Fibromyalgia & Pregnancy

[GeorginaGrice]

I'm 17 weeks with my first baby and have a condition called fibromyalgia, which affects your muscles causing chronic pain. I am just so tired everyday, I've never known fatigue like it! Getting up for work is such a challenge and even getting any work done is a mission in it's self! When will this energy surge that I keep getting told about come into play? Or does anyone else have fibromyalgia/arthritis that can offer me advice on how to cope with day to day life, as I'm struggling to get about now!

Hi Georgina,
I am the midwife linked to the FMA-UK association and there is a free booklet available on there related to pregnancy and fibromyalgia which you may find helpful. There is also a contact page which you can reach me through to ask specific questions or ones which you may not want to share on here.

I am sorry that you are finding pregnancy a struggle at the moment. There is no guarantee that you will get the energy surge people who do not have fibromyalgia talk about during pregnancy, but there are things that can be done to make it easier for you to cope with your fibromayalgia related symptoms during your pregnancy.

Do you have a review from the rheumatology and obstetric consultant team at your local hospital yet booked into your maternity care plan yet? You will certainly need your fibromyalgia meds reviewed by them (as a matter of urgency) if your GP has not already done so. This is needed to ensure your meds are suitable and safe to take during pregnancy.

There are some information leaflets specifically for obstetricians on the FMA-UK site which you can download to take to your maternity care providers if they need more information. Your maternity care should ideally be 'shared' between an obstetrician and a midwife though what percentage of 'sharing' happens will be depedent on your local maternity unit policy.

I have a top ten tips video for any expectant parent rather than fibromyagia specific which you may find also useful and empowering.

I hope this info is helpful to you as a starting point to getting your fibromyalgia symptoms under control so you can make the most of this very special time in your life.
Dee

Hi Georgina,

I hope your pregnancy is going well and you've managed to find appropriate support to help you cope with your fibromyalgia and keep its symptoms under control. In my attempt to clarify how fibromyalgia impacts on pregnancy I have searched a number of reliable sources but it seems that there is very little research conducted on this topic so far. So, it's not surprising that the link between the two is very little understood and there are still many unanswered questions regarding which is the best care pregnant women with this condition need throughout their pregnancies.
Because of my interest in this condition I set up a research study within the University of Surrey, in Guildford, to explore how is like living with fibromyalgia during pregnancy. I hope my research findings will shed some more light into the link between the two, if any, and support health professionals to understand better this condition to provide the best possible care to pregnant women living with fibromyalgia.

If you would like share your current pregnancy experience and take part in my study, please feel free to get in touch. Taking part involves an online interview that lasts up to an hour. I already posted my study on the FMA UK website, page no 3 now.

Take care and wish you all the best.
A :)

I have fibromyalgia and I'm so I'll imm off sick! I'm fed up hurt and hacked off my midwife sugestted yoga haven't had time yet but sounds good

Hi Frankiebuns,

I am very sorry you are struggle with the symptoms:(
I have read many research articles about yoga and also I've heard from other women with fibromyalgia that yoga provides some relief, especially if you practice it on regular basis. Another think that may help as well and doesn't require much effort is meditation or mindfulness. If you type john kabat-zinn guided meditation or body scan mediation on you tube, the site will retrieve for you many links from where you can chose a specific session to practice. Also you can search for "yoga for people in pain" and you'll find a number of helpful webinars by the physiotherapist and yoga instructor Neil Person:
www.lifeisnow.ca/pip/about/

Warm baths and breathing exercise (see yoga for pain webinars) could also help you to calm down the stiffness, aches and pain. In which pregnancy week are you in?

Try to be kind with yourself and give you plenty of time to look after yourself as best as you can.
Would you like to share your pregnancy experience for my research study?
Take care and wish you all the best:)

Im sorry your struggling chuck but i understand how your feeling as i have M.E, wich you might already know is simalar to your condition but more fatigue side than the muscles, fortunately for me its in remission and im so glad lol go see your doc and go on the sick for how long you need...as your body is telling you it needs to rest for the time being. The more you fight the fatigue the worse it will be...i found that out the hard way! Also take your time doing things, like instead of rushing to get ready just spread it out the morning along with cleaning or whatever needs doing. And dont worry, as that will make you feel worse. If your doc puts you on the sick your boss carnt argue the toss.

I'm on to my 4th pregnancy but have fibromyalgia this time round and I'm waking up every 2 to 3 hours every nite is there anything that can help me get s full nite sleep I'm so tired through getting up 3x if not more at nite I go to bed at 12 wake at 3, 5,7 or 8 then up at 10 I feel constantly there is there anything that can help it's been since doctors took me off my fibromyalgia medication