When you have fibromyalgia, the phrase "under the weather" takes on a whole new meaning. Wet weather can make us feel bad, hot weather can make us feel bad, cold weather can make us feel bad and weather changes wreak havoc on our bodies.
I've been feeling "under the weather" for a few weeks now. First, we had record breaking heat. We had temperatures reach over a 100 degrees, which is practically unheard of here in western Washington. I had a headache all that week which I attributed to the air quality. But, my body felt fine. I had no aches or pains that week and I was grateful for that.
Then, we got some cloudy weather and it dropped into the 70's. My lymph glands, trigger points and tender points did not like this, even though I did. I started feeling achy, and kind of yucky, like I was coming down with something. My headache intensified. My lymph glands kept feeling weird, like the ones in your neck feel when you bite into a lemon. Every night, I was sure I would wake up with a cold the next morning but I never did.
This week, it turned rainy and temperatures dropped even more. That's when my trigger points and headache reached crisis level. The headache turned into a debilitating migraine that lasted several days. My trigger points got tighter and tighter, despite taking more muscle relaxers. My tender points got more and more tender, to the point where it hurt for anyone to touch me. And my lymph glands felt...sicker, I guess is how I would describe it.
And now? I'm in a really bad flare, complete with fibrofog, stiff, achy joints, tight knots in my muscles and random aching in various places. My throat is mildly sore and I feel like I'm going to get a cold.
Today is Friday and our high temp. was around 60 degrees. It's supposed to be 90 by Tuesday. Will I feel better? Or, will the changing temperature again make me feel even worse? Who knows!
2 comments:
Well, it only took me 20 minutes to figure out how to leave a comment!!!
I thought I was the only one who got the weird swelling of the throat glands and a sore throat when the weather did it's stuff. At least now I know I'm normal for someone with fibro. I've been feeling exactly this way all week. I was sure I'd caught another cold from somewhere, but the cold never came. Just sore gland & throat and a mild ear ache (probably from the swollen glands).
WOW! You're really going thru some crazy weather. We are too, but not to the same extreme......yet! Right now, the rain is coming in and I feel like crap! (pardon the language), I haven't slept in days and on top of everything else, I'm having my pd right now. And it's the worst one I've had in years! If I hadn't just had a pregnancy test done, I would have sworn I was having a miscarriage, I've bled so much!! But, even this is all part of having fibro for me. I have other health issues too, LIKE Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is probably causing the problem with my pd this week. But that is interacting with the fibro and now I'm totally exhausted, but absolutely cannot sleep. I'm averaging about 3 hrs sleep a day and that is usually between the hours of 7-10 am. And I don't know what to do about it. The doctor did give me a new prescription for the rx Provigil which is for the fatigue and sleepiness. I haven't gotten it filled yet, but I'm just going to have to, if it's covered by my insurance!!! BIG if! My main concern is that it will prevent me from getting that 3 hrs sleep, but I've got to try something. I'm miserable, totally exhausted and in terrible pain. Trish, we're about on the same page this week I think. I feel like the flu, without having the actual flu or even a cold. Arrgghh, I hate having fibromyalgia!
Wow, I was bummed about being hit with a double whammy but you're getting hit with more like a triple whammy of different problems at one time. I'm so sorry! I hope you get some sleep. That at least will help you cope with the other things.
I'm sorry you're going through the feeling like you're coming down with something thing too. But I'm also relieved to know that someone else has it too. I was really starting to worry it was lymphoma or something. I know I've had this in the past but it usually happens during cold and flu season so I always assume I'm fighting something off.
I have having fibromyalgia too! It really sucks when our summers, which are supposed to be our "good" time of year, are bad too.
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