My Fibromyalgia Journey

I first experienced an unexplainable pain on my neck when I was in grade 9 or 10. I'd carry a Tiger Balm bottle to school, so that I could apply it as and when the pain occured. I still remember my schoolmates asking me what that yellow pigmentation on the nape of my off-white school uniform was. 

Cut to 2009, after multiple episodes of unbearable pain and stress from college, I sought physiotherapy, but couldn't continue for long due to classes. Then, after finishing college, my father asked me to try the traditional treatment method for pain relief - Ayurveda. I could complete the treatment as I had bagged a job in another city by then and I chose to go for the job. 

The pain had by then moved to my shoulders and upper arm, along with lower back of my body. I restarted the same treatment protocol a year later and completed it however, but it was a painful experience. As in, the hot oil massages, bitter oral medicines, hot water bath - all of them seem like a nightmare now. 

Anyway, the pain still persisted, but I was not someone who would give up that easily. So I went on with my day-to-day activities like a normal person, despite having pricking pain 24x7. 

Within a few years, the pain had extended to the left side of my upper body - left nape, shoulder and upper arm to be precise. Since I am predominantly a leftie, and I would use my left arm for almost everymal functioning started getting a

Life had taken a different turn by then - depression and anxiety kicked in. And I diverted my focus on fixing mental health rather than physical pain, which I had accepted as part of my life. 

There are days when the pain becomes unbearable, and it stays for more than 2 weeks, depending on whether I give enough rest to my body or not. Since I am a working professional, rest is luxury some times. 

In 2022, when an episode occured, I went and consulted a popular orthopaedic in my city and he, without even suggesting an x-ray, said "lose weight". I was so annoyed, because losing weight doesn't happen overnight and I needed an immediate solution. After this episode, I voluntarily enrolled for physiotherapy and the lady I chose fortunately was well-experienced, informed and non-judgmental. The therapy sessions with her made me calm and gave good results as well. She was the first person to tell me the possibility of having myalgia. The doctor also actually mentioned it briefly, but he said fat was the reason 😏

Anyway, I had already heard about fibromyalgia on the internet and started reading up about it and already had suspicion. And this lady mentioning it made me realise that was what I was suffering with. Even then, one part of me was asking me to get a proper diagnosis and confirm it before coming to a conclusion. 

So I did. I went to a rheumatologist and explained my struggles, which he listened to patiently, made me get an elaborate blood work, just to rule out possibilities such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and auto-immune diseases and finally confirmed that what I am suffering from is indeed Fibromyalgia and it is basically stress manifesting as pain. 🥲

But after the diagnosis, I am very mindful of the things I do or indulge in and am trying my best not to get that unbearable pain again. I mean, I know this condition is not curable but atleast I could manage it without letting it rule my life.