An open letter about Fibrmyalgia Fog: causes

» zpe544 - causes

I just read a message that suggest that artificial
sweetners may be the cuase. If so, then it has to be one of many, as I know that I have had it since childhood, before anyone had ever heard of artificial sweetners (I was born in 1955). Even as a small child I had the trigger points. I come from a family of five with various cousins, and whenever we houseplayed and they ever patted me in those areas or did a "play sock" as kids will do, it was very painful and no one would believe me that it acctually hurt as bad as it did.

When my husband and I married around 22 years ago, during the first few months, I remembering him commenting that something had to be wrong with me, as no one got the flu as often as I did and I was puzzled, as I just assumed that everyone had the flu several times a month, as I always had but had just learned to live with it.

Presently, my biggest frustration is not the pain, although, as we know, it can be unbearable, even with pain medications, but it is all the other stuff that goes with, especially the fog.

I am a math teacher and had always planned to teach till I was way past 60. Every year I have been able to make adjustments as my illness progressed, but I have had to accept that this has to be my last year, mostly due to the fog...recently in the middle of teaching Algebra I, my mind just could not focus to teach a concept that I have taught countless of times...I am trying to make it to the end of the year for my students and they are great and very patient and parents have volunteered to help with correct papers and making copies and etc...as getting a math teahcer mid year is impossible where I live, but at times I am terrified that I will not make it to the end of the year for them. I have always loved being a teacher and wowrking with young people and almost every day was a joy for me and finally fibermyalgia is stealing the joy from me...

Victoria

-- posted by zpe544