Even those who sleep 8 or more hours a night report that they are not rested in the morning. Irritable bladder symptoms are experienced by about half of these patients. Restless leg syndrome is more common in fibromyalgia patients than in non-patients. Problems with mental fatigue and emotional distress are common. Thirty percent complain of being cold much of the time.
Dizziness is a common symptom.
A large number have various forms of arthritis. Dr. Samuel Yue also reports that chronic headaches, mitral valve prolapse, menstrual problems, endometriosis, and TMJ problems are all many more times more common in fibromyalgia patients than in the rest of the population. Their tissues age more rapidly than normal, he says, and many of their symptoms are related to this premature aging. Patients who receive the usual treatments do not usually improve much over the years. After years of treatment, most patients rate their health as only fair or poor, each takes an average of 2.7 fibromyalgia related medications in every 6-month period.