Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

November 18, 2020November 18, 2020

A Fibromyalgia Thanksgiving

COVID-19 Columns, Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

I’m not a holiday person. In truth, I never was. Sadly, depression rather than joy begins to set in for me just after Halloween and doesn’t let up until after ... Read more

November 4, 2020November 4, 2020

Tips for Deciding Whether to Change Healthcare Plans

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

In November, many of us decide whether to keep our current healthcare plan or make a change. I’m relatively happy with the HMO I have. My husband, who has been ... Read more

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020

Rethinking Gluten’s Effect on My IBS Symptoms

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

A gluten-free diet did me a lot of good, but I’ve since reclaimed my love for gluten. Thanks to the pandemic, I haven’t been entering grocery stores, so I’ve instead ... Read more

October 7, 2020October 7, 2020

Toward a Deeper Understanding of Fibromyalgia Fatigue

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

If there was just one thing I would like people to understand about fibromyalgia, it would be the profound fatigue that defines us. Sure, everyone gets tired. Everyone has a ... Read more

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

A Primer for Yoga Awareness Month

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

Of all the forms of exercise that have come and gone in my lifetime — Jazzercise, kickboxing, CrossFit, and others — yoga is the one that has withstood the test ... Read more

September 9, 2020September 9, 2020

10 Tips to Stay Cool When Heat Makes Fibromyalgia Uncomfortable

COVID-19 Columns, Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

Despite research to the contrary, every fibromyalgia sufferer I know agrees that extreme temperatures worsen our symptoms. Or perhaps the symptoms just become more difficult to bear. I am truly ... Read more

August 19, 2020August 19, 2020

Don’t Cut Corners When Stretching to Ease Pain

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

A rheumatologist finally diagnosed my fibromyalgia in 1990, after an exhaustive, decades-long search by me for pain relief. In addition to the diagnosis, he doled out some of the most ... Read more

August 5, 2020August 6, 2020

Difficult Decisions in Difficult Times

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

I was faced with making a difficult decision this week. I’d been wait-listed with my neurologist to have another round of trigger-point injections. After decades of suffering, this treatment, administered ... Read more

July 22, 2020July 22, 2020

Advantages of Water for People With Fibromyalgia

COVID-19 Columns, Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

Controversy over denied beach access due to the coronavirus has brought to mind the large role that water plays in fibromyalgia treatment. Not that the ocean is where I wish ... Read more

July 1, 2020July 1, 2020

Make Plans, Cancel Plans, Repeat

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

One of the most challenging aspects of life with fibromyalgia is the speed with which my health can deteriorate. I can awaken in the morning feeling capable of going somewhere, ... Read more

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020

Reciprocating Kindness Can Help With Fibromyalgia Woes

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

I always look forward to the last five minutes of the evening news, which usually feature a feel-good story emphasizing the basic goodness in each of us. My husband often ... Read more

June 3, 2020June 3, 2020

Same Battle, New General: Restricted by Fibromyalgia and COVID-19

COVID-19 Columns, Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

Fibromyalgia: Permission to stay at home, sir? COVID-19: Permission granted, soldier. Many consider COVID-19 to be the great disrupter. Those of us with fibromyalgia may see it differently. The only ... Read more

May 20, 2020May 20, 2020

Don’t Stop Those Tears!

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

I cried easily when I was a child. I still do — perhaps more now than during my childhood. At school, fellow students mocked my behavior. At home, my parents, ... Read more

May 6, 2020May 6, 2020

Is Your Doctor Right for You?

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

It took years of suffering, unnecessary tests, and numerous doctors before I received a correct diagnosis. One of the reasons was that I had a group of doctors rather than ... Read more

February 5, 2020May 6, 2020

Compiling a List of Fibro Friendly Foods Can Be Confusing

Fibromyalgia News Today Columns

The past several months have been difficult for me. Both my irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea and my cervical radiculopathy have flared up. Between muscle spasms that result in nerve ... Read more