Fibromyalgia & Menopause

I have alot of problems with perimenopause. I have extreme pain for at least a week in my lower back and also alot of mood swings. I also have several fibroids and they want me to have a complete hysterectomy. I am only fifty and i do not want to go into immediate menopause!!!!!!!!!!!! Linda

Hi Nancy in Italy, I'm sorry to hear about your pain. But it also sounds like you have discovered some solutions to help cope. And as you both pointed out, the connection between fibromyalgia is profound and fascinating.

About 90 percent of fibromyalgia patients say they experience a change in symptoms with the weather.

Five major weather factors appear to affect fibromyalgia symptoms including:

* Temperature: Rapid changes in temperature can sometimes trigger a fibromyalgia flare or help to ease fibromyalgia pain. Cold weather tends to make fibromyalgia symptoms worse, while warmer weather tends to ease those troublesome symptoms.
* Barometric Pressure: Barometric pressure is a measurement of the weight that is exerted by the air all around us. On beautiful sunny days, barometric pressure tends to be quite high, but during a storm or similar weather front, barometric pressure drops suddenly. Fibromyalgia sufferers often find that these changes in barometric pressure can trigger muscle aches and pains.
* Humidity: Absolute humidity is a measurement of the amount of water vapor present in each unit of air. When absolute humidity is low, fibromyalgia sufferers often report headaches, stiffness, and flares in widespread pain.
* Precipitation: Precipitation is the term used to refer to any type of water that falls to the ground from the sky, including rain, sleet, snow, or hail. Precipitation is often accompanied by a change in barometric pressure, and therefore may exacerbate your symptoms of pain and fatigue.
* Wind: Whether it’s a light wind or a gale-force wind, wind generally causes a decrease in barometric pressure. This means that wind can trigger fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches in fibromyalgia sufferers.

To help ease the affects of weather on your symptoms, you may want to dress in layers, avoid cold temperatures and bring the sunshine inside with halogen bulbs.

For more, visit this link

Sandy, while waiting to hear from other women, you may want to check out a few of these resources:

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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health

1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
Phone: 301-495-4484
Toll Free: 877-22-NIAMS (226-4267)
TTY: 301–565–2966
Fax: 301-718-6366
Email: ]]>[email protected]]]>
Website: http://www.niams.nih.gov
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National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health

P.O. Box 7923
Gaithersburg, MD 20898
Phone: 301-519-3153
Toll Free: 888-644-6226
TTY: 866-464-3615
Fax: 866-464-3616
Email: ]]>[email protected]]]>
Website: http://nccam.nih.gov
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Social Security Administration

6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21235
Toll Free: 800-772-1213
TTY: 800-325-0778
Website: http://www.ssa.gov/disability
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American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

1800 Century Place, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30345-4300
Phone: 404-633-3777
Fax: 404-633-1870
Website: http://www.rheumatology.org
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Advocates for Fibromyalgia Funding, Treatment, Education, and Research

P.O. Box 768
Libertyville, IL 60048-0766
Phone: 847-362-7807
Fax: 847-680-3922
Email: ]]>[email protected]]]>
Website: http://www.affter.org
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Fibromyalgia Network

P.O. Box 31750
Tucson, AZ 85751-1750
Toll Free: 800-853-2929
Website: http://www.fmnetnews.com
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National Fibromyalgia Association

2200 N. Glassell Street, Suite A
Orange, CA 92865
Phone: 714-921-0150
Email: ]]>[email protected]]]>
Website: http://www.fmaware.org
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National Fibromyalgia Partnership, Inc.

P.O. Box 160
Linden, VA 22642–0160
Toll Free: 866-725-4404
Fax: 866-666-2727
Email: ]]>[email protected]]]>
Website: http://www.fmpartnership.org
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Arthritis Foundation

P.O. Box 7669
Atlanta, GA 30357-0669
Phone: 404-872-7100
Toll Free: 800-283-7800
Website: http://www.arthritis.org

Also, could you speak a little bit about the difference in your symptoms in your Fibro as the weather heats up?