What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. The word fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek ones for muscle (myo) and pain (algia). Tender points are specific places on the body—on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower extremities—where people with fibromyalgia feel pain in response to slight pressure.
Although fibromyalgia is often considered an arthritis related condition, it is not truly a form of arthritis (a disease of the joints) because it does not cause inflammation or damage to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. Like arthritis, however, fibromyalgia can cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can interfere with a person's ability to carry on daily activities. Also like arthritis, fibromyalgia is considered a rheumatic condition.
You may wonder what exactly rheumatic means. Even physicians do not always agree on whether a disease is considered rheumatic. If you look up the word in the dictionary, you'll find it comes from the Greek word rheum, which means flux—not an explanation that gives you a better understanding. In medicine, however, the term rheumatic means a medical condition that impairs the joints and/or soft tissues and causes chronic pain.
In addition to pain and fatigue, people who have fibromyalgia may experience
*sleep disturbances,
*morning stiffness,
*headaches,
*irritable bowel syndrome,
*painful menstrual periods,
*numbness or tingling of the extremities,
*restless legs syndrome,
*temperature sensitivity,
*cognitive and memory problems (sometimes referred to as "fibro fog"), or
a variety of other symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome rather than a disease. Unlike a disease, which is a medical condition with a specific cause or causes and recognizable signs and symptoms, a syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend to occur together but are not related to a specific, identifiable cause.

Yep...got all that!
I need now to concentrate REALLY HARD on LOSING WEIGHT!! My weight is not making my condition any better at all! If I lost about 100 pounds the pain wouldn't be so bad. (I hope)!! I'm sick of myself anyway!! The problem is Diabetes!! I started putting on weight really bad in my late 40's and that is when they diagnosed me with Diabetes. It was inevitable that I got it. Dad had it, his family, my sister, and now my 49 year old brother is borderline. We all live different lives and eat differently. My sister loves carbohydrates, I love protein! I was a health nut in my 40's but it didn't help. My doctor told me to quit blaming myself, that there was no escape. I ended up on insulin, and that made me gain even MORE weight! 60 pounds in a year!!
My doctor apologized and told me it does that. I want to get out and do my three mile walks again but can't because of my back! Well I am now going to put myself on a strict regime and DO SOMETHING!! If it doesn't work, then at least I tried!!
Okay, Leslie...I'll diet if you quit smoking!!
hehehehehehehehe

Thought for the day:
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong ,
enough sorrow to keep you human
and enough hope to make you happy.