A Timeline of Lady Gaga’s Fibromyalgia Journey

Celebrity magazines always show candid photos of stars to show ways that they’re just like us. Those photos usually show celebrities at the farmer’s market or taking their kids to the park. But sometimes celebs deal with the same health challenges that we do too, even if they tend to talk about it less often. Lady Gaga is not only a pop superstar and actress, but she also openly revealed that she struggles with fibromyalgia. Here’s a bit of background on Lady Gaga and her journey with fibromyalgia.

EARLY PHYSICAL TRAUMAS

Lady Gaga was already experiencing chronic pain for years before she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Born Stefani Germanotta, she was a hardworking pop star for more than a decade. She was known for her high-energy shows, which were filled with both singing and dancing.

But in her earlier years, Lady Gaga was a victim of many traumas, including emotional abuse and sexual assault. As a pop star and dancer, she ended up breaking a hip. Both physical and emotional traumas, such as the experiences of her youth, are often linked to the later development of fibromyalgia.

FIBROMYALGIA TAKES ITS TOLL

The toll of her high-energy performances added up. Lady Gaga broke her hip in 2013. After that, her fibromyalgia symptoms began to affect her more. The fact that she got worse after breaking a hip follows a common pattern for people with fibromyalgia. Even if a person recovers from the initial injury, later problems can develop. She developed chronic pain and had to start canceling shows. Celebrities have more resources than the average patient, but also have more demands on their time.

RED ORBIT TV

After dealing with pain for years, Lady Gaga ended up having to cancel a leg of her 2017 tour. Some of her other symptoms in addition to chronic pain included the following:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Sleep problems

Other patients with fibromyalgia may also experience additional symptoms, such as:

• Widespread pain
• Cognitive difficulties (also known as the “fibro fog”)
• Migraines or other types of chronic headaches
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Interstitial cystitis/irritated bladder
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) syndrome, or severe jaw pain

She was also quoted in Vogue magazine as saying the following: “My diaphragm seizes up. Then I have a hard time breathing, and my whole body goes into a spasm. And I begin to cry,” she told the magazine. “That’s what it feels like for trauma victims every day, and it’s . . . miserable. I always say that trauma has a brain. And it works its way into everything that you do.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR LADY GAGA

Lady Gaga appears to be stepping back from her musical career at the present time. However, she continues to work using her talents in other areas. Most recently, she appeared in the movie remake “A Star is Born” and won rave reviews for her performance. Like most people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, she struggles to balance work with getting enough rest to stay well. She suffers from relapses of worsening pain after doing too much, just like most fibro patients do.

Among the treatments that Lady Gaga uses to manage her fibro flares include the following:

• Warm heat
• Electric heated blankets
• Epsom baths
• Infrared sauna

LESSONS FOR OTHER FIBROMYALGIA PATIENTS

The visibility of Lady Gaga’s openness about her fibromyalgia brings more awareness to an often-misunderstood illness. The vast majority of fibro patients are women. Most people go through the struggle of searching for doctors who will take their illness seriously. Once you find a doctor who doesn’t dismiss your illness, it can still be even more difficult to find the right treatments. Effective treatments that reduce pain for fibromyalgia are limited.

Most patients find that fibromyalgia requires a patchwork of multiple therapies. Although it is not an illness that’s “only in your head,” it does often have a component of depression and past trauma. Seeing a psychotherapist can help address any coexisting mental health issues that may be a factor.

Other specialists who may be part of your care team include massage therapists, nutritionists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and your family doctor or rheumatologist.

As Lady Gaga’s case illustrates, fibromyalgia can affect anyone, rich or poor – even celebrities. It can strike you in the prime of your earning years and create more struggles to overcome. However, with persistence and self-care, you can still find a new definition of what healthy and functional looks like for you.

How to Tell if it’s Fibromyalgia or Multiple Sclerosis

 There is so much mystery in the world of fibromyalgia, in large part because it effects everyone differently. Another reason for the mystery is due to the similarity in fibro symptoms compared to other diseases and syndromes. Fibromyalgia is sometimes misdiagnosed as a different problem and vice versa. This is because the myriad of symptoms associated with fibro are commonly found in other illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, also known as MS. So how can you tell if it’s fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis?

