I've been having this problem, but my sed rate and another test, I forgot what it was, were elevated. I really need to discuss this with my doctor. I see him on Thursday.

I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, as the pharmacist said that it could be the Fibro.

yes i get it apparently part of CFS/FMS, i find twisting hands/wrists to open jars n cans very painful. Fingers and wrists stiff in mornings n if i do a lot of typing!
s x.

I also have alot of stiffness and pain in my hands, wrists and more recently my feet. At one point, the wrist got so bad I had to put a brace on it for a couple of weeks. I feel that it is tendon pain. Heat helps some.

I also have an elevated sed rate and c-reactive protein. My sed rate is usually mildly elevated but when I am in a flare it gets very high (85 and upward). Since autoimmune illnesses have been ruled out, it appears to go with the FMS.

Does anyone else here have high inflammatory markers?

Hope you feel better.

Mere.

Mere,

Yes, I experience a lot of pain and stiffness, puffiness in my hands, feet too. You mention your sed rate being elevated, I am not very familiar with this, but if memory serves, when my doctor has tested my sed rate it seems as though he told me if it was elevated that it may be caused by rheumatoid arthritis. I could be having a senior moment ;) and just thinking that was what he said, but has your doctor mentioned that?

Mere,

Yes, I experience a lot of pain and stiffness, puffiness in my hands, feet too. You mention your sed rate being elevated, I am not very familiar with this, but if memory serves, when my doctor has tested my sed rate it seems as though he told me if it was elevated that it may be caused by rheumatoid arthritis. I could be having a senior moment ;) and just thinking that was what he said, but has your doctor mentioned that?

I swear my rhematologist associated the sed rate issue w/rheumatoid arthritis too, but my memory is trashed as well.

Angie

Hi Painsucks (great name) and Angie75:

Yes, you are both correct about Rheumatoid Arthritis - the sed rate is increased. I have been tested several times for rheumatoid factor (which is a more sensitive indicator of RA) as well as ANA (lupus) and my results are always negative, even when the sed rate is high. So it is apparently not an issue in my case.

Painsucks - I also suffered pretty severe edema in my hands and feet/lower legs during my last bad flare. It was the first time it had ever occured and all I could think at the time is 'what next?' It went away with diuretics but still shows up to a lesser degree when I am feeling bad.

I know that it is said that this disease is not progressive - I really feel differently about that. I have been ill for 17 years and it has slowly progressed over time.

Thanks for the response guys,

Hey, Sed rate usually has to do with infection in your body. They had to check mine once every hour cause they thought my appendics were about to bust but I had an infection in my stomach. Can't remember now what it was called. I go see my Dr. on monday and he also did a sed rate. Anxious to find out the results.

Hey, Sed rate usually has to do with infection in your body. They had to check mine once every hour cause they thought my appendics were about to bust but I had an infection in my stomach. Can't remember now what it was called. I go see my Dr. on monday and he also did a sed rate. Anxious to find out the results. My hands and wrists are horrible. My thumbs hurt all the way up my arm at times. They pop and crunch too. Sometimes my index fingers feel like a bee has stung me. Its a horrible painful feeling. I went to take a clip board from my therapist yesterday and I dropped it cause of the pain in my hands. Its embarrassing at times. But such is our lives. :rolleyes:

Hello,

It's good to know that I'm not alone, but of course I hate to see others suffering with this.

I saw my rheumy today, he did another sed rate (which was elevated last month), an ANA and a rheumatoid factor.

He also is checking my hormonal levels, which has me a bit embarrassed because he mentioned my "male pattern baldness" (I AM FEMALE!). I've always had a very high forehead and my mom thinks my hairline looks the same. *shrug*

I'm on Coumadin though, and that is known to cause hair loss, but I really haven't noticed any more in the drain or in the brush. I'm going to ask my stylist next week if my hairline looks different to him.

Anyway, I'll post more when I get the results of the tests. :wave:

Sorry to hear about your pain. Yesterday, the pain in my hips was so bad I just wanted to cry. All I could do was lay on the couch with a pillow between my knees. I really just sucks so bad sometimes.

I often wondered if the elevated sed rate just went along with the whole FM disease.

Pookah - Antidepressants really make my hair fall out.

Mere --

[QUOTE=Glenda/Bill]Hey, Sed rate usually has to do with infection in your body.

Hi there Glenda/Bill :wave:

Elevated SED rates have to do with inflammation in your body.

I know that this is the Fibro Board...but several of the posts here asking about joint stiffness/pain sound a LOT like arthritis.

You can have RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) without having a positive RA factor, or a high ANA result.
Some of the symptoms of RA are :
fatigue
joint stiffness/pain
numbness, tingling in hands, arms, feet
stiffness especially in the morning, after sleeping
difficulty staying asleep (frequent waking up to rearrange pillows between knees/ankles/other joints becuase of pain)

These are just a few - there are a lot more. RA does not affect the back though - osteoarthritis usually affects the back. It is caused by wear and tear, and by injury.

A good rheumatologist should give you a full range of motion test, listen to your symptoms and do a thorough blood work. RA can be a crippling disease if left untreated. You can find a lot of relief if you have other forms or arthritis, with anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, heat/cold packs.

I"m not a doctor, nor do I play one on here or any other website.
I do, however, have RA, and have several friends who have other types of arthritis - and some of the symptoms some ofyou are describing and are going through, has me thinking it might be time for a trip to your rheumatologist ....just to be on the safe side.

I hope you all find relief and are free from pain soon.

hugs

does anyone have any information on rotator cuff surgery? what can I expect? are you under general anesthesia/ how long?? to answer the posted question, yes fibromyalgia makes you stiff all over.

I have stiffness in my hands and fingers. I've found myself massaging them and didn't even know I was doing it until I looked. When I'm not holding something my hands want to curl up as well sometimes. The middle finger on my left hand will bend down to touch my palm and my right thumb will curl against the palm.

[QUOTE=Glenda/Bill]Hey, Sed rate usually has to do with infection in your body.

Hi there Glenda/Bill :wave:

Elevated SED rates have to do with inflammation in your body.

I know that this is the Fibro Board...but several of the posts here asking about joint stiffness/pain sound a LOT like arthritis.

You can have RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) without having a positive RA factor, or a high ANA result.
Some of the symptoms of RA are :
fatigue
joint stiffness/pain
numbness, tingling in hands, arms, feet
stiffness especially in the morning, after sleeping
difficulty staying asleep (frequent waking up to rearrange pillows between knees/ankles/other joints becuase of pain)

These are just a few - there are a lot more. RA does not affect the back though - osteoarthritis usually affects the back. It is caused by wear and tear, and by injury.

A good rheumatologist should give you a full range of motion test, listen to your symptoms and do a thorough blood work. RA can be a crippling disease if left untreated. You can find a lot of relief if you have other forms or arthritis, with anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, heat/cold packs.

I"m not a doctor, nor do I play one on here or any other website.
I do, however, have RA, and have several friends who have other types of arthritis - and some of the symptoms some ofyou are describing and are going through, has me thinking it might be time for a trip to your rheumatologist ....just to be on the safe side.

I hope you all find relief and are free from pain soon.

hugs

:wave: Hey Ladywolfe;

Yes, I have osteoarthritis in my back and knee's and then the fibro all over the rest of the areas. I also have something in my hands called deQueaverins and it is very painful. I go to my appeal hearing Monday, the 15th so please pray for me. :angel: