70 pounds lighter and pretty fit - this healthy phase lasted for about 1.5 years. I continued eating normally and kept up with running, gym and swimming. It was a hectic time on all fronts - I moved into my own place, changed jobs and started moving up the professional ladder.
And then the tide turned...one day while running I got a severe cramp in my upper back. It was so bad I couldn't even move...it lasted for about 2 minutes and then went away as unexpectedly as it had arrived. I didn't think much of it and went about my business as usual.
A week later I developed a pain in my right iliopsoas muscle. I ignored it as a cramp for some time. Eventually I consulted a GP and he asked me to take a break from running for a week. The pain didn't go down in a week and since I needed to get my endorphin fix, I started elliptical trainer and biking. The pain worsened and finally I consulted an orthopedic, then another, and another...till I realized that no one knows whats wrong with me. All test results were negative, all scans were clear. No one could tell why I was in pain.
It was now almost a year since my problems began but I didn't gain much weight (probably a couple of pounds) as I kept doing some exercise or other. Then I changed my exercise regime to squash and my right arm from shoulder to fingers started hurting just after 2 weeks. Now I couldn't do anything - no squash of course but even typing at work was painful. I was in pain and didn't know what was wrong with me.
Just as I was about to give up my search for a treatment, someone suggested I visit an orthopedic who specializes in Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). I made an appointment reluctantly because I had met sports injury specialists and all other kind of orthopedics. I wasn't hopeful that the RSI specialist will be able to help me.
I went to the clinic's website, chose the branch closer to my place and landed there. The clinic's location and the general upkeep didn't help generate any confidence. Had to wait for 2 hours inspite of an appointment. Finally when I met the doctor, he asked a couple of questions, mostly listened and nodded and then started his diagnosis procedure. It took him all of 5 minutes to tell me that I have Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is characterised by chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to pressure. Its symptoms are not restricted to pain, leading to the use of the alternative term fibromyalgia syndrome for the condition. Other symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. It is also associated with gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome, psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety and stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder.
It is not a disease in the true sense of the word - it can be best described as hyper-active nerves. The evidence suggests that the pain in fibromyalgia results primarily from pain processing pathways functioning abnormally. Hence, a fibromyalgia patient just feels more pain that an average person and even minor pain pulses are magnified before they reach brain.
Now that the problem was identified, my action oriented mind felt a bit at ease as the next steps were obvious - fix the problem!
And then the tide turned...one day while running I got a severe cramp in my upper back. It was so bad I couldn't even move...it lasted for about 2 minutes and then went away as unexpectedly as it had arrived. I didn't think much of it and went about my business as usual.
A week later I developed a pain in my right iliopsoas muscle. I ignored it as a cramp for some time. Eventually I consulted a GP and he asked me to take a break from running for a week. The pain didn't go down in a week and since I needed to get my endorphin fix, I started elliptical trainer and biking. The pain worsened and finally I consulted an orthopedic, then another, and another...till I realized that no one knows whats wrong with me. All test results were negative, all scans were clear. No one could tell why I was in pain.
It was now almost a year since my problems began but I didn't gain much weight (probably a couple of pounds) as I kept doing some exercise or other. Then I changed my exercise regime to squash and my right arm from shoulder to fingers started hurting just after 2 weeks. Now I couldn't do anything - no squash of course but even typing at work was painful. I was in pain and didn't know what was wrong with me.
Just as I was about to give up my search for a treatment, someone suggested I visit an orthopedic who specializes in Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). I made an appointment reluctantly because I had met sports injury specialists and all other kind of orthopedics. I wasn't hopeful that the RSI specialist will be able to help me.
I went to the clinic's website, chose the branch closer to my place and landed there. The clinic's location and the general upkeep didn't help generate any confidence. Had to wait for 2 hours inspite of an appointment. Finally when I met the doctor, he asked a couple of questions, mostly listened and nodded and then started his diagnosis procedure. It took him all of 5 minutes to tell me that I have Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is characterised by chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to pressure. Its symptoms are not restricted to pain, leading to the use of the alternative term fibromyalgia syndrome for the condition. Other symptoms include debilitating fatigue, sleep disturbance, and joint stiffness. It is also associated with gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome, psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety and stress-related disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder.
It is not a disease in the true sense of the word - it can be best described as hyper-active nerves. The evidence suggests that the pain in fibromyalgia results primarily from pain processing pathways functioning abnormally. Hence, a fibromyalgia patient just feels more pain that an average person and even minor pain pulses are magnified before they reach brain.
Now that the problem was identified, my action oriented mind felt a bit at ease as the next steps were obvious - fix the problem!
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