Cause of fibro

[kittyfisher]

Hi everyone. I was told fibro can occur after an accident, trauma or even stress. Thing is I have had back problems for nearly 19 years but was still able to live a full life until 6 years ago I had an accident on my partners quad. My symptoms got progressively worse until I had to give up work 5 months ago but I wonder if it was the accident that brought it on. Do any of you think this is the case and has anyone elses fibro been brought on by an accident etc

[babebatista]

Hi Kittyfisher,

I've had scoliosis since I was a child but was only diagnosed when I was 16 that was 17 years ago now and although it was bad I was still able to work full time and have children. That has eased as I;ve got older but in 2009 I had swine flu and breathing problems so I thought that my fibro could of been brought on by that and then in the early winter of 2010 I was on my work one January morning it was icy everywhere and I slipped on some icy and landed on my coccyx and then I thought that was what caused it I don't know. I too was told it can be brought on after an accident or trauma. I'm not entirely sure what caused mine because it started with my right leg and that was happening before getting the swine flu. It just depends really. Every person is different I think you'll find here with the answers its different for every one of us. What is nice is the support that we all get. Like you I had to give up work and suffer every single day. I think its hard enough having fibro but I also have M.E. which is commonly known as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and I also have a nerve problem which isn't neurological but it does affect my whole body. Gentle hugs to you. Take Care xx

[soozie]

Hi there,mine was brought on by car accident,whiplash,then the stress of losing my job.... It's been 5 yrs now xx

[jillylin]

Hi

Yes it is possible for your accident to have triggered the fibro . For me, I developed it after having Bells Palsy. Viruses,accidents,emotion and physical traumas can also cause it.

Hugs

Jilly

[Hidden]

Mine seems to have been started by an major op 25 yrs ago. That was when the symptoms started but were minor up until 3yrs ago when I had a major flair and it stayed with me afterwards.My biggest problem is fatigue but have not been diagnosed with cfs

[Mdaisy]

Hello Kitty Fisher,

Mine was brought on by Glandular Fever in 2001-2003, just couldn't shake the virus. However, it wasn't until 2006 when the Fibro came about although I had be known to still experience extreme tiredness from the virus between 2003-2006 but not the kind of fatigue that stopped me working like now.

Has anyone else I wonder had a period of no symptoms between the time of accident, virus or trauma before the symptoms of Fibro appeared?

Please see the link to our website 'All about Fibro' range of factsheets about 'What causes Fibro' which might be of interest, link below;

fibroaction.org/Pages/What-...

Also a recent poll you might like to look at;

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Fibroj]

Hi Kittyfisher, My fibro was brought on by witnessing and being on the recieving end of management bullying. I was diagnosed with PTSD first and then the Fibro. I have been told this is due to the stress I have been through, so I believe it was due to the bullying over a period of 6 years. I took over a year out of work and went through a pain management course which helped me get to the point of returning to work.

I do hope you can get the support from your pain clinic and Fibro support groups to get some normality back into your life. I also know other people who have been through trauma and were diagnosed with Fibro...... Jeni x

[Hidden]

i fond this topic interesting as I believe mine was initially brought on by a trauma I suffered in childhood. I don't remember a day after that that I wasn't in pain of some sort. I recently saw an article about cell memory, I think it's worth investigating.

[bluebell99]

I can only think mine is connected to the renal cancer I had three years ago, although like Emma there was a gap and I was diagnosed with fibro in the autumn last year.

Nancy

[Ginsing]

I too believe in cell memory because most of the parts that I suffer from Fibro are ones that have been affected by a crash trauma and a accident to my spine. Looking back it all becomes more understandable. Also the skin is more adversely affected in areas where I have had prolonged contusions.

What a world we live in. I hope further investigations in the future will help us all.

xgins

[Shazzzy]

I have had athritis since childhood but 15 years ago was involved in 2 seperate car crashes (one caused by police) both resulted in severe whiplash. From then on symptoms started and i had to change jobs whenever symptoms worsened til i was made redundant as a 'legal'way to get rid of me, not worked since 2007.

[Hidden]

I've fallen, bounced and gone thud, crashed, banged and twanged, snapped, crackled and popped, crumpled, crinkled and almost croaked.

I also believe in cell memory I have pain everywhere I've damaged muscles or tendons over the years from playing sports to falling over drunk. I'm also the queen of 'we're not sure what you have but take this medicine' for rashes to all kinds of viral infections. It could have been anything

I've had varying nasty traumas for the mind too from losing my Dad as a child to engagement break ups. 20+ years of chronic pain and dislocations.