WHAT EXACTLY IS MS?

The National MS Society defines it as follows: “Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.” If you or a loved one live with fibromyalgia, you can definitely spot some familiar buzz words and phrases, can’t you? Specifically, “immune system,” “abnormal response,” and “central nervous system.” In fact, the similarities in symptoms become quite striking when you review a side-by-side comparison. Note that most, not all, of the fibromyalgia symptoms overlap with MS symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish whether it’s fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis:

MS SYMTPOMS	FIBROMYALGIA SYMPTOMS
Fatigue	Fatigue/Exhaustion
Numbness or Tingling	Numbness &/or Tingling
Weakness	Muscle Weakness
Dizziness & Vertigo	Dizziness
Pain	Pain
Emotional Changes	Anxiety
Walking (Gait) Difficulties	Impaired Coordination
Spasticity (i.e., muscle stiffness and spasms)	Muscular aching, throbbing, & twitching
Vision Problems	Vision Problems
Bladder Problems	Bladder Problems
Bowel Problems	Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Cognitive Changes	Cognitive Problems
Depression	Depression
Tremor	Restless Leg Syndrome
Headache	Headaches/Migraines
Swallowing Problems	Dry Eyes & Mouth
Itching	Itching &/or Burning
Sexual Problems	Insomnia/Poor sleep
Speech Problems	Ringing in the Ears
Breathing Problems	Neurological Symptoms
Seizures	Skin Sensitivities & Rashes
Hearing LossIt is plain to see many similarities in symptoms between fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis, including clear neurological connections associated with pain, numbness, and tingling. However, experts explain that unlike MS, fibromyalgia does not show up as brain lesions on an MRI. Furthermore, while both conditions have no known source, MS is distinctly categorized as an auto-immune disease, but fibromyalgia is not. So that is one way to determine if it’s fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis. A key difference in MS is that the patient actually accrues long-term nerve damage which leads to physical and cognitive impairments. In fact, some types of MS are progressive. Primary Progressive MS (PPMS), for example, “is characterized by worsening neurologic function (accumulation of disability) from the onset of symptoms, without early relapses or remissions.” While fibromyalgia, on the other hand, is often mistakenly considered an arthritic condition, it does not actually cause damage to joints, muscles, or tissues. JUST WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?Fibromyalgia is primarily characterized by chronic and wide-spread pain. A close second is the debilitating fatigue. But as you can see from the chart above, the symptoms are quite broad. The problem many patients run into is that fibromyalgia resembles so many other conditions that it’s usually difficult to nail down a diagnosis. However, some physicians are more inclined to spot it than others. HOW ARE MS AND FIBROMYALGIA EVALUATED? The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that a fibromyalgia diagnosis is comprised of a detailed muscle exam that includes checking for tenderness at specific locations on the body. Rating the severity of specific symptoms is another key part of the exam. The symptoms must be present for at least three months. They add that there are no blood, urine, or laboratory tests which can provide a conclusive fibromyalgia diagnosis. However, fibro diagnosis also means that no other disorder or condition can explain the symptoms. Diagnosing MS, however, is quite different because it causes several more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. Thus, exams tend to focus on brain and nerve function, including a brain MRI and sometimes a spinal tap. Even though MS can also be difficult to diagnose, it is often easier than fibromyalgia. This is because the evaluation requires searching for lesions or damaged areas to the central nervous system. HOW CAN I TELL IF IT’S FIBROMYALGIA OR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS?It’s true that the similarities between multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia are striking. But given the neurological damage caused by MS, it is a condition that is slightly easier to target than fibromyalgia. Patients with MS are usually treated by a neurologist. But so are many fibro patients. As such, a neurologist likely has a keen eye in making the distinction between the two. Only tests will be able to tell. Were you misdiagnosed? How did it effect you? Tell us your story, please!

