We haven't heard from you in two days really, did everything go ok at therapy? Are you holding out ok?
Let us know as we do get concerned!

Hugs
- Barbie

Still not response? Hope all is ok

Kissa~ I saw Sara post on another thread so at least she is still around. I am hoping she just needed a break from arthritis talk for a bit. She is very caring and is really supportive to the people on this board from what I have seen.
Sara~If you do view this post, just know that I hope you have family and friends who support you as much as you do for all of us here on the boards. I would still like to hear about your Dr appt and what you think you may do for treatment. Hope to hear from you soon. Take care

OH my, you just made my heart melt! You are both so sweet for thinking of me. You just made me smile. (It's been a long time.) I have not been on the board because Im kinda in shock. I went to my PT appt. like I told you... and the PT after giving me my first visit exam said I have a sports injury... from landing hard, (probably from gymnastics), and she said my pelvis is closed- and I have SI JOINT disfuction- what agrevated it is having my 2nd child. (She was well worth it) ANYWAY ARE YOU READY FOR THIS????

When the PT was doing her exam, she asked me if Ive ever been tested for FYBROMYALGIA! I said no. She said you should see your doctor.

I did, later that day and the Internal Med Specialist said I have it... Fybromyalgia. That's why its so hard to get up, Im stiff, Im in pain ALL the time. I called my mom right away- she is my biological mother. I was put up for adoption when I was a baby, and I found her when I turned 18. That is another story for another day- Renee, I have to tell you all about it. Anyway I called her in San Diego- she said her sister has fybromyalgia (it's hereitary).

Ive been trying to learn everything I can about it. It's never cured, just controlled. I read that if anyone asks what it is you just tell them it feels like the worst case of the flu- ache all over, tired, drained.

Kissa, I printed out yours and Renee's posts, I did not feel like talking to anyone so Friday night I went to Super Salads by myself and sat there and read everyone's post's while I was feeling sorry for myself. I think a couple of people on this arthritis board have Fybromyalgia- but they think it's arthritis.

When I get in a better mood.. Im going to post a new thread listing the symtoms and hopefully I can help other people who are going through the same thing. Im not posting on the Fybro board though. Im staying w/ Arthritis board. I like talking to you. Ive found peace in cooresponding with everyone here, the Fybro board is boring. OPPS, did that come out of my mouth? OH ! BTW I get my blood tests back this week, so I will find out if Arthritis is ruled. out.

I can't tell you how wonderful I feel that I logged into health board and saw someone was thinking of me.

Please let me know how you are doing?

I can't wait to help anyone now who has Fybromyalgia as well, Im just in too much pain right now to discuss it. Make sense?

Lots and lots of hugs....

Glad to see you are OK I was a bit worried there.

I was dx'd with FMS probably about 16 or so years ago. There's no real test for it just an evaluation of symptoms and ruling out other problems. It does cause skin pain, joint pain, tiredness, low grade fevers and some various other issues.

The standard treatment is anti-depressants at night to help you sleep deeper and pain medication as needed. Exercising or gentle stretches can help a lot. Some people swear by various herbs and vitamins but you really have to be careful some of those concoctions can be fatal.

With FMS there is no redness or swelling in the joints at all. sometimes doctors who really don't know what is wrong with patients just tell them they have FMS which is kinda sad. There are thousands upon thousands of folks who have been dx'd with it, the question becomes who really has it. I've seen some folks milk it for what it is worth (sadly) and others who really have fms who's lives are pretty miserable.
I've never heard it being genetic, I do know that it can be caused by many things such as an illness or trauma in your life.

For what it is worth I still would not rule out arthritis, the reason being I've had it since I was 10 and my ana tests always come back negative but yet when I've had surgery or mri's you can see the joints being destroyed.

I never bought my own dx of FMS because many of my symptoms never matched up, while I do have FMS or CFS or both my real issue was more severe and I didn't find out till in my early 30's that I actually had Ehlers Danlos Syndrome type 3 with a cross link to type 1 and the FMS is just a resulting factor. Of course this is not the case of most folks.

Glad to hear from you again and know you are doing ok thus far! Keep us up to date with what's going on.

hugs
-Barbie

Barbie,
Thanks for the reply. My doctors said the Arthritis seg came back neg., Mono was positive for two kinds of Mono Ive had in the past.

She is testing my thyroid, (T3 test) and doing another test for a different arthritis? I have no idea what she is talking about. And to be honest Im so busy w/ work and my kids I don't have time to research it right now.

How are you doing? I will check your reply post tonight. Headed home from work now.

MY GOAL = to live pain free!

Lots of hugs...

My arthritis sed rate always comes back normal, it usually sits around 10 or so even when my joints are swelled all up so it really isn't a true indicator.
If you've had mono is there a chance you had the Ebstien Barr virus as that happened to me years ago. Gee aren't we a pair with all these health probs?
I know EBS can cause alot of problems and pain too.

I'm not doing too bad these days my pain management doctor changed my medications last week to MS Contin for pain and it helps a whole lot. I had a steriodal epidural done on my back a few weeks ago and it seemed to make the back and hip pain worse than ever which then also affected my arthritic knee as my gait changed. It's like like this huge loop I live in. Anyhow the meds are helping tremendously and my rheumy who I just saw yesterday said I seemed to be managing a lot better than I had in many years.

Have you given any thought to seeing a pain management specialist at all?

Hope all is well

hugs
- Barbie

Hey Barbie!

Yes, had Ebstein Bar b 4. It showed up on my blood test. It actually scars your blood, it's a virus. I had it in 1992. I have had Mono twice. It is a misconception that you can only have it once. You CAN have reaccurring Mono. My doctor is checking my blood for it now.

BTW, Im so glad you have had more pain relief than you have had in years. Thats incredible. My doctor gave me Oxycontin- and it was sopossed to be like a long lasting pain reliever, but did not work for me. Im still taking hydrocodone, soma, and now I have added Bextra and Celebrex- it's sopossed to be an anti-inflamatory.

The physical therapy is helping a little. How do I find time at night to do my exercises when my crazy 3 yr old is needing my attention 99.9% of the time?

Babysitter you say? no! not enough time to take her there. It's 7:00 pm when I get home.... cook, clean, bath, homework?,... Brushing my teeth is a luxury these days. And with this pain.... oh my...

Calgon take me far far far away!

Many of the meds such as Oxy and MS Contin (morphine) are listed to last up to 12 hours but most folk including myself find they only last 6 - 8. One of the things he could of did was increase the dose of the oxy to see if you got more relief.
I was on the hydro for a very long time and it became pretty ineffective over the last month where as I was taking it evry 3 hours so thats when they switched me to the MSC which gives better relief. I go back next week to have it adjusted again, he will either up the dosage or possibly prescribe it 3 times a day instead of twice.

Mono is a bad thing, it's for life it can definately reoccur at any time. It might be possible some of your problems are a result of the EBS and also the FMS is considered a form of arthritis. Bextra helps mild to moderately depending on dosage and has little side effect but you will need to get your liver checked every 6 months to be sure it's not failing as that can happen with that class of anit imflamatories.

At least the therapy is helping a little, better than making it worse!

BARBIE!

HELP! My doctor just called, I have reaccuring EBV (Epstein Bar Virus) I am about to cry, but I can't, Im at work. I need help bad. I need a week of just strait sleep. Im sad, going to go now. :rolleyes: