On it's face, it might sound silly to ask if aspects of your health have improved since you became chronically ill with fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). Some of us, though, have noticed that, while we feel worse overall, some things from before have actually improved.
For example, I used to get lots of headaches and periodic migraines. In some people, those are symptoms of FMS or ME/CFS, especially when they're of a new pattern, type, or severity. Well, oddly enough, my new pattern, type, or severity is to rarely have a headache at all, and to stop getting migraines (at least, for the past 2.5 years.)
I've also noticed that I don't seem to get the colds and other common bugs that get passed around like I used to. I attributed that to all the supplements I'm taking, but a recent discussion thread in my Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum made me wonder. (Thanks to Liz for starting this one!) Do the changes in our immune system make us more resistant to some things, while making us less resistant to others?
In the thread, Liz mentions Dr. Paul Cheney's theory of ME/CFS's effect on the immune system, and it's a really interesting one. You'll find it here: Dr. Cheney: Balance the Immune System (Th1/Th2).
Of course, we don't know whether the FMS immune system is the same as the ME/CFS immune system, but we also don't know that they're different. I thought it was really interesting that Liz and I noticed a similar improvement in certain immunities, when she has ME/CFS and I have FMS.
Do you get sick less often than you did before FMS or ME/CFS? Or is it more often, or about the same? What about things like my headaches, that aren't immune-system related -- any changes there? Share your experience here or in the forum!
Suggested Reading:
- Flu Shot or Not When You Have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
- Symptom Lists for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Drug Treatments for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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I have only noticed that the migraines I had in my youth no longer plague me. Otherwise, I can’t really say that some things have gotten better.
I do feel that FMS/CFS are like illnesses. When one person complains more about fatigue it’s CFS/ME; the other complains more about pain it’s FMS. It’s similar to looking at flu symptoms…one person may cough more while another may have a runny nose.
It’s been about 25 years since I had a severe cold or flu bug. In fact I often can’t tell if I’m sick. I usually experience severe fatigue along with vague symptoms. Another odd thing I’ve noticed is that the worse the pain is the better the fatigue and the more severe the fatigue becomes the less pain I have. As to headaches, they come & go but are not as severe or as frequent as before. I’ve had pain for 44 years & the severe fatigue began about 18 years ago. My memories are a muddle of pain & fatigue along with various other symptoms.
Sending good thought to all. Sandi K.