The 7 Stages of Fibromyalgia

Angela Wise has expressed her views on the Facebook page “Everything Fibromyalgia” about the different stages of fibromyalgia. A lot of us have come together on this site and others.. because we all have one thing in common. FIBROMYALGIA,  FIBRO-MY-ALGIA, sometime in our past, recent or further.

We have been told we have fibromyalgia. It is a syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues and BLAH BLAH BLAH you know the rest. For GODS sake we live it everyday. We are more than a diagnosis, and we should not all be lumped together as a whole, there should be stages, and this is why

Stage 1

Fibromyalgia should be for those that have recently been finding out that they are experiencing more pain and fatigue than before, you’re not sure what is going on but you hurt and your tired.. you can still go to work, you can still make it through your day, but you know something isn’t right. So it’s something you’re going to bring up at your next routine doctors visit.

Stage 2

You are in pain a lot , sometimes taking an Advil or ibuprofen or what have you .. you get a little relief, you have already been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and you have accepted the fact this is something you are going to have to live with, you feel a lot of pain and you are exhausted almost every day…but for the most part you keep going and hold down a job, can still go to events, spend time with your friends and loved ones..and have somewhat of a good time.

Stage 3

You are in constant pain, you are constantly tired, more often than not. You question yourself whether you will be able to function normally anymore. You are thinking about maybe not working because you no longer have the energy you once had..you get home from work and all you can do is rest.. friends call and you have to turn down the invites..you have no energy left and you have to rest up just to go back tomorrow. In this stage you start to feel more alone..and more and more people are beginning to think you whine an awful lot. And this stage can last a long time, years even.

Stage 4

You are in pain all the time, good days are few and far between…your calling into work sick more than you even make it in…you’re in bed a good portion of your day.. when you do have a good day you take advantage of it, and do as much as you can, all the things you have left in the past weeks you cram into your day… knowing tomorrow you will be paying for it..possibly even up to a month..but you do it anyway..

because you finally feel good enough to do SOMETHING! By this time your friends make plans without you, they already know your excuses and are 99% positive you will say no.. so they don’t even bother to ask anymore. Your family begins to think you are using fibromyalgia as an excuse to not do things..

because stages 1-3 you were able to do some of those things even with fibromyalgia, now you can’t..so OBVIOUSLY you are using your diagnosis to get out of everything. You feel alone, isolated, worried..emotional, sad, and well..did I mention you feel alone? This stage can last years as well.

Lets put this sticker on our cars to spread Fibromyalgia Awareness

You can get this sticker from here

Stage 5

You have already been let go or have quit your job, you are asking questions about permanent disability and how long it takes.. hoping a majority of people will say 3-6 months tops, but instead your fearful of the horror stories about everyone being denied and it taking years for most..you are struggling to make ends meet, maybe you moved someone in to help or moved in with someone to save…you spend a lot of your day in bed. Although you still take advantage of that one good day once in awhile.

You are sore, very sore.. you cry a lot. You feel like a prisoner in your own skin. By this time you have already explained to your friends that it still feels good to be invited even if you don’t go..they invite you to a few things the next week and then things go right back to the usual..laying in bed crying.. feeling alone.. feeling abandoned.. misunderstood..and you have found that the only people that you can relate to are other people whom have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. What a good feeling..not so alone anymore.. and you wish that your friends and family could see what its really about, this stage can also last for years.

Stage 6 (The final Stage)-

You may or may not still be waiting on disability, Fibromyalgia is now a way of living, most of your friends are those living with fibromyalgia themselves, everything you do takes your precious energy..simple daily tasks you took for granted in earlier stages, going to the bathroom, washing your hair, taking a shower, getting dressed, tying your shoes..even your everyday jewelry irritates the shit out of your skin..no energy or desire to put on “your face” before going out..no energy to curl or straighten your hair..with all the medication you are on or have tried, you are dealing with those side effects as well as living with fibromyalgia.

