📝 Fibromyalgia symptoms
A few days ago, I saw a post on r/fibromyalgia with a list of symptoms related to fibromyalgia, both common and uncommon. As I was looking at them, I couldn't tell what was scaring me the most: the size of the list or the fact that I have a lot of them.
Today, after trying to cope with this for a few days, I copied the full post and applied bold to the ones I've had since this shit started, just to get a more precise grasp of how many of these I've had. Oh boy! I shouldn't have, because now I'm stressing out, and I'm trying to vent with this blog post.
I already had a few of them, due to other comorbidities, like allergies, asthma or IBS (this one is common in people with fibromyalgia), but they got worse after this fucking syndrome ruined my life. I also always had a sensitive nose, but not to the point of detecting a gas leak from a bottle with a hair-thin hole in it (the hole was barely visible with the naked eye, and no one around me noticed the leak except my now way too sensitive nose!).
Some sources suggest there are up to 200 symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Below is a comprehensive list categorized by system:
Musculoskeletal Symptoms
• Widespread muscle pain • Muscle stiffness • Joint pain • Muscle spasms • Muscle weakness • Chronic fatigue • Tender points (sensitive areas on the body) • Reduced exercise tolerance • Restless legs syndrome • Feeling unrefreshed after sleep
Neurological Symptoms
• Chronic headaches or migraines • Numbness and tingling in extremities • Burning or prickling sensations • Sensory overload (hypersensitivity to light, sound, and touch) • Poor coordination • Dizziness or vertigo • Brain fog (cognitive dysfunction) • Memory problems • Difficulty concentrating (“fibro fog”) • Slowed processing speed • Speech difficulties (word-finding issues) • Increased pain sensitivity (hyperalgesia) • Phantom pain (pain with no clear cause) • Sensory processing disorder-like symptoms
Sleep Disturbances
• Insomnia • Frequent awakenings at night • Light, unrefreshing sleep • Delayed sleep phase disorder • Sleep apnea • Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness) • Difficulty maintaining sleep • Increased pain sensitivity at night
Psychological Symptoms
• Anxiety • Depression • Panic attacks • Mood swings • Irritability • Emotional sensitivity • Feeling overwhelmed easily • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Increased stress response • Low stress tolerance
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) • Constipation • Diarrhea • Abdominal cramping • Bloating • Nausea • Acid reflux (GERD) • Food intolerances • Sensitivity to gluten or dairy
Cardiovascular Symptoms
• Palpitations • Irregular heartbeat • Orthostatic intolerance (dizziness when standing) • Low blood pressure • Raynaud’s phenomenon (cold, discolored fingers/toes) • Poor circulation
Immune System Symptoms
• Frequent infections • Swollen lymph nodes • Flu-like symptoms • Allergies or worsening allergies • Sensitivity to mold or chemicals
Hormonal & Endocrine Symptoms
• Menstrual irregularities • Painful periods (dysmenorrhea) • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) • Low libido • Thyroid dysfunction symptoms (even with normal labs) • Adrenal fatigue-like symptoms • Weight fluctuations • Hot flashes or night sweats
Sensory & Skin Symptoms
• Skin sensitivity • Rashes or hives • Itching (pruritus) • Temperature sensitivity (hot or cold intolerance) • Excessive sweating • Bruising easily • Dry eyes or mouth (similar to Sjögren’s syndrome) • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) • Blurred vision • Heightened sense of smell
Urinary & Reproductive Symptoms
• Bladder pain (interstitial cystitis) • Frequent urination • Urinary urgency • Painful intercourse • Pelvic pain • Erectile dysfunction (in men)
Metabolic & Energy Symptoms
• Chronic fatigue • Hypoglycemia symptoms (without diabetes) • Sugar cravings • Difficulty maintaining energy levels • Feeling drained after minor exertion • Non-restorative rest
Temperature Regulation Issues
• Feeling excessively hot or cold • Sweating abnormalities • Poor heat tolerance • Cold hands and feet
This list captures many of the most commonly reported symptoms, but fibromyalgia is highly variable, meaning people experience different combinations of symptoms.
Here are some of the less common (but still reported) symptoms:
Neurological & Sensory Symptoms
• Olfactory hallucinations (smelling things that aren’t there) • Tingling or buzzing sensations in the skin (paresthesia) • Feeling like your skin is sunburned without an actual burn • Electric shock sensations in the brain or body • Difficulty distinguishing temperatures (e.g., not realizing something is too hot or too cold) • Changes in depth perception (difficulty judging distances) • Spatial disorientation (walking into door frames, tripping) • Sudden “jelly legs” or leg weakness
Psychological & Cognitive Symptoms
• Derealization or depersonalization (feeling detached from reality) • Hypersensitivity to emotions (excessive empathy or feeling drained around people) • Intrusive thoughts or mental overstimulation • Extreme irritability before storms or weather changes • Lack of motivation despite wanting to do things
Skin & Hair Symptoms
• Hair loss or thinning (often linked to stress or inflammation) • Skin mottling or marbling (livedo reticularis) • Sudden bruising with no clear cause • Extreme skin dryness despite moisturizing • Bumps or lumps under the skin (lipomas or fibrous nodules)
Cardiovascular & Circulatory Symptoms
• Feeling faint after standing too long (due to blood pooling) • Heart palpitations with no clear cardiac issue • Frequent cold hands and feet, even in warm weather • Random hot or cold flushes without fever
Gastrointestinal & Metabolic Symptoms
• Metallic taste in the mouth • Burning tongue syndrome • Random aversions to foods once tolerated • Episodes of extreme hunger or complete lack of appetite • Unexplained weight gain or loss despite no change in diet • Swelling in the hands, feet, or face (fluid retention)
Respiratory & ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Symptoms
• Feeling like you can’t take a full breath (air hunger) • Chronic post-nasal drip or unexplained nasal congestion • Recurring sore throat with no infection present • Hoarseness or voice changes without a clear reason • Increased sensitivity to strong smells causing nausea or headaches
Urinary & Reproductive Symptoms
• Pain during ovulation (not just during menstruation) • Sudden onset of interstitial cystitis (bladder pain syndrome) • Feeling like you need to urinate immediately after going • Lower abdominal bloating that mimics pregnancy
Sleep & Fatigue Symptoms
• Waking up gasping for air (not sleep apnea related) • Extreme difficulty waking up despite a full night’s sleep • Sudden episodes of body exhaustion with no warning • Vivid or disturbing dreams that feel real
Immune System & Autoimmune-Like Symptoms
• Frequent canker sores or mouth ulcers • Random fevers or flu-like symptoms with no infection • Easily getting sick but recovering slowly • Reactions to vaccines or medications that others tolerate well
Rare Pain Symptoms
• Pain that migrates randomly from one part of the body to another • Tingling scalp or burning sensation on the head • Feeling like your limbs are “too heavy” to move • Painful swelling in one finger or toe with no arthritis diagnosis
Many of these symptoms overlap with other chronic illnesses, which is why fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed.