Fibromyalgia symptoms??
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi, I have for the past month or so been having pains that started in certain areas and have now almost made it to entire body. I have appointments set up to see specialist in a week or so, but going crazy not knowing what is wrong with me, and if it's gonna get worse if fibro!!??
My pains are very much in inner and outer knees (both) . I can many times rub out the pain for a very temporary relief, but comes right back! My joints (elbow, shoulder,wrist, and sometimes ankles) also have a deep pain. My upper and lower arm muscles ache, along with my things. (I also have what I'm THINKING is fatty rumors in thighs) . Bread pain (had test done..cancer free) also comes and goes. Today, my upper spine where meets my neck has started hurting along with spine and lower back.
The pain is aggravating, and some may take pills to help, but for me, at moment, it's manageable. I know fibro patients can have severe pain!! Does this sound like fibro to anyone even though my pain isn't severe yet, but al over?? I believe my fam doc took an ANA test and that came back negative, so RA and Lupus has been ruled out.
Thanks for any help or advice!! I have a 3yr old and soon (after I figure out what's wrong with me) are trying for another. I'm scared to death that this pain will get worse and take me away from enjoying and playing with my daughter .. or having another! 😔
0 likes, 13 replies
stephanie_72687
Posted
Forgot to also mention... slight hip/upper butt pain and fingers. 😝
paul75665 stephanie_72687
Posted
Hi Stephanie
I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, IBS and Anxiety a couple of months ago, after 2 and a bit years of extensive investigation and testing. My main pain symptoms happen in my legs, back, neck and shoulders, but I do experience pain in other areas. On top of that I get get very dizzy and faint, get heart palipitations, headaches, nausea and extreme tiredness. I'm pretty much housebound now, mainly due to being too worried about going out in case I have a flare up. I have to say that I can't imagine hell being much worse than the life I live at the moment, and I can't see any way forward to making life easier for me.
From what you have described, it does sound very much like you are suffering with Fibromyalgia, but you will need all other possible causes elimated before a diagnosis can be given. It can be quite a long road to getting a confirmed diagnosis, but once you get one, then there are treatments and help out there, that can make life more manageable for you.
My story isn't the best one to relate to, as I am trying to cope with Fibromyalgia, as well as CFS/ME, IBS and Anxiety on top, so my experiences are bound to be a bit worse than someone trying to live with Fibromyalgia alone. The first thing for you will be to get a confirmed diagnosis, from there you can get the help you need to live as normal a life as you can. We all adapt in our own way when something goes wrong with our bodies, and you will adapt, and find your own way of dealing with your symptoms as time goes on.
I do hope your diagnosis turns out to be a treatable one, and I wish you all the best for the future. Just remember you are not alone, there are many on this site that will help and advise you through this, which I know I have found very useful to date.
Take care.
stephanie_72687 paul75665
Posted
Wow! I feel bad complaining about my pain and fear of what might be to come when reading stories like yours!😔
Thank you for sharing!! Do you have trouble sleeping at night or do the pains go away while resting? Mine go away. The only thing that feels are when i wake up is my upper spine/lower neck area.. no stiff feeling or anything. Pain slowly comes back after walking around for a bit.
paul75665 stephanie_72687
Posted
Yes I do have trouble sleeping, mainly due to frequent urinating, but I've bought a sleep tracker that I wear to bed to check on my sleep pattern. I don't know how accurate it is, but it shows that I am very restless all night. As for pain I am generally in moderate discomfort, however if I do manage to get active then I suffer a lot more afterwards, and need a day or two of almost complete rest to recover. I managed to help my father change part of his exhaust on his car a couple of weeks ago, which involved sawing through metal. For the next three days I was in considerable pain in my neck, back and left shoulder, so much so that breathing hurt. I still find it very hard to accept that almost 3 years ago I would be able to something like that without thinking about it, and with no consequence, these problems have certainly been life changing.
Do take care and I wish you all the best for the future.
sukes stephanie_72687
Posted
Hi Stephanie,
I have Osteo and Rheumatoid Arthritis, also Fibro and the way you describe your pains could be me exactly, in fact I've had a sleepless night because of it.