Interesting life of traumas I've had, wouldn't know which set the fibro off but I would say possibly the car crash.

xxxsianxxx

[kittyfisher in reply to Hidden]

Hi zeb

I'd never heard of cell memory so went onto google to read up on it. Its so interesting and certainly worth reading but all my life no matter how many times I was put down or whatever obstacle was put in my way I'd pick myself up and get on with it and say am strong I can get through this but this time with the fibro its easier said than done. I feel stuck and cant seem to do it cant seem to pick myself up with this one. In fact I was explaining this to my doctor and he said to me how he was surprised at me for I've gotten through everything before all this and came through the other side but surely a doctor of all people should understand the pain and the effects we all suffer. He made me feel like a failure like I shouldn't let fibro get me down or like I shouldn't be there moaning about it. Do doctors not understand what being in constant pain actually feels like. Surely they should but in my experience this doc obviously doesn't. I lost all confidence or what little I had left in me that day and was left feeling downright awful

kitty xx

[Hidden in reply to kittyfisher]

Hi Kitty

Grab a cuppa and relax a little, I understand that if we've always been strong and got over everything and suddenly we can't any more then a little warning light should twinkle at the GP.............. ooh! something's not quite right!

In reality communicating pain is a very difficult thing to do without diagrams and full accounts from ourselves in the form of log/notebooks. One way that I use to get around the image of normal is to state 'this is different and I am finding it difficult to function, its unlike before'.'I'm feeling quite low and its affecting my sleep and ability to concentrate', 'I've not felt like this before' .................. or anything in the ilk of that, I can't guarantee anything though!!

Are there any other doctors at the practice you could go to that may be more understanding towards fibromyalgia? that way you could see your regular GP for the usual things but see the other doc for fibro things. Hope that makes sense!?!

It would be a shame to change GP if you've had the same GP for a while and he knows you and your health history but if you need a fibro friendly GP then maybe you may have to.

Don't give up yet, go back and try again

Maybe your GP was on a bad day or is just so used to you picking yourself back up! If you do find the reactions/answers are the same then stay strong and tell yourself it'll be ok you'll find someone else. I know there's a list of fibro friendly docs on the fibroaction website, maybe worth doing some research into possible GP change to help build your confidence a bit.

Try not to worry you'll pick yourself back up again, it just takes longer than it normally would Practice some relaxation, keep strong and don't forget to reward yourself for the little things you do achieve.

I'm sending a huge hamper of healing, relaxing, giggling fluffies in a rainbow of colours

xxxsianxx

[madddyyy in reply to Hidden]

holy poop ,lol. I was drunk for 17 years wonder if that was any thing to do wiv my fibro lol. Merchant navy being drunk was a requirement of the job, we even got free booze and cigs.

[kittyfisher]

Hi to all again

Like us all we've had some kind of accident, trauma, stress etc which i do believe now brought mines on after reading all your posts but what I often ask myself is why does it happen to some and not to everyone who has been through some kind of trauma? Is there something in us that sets it off but not to others? Why were we the unlucky ones to have this put upon us? All my life I've helped others, I never disrespect people, never been anything but nice and too soft many a time but always been dealt such bad luck for most of it. Sorry I'm going on my fibro has been really bad the past week and I keep asking myself WHY ME. I am so grateful though to the person or persons who started this site, I don't know where I'd be without it and all you lovely people on here. I actually saw a very understanding doctor on wednesday (think it was wednesday) not many of them about is there? Anyway I was telling him about this site and how theres so many people out there all in the same boat supporting each other and sorry there goes my memory I don't remember what I was going to say.

Kitty xx

[Mdaisy in reply to kittyfisher]

Hello Kittyfisher,

Sorry you have encountered a GP that seems to be dismissive of Fibro. We understand as I would imagine most of us have been through the same, I know I have on several occasions. FibroAction has a 'vision is that the needs of people with Fibro are universally recognised and met, with fast and accurate diagnoses and easy access to optimal treatment programs available to all people with Fibro'

fibroaction.org/Pages/Our-m...

If you find talking to doctors difficult, please see the information about 'Dealing with Doctors' and information about what to consider should your GP be dismissive of Fibro;

fibroaction.org/Articles/Be...

fibroaction.org/Pages/How-I...

Have you been referred to a Pain Clinic? If not you may wish to consider talking to your GP about it, here's some info on Pain Clinics you may find of interest;

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

To possibly answer the question why some people get Fibro and others don't, could it be in the genes??

Research has shown that there may be genetic factors involved in Fibro that could lead to a genetic susceptibility to the condition. If you have a close family member with the condition, you are more likely to develop Fibro, but you will not definitely do so

For some people, the onset of Fibro is slow or happens in early childhood, but for many people Fibro is triggered by a known event or series of events, such as an illness or injury.The possible genetic susceptibility could help to explain why these traumatic events lead to Fibro in some people and not others and a high genetic susceptibility may mean that a lesser trigger is needed for someone to develop Fibro, or that they could develop a more severe case of Fibro.

Pre-existing conditions (even if the other diagnosis comes after the Fibro diagnosis), such as Hypermobility Syndrome, Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis can also lead to Fibromyalgia, when it is then often referred to as secondary Fibro. Hypermobility Syndrome in particular is now thought to be a risk factor for developing Fibro(Lindsey Middlemiss, Founder & Trustee of FibroAction 2009)

fibroaction.org/Pages/What-...