You now have Netflix or Hulu because going to the movies happens very rarely..very very rarely..and you are human and still enjoy some normal things..like watching tv… you try to stay current on any news regarding fibromyalgia, in hopes they are closer to finding a cure… most of your friends are not around anymore.. they have things to do.. and you? Well.. you need to rest, because you just vacuumed! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed in this stage, because things are piling up around you… bills, laundry, dishes etc.

You do a little everyday…you push yourself so you don’t feel like your day was wasted in bed..you feel guilty.. very guilty..you know longer pull your own weight in the house..your kids, spouse or family member get things for you more than ever.. tissues, something cold to drink, meals, blankets etc..they try to do it in a nice manner but you still feel like a burden…you can’t remember anything.. even important dates.. birthdays, anniversaries, school events etc…not only can you no longer remember shit..

When you start to say something mid-sentence you’ve forgotten what planet you even live on..let alone what it was you were going to say…(thank God for the few people that do pay attention and can tell us what we were talking about to begin with)..

Also you know more about fibromyalgia in this stage then your own doctor and basically laugh when trying a new medication…same drill as before.. and same results.. nothing helps 100%…your not even sure it’s working at all…but you keep going…at this point you know who really understands and who can care less.. even your so called close family members that claim to care.. you know the truth..and you show extra love to those that get it..because after all, other than your fibro friends they are all you have left…

You may see a stage here you are currently in..some things may not be exact give or take…but I know one thing for sure.. fibromyalgia isn’t the same for all of us..just because you can work and I can’t doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love too, or I am lazy.. it could simply mean I am in a different stage than you are..which is most likely the case..It’s not fair to assume you are better or can handle more pain because you still have a social life.. our hearts ache with pain that fibromyalgia has stolen that from us.. we want it back so bad..

We live for our good days, and we support each other through the bad..please do not judge others before knowing their journey…it’s not your responsibility to decide what stage someone else is in..we are fighting the same battle.. we all want the same cure..we need to try to stay positive to help others through the bad days, so they will return the favor when we have our bad days..love goes a long way.. don’t be afraid to love someone with fibromyalgia..we have some of the biggest hearts.. because we of all people know exactly what it’s like to be misunderstood… However I think Stage 7 could be –

Stage 7: Acceptance 

When we finally receive a definitive diagnosis we are filled with fear, sadness, anger, and many other feelings, including relief. Someone has finally given us an answer for why we feel the way we do! Once we learn to accept this, and learn our new normal, we can learn how to adapt to this new life.

There is no set amount of time it takes to learn this acceptance piece, but once we are there, we can start moving forward and learning how this new life will go, accept our “new normal” and begin again.

How to Prove You Have a Fibromyalgia as “Medically Determinable Impairment” for SSDI?

Social Security Disability (SSDI & SSI) for Fibromyalgia Social Security has published a ruling that helps define when applicants with fibromyalgia should be granted disability benefits.

A lot of candidates for Social Security disability benefits the ones who apply based on fibromyalgia get rejected. The part of the motive was that Social Security does not have a disability “listing” for the condition.  (Social Security’s disability listings offer the conditions needed for numerous different impairments to be sanctioned as disabilities.)

The Social Security Administration (SSA) printed a ruling in 2012 to address the issue, providing directions to disability claims surveyors and administrative law judges (ALJs) regarding how to evaluate fibromyalgia circumstances. This ruling ought to help reduce the amount of fibromyalgia applicants who are rejected at the preliminary application phase and go on to file an appeal and ultimately win disability welfares.

Despite that, a lot of fibromyalgia patients will continue to be denied welfares. If you are applying for disability constructed on fibromyalgia, it just benefits to know that how the SSA views this specific impairment (known as fibromyositis).

How Does Social Security View Fibromyalgia?

Usually, when a disability claims examiner got a situation where the motive for disability was just fibromyalgia, the point of view for an initial endorsement was poor. Disability examiners usually presented slight weight to an entitlement of fibromyalgia unless there was one more condition involved, for instance degenerative disc disease or arthritis, the one that was more possible to come with objective proof of the disease just like x-rays.

