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New to Fibromyalgia

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sally_bd
sally_bd

Hi Everyone. I have been suffering with bad pains in both upper arms since the spring of this year. It feels like a bad muscle strain. I also have pain in my right elbow joint and just under my shoulder.  My GP thinks it may be Fibromyalgia and I have some blood tests pending.  Research suggests that there is no test available to diagnose this and I am worried he may just fob me off with this rapidly made diagnosis.  Given my symptoms, what do you all think?  Are there any specific questions I should ask my GP when I go back for the blood results? 

Thank you all xx

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • lesley73855
    lesley73855 sally_bd

    Posted

    My gp could not or would confirm diagnoses so he sent me to a rheumatologist. Your best bet is ask to be referred. Write down a list if symptoms that will help you and the rheumatologist. Hope this helps xx
    • sally_bd
      sally_bd lesley73855

      Posted

      Hi Lesley. That does help, thank you. Once my blood results are in I will make a list. I guess it can be hard to differentiate between those symptoms and that of getting older in general. Or maybe it's the same?

  • Gizmo1963
    Gizmo1963 sally_bd

    Posted

    Hi Sally, I have exactly the same pains that you have described and do suffer with fibromyalgia.  I had an ultrasound on my shoulder and elbow and have been diagnosed with tendinosis in my shoulder and elbow, bursitis and osteoarthritis in my shoulder. My muscles feel stiff, hard and painful. My shoulder cracks and crunches and inside elbow joint is very swollen. Is this similar to how you are suffering? 
    • sally_bd
      sally_bd Gizmo1963

      Posted

      Hello. Thank you so much for repyling.  I don't have any crunching but do have the other stuff. My arm muscles hurt when I try and get dressed/undressed due to having to lift/cross them over and when I turn over in bed.  It's like a stinging pain all the time and like a severe muscle strain when used for certain movements. Pushing or pulling the heavy doors at work hurt too as does constant use of the PC mouse.  Should I ask my GP for xrays and scans do you think?

    • Gizmo1963
      Gizmo1963 sally_bd

      Posted

      Yes, exactly the same as with me - dressing, moving in bed, reaching for things etc is really painful and getting older certainly doesn’t help. Definitely worth asking for scans
  • col1800
    col1800 sally_bd

    Posted

    To sally bd

    You are right that Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose. Generally speaking and in my case, it became a process of elimination. There are 18 touchpoints for diagnosing FM. Your GP will know to put you through the 18 touchpoint check. If not, find a new GP or ask for a referral to a Rheumatologist.

    When pressure is applied to these touchpoints by either doctor, you will have sensitivity at more than half of the touchpoints, i.e. I had 14 out of 18 that were extremely sensitive or even sore to the touch. FM has other symptoms too: brain fog, exhaustion, difficulty sleeping at night, irritability, a heaviness on your chest (especially when laying down on your back) along with the achy all over feeling from the pain associated with overactive nerves.

    It is not an easy path to navigate your own health and you need to be your own advocate. Don’t give up until you find a solution that lets you lead as normal a life as possible. There are homeopathic treatment options, regenerative health options, nutrition changes you can make to your daily diet, exercise like water aerobics and walking, getting more rest and reducing stress. (I tried Lyrica and it worked at first, but then the side effects became unbearable.)

    Good luck! 

    • sally_bd
      sally_bd col1800

      Posted

      That is really useful info, thankyou. I will get my facts together before I go back to the GP. I am hoping he is wrong because FM doesn’t seem like a good thing to have. Thankyou for your help and I hope you are well.

      sally

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