Fibromyalgia and Pregnancy

I suffer from fibromyalgia and it's been a daily issue for me since my diagnoses in late 2005. I developed symptoms after my pregnancy of my first child, something that is rather common. I, like most people with this debilitating disease, do a lot of research on the subject. Research on fibromyalgia can be a difficult thing to find. This syndrome has been researched by professionals since the 18th century, however, some doctors today don't think it's a real disorder. The FDA has recently approved a drug for fibromyalgia (fibro for short) and this has made it a bit easier for patients suffering, but there is still a long way to go as far as treatment is concerned.

I have had many good days and many bad days, and I experiment with what works for me and what doesn't. When I find something that helps, I try to pass on whatever I come up with so others like me, can get the help they need. I feel it is important because there is a lot of misinformation out there. We who suffer are already misunderstood by many, so the last thing we need is misinformation.

During my research, I have come across a lot of trials, advertisements, and blogs about fibro. The blogs are wonderful because these beautiful people are taking precious time out of their lives to share their stories. A topic that I've recently come across, however, has gotten me a bit concerned. This is the topic of not having a child due to fibromyalgia, and this deeply upsets me because I believe it is such a misleading thing to say.

I mean no disrespect to the people that have made this type of decision in their lives, but I feel that the other side of the coin needs its five minutes of fame so people who are considering children, can make an informed decision based on hearing out both.

Before my diagnoses, I was having problems walking. My knees and legs would give out on me making it extremely difficult to walk. My daughter was four at the time and I had stopped picking her up for fear of dropping her. My husband and I were planning on another child, but since I did not know what was wrong with me at the time, I decided that we should wait until a doctor could diagnose the problem.

The process of diagnoses was tough. Most doctors never wanted to label someone with fibromyalgia because they really didn't think it existed. Some of them would tell me that "Everything was in my head", and my response to that was, "If it's all in my head, do I have to pay the bill?" Some didn't find that funny, but I sure did. Others were sympathetic, but diagnosed me with anything else but, fibromyalgia. I became frustrated and confused until one day, a rheumatologist understood what I was going through and gave me the epiphany I needed.

Once diagnosed, I immersed myself in research. I wanted to know how people managed their pain, what they ate, whether they could continue working, and how they coped. I found a vast amount of information from many sufferers and I tried to apply it to my own life so I could go drug free. That made day-to-day life more bearable, but there wasn't much information out there on relationships or pregnancy and child rearing.

I wanted to have another child, not only for myself and my husband, but for my daughter, as well. She wanted a sibling to play with because she was tired of being an only child. Having a brother myself, I could understand this want. So I went on a mission to find out all I could about pregnancy and fibromyalgia.
Most doctors agree that this disease is very individual, and anyone who suffers from it, has a very diverse set of symptoms. Some may go into remission during pregnancy, some may have worse symptoms than they've ever had before. But most have either stayed the same or experienced less pain. That was encouraging to me.

Some people believe that a well-balanced diet and stretching exercises, like yoga, are beneficial to fibro suffers and this is also true for pregnant women. In fact, the suggestions on what (and what not) to eat are the same for both. Processed foods are becoming passe in a society that is green and health conscious, and frankly, that's how it should be. Processed foods should be avoided as much as possible when you are pregnant, and research has also stated that it should be avoided for fibro sufferers too.

Everyone also knows that certain medications should be avoided during pregnancy. Things like aspirin should be avoided for the growing baby and other similar pain relievers, so someone who has fibromyalgia, may feel incredibly overwhelmed and not want to bother with pregnancy, just in case they have a flare, and can't function.

A nice surprise on the horizon, is that there is some research being done on new medications for pregnant women who suffer from the syndrome. If this medication works well in the trials, we may see it on the market in the next coming years.

Pregnancy and a newborn can have a strange effect on your sleeping habits, so can fibromyalgia. Once the baby is born, one may wonder whether lack of sleep will make life difficult. There is research being done into this, in a sense, too. The research right now, has more to do with breast feeding and mothers with fibromyalgia. This research is a bit weak because it's in the very early stages.

One doctor has found that most women in her study of 19, gave up breast feeding their babies so they could go back on certain pain medications. However, there is another study that states that breast feeding might be beneficial for a fibro suffering mom because breast feeding releases serotonin into the body. Serotonin can decrease or block pain sensations and this is why the herbal supplement called Sam-e is very popular. Some nurse practitioners and doctors may suggest this route to you for a natural form of pain relief.

Whatever you decide, a natural approach or not, to pain relief, make sure you keep in constant contact with your baby's doctor and your own doctor for your fibromyalgia care. Both of these doctors will play a very important role in your pregnancy and your child rearing, because each one will be able to give you good information to help you and your baby lead healthy lives. Medication and herbal supplements can be lethal to you and the baby whether you are pregnant or not, so make sure you let all of the doctors involved know your medical and pain medication history.

Having support is another vital tool when it comes to pregnancy and a chronic condition. Your partner, other children, and extended family are great cheerleaders for support, but there are other sources too. There are many, many forums out there to help people who deal with fibromyalgia, but very few of them deal with pregnancy. One of the best forums for support is the La Leche League's International forum. A topic that is discussed is about women who are chronically ill. I found this forum very comforting and the women there very welcoming.

My family and I are doing wonderful. My youngest daughter just turned one and has given our whole family so much joy. It would have been sad if we chose not to expand our family because there wasn't a good amount of positive information for chronic pain sufferers dealing with pregnancy.

I hope that this article helps some mothers-to-be by giving them the inspiration and encouragement they need to expand their family with love. Love can help in a lot of ways and sometimes that's all the medicine you need.