference. I could not sit; I could not stand; I could not lie down. No one could touch me without my wanting to scream in agony. I needed a walking stick just to be able to walk.

After a while, however, things began to change. I was flaring less and less, and lost the pain in my feet. It felt like I had moved into a state of remission. My emotional state had improved, and no words can explain the relief I felt.

A few months later, another traumatic, highly stressful event occurred, and immediately all my fibromyalgia symptoms came flooding back, this time mainly focused around my hips and thighs. I have continued to experience fibromyalgia symptoms since that event (two months now, and counting), and am curious to know if they will disappear again. It appears that my symptoms fluctuate with my emotional experiences, that they are not chronic in nature.

From what I had read about fibromyalgia, and from speaking to others with the condition, fluctuating symptoms are a rarer state of being than the more chronic presentation of it. Some people even questioned whether I had fibromyalgia at all. I trust the judgment of my rheumatologist, however, who has heard that remission is indeed possible.

Naturally, I enjoyed my time in remission, and readily look forward to the possibility of it happening again.