I am getting so annoyed with myself. I am sitting here trying HARD not to have an anxiety attack, and to calm myself down. One minute I feel good, the next minute not only do I feel bad, but worse. My stomach and rib area are so sore and I can feel the knots in there. One day PT seems like it's helping and the next time it doesn't seem to help. When does end?

Chris

I really wish someone was here to answer me. My husband is sleeping and I really don't want to wake him but I feel like I'm going to have a massive anxiety attack. I wish that I could stop doing this to myself. This is so horrible. I want to sleep.

Chris,
I can only say try to relax, try deep breathing exercises. I posted earlier this week myself about my bad night sleep and I think I know what you are going through. It always surprises me the next day after these bad nights how silly I feel. Things that are relatively small problems or things that need to be done become major problems in the middle of a sleepless night. Anxiety then gets worse and then there is no hope of sleep. Sometimes I have even told myself in the middle of the night that I am being stupid and these small things are not really that important, But it makes no difference. In my mind the problem or task takes on a life of its own and every potential problem or hitch becomes real. Only its not real and next day its gone apart from that hungover feeling from lack of sleep.

I hope it gets better for you.

Brend

Hi Chris,

I hope you're feeling calmer. The pain is tough. It's hard to keep making your body move when you still feel pain. I know for me I have been able to see that my pain is less severe with regular exercise and therapy. But I still have flares and pain every day no matter what I do. It's a matter of is it "i can't move pain" or "it aches when I move pain". So at least I can still do stuff and don't have to lie in bed all day.

But I still have my 9 out of 10 days where if the ER had anything to offer me I would go. And all I can do is lie there and cry or take enough drugs to knock me out.

Hope you feel better - Love Andy

I am doing PT Andy, and I swear it's making me worse. The first two days I did it, I felt kinda better. These last two times, I feel horrible. I have worse pain than I did. I know what did it too. They are making me pull on this band and I told them when you have trigger points that you shouldn't do it, but they still told me to do it. I have PT tomorrow and I am refusing the band and am going to see what happens.

I have a high pain tolerance, it's not the pain causing the anxiety attacks. It's the fact that most of my pain is in the chest, between the shoulder blades and then runs down my arms really sharp. Since I'm a freak of nature that can't understand that the tests come back fine and that I'm not having a heart attack, I continue to think that I am LOL. Although I do good most days, there are some days that I just feel doomed, that I am going to die.

Chris

Since I'm a freak of nature that can't understand that the tests come back fine and that I'm not having a heart attack, I continue to think that I am LOL. Chris[/QUOTE]


I think you may be the one that answered my post earlier about diaphragm/chest pain? Thank you! And I'm right in there with you, only an even bigger freak of nature since I worked with cardiologists for years and should know better. Unfortunately, I have just enough knowledge to be a danger to myself. I finally got a diagnosis and I'm STILL skeptical but feel better reading all these posts. I have the anxiety too so I know exactly what you mean. I hope you feel better soon.

Hi Chris,

I know there are many folks who can't tolerate PT with fibro. Is the therapist familiar with fibro or just winging it. Don't let them bully you!

Hope you're doing better. Love - Andy

Actually they have someone who only deals with fibro patients, I met her today. They also have a support group that she runs once a month. I told her that I wasn't doing the resistance band today because I thought that's what was hurting me, she agreed and we'll see tonight.

Chris

Chris, if you're having shooting pains down your arm, have you mentioned this to your PT? I'm not an expert by any means, but I know that when they tested me for carpal tunnel in my wrists they were looking for where my nerves were affected, either in my upper arm, or my wrists. If the tests showed nerve reaction in my shoulder, carpal tunnel in my wrists would have been ruled out and they would have looked into possibly a pinched nerve in the shoulder or even in the upper spine (the T area ). It's just a thought. There are conditons out there that affect the thoracic area. It is common, however to have the kind of pain you are having in your chest and ribs when you have Fibro. As well as your back area. I have the exact pain you describe except for the shooting pain down your arm, that is why I say talk to your PT. Pain in your ribs from the Fibro is so frustrating, it hurts to wear a bra. But really, ask about that specific arm pain.

Good luck, and hang in there honey.
tk

They all know TK. It's one of those yeah yeah ok, we know something different everyday. I see a neurologist on the 27th so we'll see then. I already had the nerve test done, because they are saying I am having nerve entrapment somewhere, but it doesn't seem to be carpal tunnel.
At PT yesterday I told them about it, and flat out refused to do the resistance bands, the PT said fine but that's not what's causing the problem. It's it a miracle, no shooting pain done the arm last night. If it's one thing I know, it's my body. When you are having problems with the trigger points knotting up, the worse thing to do is strain the area further. You have to work them out, simple as that.
Besides my faimly Dr., I'm starting to hate all of these people. I know more than these "professionals"

Chris

They all know TK. It's one of those yeah yeah ok, we know something different everyday. I see a neurologist on the 27th so we'll see then. I already had the nerve test done, because they are saying I am having nerve entrapment somewhere, but it doesn't seem to be carpal tunnel.
At PT yesterday I told them about it, and flat out refused to do the resistance bands, the PT said fine but that's not what's causing the problem. It's it a miracle, no shooting pain done the arm last night. If it's one thing I know, it's my body. When you are having problems with the trigger points knotting up, the worse thing to do is strain the area further. You have to work them out, simple as that.
Besides my faimly Dr., I'm starting to hate all of these people. I know more than these "professionals"

Chris
Icefire: Great. I think you're on the right track seeing a nuerologist. Actually I think most of us should see neurologists instead of rheumy's. I'd be curious to see what your neurologist says. Keep us posted. And I know what you mean about docs. I have 2 good ones and my rheumy sucks. I'm looking into switching. She treats all Fibros as "cookie cutter" cases, like we are all the same. And as we all know, that just tain't so! I know some that experience it worse than me, and others who work and make a living just fine. When I saw my rheumy for my six month, I had just been prescribed Percocet from my pain doc, and she looked like she was going to pass out when I told her I took 4 tablets 10/325 daily. She "doesn't prescribe narcotics for Fibro patients". I wanted to stick my tongue at her!
Anyway, let us know how your progressing.

Good day!
tk