Know Fibro

A series of interviews with deviants whose lives are affected by Fibromyalgia

In an effort to spread awareness and the seriousness of Fibromyalgia, *Mollinda agreed to share her personal story and answer a few questions so that we all may all gain some insight.


When were you diagnosed with Fibro?

I was diagnosed three years ago when I was 20. I had been increasingly fatigued and after falling asleep every night after work on the bus I was concerned. My mum suspected Narcolepsy, due to the fugue states I'd slip into. I suspected ME/CFS as I'd had a four year bout of glandular fever which can sometimes lead to it.

When you were diagnosed, what were your feelings? Did you know about Fibromyalgia prior to it?

I was scared. ME has a chance of going away, chances of that for fibro are slim. My aunt has been diagnosed for years and seeing her deteriorate has been hell - I didn't want that to happen to me. However giving it a name gave me something to fight. Knowledge is power.


What has maintaining it been like for you? What are your days like?

To start with, hellish. As soon as I recognised it, it was as if the protection of denial evaporated and suddenly I couldn't walk, my back would swell horrifically, my IBS got three times worse... Then I discovered Amyltriptaline. No more pain killers, minimal anti-inflammatories and I work, go to college, walk my dog and scrape by on 7 hours sleep. I fucking love that drug. Yeah I'm still in pain, but it doesn't stop me doing what I need to do and that's fine by me. I can ignore it.


What are the worst things about having Fibromyalgia?

Getting stupid. My IQ has dropped 15 points. My attention span is nil. My short term memory is shot and I forget words on a regular basis. I do Sudoku to improve logic skills, I always add up things in my head and try and remember silly things to try and improve that... but it is getting worse.



What is the support like from friends and family?

Amazing. I am incredibly blessed - all of my immediate family have fibro so we support each other. And I choose friends well, they carry bags for me at college and buy my sushi when I'm down.


Was there any time when you realized how different your life would be because of Fibro?

I've always had it - looking back I've displayed symptoms from a very young age. I have no insight to life without it.


What advice do you have to give to people who have found out they have Fibromyalgia?

Fight it. Fight it tooth and nail. It's the only way to get better. That's the thing about Fibro, the more you let yourself rest, the worse it gets. So walk a lot. Forget things upstairs. Get enough sleep. Eat well.



A final word:
Fibromyalgia is different for everyone - what I say may not apply to everyone. It affects you mentally and emotionally as well as physically, so the insane urge to cry and inabilty to handle emergencies can be cleared right up with the right meds. I take sertraline which balances seratonin levels and it makes the world of difference to me.






Thank you so much, *Mollinda, for sharing your experiences with us!

How you can help

Join us in spreading the awareness by checking out this article to see what you can do to help out: [link]