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awixom

New member
Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Messages
3
Reason
Undiagnosed
Diagnosis
09/2014
Country
US
State
MO
Hello everyone,
You will have to excuse me I'm not sure what to really say here. I am new to support groups, fibromyalgia, and really everything that is going on right now in my life. I'm a 31 year old mother of two.(12 and 9) Not really sure when all of this started but the downward spiral started in May of this year. I had been having right heel pain for months and I assumed I had a heel spur. Then I woke up one morning and couldn't hardly walk. I still assumed it was a heel spur and went to the emergency room. they did an x-ray and said that I didn't have a spur but they suspected plantar fasciitis and I should see a foot doctor. So I saw a foot doctor who said that I had flat feet and a deformation to my ankle that was probably there from birth. He treated me for almost a month and gladly collected my co-pay with no change to the pain in my foot and now the pain had extended into my ankle, calf, and knee. So I decided to get a second opinion. The second foot doctor said that I did indeed have flat feet however he saw no deformation to my foot or ankle. He said that I did have plantar fasciitis. So he treated my foot and it started to get better. But that was short lived. I then began having the same pain in my left foot and after about a week of the pain being in both feet it had traveled up to include my entire lower body and walking was excruciating. I finally had a breakdown bawling, blubbering, snoting breakdown. The next morning my Mom came by after work to check on me after my crying fest. As soon as she walked in she said "What's wrong with your face!?" My face was swelled up like a moon and I had a butterfly rash the color of a fire engine. I went to my family doctor and he threw me in the hospital for a steroid pulse treatment for possible Lupus, because my Mom's sister has Lupus. My ANA drawn at the hospital had the antibodies but not enough to be considered a positive result. When I got out of the hospital the pain never went away and continued to travel up my body. It now has seemed to settle in my torso. Mainly my shoulders, mid-back, neck, collar bone areas and my hips, lower back, tail bone areas. I saw one rheumatologist that saw me 3 times and said that I was fat, and I need dietary therapy, physical therapy, and to "train like an athlete". I could barely walk let alone train like an athlete. Granted I am heavy but I have always been heavy, and I was a medic/firefighter for 5 years before taking a job in a factory. Not exactly what I would call a lazy bum! So that brings me to now.... After going back to my family doctor bawling and snoting after what the rheumatologist said...... On an antidepressant, Savella for probable fibromyalgia, a sleeping pill, Ativan, vicoden, and B-12 supp. (my decision) and in an exhausted, painful, anxiety riddled wait for my appointment with a second rheumatologist. I have missed so much work so far I am terrified they hate me and want to find a way to oust me. And I am the major bread winner of my house and the source of the medical insurance..... So that's my story...... If anyone is still reading this long drawn out babble.
I have been reading some other post on here and I just want to say I have a new respect for all of you. And even though I was a medic you are absolutely right about people not completely understanding unless they are feeling what you are! So now here I am and I am truly sorry if I ever made someone feel like I didn't believe them or that their pain was not "that bad" or they were over exaggerating. They wasn't..... Not At All!
 
Welcome to the forums and sorry that your on the other side of the fence with us now. Best of luck to you and hope to read many posts from you.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I think until you have a chronic on-going disease or pain like you describe it is hard to understand what life is like on this side of the fibro fence. Not to say I would wish this on anyone. I would say you might consider getting a opinion from an neurologist as some of your symptoms seem a bit much for just fibro. Grant it plantar fascititis can cripple you up for sometime, been there and done that, but to have the extended up going pain kind of worries me. Were you tested for Lymes disease as well. I have heard, maybe I am wrong but if you are showing some signs of Lupus, it does not always reflect that fact in early blood work. Another thought might be a allergic reaction to medication which can cause severe pain and redness of the face and swelling.

Weight alone does not cause these symptoms and for a doctor to suggest it is a thumbs down in my book. Many people young and old, weight problems or not, can develop these diseases, so don't let doctors stop searching for answers for you based on your weight. When my foot pain was severe I bought good sturdy walking shoes and wore socks, and at night I would press my feet flat against the foot board of the bed. Coldness helps as well to reduce the pain caused by inflamation in the muscle ligaments in the bottoms of your feet . There are some booties you can get to wear at night that stretch out these ligaments and help speed recovery time. I am not saying you don't have fibro, but please get checked out to be sure nothing else is going on as well.

Also please read through the posts under chronic pain and alternative methods to learn some ways to manage your symptoms without just relying on medications. If you can develop ways of handling and coping with the different problems it will ease your mind, as well as, your pain. Glad you found us and look forward to hearing more from you. :)
 
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