Fibromyalgia is not generally considered a progressive disorder, but in some cases it does get worse. It's not, however, a condition with a predictable course. In most people, fibromyalgia symptoms go through flares (when symptoms are severe) and remissions (when symptoms are minimal or absent).

I find it to be genetic and believe there are fibro symptoms all along but something will trigger a big flare. Maybe a surgery, a death, just something the body/ mind is stressed out from. Maybe a sickness like the flu. I think it can get worse as we age with aging challenges. Find what makes you feel better, without doing more harm. I love my Ai chi and other aquatic exercise movements and swimming. I know the challenge of getting to a pool is real.

I am sure that I suffered from fibro years ago after I had my four children. I was in constant pain, tired all the time (and not from having to "deal" with children), cried a lot, distanced myself from my sibling and parents - everything that is today associated with fibro. My doctor was sympathetic but kept telling me it was post-partum depression. I had good days and bad days, so/so weeks and miserable weeks. One day I happened to meet an old retired "country" doctor who offered to help me put bags of groceries into my car. We had a long, interesting conversation. He told me that I certainly wasn't suffering from Post Partum, 11 years after having the babes! He said that he's seen a lot of "this illness" among his patients; both men and women although there were more women than men dealing with it. His advice was to take everything slow and easy but to "take it head on" - not hide away and cry; to give myself a good talking to when I began to feel a funk coming on; to continuously tell myself I could do anything I put my mind to; to not retreat from anything and to reconnect with family BUT to leave the "toxic people" out in my life. He said to take life as it came by always looking at the positive side; to turn to arts, music and writing to help get my mind off the pain. He felt that the condition was a condition of one's mind, nerves and muscles connecting in an unusual way. The doc was 89 at the time we had this chat! I gave his words serious thought and as a result began to "chew" myself out every time I began to get into a flare/funk. Slowly, the fog began to lift. Slowly I began to feel better, less pain, a more positive attitude. One day I realized that I was basically myself again - raring to go! It was an amazing feeling! The disease just faded away - until about ten years ago when it came back, big time. One day I was fine. The next I was right back into that all-to-well known fibro funk - right after hubby had a heart attack! My new doctor said I had a disease called fibromyalgia then he said there was no such thing as fibro then he said I had fibro. He began to prescribe all sorts of really nasty medications. I never filled those prescriptions. I'd made notes many years ago and turn to them to help me through this round of beggar-fibro. I have good days, bad days, so/so days, interesting days, painful days. I try to add a bit of humour to every day - to see the bright side of every situation - to tell myself to buck up and get on with life. Human's do have a "best before" date/expiration date but we don't know what it is so I try to make every day, regardless the physical and mental challenges count!

Hi
I am 54 and I was diagnosed at 35. Trauma made mine much worse. I think that as we age we have to go through more trials in life, bereavements, illness, financial worries etc. We are lucky if we don't. Given the impact of these life events plus the natural process af ageing and deconditioning, it can seem to get much worse. But do the factors above play a big part in its overall progression? I find that going through the menopause is pretty tough, but then all women react differently to this stage of life also. We have to learn to pace ourselves and learn acceptance-which I find the most difficult, being very athletic in my younger years.
Just got through a severe bout of sciatica and back pain, always got to be careful with the spine, ever noticed how many fybro sufferers have some type of back problem?
In hindsight I think our mental state is of most concern, given the nature of this awful illness and we need to try meditation and mindfulness as much as we can.
I am in a worse state now than I was 20 years ago say, but I strongly believe that it is what happens to us in our lives which have a greater impact on this disease than the illness itself.

I am 63 and was diagnosed at 42. Everyone is different in how it affects you. I will say for me, i went from being very athletic to walking slowly behind my service pup, BUT, that is me not you or anyone else.
There are times I can do slow careful exercises on the bed and even use my recumbent bike at 5 min turns at a time with breaks between. If I can only do one of them, 🎶🎠🌝🎈🎊🎉🎆🎇. And I can't, 🎇🎆🎉🎊🎈🌝🎠🎶💪💜🌈😎 any way. First important thing is to be proud of yourself. Hey, I slept, I woke up, I hot dressed, I took my pup out, I did the stairs outside, I did a favor for a friend, I made a protein shake and kept it down, I made it thru a nausea visit, I KEPT GOING! So as the saying goes, collect your spoons, use them wisely, and if all you have is a piece of a spoon🎆🎇🎉🎊🎈🌝🎠🎶💪💜🌈😎🎁😊😄 CELEBRATE YOU!!