Fibromyalgia Pain - Is it Real or Just in Our Heads?

For years I had suffered from pain. I had been called a hypochondriac by most of my immediate family members but yet It seemed I was the only one who understood what messages my body was sending me. My body daily was in pain from my legs all the way up to my head and it ached all over. It was finally given a name by my doctor Fibromyalgia.

I was given a diagnosis some years ago of having sleep apnea. And for years when I visited my doctor and told him how I hurt all over and was in a depressed state he would state I was depressed and write me out a prescription for an anti depressant.

Sure I noticed results right away only to realize months later the pain was back with a vengeance and so was the depression. I would report to my doctor to only be told I needed a new medication. Now here I am in my mid forties and my pain is severe.

I have found it very difficult to even fall asleep. I toss and turn with agony trying to get comfortable and somewhere in between I drift off to sleep. Only finding when I awake the next morning my body hurts all over. I finely noticed the pain was getting worse and now affecting my chest region and my knees as well as my back.

I made an appointment with my doctor and once there I told my doctor what had been going on. That I was depressed mainly because I could not sleep and that I hurt all over. My doctor immediately after listening to me came around behind me and pressed on my shoulders.

My doctor ask me if this and that hurt and after pressing over me in several spots he said I had Fibromyalgia. I had never heard of this and had many questions. The doctor gave me a prescription for Cymbalta which would help with my pain and my depression.

I also was placed on a medication that I take this at night to help me with my Fibromyalgia pain as well as a sleep aide. You will probably find out like I did that many people do not believe in Fibromyalgia. Some have said it's just a diagnosis a doctor gives you when they don't know what's wrong with you.

My family had heard of it but really did not know what it was. They eventually realized that I was not making it up and that I was in severe pain when I went to there home for a visit and could barely walk in the evenings let alone get up and down out of the chair.

Until you have experienced the pain of Fibromyalgia and the tender spots and the fatigue that comes with it you will probably act as many have and think it's all in our heads. I can tell you that's simply not true and that it mainly attacks women in there middle age and people who have sleep problems.

With the help of my medicine and trying daily to stay stress free I have found that there are some days I have minor pain. But on those days that I allow my depression to get the best of me as well as my pain then it takes over my whole body and I end up paying for it that night when I try to lay down and sleep.

If you would like to learn more about Fibromyalgia and it's symptoms and causes log onto www.mayoclinic.com and read up on the information that's available to you.