Why was it? Part of the problem has to do with the nature of fibromyalgia—its signs are mostly particular and its causes are not understood. Since its symptoms differ from person to person, and for the reason that the medical career had not figured out fibromyalgia’s reasons, disability examiners were by no means certain how to categorize such circumstances. As the medical profession has started to recognize fibromyalgia better, Social Security has established new standards for evaluating fibromyalgia.

How Can You Verify You Have a Medically Determinable Impairment?

As to be selected for disability welfares, you need to have an impairment recognized by medical proof for instance medical “signs” of the disease or illness and lab tests. In other words, your impairment cannot be established merely by your reports of your symptoms. This is known as the necessity of having a “medically determinable impairment” (MDI)—the SSA has to understand medical signs of an impairment that might more likely be expected to produce your symptoms. Verifying this can be challenging with fibromyalgia, as the illness is generally categorized by subjective reports of extensive pain, dizziness, tenderness in the muscles, joints, and soft tissues, fibro fog and fatigue. Luckily, in July 2012, Social Security allotted a ruling clarifying when fibromyalgia would bring into being as a medically determinable impairment.

The ruling directs statements examiners and judges to count on conditions allotted by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) to define whether a candidate has fibromyalgia, and so has an MDI. To be considered an MDI first, the patient would have proof of chronic extensive pain, with pain in the back, chest or neck and the doctor must have governed out other diseases (hypothyroidism, such lupus and multiple sclerosis) over the procedure of lab tests or x-rays. Also, the patient must have one of the following:

1. Tender arguments in at least 11 of 18 tender argument regions of the body, with tender arguments befalling on both sides of the body and both above and beneath the waist. You can get a list of the tender arguments in the SSA’s latest ruling on fibromyalgia.

2. Repetitive manifestations of six or additional fibromyalgia symptoms, mainly cognitive, fatigue or memory issues (fibro fog), anxiety, non-restorative sleep, depression, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Other likely symptoms consist of abdominal pain, headache, muscle weakness, seizures, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and dizziness. The claims examiner will evaluate your medical records to see if they comprise proof of the above criteria. The examiner will read the doctor notes on your complaints of fatigue, pain, and possible cognitive complications.

To evaluate the reliability of your complaints, the claims examiner can ask your doctor to offer information about the amount and time period of your impairments, his or her judgement of how well you are capable to function, what treatments were done and whether they were supportive and had side effects, and how long the doctor believes your capability to function to be restricted. The longer your medical record contains proof of fibromyalgia symptoms and treatment, the better.

What Happens If Your Fibromyalgia Is Found to Be a MDI

In case SSA defines that you have the medically determinable impairment of fibromyalgia, Social Security’s assessment is not done; actually, it has just started. The SSA will possibly create a “residual functional capacity” (RFC) assessment for you to decide if there is any work you can do, with your past work.

 RFC assessment is an estimation of your capability to perform numerous exertional stages of work; let’s say, if you can’t lift more than ten pounds, you will be provided a sedentary RFC.  The SSA bases your RFC on your medical records, views from specialists and doctors, and statements from you and from your family members. In evaluating your RFC, the SSA will be dependent on on your doctor’s view as to your abilities, just like how long you can stand, walk, and sit, how much you can lift, and how well you can focus and remember guidelines. These practical restrictions are the key to showing the SSA why you can’t work. When making your RFC, the SSA will match it to the kinds of jobs vacant for somebody with your RFC level and restrictions. If the RFC rules out every job, though sedentary work, you will be considered disable.

Related Article:

Tips to Apply and Win Disability for Fibromyalgia

Get Help from Specialists

More likely in other cases, hiring a lawyer to request a rejection of welfares for fibromyalgia can surely benefit, as disability lawyers are aware of the Social Security decision on fibromyalgia (SSR 12-2p) and the modern court verdicts on when disability would be approved for fibromyalgia.

