Could "Fibromyalgia Symptoms" Be Causing Some Anxiety Disorders ?> [ i was diagnosed with this too ]> I Have Had A ROUGH Day Today w/ Fibro.

[TriggerPoint]

DO NOT LET THIS FRIGHTEN YOU. Just Wondering If You've Been Checked For This ?"

IF" You Are OCD About Your Health ? PLEASE Don't Read This Info.

Here's Some Info For Some Of You To Check Out :

Because the classic symptoms of fibromyalgia -- widespread muscle and joint pain and fatigue -- aren't very distinctive, the condition is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. You may not have all of the symptoms, and you may have other medical problems, too.

Since there are no lab or imaging tests for it, when you go to get a diagnosis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms to decide if you have fibromyalgia

Common Symptoms and Related Conditions

Many people with fibro -- also called fibromyalgia syndrome or FMS -- may have:

Pain and tender points

Fatigue

Sleep problems

Concentration and memory problems, known as "fibro fog"

Anxiety or depression

Morning stiffness

Numbness, and tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs

Headaches

Irritable bowel syndrome

Problems with peeing

Painful menstrual cramps

Pain and Tender Points

Almost all people with fibromyalgia ache all over. It can feel similar to osteoarthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis, but it's over your entire body. This is usually what makes you go see your doctor.

The pain can be deep, sharp, dull, throbbing, or aching. You feel it in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the joints. For some people, the pain comes and goes. It could travel throughout your body.

You may also have tender points -- specific spots around your joints that hurt when you press them with a finger. If you press a tender point on a person without fibromyalgia, they'll just feel pressure. But that same pressure would be very painful for someone with fibro.

These tender points are in predictable places on the body. They're often under the surface of the skin, not in areas of deep pain. It's the tissue around the muscles and joints that hurts rather than the joints themselves.

Fatigue

A lingering tiredness and feeling drained is another big complaint. People often feel tired even when they should feel rested, such as after a good night's sleep. Some say it's like having the flu. Some compare it to working long hours and missing a lot of sleep.

You may feel too tired to exercise or more tired after a workout. Simple things such as grocery shopping or cooking dinner could wipe you out. Starting a project such as folding clothes or ironing could seem like too much effort. You might even be too tired for sex.

Sleep Problems

The majority of people with fibromyalgia have trouble sleeping. You may be able to fall asleep, but your sleep is light and easily disturbed. When you get up in the morning, you're exhausted and not refreshed. It doesn't help the fatigue.

Tests done in sleep labs show that people with fibro are constantly interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to what happens in the brain when they're awake. These interruptions limit how much time you spend in deep sleep, when your body restores itself, and you feel run down as a result.

Mood Disorders

Up to half of all people with fibromyalgia have depression or an anxiety disorder when they're diagnosed with fibro.

Dealing with being fatigued and in pain all the time can be stressful. You probably worry about keeping up with life and what you can do to feel better. You may become less active and more withdrawn, which can lead to depression.

It's also possible that anxiety and depression may actually be a part of fibromyalgia, like the pain.

People diagnosed with fibromyalgia and depression have a hard time with concentration and short-term memory, which make it hard to remember day-to-day things, like where they've put their keys or plans they've made for lunch tomorrow.

Morning Stiffness

Most people with fibromyalgia feel like they need to "loosen up" after getting out of bed before they can start their day. The muscles and joints of their back, arms, and legs feel stiff. It's not typical creakiness. It's more like the stiffness someone with rheumatoid arthritis feels.

Although some people say it lasts only a few minutes, the stiffness usually sticks around for more than 15 to 20 minutes each day. Sometimes it lasts for hours, and it could linger all day.

Swelling and Tingling in Hands and Feet

While the cause of numbness, tingling, and burning is unclear, many people with fibro feel them. These sensations, called paresthesia, tend to happen randomly. They may last a few minutes, or they may be constant.

The feelings can be especially bothersome in the mornings along with morning stiffness. But they generally don't get in the way of doing things.

Headaches

Up to 2 out of 5 people with fibro also get migraine or tension headaches regularly. They may be a result of pain in your neck and upper back. They're often caused by tight neck muscles. They may also be caused by tender points over the back of your head and neck.

Headaches can make it much harder for you to live with fibro and manage the disease.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

About two-thirds of people with fibromyalgia often have belly pain, gas, and bloating and feel like throwing up. They can also have constipation and diarrhea.

Many have acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), too.

Problems Peeing

Feeling the urge to go a lot, hurting when you do, or a leaky bladder can happen when you have fibromyalgia.

These symptoms could also be caused by bladder and kidney diseases, such as an infection.

Menstrual Cramps

Women with fibromyalgia may have unusually painful menstrual cramps, often for years, along with their other symptoms.

Restless Legs Syndrome

This usually affects your feet and legs below your knees. It may hurt, but more often it feels like you need to move your legs to try to make them comfortable. It's especially bothersome at night because it can keep you from sleeping.

