Hi all, i am a newbie, advice needed please... I have recently been diagnosed with m.e/c.f.s..

[Angel2]

And along with this i am being treated for adrenal fatigue and sub optimal thyroid, taking glandulars for this on top of the exhaustion, muscle twitches/spasms, I.b.s, headaches,overactive bladder etc that come with the m.e,my upper arm/ shoulder pain is getting worse although not constant but it is now waking me from sleep? Wake up with my arm stiff/frozen and the pain is just awful, I have had this pain on and off for months but is getting worse? I am just confused as some days it is not bad and some days I can hardly hold the steering wheel to the point I am planning to change my car to an automatic? Could this be fibro? I take 10mg of amitriptyline at night but this doesn't seem to work? Any advice appreciated sorry for long post!! Many thanks x

[tovi]

I have changed to an automatic, would never go back now. I am able to hold steering wheel better as I to have sore shoulders and lower the steering wheel to suit a better driving position. I can also concentrate more on the road ahead instead of worrying if I can change gear.

[Angel2 in reply to tovi]

Thanks Tovi x

[Fibrofoggiest]

Hi Angel,

Welcome to the forum we are a pretty friendly bunch and lots of people with very good advice to offer from their experiences !

My first inclination would to advise you to go back to your GP and ask him/her to do a trigger point test for Fibro on you, that will give you a clearer vision as to whether Fibro is an issue alongside your other conditions. Within HealthUnlocked there is a specific forum for people with thyroid complaints, which could be useful to you for support in that area, go to the home page and look up communities and you will find Thyroid there quite easily,

With regards to your driving, yes automatic cars are definitely easier for driving and if you are having real problems with your arms and shoulders you can get an attachment to the steering wheel which is like a ball which you grip to turn the steering wheel. I looked into this prior to having a shoulder replacement, changing gear was agony and I was sad not to be able to afford to change to an automatic car.

Your dosage of amitriptyline is very low, so again, I would speak with your GP about this, it could easily be increased to help you get more restful sleep, I started off on a low dose which didn't help, now I am taking over 70mg depending on how I am pain wise but could increase even from there, it also helps with mood.

I hope this may help you a bit, but don't be afraid to come back and ask for more support should you need it

Foggy x

[Angel2]

Hi foggy, thanks so much for your reply, I have booked an appointment with my nhs dr this afternoon and will ask, not sure how I will fair as they tend to fob me off, I had to go to a private dr when I thought it was my thyroid and ended up with the me/cfs diagnosis! I will try today and if they won't help I will ask the other dr, had the pain intermittently for a while now but I am getting to the point I just can't put up with it anymore, will do as u suggest and ask to up the dose of amitriptilyn, thanks so much again for replying hugs Angel