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Since I was about 9, I can remember having spots on my body that hurt to touch. I had an old aunt who would pinch my cheeks, and it hurt like crazy. An uncle would gouge my ribs, and I would collapse in pain. My shins always hurt, but since I played baseball everyone though it was from running in cleats. I always continued to be very very active, and still play and coach soccer to this day.

About 10 years ago, I had balooned up to 240 pounds, and after an x-ray due to pneumonia, it was discovered I had a massive thyroid tumor. I was rushed to surgery, and awoke 2 days later in ICU with my entire sternum sawed in half and wired back shut.

After that, I just never recovered. I went back to work in the mill, working 12 hour shifts on concrete and steel, constantly on my feet. I continued to chase around my kids, and play soccer. But at the end of every day, I just collapsed. I began to be in constant pain. One night at work, one of my legs swole up so bad I couldn't get my jeans back on after pulling them down to pee. I called my husband on my cell phone, and he and the paramedics rescued me from the bathroom. They ran test after test, suspecting a blood clot, and found absolutely nothing wrong. Thus began 18 months of test after test after test, finally arriving at a diagnosis of fibro.

My doctor forced me to quit my job, he wouldn't allow me to continue working. He told me to file for disability. I tried, but I couldn't remember all the crap they wanted to know, like all the doctors I had seen, meds I had taken, dx's I had been given. I got so frustrated and broke down bawling and took the paperwork outside and burned it. I tried to talk my doctor into releasin me to go back to work, but he refused. He wouldn't help me with my paperwork though. I rebelled, and went to work cleaning houses.

I am in pain all the time, but I don't pay attention to it. I've learned to block it because I never could afford the 10 or so prescriptions I was given every month. The only meds I take now are ultram (I get 90 a month) and synthroid. I still am exhausted, in pain, and having brain fog. I still don't liek to be touched because it hurts. But, I find that when my thyroid is well controlled (which has been difficult to do when I had to choose between my husbands high blood pressure meds or my thyroid meds) I felt much better. Now, WalMArt has a new $4 program, and my ultram, synthroid, and my hubby's 2 bp meds are all in it, so I never have to worry anymore.

What I'm wondering (as is my pcp, I've stopped seeing all the other docs liek the rheumy and the pain doc who was giving me intramuscular injections that my insurance said were surgery and billed me about 100 a visit) is what role the thyroid plays in fibro? I know several women with hashimoto's who also have fibro. Do any of you have thyroid problems?