HAVE "YOU" EVER BEEN CHECKED FOR THIS CONDITION ?*

[ DO NOT let this info frighten you. i just thought it may explain allot of our anxieties ]

[nicetomeetyou]

It’s true that Fibromyalgia cannot actually be diagnosed. Basically if certain conditions are met it’s labelled fibromyalgia. To me my symptoms made me think I had Fibro. I went to a pain specialist who said I don’t actually have fibro and that my physical issues are purely caused by anxiety. My psychiatrist said the same thing. There is strong correlation between anxiety and so-called fibromyalgia. For most people if they can get their anxiety under control they find their so-called fibro-symptoms improve or even disappear. I know when I had a stretch where my anxiety had decreased all my physical symptoms improved or disappeared. Now that my anxiety is high again the symptoms have returned. There are a lot of recent studies showing that so-called fibromyalgia is highly correlated to the level of anxiety. Reduce the anxiety and you reduce the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia.

[TriggerPoint in reply to nicetomeetyou]

I Was Diagnosed With Fibro [ as you call "so called"] "15 Years Before" I Ever Was In An Explosion & I NEVER Had Anxiety Attacks or/ PTSD Before That Explosion....

Thanks.....

[nicetomeetyou in reply to TriggerPoint]

Just because you weren’t aware of your anxiety doesn’t mean you didn’t have it. I didn’t start having anxiety attacks until 3 years ago but have had fibro-type symptoms for 13 years.

[TriggerPoint in reply to nicetomeetyou]

EVERYBODY Has Natural Anxiety ? It Is Not The Same As Being Diagnosed With A "Anxiety Disorder" ? I Was Diagnosed With PTSD & A Anxiety Disorder 2 Years After Being Burned Badly.... What I Was Dealing With 15 Years Before That Had NOTHING To Do With Anxiety Attacks & PTSD.... It Was Totally Physical & I Was Given Every Test They Had, & Finally "DIAGNOSED" With Fibro.... Nobody Could Figure It Out ? Until They Sent Me To All The Specialists. It Was Like Having The Body Wide Pains Of A FLU Times 10..... [ but with no temp at all ]

I Do Appreciate Your Inputs & Opinions Though...

Thank You ~*

[rach1402 in reply to nicetomeetyou]

Just because you haven't got fibromyalgia that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Some people experience physical symptoms such as pain as a result of anxiety but there are many other causes of pain and many other causes of anxiety.

While fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose, it's not true that it can't be diagnosed, lots of people have been diagnosed with it. Including me.

There is still a lot we have to learn about medical conditions and how to treat them, just think how far it's advanced in the last 100 years. If that doesn't convince you-and to be honest I don't care whether it does or not, I just don't think it's a good idea to make comments like yours because it can trigger people who are already suffering with one thing or another-all of us here suffer from invisible illnesses. Are you seriously telling me that you've never been misunderstood, dismissed, judged or just not believed? And then consider this, do you really want to be THAT person, who invalidates others who are unwell one way or another? This is a support group, not somewhere people come to be invalidated by so-called fellow sufferers who are supposed to be the ones who understand our struggles when the rest of the world doesn't. Or doesn't want to. Please show some solidarity and be supportive. If you haven't got anything constructive to say there's no need to voice your opinions.

[TriggerPoint in reply to rach1402]

Thank You For Noticing That... Heck ? I Was Starting To Wonder If It Would Be Best That I Pulled The Post or Not... Wow ! Nobody Ever Told Me That My "Fibromyalgia" Was Not REAL & It's Nothing More Than A "Anxiety Disorder" Causing Me The Symptoms Of A Farce ?... Like I Said. I Was Diagnosed With Fibro 15 Years Before I EVER Had PTSD & Anxiety Attacks... I Was Diagnosed With That After Almost Dying In An Explosion 15 Years Later... Good Thing A Diabetic Don't Stop Taking Their Insulin Because An "Anxiety Attack" Can Raise Your Blood Sugar Level From An Adrenalin Dump, or/ Someone With Asthma Shouldn't Use Their Emergency Inhaler Because Their Breathing Problems Are Just Another "Symptom Of Anxiety" .

Thank You For Noticing.

I NEEDED That...

[nicetomeetyou in reply to rach1402]

If you actually read my post you would realize that I wasn’t saying that people aren’t diagnosed with fibro. I was saying that there are many cases where fibro is diagnosed when the symptoms are actually a result of another condition. And what I’m saying isn’t just my opinion. The Mayo Clinic article I posted says exactly the same thing. In a lot of cases a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is false and made in haste.

I also resent you calling me a “would-be” sufferer. I’ve suffered with chronic pain, anxiety and depression for over a decade. You don’t know anything about me so perhaps it’s you who should keep their opinion to yourself.

[rach1402 in reply to nicetomeetyou]

Apparently I know more about what you put in your reply than you do. This is a direct quote from your first reply to this post: It’s true that Fibromyalgia cannot actually be diagnosed. I did read your reply actually and I'm not the only one who did, but I wish I didn't have to read negative, invalidating venom like that. It's already common knowledge that fibromyalgia shares a lot of it's symptoms with other conditions and the mayo clinic is not the only organisation that can give an opinion. I suggested that you keep your opinion to yourself because of the dismissive tone of your reply. I defended someone who was trying to make a positive contribution to the community and help people, that's supportive. All you seem to be interested in doing is spending a lot of time quoting excessively long passages which essentially just repeat the original post. Read it back and you'll see what I mean. I would say it was nice to meet you but that would be a lie.

