I have Fibro symptoms. I have to go to my Rhemy this Friday after 6 months of on and off pain. :) The worst episode was last week where my entire body was aching, my musles were buring with pain and I had the worst headache (the headache was probably due to the Ragweed pollen I am allergic to actually). I couldn't fall asleep without 2 Tylenol PM's and only reluctantly it hurt that much. It usually hits me at night and it all started 6 months ago with and eye twitch that lead to all over body twitches to all over muscle pain so bad I want to cry. It gradually progressed.

At first I swore it was ALS or MS then BFS, then Neuropathy Diabeties, then Anxiety, now it's Lupus and recently back to Nero Diabeties. I am a mess. :dizzy: Because of the fact that I did not have insurance for a while (I have it now) I was thrown into this health anxiety rollercoaster and can't get off. I just want answers and to be able to deal with whatever I have once and for all.

My question is what did YOU think you had before you got the diagnosis of Fibro. Am I normal to think it's so many other conditions and to be sick with worry about it?

Hi Elda, sorry to hear about your roller coaster. Fibro & Lupus are a tough ride to say the least. We do live for those good days! For me in the back of my mind I thought maybe it was just major work stress/hours & sinius problems. But, once those were cleared up - the only major conclusion that it could be was Fibro & Lupus. The diagnosis though doesn't make it any easier. Especially when dealing with doctors that may diagnosis Fibro but, not believe that anything can be done. I'm still working to come to terms with what the diagnosis means for myself & family. So I still take it one day at a time & keep the faith. Especially on those days that the truck runs over me multiple times! I think I was more scared when doctor's were working to rule out "other" things & would mention things like brain tumors, MS etc.,. so in a way it was a relief to have a final diagnosis (after many many blood & urine tests, Brain MRI, EEG etc.).

But, it's crucial though to get a diagnosis from a good doctor. Do keep working toward that. And keep in mind that often getting a diagnosis doesn't happen for multiple appointments. Doctors want to make sure they rule out all other possibilties first. Keep an open mind & a symptom diary which can help during those appointments.

Today so far is a pretty good day & I'm chosing to live for those kind of days. Stay positive & know that you are not alone. :wave:

Most of us go through the runner of diagnosis before we are told we have fibro. It's unfortunate that not all doctors are educated on the disorder. Unfortunately FMS is not jsut one condition but a slew of other conditions. I have never had a bad diagnosis but I was told by many doctors that basically I was nuts and a hypercondriac. I was shunned by friends in highschool because they thought I was a hypercondriac etc. instead of actually beleiveing I had problmes. The diagnosises tha I have had have been Allergies, Asthma, sleep apnea, migranes, insomnia, arthritis type conditions (whole slew of drugs), whiplash, acid reflux, vitamin deficiencies, depression, foot problems, and probably some that I have forgotten over the years. My last diagnosis has been for RLS. Some of my problems have disappeared after weight loss surgery including sleep apnea, some of the foot pain, acid reflux, depressioin...still have lung problems but not as often.

Good luck!
Amanda

hi elda,
i thought i would never be the same. i was right. i thought i was losing my mind. i was wrong. i was finding it. i thought alot of really wasteful thoughts that drained my energies. it was a waste of time. it was a waste of me.
since then i have added many little goodies to my bag of stuff. i knew befor my doc did that i had rheumatoid arthritis. with time you get to know your body and feel the changes with your ears instead of your fears. instinct kicks in when fear is told to get lost.
it's okay to be afraid sometimes. just don't let it eat you alive. fibro just loves to eat fear and spit out what is left of you.
peace,
bluelakelady

Thank you all for your posts. It was really appreciated.

I am going to my Rheumy tomorrow. I just made a list of symptoms that I have been feeling since June. It's a whole page and he is going to think I am nuts! But you know I don't care. I am paying HIM to listen and run tests. The more I think (and research on the net) about my situation the more I think I may have Fibro and Peri Menopause. But if it's not either and it's something else I am ready because I can't take the pain, anxiety and complaining anymore. As I am sure my family can't either.

I just want one day of not feeling some pain and/or anxiety. I want to feel normal and enjoy my life and children. I don't know if the anxiety is because of the pain and of not knowing what is wrong or if it's hormonal and it's a ride I am on as a woman in this stage in my life.

Okay I am rambling now. I need to get to sleep. Ahhh sleep, that's another thing I can't do without some help from a sleepaid. But that's another thread.