It may be an idea to ask your GP to refer you to a Rheumatologist. I know it's easy to say, but getting stressed about it all will only exacerbate the pains, Fibro breeds on stress. Big gentle hugs to you. x
stephanie_72687 sukes
Posted
Hi Sukes,
Thank you for your response and sharing! Was wondering if your pains go away while sleeping? Mine, with exception of neck/spine area all seem to go away. They slowly make their way back as day goes on.
I've read that pains can get worse at night due to no motion and make you feel stiff..
Thanks again for any help and sharing your story/pain.
julia44010 stephanie_72687
Posted
It took years for me to be diagnosed with fibromalgia, but when I finaly got referred to a pain clinic at the hospital the diagnosis took less than five minutes. The only SURE way to diagnose fibromalgia is to get the pressure points tested by an expert. Blood tests etc all come back negative, and while you spend years trailing from one appointment to another the pain gets more deeply entrenched in your body and will be impossible to eliminate. I was so relieved to finally have a diagnosis and thought I was on the road to recovery. I was sure there would be a cure once they found out what I was suffering from. It is very hard for me to come to terms with the fact that there is no cure and that I am stuck with this illness for the rest of my life. How do other sufferers cope with that? I was very active despite the pain until fairly recently, now I often have difficulty getting out of bed, and dressing myself. But I sleep better now that the pain is more under control. Before I slept for never more than 1 hour at a time because the pain always woke me up. Resting in the same position for more than a few minutes was impossible, lying down, or sitting or even standing in a queue was a nightmare. I have a tens machine for back pain, which is quite effective, but with fibromalgia there is pain almost everywhere so eventually I think most people must resort to medication. I sleep better but am more tired than I have ever been in my life before. That is a big disappointment for me because the specialist at the pain clinic said I was tired because I had not been sleeping well, and that once I had repaid the "sleep debt" I would feel better. I find this forum very helpful, but I would recommend anyone suffering from fibromalgia, or who suspects that they may be, to buy some good books on the subject. When you see all of your symptoms listed in a book it will be clear to you if you have the illness or not, and you will be in a better position to insist on having the appropriate tests, I had a real battle because my GP refused to believe that fibromalgia exists and so I had to wait another year after I suggested it to him before he referred me to the pain clinic (and then there was a 6 month wait for an appointment) Don't wait any longer hoping it will all go away, it probably won't and the longer you wait the more difficult it will be and if it is fibromalgia the pain can become excruciating. I have screamed in pain many times. my GP said that I had a very low pain threshold, but apparently that is another symptom of Fibro. Does anyone else find having a blood pressure cuff inflated around the upper arm unsupportable? That for example for me is a 8 or 9 on the scale of 1-10 that doctors use to understand the degree of pain. Each time I think I will faint because the pain is so strong. I know that sounds ridiculous, but for me that is what fibromalgia is like, pain that no-one can comprehend. If your pain is manageable without treatment I think you must be in the very early stages of the illness, or perhaps if you are very lucky you have something else, and not fibromalgia. You say you were tested for breast cancer, How was the test for you? I have always found it extremely painful but everyone else I know says is at most a bit uncomfortable. For me that is what I hate most, things that everyone else can do causes me untold pain and I am sure that the staff who do the tests must think I am a real cry- baby!! But in the past I have coped with pain without too much trouble. One of my children for example was 10 lbs when he was born and because the whole labour took 20 minutes start to finish I had absolutely no pain relief. I am not saying it was fun, but it didn't make me scream! So now I don't go for my cancer tests. I know I should go, but I just don't have the courage anymore. I hope you get something sorted out to help you to continue to enjoy your little girl, and to enable you to have another. Take care
stephanie_72687 julia44010
Posted
I am so sorry to hear all you are going through!😔
I have a friend who has FM, he pain is on a whole other level than mine, but she takes nerotin (might be spelled wrong) along with high doses of a pill that's basically what alive is , and her pain is manageable. Other meds meant for FM just didn't work for her! She also did PT for a few years and she swears by it!! I'm not sure what all your she gave you, but maybe that will help??
