Fibromyalgia

A life-sucking, soul-killing disease. You feel sick enough to cancel dinner with your friends, but not sick enough to miss work. Symptoms are similar to the flu: fatigue, body aches, fevers (they come and go) and major brain fog. The symptoms can flair up without warning, which makes planning ahead impossible. No known cures. Pain medication can help, so can yoga, swimming and meditation.

There are several theories as to fibromyalgia's cause, including pollution, aspertame, sick buildings and more. There are several snake-oil "cures" out there; it pays to be cautious.

Last year I was going to the gym five days a week, working all day, attending graduate school at night and taking care of my husband and house. Today I count myself blessed if I can make it through work without a pain pill--all because of fibromyalgia, a disease most people don't believe exists (such as in the prior entry here).

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