A MyFibroTeam Member
Question,
I don't really know what a flare up is, I have my pain and all the other symptoms every day.
How do I know when I have a flare up?
When you have a flare up you feel like you have been kicked by a horse. mine occur when the barometric pressure changes. You are really lucky that you don't have them!
I get fevers, last night 101.4 and I've had one everyday for almost a week now. I have had pain all over but my hands & feet especially hurt a lot. One thing I noticed that's somewhat new is getting extremely sharp shooting like pain in my hands. My feet kill!! The heels of my feet have to be raised even off my mattress!?
I get very weak and feel weighted down. Blurry vision. Fibro fog really sucks!!!! These are some of my flare up symptoms. Fairly drastic Changes in weather especially rain; high barometric pressure cause most of my flare ups, but stress, lack of enough or good quality sleep, overworking my body. Long days can even cause me to feel a flare up of symptoms. My menstruated cycle has actually become a cause and a major problem. I have never had any issues with cramping or heavy bleeding. My periods would be very light and maybe last 3 Days! Now I’m havubg debilitating painful cramping- like so bad I’ve thought maybe I should go to the hospital or see a doctor (no ins right now though :( Try to learn what causes your flare ups so you can maybe know ahead of time one may be coming and you can at least plan around it. Plan to get things done before a flare up and plan time to rest and do whatever eases your symptoms - that’s the only advice so far I think is useful. As for remedies, I’m still trying to figure them out but I live with a heating pad always plugged in and in my nightstand ready to be used. Hot baths sometimes help with epson salt. It’s a continues learning curve :/
Sending hugs to all
Yes me too, exactly same as you @mkthryn if only there was a magic wand we could wave or even some good meds suited to the condition, especially if they didn't make you sleepy when they kill the pain!
I knowt that my answer probably sounded short. I guess Ihate to be negative, especially when you've just found out what you have. But, I sometimes feel like just when you think it is all you can bear, and it flares up and can be worse, or different symptoms can get worse, all flare ups. But every now and then I find things might be not so bad for a while and everything is under control you are blindsided by a flare up.
Scary I know, flare up is when it gets worse. But if things improve for you and then get worse it is also a flare up.
Mkathryn-you described the flare ups exactly like mine. Especially the feeling of being bruised all over. I tell my husband it then feels like my whole body is covered in bruises and something pushing on them. Can't stand crossing my legs on leaning on my arms ect....
It is interesting to see everyone's answer - same yet different for each person. When I have a flare, my pain level increases like times ten. I feel like my body is badly bruised (but without the bruises), and I feel like I have a bad case of the flu. I also have bad GI problems, terrible fatigue, and sometimes restlessness, especially during the night when I want to sleep but can't. I can also feel hot then cold then hot again. All of this can vary in intensity if the flare lasts just a day or lasts days. This past week, it's been off and on. I feel some pain all the time. Having fibromyalgia is like being hyper-sensitive to everything.
Yes it is when your pain is way above normal( if we can call it normal) and or in a different place. Or a new complete sintom
I had a real bad flair up awhile back, I couldn't get out of bed, and I felt like I was trying to lift up a ton o f weight, had no engrey, my pain was worse, just didn't feel good at all, that went on for over a month. I have a lot of stress in my life, so that doesn't help at all, anyway I wish everyone better days.
Look at people's profile or under treatments, you can see their symptoms if they post them. I have others in addition to my post.