questions - Fibromyalgia Message Board

nikki888 · 02-21-2008, 07:11 PM

hello. i have not been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, as i one of the lucky ones who has a doctor who does not "believe" in it. however, from doing internet research, i am afraid i may have it but all my symptoms do not match.

i read that the current theory of the cause of fibromyalgia is "central sensitization." this theory states that people with fibromyalgia have a lower threshold for pain because of increased sensitivity in the brain to pain signals, so that pressure on a spot on the body that wouldn't hurt someone without fibromyalgia can be very painful to someone who has the condition. does this mean that in addition to the regular symptoms of fibro, if you become ill or injured, it hurts a lot more than the average person?

for the past three years, i often feel too weak to get out of bed, and my back and knees and head hurt. i am prone to throat and bladder infections. however on more than one occasion i have been told i have a high pain tolerance. so does this mean i definitely don't have fibromyalgia?

also, do all of you with it have the minimum 11 tender locations specified by the american college of rheumatology? how much can symptoms differ? do you ever feel better?

thank you.

sherryrenee0423 · 02-22-2008, 01:29 PM

One thing you should know first is that every case of Fibro varies. One person might have all of the tender point and just experience overall pain, and another person might fall short of the required tender points and mainly feel pain in their lower body. It all depends on the person.

The most current things I have read on FMS talk a lot about the central nervous system and how it has basically gone amuck. My rheumy said that fibro sufferers brain scans actually differ from healthy people. Certain parts of the brain are more sensitive/more active than they should be.

The other arguement is that it is an immune dysfunction. Some believe that people with FMS have disturbed immune systems and the concentration should not be on giving pain meds, but on getting the immune system healthy.

Sickness can trigger FMS. If you have had a major illness, accident, emotional stress, etc in your life coinsiding with the onset of your symptoms, then it is very possible that you have FMS.

FMS sufferers don't have a low pain threshold, or maybe I just don't like the way that sounds. Our nervous systems are just oversensitive to many different things. I believe that women naturally have a high pain tolenance...I mean we are designed to give birth (and that's no walk in the park).

From personal experience, I heal more slowly after surgery. I take longer to recover. I often have complications (not life threatening or anything like that), but on at least one occassion every doctor I have seen has been a little puzzled by what my body does.

I hope this helped a little. If someone sees something in here that is wrong or can explain it better, then please correct me. I don't want to add more confusion to a person who is already confused.

kirstee · 02-22-2008, 02:44 PM

Hi sweetheart. I know this is difficult for you and I send huggies and love your way.

There are several ways FMS can be triggered, but you have had this condition since birth. When you become very ill or injured your body is taxed beyond its ability to heal normally and FMS rears its ugly head.

If you become injured while your body has finally succumbed to FMS, it can be a difficult road.

I'm not sure how the 11 tender points question will be answered by others. I know that I have been diagnosed with 11, but I know others who have experienced more.

Personally, I do not subscribe to the pain threshold theory held by some members of the medical community. As you have found out, this simply doesn't make sense. As medical experts grapple for answers, they seem to land in different "camps" as to how FMS starts. This pain threshold thing is one of many.

I have found the guafenesin protocol is very helpful in obtaining a quality of life and suggest you at least look into this type of therapy. This protocol was developed by Dr. St. Amand and you can read more about it by purchasing his book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia." Dr. St. Amand subscribes to a theory that there is a lack of ATP production in our bodies which creates havoc symptom-wide. This is a very simple explanation of what is acutally a complex series of breakdowns in our bodies because of this issue. Read the book, then decide if this protocol will work for you. You do not have to go see another doctor since you can read the book and follow the instructions (I might add - EXACTLY! - or it won't work). You would want to tell your physician what you are doing however.

I have been on this therapy for 5 years. I ride my ATV all over the mountains of Colorado, camp, hike, fish, ride my bike,walk my dogs all over the neighborhood, go to the gym. This activity level was simply impossible before I began the therapy. I was almost bedridden.

Blessings,
Kirstee

nikki888 · 02-24-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherryrenee0423

FMS sufferers don't have a low pain threshold, or maybe I just don't like the way that sounds.

i didn't like the sound of that either. i felt it implied that fibromyalgia is more psychological than mental, that people who have it (which are coincidentally mostly women) are just plain weak.

it would be great if there was a definitive test to end all of this controversy. i know you mentioned that brain scans may show abnormalities in those suffering from FMS, but good luck getting one of those!

Glojer · 02-24-2008, 03:59 PM

The Dr. Danial Wallace fibro books says fibro sufferers have a high pain Tolerance and a low pain Threshold. What that means is we can tolerate a great deal of pain (good thing...huh!) but we feel pain quicker than someone without fibro. Makes sense to me, I have always had a high tolerance to pain and could pretty much stand anything. Now though when I have procedures done I can't get to square one without the pain sending me through the roof. It is very strange. The theory is we have been in so much pain for so long our threshold for pain has lowered in other words we are so tired of being in pain we just can't take extra. Someone that isn't in pain on a daily basis can 'bolster up' and stand some pain for a while longer than we can as long as it is short lived. Our tolerance is high because we live in pain everyday and tolerate more pain than most people want to think about.

Anyway, I like this explanation better.

Glojer