As far as my mamagrahm, it was pressure, but nothing more. The day, up until a few hours before my exam, I was experiencing breast pain, and it still didn't hurt during exam!! That's what I'm so confused on!! I hear that people with FM can sometimes not even be touched or have a blanket over them cuz it causes more pain...I can rub and put pressure on my areas of pain and not flinch..normally helps!!
My heart goes out to you and I hope that you find the strength to get your breast screening done !!
Thank you for your reply and sharing your story!!
julia44010 stephanie_72687
Posted
I also find it very confusing that the same illness affects everyone differently. I simply can't stand being stroked on my hands for example, it doesn't hurt but it is simply revolting and I can't support it for more than a few seconds, which is very hard on my partener because we have always been very tactile. I don't understand why the sensations that used to be pleasurable are now exactly the opposite? The pain I am learning to accept (not that I have much choice) but this is something I have not heard about or read about, and I don't know how to combat it. My skin is extremely sensitive and I often can't support the touch of my duvet or even a sheet, but I found a solution in the winter when it was too cold to sleep uncovered, I put a big box in the bed and put the duvet over that. So I ended up sleeping in a cardboard box, but at least I didn't feel crushed by the covers. I know I am not positive like Maggie, I wish I was, but I am newly diagnosed, even though I have obviously had the illness for many years. Perhaps some of her attitudes will rub off on me with time? I have always been very optimistic, but this illness has knocked me for six. I have always felt in control of my life, now that is no longer the case, and it is very frightening.
stephanie_72687 julia44010
Posted
Trust me, I know how easily it can be to think negative, especially when you are in pain!! I've heard so many stories like yours with not being able to sleep with a blanket! Can't even begin to emagine!!
Magpie2me stephanie_72687
Posted
Hi Stephanie. It may be that you do have Fibromyalgia sweetie. However You have been very proactive, by getting certain tests done to eliminate other suspected conditions. So be encouraged that those things have been ruled out. Our worries and fears can make us suffer needlessly as well sweetie. You are surmising about the future which many of us women do, and this kind of negative thinking can spiral us down to discouragement. That can bring on fatigue as well. Ongoing personal stress can be a trigger to FM as well Stephanie. We cannot have a feeling without a thought process. So addressing your worries and certain issues of worry can greatly help us to deal with health problems. I cannot stress this enough because I have learnt the hard way. We worry and anticipate things that have not occurred and we basically lose our ability to enjoy our present blessings. Before making any life changing decisions sweetie, make sure that your are up to the challenge by improving your overall health. Fibromyalgia is manageable. I have had it for over 30 years and I have raised 2 daughters and worked outside the home and I have a husband with Aspergers. I do volunteer work every week and I also have 2 grand kids to worry about. The thing we have to learn when we do have a chronic illness Stephanie, is first of all, Acceptance. Not living in Denial. Then we pace ourselves and accept our limitations. We don't compare ourselves to anyone else and we learn to be kind and reasonable with ourselves. We cannot put the same demands on ourselves as in the past, but usually those demands were excessive and unrealistic. Chronic illness can teach us many lessons sweetie. Like modesty and humility and compassion. You will be find my girl! We are all in the same boat. You are never alone! Warm hugs! Maggie xx
stephanie_72687 Magpie2me
Posted
Maggie,
Thank you so much for your reply!! I NEEDED to hear someone having FM that still managed to live life!! (Not putting judgement on those who FM disables at all...just needed to hear a positive story! 😉
.
Your right tho, constantly thinking about the "what ifs" is not doing me any good!!
Again, thank you for sharing your story !
sukes stephanie_72687
Posted
Hi Stephanie,
Maggie is great, she is always positive which is something you have to be with this horrible disease. My hubby oftern remarks that he is amazed how I keep going even through the awful pain, but that is because there really is no choice. There are some days when I just have to give in to it, but most times I struggle through and struggle is the operative word really.
It helps having an understanding and helpful partner, mine is great he does most things that I would have normally been able to do before all this started, but holds back when he realises that I need to do some things.
My biggest problem is that I don't sleep well, as I turn over in bed, the pain wakes me and often I will get up and sit in a chair so as not to move too much. It is miserable some days, but just hang on in there girl.