Fibromyalgia

Hi stephanie53613 fibro is based on widespread pain, pain can be anywhere in the body. Fibro ranges from mild to severe it affects us all different. fibro has many many symptoms earache tinnitus sweating fatique pain blured vision difficulty with speech walking difficulties balance fibro fog hair loss sensitive to light and noise breathless costocondrtitus[ chest pain] these are just a few of the many symptoms you can have. Fibro symptoms are treated with pain relief from your gp. your gp can also refer you to a pain clinic cbt therapy. some areas offer accupuncture for 12 weeks hydrotherapy. some areas have fibro support groups you can join. fibro is normally diagnosed by a rheumatologist as yet their is no cure for fibro. Gps normally like to rule out other conditions it could be like rheumatoid arthritus before refering you to a rheumatologist.fibro is trial error where pain relief is concerned as what suits one person may not another. we are all different fibro affects us all differently. you can some times go into remission where you may find you have no pain. how long the remission lasts depends on how fibro affects you. fibro affects every part of our body from the head to our toes.  Hope this helps and gives you an insight into fibro take care

Hi stephanie:

I hope you are coping with this.  I have it as well and your right, pain everywhere.  I also have in addition to fibro is being very tired, listless, unmotivated and a struggle to get things done.  I may have AS as well according to my regular GP.  I do have an appointment with a neurologist as I have peripheral neuropathy.  In other words, I got a lot more complications which tend to make me being hard to actually detect what I exactly have.  I try to rule out other conditions but hard to do.  This is what I have found in the past.  I was going to a rheumetologist back a few years ago as I had a lot of inflamation with my muscles as she detected it was auto immune.  My sedimentation rate was extreamly high, like 104.  First she put me on prednosone which helped bring the infamation down to half but still not enough.  Then she put me on methotextrate a fairly potent medication to counteract the damage being done.  I couldn't stay on it for more than 2 weeks as it made me feel sick with neausa and particularly a very tired feeling.  Then she wanted to put me on Embrel or other biological meds which is even stronger.  I didn't go on it because I couldn't afford it. 

Now, in your case, this is an important step.  Fibro is determined by having at least 11 trigger points when you press on it, you will feel pain.  You are generally achy all over.  The second thing is to have you sed rate checked to see if your muscles are inflamed.  This is a rather important step.  You have to discuss with your doctor what treatments are available an d if you qualify for certain treatment.  I had trigger point injections every 2 weeks which was supposed to help me reduce the pain.  Since it is a type of xylocane used in deadening the nerves for dental work, it wears off quickly.  The poking was no fun and done a number of times.  Maybe 2 or 3 hours before the meds wore off and back with the pain.  These treatments have been going on for over a year.  I find that in reality, it really doesn't work and it keeps you going back to the doctor regularly as that is how they can keep you as a patient to make more money from you and the insurance company. You gotta be careful when chosing a rheumetologist who knows how to treat you and don't load you up with costly medications if not needed.  I had 2 rheumetologists who failed at that and one no longer works in the medical field.  You can guess what I am talking about.  So,just be careful.  I wish you the best in your endevours.  Take care and feel well.

mel