Does this sound like Fibromyalgia?

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Tiredallthetime

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Hi there,

For about 4 years now, I’ve been experiencing regular bouts of pain that starts in my lower back and pelvis and radiates down to my knees. It happens fairly regularly - at least once a month over a period of 5-7 days. I had put this down to being something to do with my monthly cycle, but also because I am fairly tall and have suffered with slight joint (knees mainly) pain since I was a teenager. I’m now not so sure that I can continue to put it down to this though…

For the past year, the pain has worsened and has been accompanied by nausea and digestive discomfort. The pain has at times woken me up in the night, and pain relief hasn’t helped much. My latest bout started on Saturday and is still continuing, although the nausea has thankfully subsided slightly. I can’t sit or lie comfortably, or stand still for too long, and my pelvis feels like it is unstable, like it could give way at any time. I’m an active person normally and have tried to continue with my daily routine, but the pain in the evenings and at night is flooring me. Each morning I wake up exhausted, but hopeful that the pain will be milder than the day before but so far it’s not working out that way.

I’m worried about the pelvic pain more than anything, as I’m not sure where it is originating from exactly. It feels dull and crampy, but quite severe, not like menstrual cramps but more a continuous burning sensation but there is no obvious point of origin. It wraps around from the back of my pelvis to my hips and hip flex’s before radiating down my things to my knees. When I try to stretch, it hurts a lot and movement is quite limited. I’m very worried about speaking to a dr about this (not that I can get an appointment easily at the moment) as I am worried about being fobbed off and I’m not the most confident of people at the best of times. I just wondered if any of this sounded familiar to anyone here? Obviously Google isn’t very helpful, and I’m trying not to self diagnose but I wondered if any of this resonated at all?

Thanks so much for reading to the end, sorry for waffling.

😴 x
 
Hi there, and welcome to the forum.

My strongest and best advice is that you get an appointment as soon as possible to see a doctor.
This is vitally important, because you have no way to know what is causing the pain you describe, and there are many things, some very dangerous, that can cause pelvic pain like that. Left untreated, this will not be likely to get better, and has a good chance of getting much worse. Or, on the other hand, it might be something that can be fixed with a simple treatment and not seeing a doctor means you are depriving yourself of that. Either way....to avoid seeing a doctor is unwise.

Fibromyalgia is mostly a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that if you test negative for all of the other specific things that could be causing your symptoms, then a diagnosis of fibro is often made. So even if that turns out to be what is going on for you, you will not know until you get tested for the other things.

I understand reluctance to see a doctor -- I am the same way. But you need to do it. If you feel the doctor is not listening to you go see a different one. I know it is easier said than done, but you owe it to yourself to know for sure what is going on.
 
Hello Tiredallthetime - whilst you are waiting for your doctor's appointment (cos it does sound serious),
a good physio might have an idea, or even be able to help,
youtube videos for something like 'pelvic pain' (I just tried that) may help you more than a general web search.

It doesn't sound generalized / widespread enough to be classified as fibromyalgia as yet. I wouldn't wait for it to go that way ;->.
You've described it well, have 4 ideas what it might be, and that's what I'd all get checked.

Worrying about going to the doc's or dentist's is something that puts many people off, but often ends in catastrophe....
If it's lack of (self-)confidence - that seems important to tackle. Part of the self-care that you'll now be needing. ⏲️
 
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