I first heard the word fibromyalgia in 2011. After years of experiencing various painful symptoms, doing several emergency room trips and going through series of medical tests, my sister-in-law was finally diagnosed by a rheumatologist as having this unfamiliar disorder. With her diagnosis came some relief. We knew it’s name; we could learn about it; we could perhaps get a better grasp on it.
I say we because when you have a family member or a loved one who is suffering from an invisible chronic disorder such as fibromyalgia, everyone around them needs to see it – to see how someone can be juggling the pain and disability that lie in between their soccer mom routes, boardroom sessions or travel photos. Since my sister-in-law’s diagnosis, I’ve been trying to educate myself on this mysterious nerve disorder that until now has no known cause and cure. And on days like Fibromyalgia Awareness Day every May 12, it’s a perfect time to help spread the word.
WHAT A FIBRO WARRIOR WANTS YOU TO KNOW
I recently asked my sister-in-law what she would want people to know about fibromyalgia. She said two things:
- Importance of support. She said that without the support and understanding of her husband and children, she would be having a much harder time. Her co-workers understand that there are days when she can’t work at her normal pace and they’ve worked out a contingency plan for this. Friends and family members understand when she may suddenly need to cancel plans because she’s having a fibro flare-up. We know that when we’re meeting up for lunch or coffee, we should pick a place that has sugar-free and gluten-free options in its menu so she can avoid her food triggers.
- Danger of self-diagnosis. Several strangers have shared with my sister-in-law that they’ve self-diagnosed based on articles they have read about the symptoms of fibromyalgia. And along with self-diagnosis, they go for DIY (do-it-yourself) treatment because they say it’s cheaper. Because of its nature, fibromyalgia may take a long time to be diagnosed. Its symptoms can vary from person to person, and even from time to time with the same person. Because it has symptoms similar with many other illnesses, it can be confused with others like hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, lupus, mood disorders, etc. (If you have symptoms, please see a doctor to get professional diagnosis and recommendation for treatment or management.)
I’m glad that my sister-in-law now has a better grasp of her condition and that she is better able to manage her lifestyle to minimize symptoms and avoid triggers as much as she can. I hope that in her lifetime, sooner than later, a cure for fibro is discovered. Until then, together with her family and friends, I continue to offer her my love and support. I continue to see her as a kind and beautiful woman, a generous and funny sister-in-law, a loving wife and mother to her family, a kindred spirit who also loves writing and rescued animals, and a free spirit who continues to quietly fight for a normal life with fibromyalgia.
Here’s my sister-in-law’s story in her own words: “Living with Fibromyalgia, fight for a normal life”. Published in gmanetwork.com on 6 December 2017.