Will try to keep everyone updated. This place is heaven sent! :angel:

Elda - good luck to you on your appointment with the Rhemu. That's great that you've got your symptom list ready to go - it really helps to have something to refer to when you're in the appointment. Don't worry about it being a page.... think it's "only" one page and that is a good thing! (It could be more!).

Keep us posted on how things go. Best wishes to you getting well! :cool:

hi elda,
the anxiety is mostly the not knowing. once you have the words you will relax some. at that point it will be up to you to decide what to do with your emotions. and you will have them.
ah, menopause. blessed menopause. i love hot flashes in the winter time. are you on hormones? if not may i suggest estrace. it is made from yams.
sleep, our elusive mistress. without night meds i would be a raving idiot, slack eyed and drooling. giggle.
stick with us kid. we'll keep ya laughing and feeling loved.
peace,
bluelakelady

Hi Elda, Before i was diagnosed, I really didn't know what was wrong with me. At first i thought i was achey and stiff in the mornings because of my mattress. Then i thought i had Attention Deficit disorder, which was really fibrofog i think. I knew my muscles in my back were knotted, but i didn't understand chronic myofascial pain and that the knotted fascia was pinching nerves. It was still confusing aftet the diagnosis of fibromyagia, because no one explained chronic myofascial pain and i had chains of these knots all down my body. I had all kinds of pains. I also had depression which I think was from the fibromyalgia because it is a central nervous system disorder. I have not experienced anything as painful as my initial flare. It was a 2 month nightmare.

More than a year later, I am doing pretty well. I haven't flared since the 2nd week of October. I sleep good most of the time and the trigger points from the chronic myofascial pain are either gone or latent.

You will start feeling better once you are diagnosed and have a treatment plan. I see a rheumy and a pain management doctor. I was diagnosed by a rheumy, a neuro and my internal med doctor. No one told me about cmp; i read it on a physical therapy order. Then i investigated. That is when everything started making sense for me.

Keep the faith,
Donna

I thought I had MS back then. My dr just recently told me that he could of sworn I had it. He was just waiting for one of the mri's to come back with a lesion. It never did.

Debbie, dx'd w/ fibro 1996, tmj, endo, gerd. , anxiety, depression
essential tremors -dx'd 2005 :yawn:

Hi Elda, :wave:

In all honesty I had no clue as to what was wrong with me and did not ever put a name to it. My pain started in my knees so they did surgeries on my knees, didn't work. Did a laproscopy to see if something was pressing on a nerve, wasn't. I had test after test and nothing. For some reason I always knew that it wasn't anything terminal. I went to doc after doc until I was diagnosed. Please don't get discouraged.

It took 6 years for me to be diagnosed. I was very relieved to find out what was wrong so I understand what you are going through.

When it comes to menopouse, have you had your hormones checked? If not, do so and then you will know if you are going through it or not.

Please let us know how your appointment went. I always bring a list of symptoms with me when going to docs. When I was still searching I even typed it up, would cross out or add to the list depending on what I was feeling. I know I seemed nuts to a lot of docs but I could not have cared less. I knew if I chose to I would never have to see them again.

Take care, hope you are feeling better today.

Peace and love, Hangin

Hi Guys,
I'm a newbie, but I can identify with many of you. I am going tomorrow to find out if I have FM or if I am insane!!!! I began with a backache pretty much all the time. My neck was often stiff and sore. Then one day the tiwitches began and I got kinda wiggy and looked up twitches on, " Ask Jeeves". Well, be careful what you ask jeeves because ALS came up and I completely FREAKED out! I didn't sleep, or eat for a solid week. I suffered from chronic anxiety and couldn't even be alone. I have to say that the Good Lord Jesus Christ is the one that got me through that first week and the weeks since. I have started having the traveling muscle pains that are like popcorn bouncing around different areas of my body, the muscle twitches are like that too. I have found two things that have made a huge difference with the twitches and the the pain. I also have the trembling feeling in my arms that feels like a low voltage energy current is coarsing through my muscles. For the muscle twitches is am taking Valerian during the day and at night. It helps me to sleep better too. I started taking it for the inablitity to sleep and found that it helped my twitches as well. For the tightness and sore muscles in my neck I walk around with a bed buddy (rice sock) around my shoulders pretty much all the time at home, especially in the evening when I am the sorest. The heat helps the trembling feeling some as well. I have whole page and a half of symptoms to go over with my midwife tomorrow! I am terrified that she will want a MRI, but I don't have any insurance and will not do that unless I must. I have crying spells that sometimes last for days. I will be fine at lunch and a basket case at dinner, depressed at bedtime and feeling on top of the world the next day. If I didn't know better Id' think I was bi-polar, but I am prretty sure I am just hormonal. I am entering that wonderful time of life know as the change of life! It's a change alright! My mother and grandmother entered menopause at my age (43) and I am pretty sure I am too. I still don't know if I have FM or chronic anxiety. I am stressed. Four daughters, three grandaughters, my two youngest daughters are 5 and 10, my daddy has just been diagnoised with stage 4 lung cancer, and I am a pre-school teacher. But I know I am blessed as well. That's what has got me through all this confusion, is my sweet Jesus! I am grateful to have found this wonderful site. Everyone on here is very supportive and nice. It helps to have someone who understands all the crazy things your body can do to you. God Bless you all! Cyndi :angel:

