Flare Ups: How It All Began
As you may know, I’ve had fibromyalgia symptoms for twenty years but was just recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia a few months after being diagnosed with perimenopause.
After continuous research, I learned that perimenopause intensifies fibromyalgia symptoms and it sure feels like it because it’s about ten times worse.
For nearly twenty years, I was functioning with fibromyalgia. I was always in pain, but I learned to live with it and still work full-time. Some days were harder than others, but I got through it.
Then, about a year ago, the fatigue set in. I began napping everyday, not by choice, but because I needed to, to keep going. Within six months (March 2026) I had all of the worst perimenopause symptoms: extreme fatigue, lack of motivation, brain fog, irritability, anxiety, severe cramps, hot flashes, headaches, crying spells, worse overall pain in the morning, worse back pain, and more. At the end of June (2026), I was in a fibromyalgia flare up. I began to struggle working more than I ever have. I became constantly fatigued, my pain worsened, my motivation lacked, and I joined the peri “We Do Not Care” club, emotionally. I began to only handle what I absolutely needed to, for work. If it wasn’t a priority, I didn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. My brain wouldn’t let me.
I wanted to work because I love working. I’ve always loved working. My dad raised me to have a strong work ethic and I’ve always busted my ass for whatever job I’ve had. I’m naturally a “go getter” and I don’t rest. Everything I do is (or was) fast whether it be walking, typing, working, or even speaking. My husband and I own our own business. My “go getter” attitude is part of what has helped our success. I’ve been working 12-14 hour days every day since we began in the spring of 2025. My husband and I don’t have children, so our business is our “baby”. We live and breathe it and I wouldn’t change a thing. When we began, my husband and his partner were our one labor crew. I handled everything else. It was my job to keep them busy on a job every week. Some of the many hats I wore included sales, accounting, project management, client relations, purchasing, accounting, and the list goes on.
Today is July 28, 2026 and I’m still in a flare up. It began on June 19, 2026. Last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life. I’m not saying that to exaggerate. I truly mean it. For the first time in however many years, my vehicle didn’t leave home for over 48 hours. The flare up worsened last Monday, then Tuesday, then Wednesday. I worked as much as I could, resting when needed. But Thursday…that’s when everything changed. I didn’t shower. I kept my phone on “Do Not Disturb” the majority of the day. My new Sales Manager and even newer, Purchasing Coordinator, graciously took my tasks. I would try to work at my home desk for 20-45 minutes, but struggled to focus. I wanted to get an estimate to a potential client but my brain wouldn’t shift into gear. I’d turn on my computer, sit down, grab my estimate appointment notes, and nothing. I couldn’t do it. It was overwhelming to the point where my brain wouldn’t even allow me to try. So, I’d try an easier task - respond to emails. Then within thirty minutes, I’d need to rest again. That was Thursday and Friday.
Then, Friday night, my period came. I thought, “ooohhhhh…..that could explain something”. As I already knew, perimenopause worsens fibromyalgia symptoms and it especially does right before the start of your period. So I thought, “well, at least there’s an explanation for my lack of…well, everything”. Saturday was better, Sunday was better, Monday I felt about 50% better. Although, feeling better, I made the classic mistake of doing too much. Today is Tuesday and I feel the affects. Today is harder than yesterday because I pushed it too hard. Lesson learned. Pace myself.
