There is evidence of a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities in FMS (especially depression, anxiety, borderline personality, obsessive-compulsive personality, and post-traumatic stress disorder), which are associated with a worse clinical profile.
Previous studies have repeatedly found distinct brain morphometric changes in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), mainly affecting gray and white matter abnormalities in areas related to sensory and affective pain processing.
The personality of patients with fibromyalgia is still under debate. Some studies found high neuroticism associated with low extraversion, while others found that these traits do not differ from the normal population. Personality factors intervene in the emotional regulation and modulation of pain.
Patients may feel they have to validate or explain their symptoms to justify themselves. This can add to feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety experienced by fibromyalgia patients. Research has found high levels of depression and anxiety in patients with fibromyalgia because of its physical symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is often triggered by an event that causes physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. Possible triggers include: a serious injury, such as after a car accident. an infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus or Lyme disease.
Several authors have pointed out that FMS patients tend to experience higher levels of anger, in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls [27,28,29].
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is still a somewhat controversial diagnosis, because it is not yet fully understood and its symptoms can overlap with many other conditions.
Fibromyalgia can cause pain, disability, and a lower quality of life. US adults with fibromyalgia may have complications such as: More hospitalizations. If you have fibromyalgia you are twice as likely to be hospitalized as someone without fibromyalgia.
As a sufferer of Fibromyalgia you may be entitled to a range of welfare benefits. The benefits you may be entitled to due to fibromyalgia include; Attendance Allowance (AA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Let's be completely honest here: While it's not their fault symptoms can make them unpleasant, people with FMS or ME/CFS can be difficult to deal with at times. When you're feeling especially burdened by housework, financial matters, and caretaking, a short temper or blank stare doesn't help matters at all.
If you have other diseases, especially rheumatic diseases, mood disorders, or conditions that cause pain, you may be more likely to have fibromyalgia. These diseases include: Rheumatoid arthritis. Systemic lupus erythematosus (commonly called lupus).
How does fibromyalgia affect quality of life and mental health? Due to the variety of symptoms patients can report, the impact on quality of life can differ. Some patients have more problems with the level of pain itself while others may find the anxiety and sleep disturbance most troublesome.
An MRI may be able to detect brain activity connected to fibromyalgia pain. For patients dealing with fibromyalgia, the widespread musculoskeletal pain they feel is made worse by the frustration and misunderstanding that usually accompanies the disorder.
"Fibro fog" is the name commonly given to the cognitive problems that can go along with fibromyalgia syndrome. These problems with concentration and memory can lead to confusion, losing your train of thought, or forgetting or mixing up words or details. You can take steps to manage fibro fog.
In people with fibromyalgia blood tests fail to show any serious abnormalities. CT and MRI scans looking for abnormalities affecting the brain, spinal cord or nerves are normal or inconsistent with the persons symptoms.
Widespread pain: The pain is constant and dull and lasts for at least three months. The pain occurs throughout the body, on both sides of the body, and below and above the waist. Fatigue: Patients with fibromyalgia are always tired, and they even wake up feeling tired despite sleeping for long periods of time.
Fibromyalgia has many symptoms that tend to vary from person to person. The main symptom is widespread pain. There may be periods when your symptoms get better or worse, depending on factors such as: your stress levels.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises Fibromyalgia as a real and potentially significantly disabling condition. Where a clinical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia has been made full account will be taken of its functional effects when determining benefit entitlement.
Fibromyalgia has long presented a puzzle for doctors. It's considered a syndrome—a collection of related symptoms and problems without an identifiable cause—rather than a disease. Those related symptoms include: Chronic widespread pain, often accompanied by numbness, tingling, and burning.
“They don't tell you about the emotions you will have to deal with every single day, the grief for the person you used to be, the guilt you'll feel every time you let someone down and cancel plans, the fear of the future and the feeling of being a burden to your family.
The pain that is associated with fibromyalgia can limit your ability to stand or sit for long periods of time. It can also affect your ability to lift, carry, push, pull, and grasp.
People often say they cry more frequently, get upset more easily or have more angry outbursts than before they were ill.
Emotional Sensitivity
ME/CFS and fibromyalgia often make emotional reactions stronger than they were before and harder to control. The technical term is labile. One person in our program wrote, "My emotions are much more sensitive than ever before. I cry more easily, and I have less emotional reserve."
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
SSRIs used to treat fibromyalgia symptoms include fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva) and sertraline (Zoloft). Benefits and Risks: These medicines increase serotonin levels in the brain and help to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.