This information can assist disability attorneys find errors which were made by the judge or claims examiner in the disability determination and use them to your benefit. Also, if just a primary care internist or physician give you a fibromyalgia diagnosis, then try to make an appointment with a specialist; and a diagnosis made by a rheumatologist will be more reliable to a judge or disability examiner and will help your Social Security disability request or claim.

Clinical Research Finds: Fibromyalgia Tied to Hysterectomy, Gynecologic Disease: Also Linked to Endocrine and Autoimmune Disorders

 Did you have a gynecologic surgery, such as a hysterectomy, in the few years before you developed fibromyalgia?

It’s a trend some people have noticed, and a study published in 2015 shores up the link between these types of surgeries and fibromyalgia onset. It also provides further evidence for an association between fibromyalgia and common overlapping conditions that are gynecologic, endocrine, or autoimmune.

Findings

In the study, researchers reviewed charts of 219 women with fibromyalgia and 116 women with non-fibromyalgia chronic pain. Specifically, they examined the time between illness onset and gynecologic surgery as well as the number of overlapping conditions in each group.

They also found that each of the three diagnosis types they were looking at was independently associated with fibromyalgia. Thyroid disease and gynecologic surgery were significantly more common in women with fibromyalgia than those with other types of chronic pain.The timing of the gynecologic surgeries in relation to pain onset was especially interesting. They found more surgeries in the years just before fibromyalgia pain began, or in the year after pain onset. That pattern was unique to the fibromyalgia group.

At first glance, it may seem odd that gynecologic surgeries in the year after pain onset would be considered related to the development of fibromyalgia.However, an association like that may be due to several pertinent factors.

For example, consider that many women have gynecologic problems well before they opt for surgery as the preferred treatment. It may be that hormonal changes or gynecologic disease are risk factors for fibromyalgia because of some underlying relationship that we don’t yet understand.

According to the study, hysterectomies and oophorectomies (removal of the ovaries) were most likely within the four years before or after the onset of fibromyalgia pain.This is certainly an area that calls for more research. In the end, it could help us understand why 90 percent of fibromyalgia patients are women. Beyond that, it may reveal physiological changes that can trigger the development of the illness, which could lead to better treatments and possibly even prevention.

For the women who develop fibromyalgia after gynecologic surgery, we also need to know what role, if any, the surgery itself plays, as well as the possible roles of hormonal changes caused by the surgery. Post-surgical hormone replacement therapy deserves a look, too.

Earlier Research

Doctors have long suspected that fibromyalgia has strong hormonal ties and triggers. A 2013 studyfound links between early menopause and increased pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia patients, which may relate to dropping estrogen levels.

Women with fibromyalgia are especially prone to painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea) and certain pregnancy complications.

My Experience

This study really speaks to my own experience. I was 34 when my youngest child was born via c-section, and 35 when I stopped breastfeeding. The hormonal changes from that, according to my gynecologist, launched me into premature perimenopause.

My menstrual cycle became erratic and periods were extremely heavy and painful, whereas they’d always been regular and fairly mild. Fibromyagia symptoms soon followed.Six months later, I had a diagnosis and had identified a pattern—my flares came regularly between ovulation and the start of my period. My gynecologist recommended an endometrial ablation to get rid of hormones put off by the thickening uterus.

The ablation not only put an end to the painful periods (and periods in general,) it took the edge off of my flares and made them fewer and farther between. (Learn more about my personal journey in Thrown Off Course: Fibromyalgia Enters My Life.)

I hadn’t have a hysterectomy, but between two pregnancies and two c-sections, plus breastfeeding, my body had clearly been put through a hormonal ringer.

I suspect that research will continue to bear out the links between fibromyalgia and hormonal changes and hope that someday, we’ll be a lot better equipped to recognize, treat, and prevent hormone-related fibromyalgia.

_Sources:

_{Brooks L, et al. Journal of pain research. 2015 Aug 20;8:561-9.Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?}

_{Martinez-Jauand M, et al. clinical rheumatology. 2013 Jul;32(7):975-81. Age-of-onset of menopause is associated with enhanced painful and non-painful sensitivity in fibromyalgia.}

The Part of Life With Fibromyalgia I Haven’t Told You About

I’m a fairly open person when it comes to physical and mental illness, but I can also be very reserved, especially about my chronic pain and fatigue. It’s not because I don’t want to share about what’s going on with me, but because I don’t want people to think I’m a “whiner” or “attention seeker.” I am neither of those things. In fact, I’m quite the opposite.