[nicetomeetyou in reply to rach1402]

The truth is that a diagnosis of fibromyalgia isn’t 100% accurate. There are other conditions that have similar symptoms. You are entitled to your opinion. The Mayo Clinic is the #1 diagnostic hospital in the world. If you don’t want to agree with them that’s your choice and I respect that. What I don’t respect is you personally attacked me twice. Triggerpoint and I talked and he doesn’t have an issue with what I said. I’m not going to stoop to your level and hurl unnecessary personal attacks. Despite what you said I wish you well because you are suffering.

[nicetomeetyou]

Here’s an article from The Mayo Clinic talking about misconceptions about Fibromyalgia. A very interesting read. If you don’t want to read the whole article just scroll down to the part I highlighted.

Fibromyalgia: Understand the diagnosis process

Fibromyalgia symptoms often mimic those of other conditions. Determining the true cause of your symptoms is key to receiving proper treatment.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Fibromyalgia symptoms include widespread body pain, fatigue, poor sleep and mood problems. But all of these symptoms are common to many other conditions. And because fibromyalgia symptoms can occur alone or along with other conditions, it can take time to tease out which symptom is caused by what problem. To make things even more confusing, fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go over time.

That's why it can take a long time to go from fibromyalgia symptoms to a fibromyalgia diagnosis.

No specific test for fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia can't be easily confirmed or ruled out through a simple laboratory test. Your doctor can't detect it in your blood or see it on an X-ray. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals.

Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis.

In the American College of Rheumatology guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia, one of the criteria is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months. "Widespread" is defined as pain on both sides of your body, as well as above and below your waist.

Old guidelines required tender points

Fibromyalgia is also often characterized by additional pain when firm pressure is applied to specific areas of your body, called tender points. In the past, at least 11 of these 18 spots had to test positive for tenderness to diagnose fibromyalgia.

But fibromyalgia symptoms can come and go, so a person might have 11 tender spots one day but only eight tender spots on another day. And many family doctors were uncertain about how much pressure to apply during a tender point exam. While specialists or researchers may still use tender points, an alternative set of guidelines has been developed for doctors to use in general practice.

These newer diagnostic criteria include:

Widespread pain lasting at least three months

Presence of other symptoms such as fatigue, waking up tired and trouble thinking

No other underlying condition that might be causing the symptoms

Excluding other possible causes

It's important to determine whether your symptoms are caused by some other underlying problem. Common culprits include:

Rheumatic diseases. Certain conditions — such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome and lupus — can begin with generalized aches and pain.

Mental health problems. Disorders such as and anxiety often feature generalized aches and pain.

Neurological disorders. In some people, fibromyalgia causes numbness and tingling, symptoms that mimic those of disorders such as multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis.

Tests that may be needed

While there is no lab test to confirm a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, your doctor may want to rule out other conditions that may have similar symptoms. Blood tests may include:

Complete blood count

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Thyroid function tests

Vitamin D levels

Your doctor may also perform a careful physical exam of your muscles and joints, as well as a neurological exam to look for other causes of your symptoms. If there's a chance that you may be suffering from sleep apnea, your doctor may recommend a sleep study.

More clues for fibromyalgia diagnosis

People who have fibromyalgia also often wake up tired, even after they've slept continuously for more than eight hours. Brief periods of physical or mental exertion may leave them exhausted. They may also have problems with short-term memory and the ability to concentrate. If you have these problems, your doctor may ask you to rank how severely they affect your day-to-day activities.

Fibromyalgia often coexists with other health problems, so your doctor may also ask if you experience:

Irritable bowel syndrome

Headaches

Jaw pain

Anxiety or depression

Frequent or painful urination

Possible fibromyalgia triggers

In some cases, fibromyalgia symptoms begin shortly after a person has experienced a mentally or physically traumatic event, such as a car wreck. People who have post-traumatic stress disorder appear to be more likely to develop fibromyalgia, so your doctor may ask if you've experienced any traumatic events recently.

Because a genetic factor appears to be involved in fibromyalgia, your doctor may also want to know if any other members of your immediate family have experienced similar symptoms.

All this information taken together will give your doctor a much better idea of what may be causing your symptoms. And that determination is crucial to developing an effective treatment plan.

[TriggerPoint in reply to nicetomeetyou]

"In Some Cases" Was NOT Me... What's The Point The Mayo Clinic Makes That's So Really Different ?

But Thanks Again For The Info.... & Input....

[nicetomeetyou in reply to TriggerPoint]

All I am saying is that there are cases where fibromyalgia is a false diagnosis. I think it’s important that people are aware of that. You may very well have fibromyalgia but some people may have a false diagnosis. I wasn’t trying to dismiss your suffering in any way. I suffer too and am empathetic to anyone who is suffering in any way.