My fibromyalgia diagnosis was in 2008. I’d almost call it a “diagnosis” because the condition seems so poorly understood and it’s hard for me to accept it as a true diagnosis. I know it’s for real; it’s just frustrating to have something so hard to understand. I had a list of symptoms consistent with fibromyalgia, my doctors ruled out other conditions, and so I was left with this diagnosis.
The onset of fibromyalgia can be associated with physical traumas and there’s a thought that these events may trigger the condition. In my case, I was in a rollover motor vehicle accident in 2001 that I believe was the trigger for my fibro. I don’t know if I’ve had a pain-free day since the accident. I was an otherwise healthy and active woman in my mid-20s at that time. For the first few years after the accident, I thought my symptoms were caused by the accident and that I would eventually recover.
The accident happened while I was working so I worked through the worker’s compensation process (awful!). Their doctor determined a 5% permanent physical impairment for me due to the severe whiplash I experienced. Despite this, I fully expected to recover. I expected to be able to live pain-free and return to all of the activities I had previously loved like skiing and hiking, etc., but that didn’t happen. Now I’m starting to accept that maybe I never will.
My accident was in 2001. I had pain primarily in my neck and back over the next five years, along with other symptoms like fatigue and depression. I started to notice becoming extremely sore even after very mild activities. I knew something was wrong, but had no idea what. Somewhere around 2004, I got really sick with no known cause. I was extremely tired. I was still in my mid-20s and had to nap during lunch breaks from work. I went to the doctor who found my liver enzymes were high. I was tested for hepatitis which, thankfully, I didn’t have.
During the winter of 2007-08, I began to have pain in my legs as well. Once the pain grew and involved my legs, I knew something was very wrong. I went to a new doctor who ordered tests to rule out things like lupus and arthritis, and eventually diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. I guess it’s been 14 years now in this #invisiblefight.
Text Copyright Snowdroplets 2015
snowdroplets 
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This is pretty much how I feel. I haven’t been diagnosed all that long really, since 2013 and I still don’t quite believe the diagnosis at times. I must have seen every specialist my doctor could have referred me to and got no real answers. My Doctor eventually said it was Fibromyalgia as they had run out of other options! Keep fighting hun xxx
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Thank you so much! I find my diagnosis hard to accept partly because I sooooo don’t want it to be true. Part of me must still hope it’s not true and that all of this pain will just go away.
There’s been a large dose of denial in my coping strategy in the past. I’m only now starting to really come to terms with the reality of this disease.
If there was some kind of conclusive test and an explanation for fibro, I think I would have felt quite different. I probably could have grieved and accepted it as true earlier on. Instead I had this diagnosis that I just kept hoping wasn’t real, despite all evidence to the contrary. No wonder I’m a little nuts!!
Anyway, it’s great to connect with you! I’ve only ever met one other person with fibro in person and connecting this way through blogging is so helpful to me.
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