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glm777

New member
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
4
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
10/2015
Country
US
State
MA
So now that I have been diagnosed, I am having trouble distinguishing what is fibro related and what is not. For instance, for the past 2 days I have been exhausted, having pain in my neck going down my right arm (feels like a violin string being plucked), both my shoulders and my elbows hurt and I have low right sided pelvic discomfort (like I was ovulating but I have had a total hysterectomy). I also have IBS which may be the cause of the pelvic pain but what about everything else? How do you know when to see the doctor or to just ride it out?
 
That is a very good question!

Fibro causes so many downright weird sensations. Fibromyalgia can exaggerate a relatively mild condition, or it can cover over the symptoms of more serious conditions. Having fibromyalgia is like living in a building where the fire alarm is always going off. How do you know when it is a real fire?

I have kept a journal of my symptoms. When I get new symptoms, I send my doctor an e-mail to see what she thinks. In fact, I just did that today because my left arm went partially numb and partially pins and needles for a while. It's probably because I loosened and tightened a whole bunch of little screws yesterday, but I'll see what she says.

It took a few conversations to get to this point with my doctor. Once she realized I was not expecting her to have a treatment for everything I asked about, she became much more at ease with my questions. I also sometimes ask her for feedback - whether she thinks I should let more things go or not. She was a little startled the first time I asked her that, so I explained I wouldn't take it personally if she said yes, I was just trying to get calibrated, so to speak.

Hope this helps - this is not an easy question to answer.
 
Hay welcome.DK is so right.its very hard to know what's what.the thing is when your new to this.you don't know
You will learn as time goes on what is normal for you,and what's not.fibro pain tends to keep nagging for weeks at a time if not longer.reading what you can,and sites like this,will help you to learn what's what.
Of course you can pass everything off as fibro.and being new to it I'm sure your dr will understand the odd phone call or visit.the only truly stupid questions are the ones we never ask x
 
I think when I had a really bad, multi-year flare up, I actually erred on the side of not attributing enough to the fibro. I found myself at all kinds of specialists sure there was something deathly wrong with me, and I have learned that there are all kinds of systemic symptoms that our doctors don't know or don't tell us about. It's hard though, because I don't want to let something go and it really is something serious.
 
well hun u can ride it out or u can go to ur dr. and see what they can give u for the pain. right now i am on lyrica and cymbolta and nothing is touching my pain and i have all 18 spots.so it is very hard for me to go with no pain.what i do is keep going and smile if u can because if u don't keep going u will sieze up.:-D
 
Karen,that's a hard one.some of us like me find stopping make us really stiff.but some folk find keeping going make it worse.
It's hard, I've spent years thinking that stopping,was the worse thing u can ever do.and for me it is.
But,some poor souls stopping is the only thing that helps.we buggered whatever why u look at it.me and you can't sit and relax or we go stiff.and others dare not move .its a horrid illness,
 
gim777, Fibro can cause lots of different symptoms that as said above can mimic more serious conditions that can scare you into going to the doctor. Recently I had some emotional stress that started a severe headache with eye pain (migraine) and pain in the left side of my chest (Costochondritis), and leg pain (tight muscles). all symptoms of fibromyalgia. However, all these symptoms could have been from a stroke. I went to my doctor's office and he sent me straight to the E.R. for testing. Lucky for me it was not a stroke.

It is always better to check with your doctor when things happen suddenly and the symptoms don't go away. But as said before most things are a combination of anxiety and stress, depression, and fibromyalgia's wild imagination.

Glad your here. Keep posting and I look forward to helping you with answers and encouragement.
 
So my abdominal pain has not gone away. It moves side to side and goes from no pain at times to severe pain. Walking seems to make it worse, sitting makes it go away. No blood in my urine so they are ruling out bladder and kidney issues. I did find out that I have diverticulosis (noted on a colonoscopy from 5 years ago) so now they are thinking diverticulitis. I don't know what to think. No meds touch the pain, no difference no matter what I eat. And I now have become so sensitized to any little pain that I've gotten myself all worked up that this is something horrible. I am also exhausted all the time, get winded very easily and am feeling a little depressed I have to admit. But that all could be related to my non-stop worrying about this stomach issue. I have zero motivation to do anything and getting through a full work day is a challenge. This is all so new for me. I am usually a get up and get going kind of gal. I only took down my Christmas tree YESTERDAY!! It took me 3 hours!
I am having an abdominal/pelvic CT scan this week so we shall see if it shows anything. I never thought I would wish for diverticulitis but it would at least be a reason for this pain.
Sorry to unload - just feeling a bit overwhelmed right now, mentally and physically.
 
Good luck with the scan. Is it a different pain than fibromyalgia pain?

My fibromyalgia pain is pretty intolerable so it may be fibromyalgia related but its good you are getting it investigated as the quicker you know, hopefully, there will be some treatment. I think diverticulosis is infected pockets in the bowel and intestines. My Auntie had it and i think it can be treated with antibiotics to get rid of the infections and any pain down there.

Let us know how you get on. Try not to worry. gentle hugs
 
That is a very good question!

Fibro causes so many downright weird sensations. Fibromyalgia can exaggerate a relatively mild condition, or it can cover over the symptoms of more serious conditions. Having fibromyalgia is like living in a building where the fire alarm is always going off. How do you know when it is a real fire?

I have kept a journal of my symptoms. When I get new symptoms, I send my doctor an e-mail to see what she thinks. In fact, I just did that today because my left arm went partially numb and partially pins and needles for a while. It's probably because I loosened and tightened a whole bunch of little screws yesterday, but I'll see what she says.

It took a few conversations to get to this point with my doctor. Once she realized I was not expecting her to have a treatment for everything I asked about, she became much more at ease with my questions. I also sometimes ask her for feedback - whether she thinks I should let more things go or not. She was a little startled the first time I asked her that, so I explained I wouldn't take it personally if she said yes, I was just trying to get calibrated, so to speak.

Hope this helps - this is not an easy question to answer.
Sounds like you have a great doctor!
 
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