Fibromyalgia I was waking up and could barely move by body. The moment my feet touch the ground I would experience pain right through my ankles. It wasn’t just the pain, I was also experiencing depression, I just wanted to stay in bed and hide away, sleep forever. I had to get out of bed I had to go to school; I was ten years old. I was told it was just growing pains or I had used muscles I hadn’t used in a while. I could hardly walk, the pain would surge around my ankles to the point I would have to rip off my shoes. Mum would strap them up and rub deep heat on them, but still nothing, the pain was there and was not going to leave any time soon. Finally I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which I could not even pronounce, let alone understand. Mum and I researched it to understand more, but why would a ten year old have this? It turns out that it is a rare disorder, which only a few thousand people develop. It’s not dangerous, it is caused by the feeling of your joints trying to fight pain from built up fluid, causing pain and tenderness and difficulties in movement. Okay, so I understand that, but why do I have it? Fibromyalgia is caused by stress, depression and being anxious. Well I tick all the boxes to those symptoms. I was stressed because I was being bullied at school, depressed because I didn’t understand why, and anxious that it was happening. Fibromyalgia is a condition in which an individual develops long-term body pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissues in the body. Fibromyalgia has also been related to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety. No one knows the causes. However, it seems that emotional or physical trauma and sleep disturbances may all contribute. The body areas that are affected are called tender points (for me my ankles). These points are found in the soft tissue leading to a deep ache or burning pain, and although it feels like it’s in your joints they are not affected. Pain possibly will get worse with activity, cold or damp weather, anxiety, and stress. Fatigue, depressed moods, and sleep problems are seen in almost all patients with Fibromyalgia. Many say that they cant get to sleep or stay asleep, and they feel tired when they wake up. I could never sleep; we tried everything, making my room darker, soft music, tiring me out more during the day, but nothing, I just could not sleep. I now believe that this was due to my anxiety concerning my fear of death, and that if I fell asleep, I would never wake up. Fibromyalgia does not cause any lasting damage to the muscles or joints. It is important to remember that with help and better understanding, the symptoms can be effectively managed. For me understanding what was happening and why really assisted in managing and understanding my pain. Although there is currently no cure for Fibromyalgia, it can be managed. Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for me was an important part of my treatment. This helped me learn how to understand my anxiety and negative thoughts, assisting me in writing about my fears and anxiety, understanding my body and what was triggering my pain and symptoms. I added activities in my life which helped me feel better, like helping others and doing volunteer work. It also helped me to set limits for myself and to not allow myself to let others hurt me or take advantage of me. Sadly there is no known prevention for Fibromyalgia but you can manage it, if you believe you are worth understanding it more. For me just talking about my feelings and emotions and what was happening for me really helped. Now when things are happening in my life that are causing me sadness or pain, or my anxiety is high, I look at what is happening for me and ways I can work on these issues. Writing about my issues for ADAVIC was really the start to letting me look closer at my fears. I am starting high school this year in the excel program, which is going to add extra stress, but I know that when things become hard or my anxiety peaks, to talk about it, understand it and work with it rather than against it. Rhiannon Anderson-Reed (14 years old)
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 04:00:00 +0000
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