17 January 2007

Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS)

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I have suffered from FMS since 1982, and understanding what this malady is all about is important for understanding me. It is a syndrome that cycles between sometimes long-lasting remission (e.g., 1991-1994, years when I felt great and was climbing in my forties at the same level as I did in my twenties) to debilitating flare-ups that put me down in bed. FMS mainly involves intense bodily pains, incapacitating headaches, overall fatigue, sleep disturbances, and a frustrating temporary “brain-fog” or cognitive deficit.
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The first spot of intense pain (and the most painful when it reoccurs) was between my shoulder blades around vertebrae T7, an old farm-work injury. Since then I have accumulated over a dozen sore spots all over my body that knot up in incredible pain.
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The physical and mental fatigue and cognitive deficit (the “fibro-fog”) are the hardest to accept. When hit with this fog, I feel like my IQ has dropped 20 points in a minute. It is probably connected to the severe sleep disturbances during a bad cycle.
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Causes of FMS in my experience include: Stress; lack of adequate rest; and lack of regular exercise. Any one of these factors can trigger a flare-up, and then they all kick into combination as I spiral down into pain.
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To avoid FMS flare-ups, I need a regular exercise program, a lot of sleep, and a radical reduction of stress. Meditation to reduce stress is very helpful.
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Dukkha: the First Noble Truth.
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-Zenwind.