A lot of people know I have fibromyalgia. What they don’t know is the reality of what I deal with. They see a positive, silly, young 25-year-old woman on the outside, but they don’t realize how much pain I’m in, or how badly my anxiety is affecting me. I don’t think people really understand the intensity of my conditions. I’ll admit that part of it is my fault, for showing only the good parts of my life on social media, but showing the not so good parts can sometimes come off as attention seeking. I don’t want attention, I want my conditions to stop being stigmatized. I don’t want pity, I want people to understand these illnesses.

Here is the reality of someone with fibromyalgia:

1. PainWhen you tell someone you’re in pain, they don’t really take it very seriously. They usually think that you have a typical headache or back ache. They don’t realize that your whole body is experiencing aches, stabbing pain, needles, numbness, or often times a burning sensation. The also don’t realize that the clothing you’re wearing, or the cloth chair your sitting on could be causing you pain as well. People with fibromyalgia have sensitives to certain fabrics and materials. Some of us (including myself) feel pain in their organs. I’ve had ovarian pain for years, and didn’t know what it was until I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

Our pain is often unbearable, and can cause difficulties in every day situations. When I’m going through bad flare-ups, I am sometimes late to work. It seems like no matter how early I wake up, it takes me 30 minutes to an hour to get out of bed because my body is stiff, my hips are locked, and my hands ache. Carrying a grocery basket can cause my hands and elbows to tense up, opening jars is sometimes impossible, household chores can take everything out of you, and the list could go on.

2. FatigueSpeaking of being late to work, fatigue is another reason it’s so difficult to get out of bed. I could have had the best sleep of my life, but it will feel like I didn’t sleep a wink. For me, chronic fatigue is one of the most difficult symptoms. There have been days I’m nervous to drive long distances because the sun causes really bad fatigue. I work a desk job, but by midday, I feel like I’ve been doing hard labor, and all I want to do is go home and sit on the couch. And good luck trying to schedule anything with me after work. I’ll just be too exhausted to do anything. If you’re able to get me to hang out with you on weekdays, it’s probably because no matter how tired I am, I really need your company.

3. Brain Fog

This is the last symptom I will touch on. Brain fog is a bitch to say the least. Completely forgetting a conversation you had yesterday, having to pause mid sentence because you forgot what you were saying, or stopping a conversation altogether because you can’t think of the right words to use. This is the most embarrassing symptom of fibromyalgia. Feeling incompetent is incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking. I often wonder if people are judging me because of this. I find at times, I can’t even remember how to spell a word when I’m typing. I proofread my text messages, emails, and social media posts multiple times before pressing the “send” or “submit” button. The embarrassment of brain fog causes me so much anxiety. I just want people to know can’t control the way my brain works sometimes.

Here are some other common things fibro warriors struggle with:

1. Mental illness including, but not limited to, depression and anxiety.

2. Temperature sensitives. Summers, and especially Winters are often unbearable.3. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

4. Night sweats/hot and cold flashes.

5. Insomnia.

6. Painful and irregular menstrual cycles.

7. Problems with balance.

8. Tinnitus (ringing in ears).

9. Restless leg syndrome.

10. Rashes and skin disorders.

It’s very common that individuals with fibromyalgia will struggle with different symptoms than others. All symptoms are different for everyone, so it’s difficult to explain to doctors what your symptoms are. Chronically ill patients seem to know about their illness than professionals, and that can be hard when it comes to medications and treatments. We’re all in this together, and we need support and understanding from the people and loved ones in our lives.

I hope this sheds some light on this awful illness. If you know someone living with fibromyalgia, go give them a (gentle) hug and ask what you can do to help them. Just being there to listen could mean the world!