hi cindi,
welcome to our little family. we are doubly glad you found us. the more the merrier.
sorry about your dad. it is so rough. my dad had lung cancer too. 29 years ago. make your memories while you can. they will sustain you later. i am a good listener if you feel the need to dump your emotions. i have been where you are going.
menopause is easier than starting your period for the first time, giggle.
peace,
bluelakelady

Hi Cindi,
There is no doubt to any of us that Fibro is a tuff road to have to go down. :rolleyes: Some times it just never seems to end. Fibro ,runs with a bad crowd.Loves all the fear,crying,anxieties , He is a mean booger! So it is really nice that we have this board to help each of us crush all those things that Fibro loves. :D
So welcome to the family,we are all here for the help and benefits we can give each other.

I thought I must be dying from some horrible cancer that's how bad it hurt! Then MS is what they thought, then it was fibro , now it's a bunch of other stuff i found out this week too.
expat53

:wave: Hello everyone. Looks like everyone is like me. Looking for some answers and some support. I'm 36 and have been diagnosed with Fibro since 97. I had to have a TVH at the age of 27 for severe Endometreosis. So, that in itself has caused me to go into Menopause at an extremely early age!
So, I have been on a hormonal rollercoaster ride! Things started changing when I was put on Depo Lupron for my Endo. Subsequently, I was not told this med was a chemo drug. It's used for treating severe cases of prostate cancer. I would have NEVER taken it. It started with the back pain and bone pain. I was told it would go away once I was taken off of this drug. It did NOT! It depleated my bone density. So at the age of 27 I was diagnosed with Osteopenia. As of date, I have a T score of -2.1 in my lumbar and -1.5 in my hips. I also have severe Degenerative disk disease in my lower lumbar. I was scheduled for a total disk replacement this month but I'm waiting for the disk to come in. My L-5 is totally desicated. I also have early multi level disk degeneration in my neck. As well as nerve damage with axonal neuropathy at my C6/7. Not to mention OA in my neck with facet joint pain.
I also have radial neuropathy in my right arm.
Billateral joint degeneration in both shoulders, as well as OA in my left. I'm awaiting a scope for my left to clean up the OA right now. That way it will keep it from being constantly impenged!
I also have MAJOR Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction. I just recently went in this past Tues. to the Pain Clinic and recieved my second set of billateral branch blocks. I was recievng Floroscope injections. Both of these are extremely PAINFUL! No anesthetics or numbing until once the 3 1/2" needle is inserted or fed into the joint! Next step is burning off of the nerves in those areas. I also have Myofacial Pain Syndrome and multiple Neuralgias. At first I was told it was ALL in my head! Then it was Ankylosing Spondylitis, then they ran ANA (anti nuclear anti body test), then Lupus. I have been there done it ALL over the last 10yrs!!!
I say that you KNOW your body better than yourself. If something is NOT right and you know it's not. Then tell them so. Keep a record of EVRY thing ...big or little. I honestly think I still have Lupus but I will never know until they run another test. The first one was borderline and that was 7yrs ago. Believe me.......I can relate to everyone here. There are days when it feels like someone has used me as a pinata'!

My Doc mentioned "Early Menopause"..so I'm thinking "okay, so this is what I have"..
Then..I was thinking "Maybe that Pain Doctor is right" "Maybe I am a hyperchondriac" "Maybe it IS all my head"....Living with this pain makes you think about nothing but PAIN! Of course, I know it's not "all in my head". Pain makes you think all kinds of thoughts! I was going through the same thing on "Search" and thinking.."oh my god", what if I have this? Never thought it was Fibro.