Research continues...............with a recent study by the Kings College, London which is now closed

fibroaction.org/News/The-Ki...

It will be interesting to see the results in a few years time!

I hope you find this interesting

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Gramma]

When I was diagnosed, the letter sent to my GP from the Rheumatologist stated I had Secondary Fibromyalgia. This was explained to me as the Fibro being caused by some sort of trauma.

Jenni.

[fibro]

I'm afraid I have to differ from the 'norm'! I believe I was born with it along with another disability. Back in 'the old days' they used the word Fibrositis, or rheumatism , but as I have had to endure several operations throughout my life, its like the story of the chicken and the egg! Which came first?

I dont think there is a one size fits all. fibromyalgia seems to be one of those conditions that is different in every one of us. Xx

[sue32]

Hi Kitty!! I'm wondering if my fibro was caused by stress at work. This all happened 10 years ago....my boss accused me of some terrible things..all of which were untrue and I was made to leave. After that I developed cellulitis on a regular basis for about a year, but it wasn't until my husband died in 2006 that my symptoms became much, much worse. And it has got progressively worse over the last 8 years!! It makes you think doesn't it?? XXX

[kittyfisher in reply to sue32]

hi sue it sure does make you think. Weird though isn't it why it affects some people and not others who maybe have gone through similar situations like the rest of us. I guess we'll never know the answer. Its made me think back (I cant sleep so I came on here) many years as far back as I can remember I always had bother with my knees. I remember my mum taking me back and forth to hospital appointments and by the time I was 14 I was meant to have an operation on both knees but I was too scared and never went through with it. Then at 16 I remember suffering with migranes for a long time and so on I wont bore you with the rest of my life story and now I watch my 18 year old suffer with exactly the same. Back and forth to docs with her knees and just recently she had to go about the migranes. I just pray that she doesn't end up like myself. It also makes me wonder about family history. I always remember my gran being in pain how she had to sit on a hard chair for she wouldn't have been able to get up off the sofa and how she had to stop going her walks everyday. Bless her she died young and I loved her to bits anyway I then looked on at my mum as I was growing up and how she was always getting those injections cant think what their called and still is to this day and how she suffers too but never complains. She travels from Scotland to northern Ireland often to visit us. So that was my mums mum then my mum now me and I listen to one of my daughters complain with similar symptoms only a couple and hopefully it will stay that way. Has anyone else thought or know if it runs in the family? Its not a question I've asked the doc for I'm only just thinking bout it all through reading everyones reply. Its been interesting reading but also such a shame for all those living with this horrible condition.

hugs to all

kitty

[AngelPuss]

Hi,

New to the forum as again its that time of year and another fibro flare up! 10 years in and years a few things to try to help - yes I had PTSD and there was a trigger - I was under severe work stress and burnt out; my father dying and hospital visits tripped previous trauma. Although different for all there is significant trend. Okay here's a few things - fibro is a specific diagnosis - for me like many by a rheumatologist after the MRI and the lumbar puncture and everything else that ruled out MS. It must have 15 pain points and must interfere with the fibros - nervous system - it is not aches and pains so please please please do the web research - America is the leading country with drugs and treatments and a huge amount of research especially linking soldiers with PTSD with later Fibro. And here's the other shaker - age 36 in a wheelchair can't walk - no not MS as we thought but Fibro and well we are not sure how to treat - so 10 years on I can now walk 4 miles and yes drs I have been able to do all the things you said I couldn't! my treatment is as follows:

CBT - dealt with trauma, triggers and pain management; physio - pain management and movement - drugs - not fatigue drugs but ones that a/ made me have restorative sleep - I was off work for weeks / months - went back on a reduced contract - reduced hours and changed my entire life to revolve around drug induced sleep - rest ... trazadone. the next drug - evil stuff don't ever take - venlafaxine - anti anxiety but overnight stopped all the twitching and nerve pain - however - side effect of coming off is exactly the same so its hell!

America lead and another hospital in London - might be guys do a huge amount around B3 injections - high level dose - search london specialists in fibro and you'll find the hospital - brilliant - B3; iron; flax oil and linseed oil coupled with physio and huge rest ... and never ever ever blame yourself or belief you cannot get better - you can - you change your life and your job and you take control - I work for myself - not masses of money but I am in control when I can - look to web businesses and other work from home charity orgs and remain albeit against all odds and yes I have been at the very possible lowest edge - but - fibro was not my or your fault - it was bad luck - so you are still worthy and still wonderful and still the person you are - but do find what might have caused it as that was the first hurdle - it may not actually be that but it is what I chose to believe because it made sense to me - that is the most important - what I believe - so another therapy - meditation; mindfulness and retreats - away from all the world with people just to nurture and love you. Forget benefits they are useless incompetent jobsworths who make you feel worse rather than better - just tell yourself one simple thing - you are okay - its not your fault and you can and will live with this for ever - just differently but contentedly with fibro as that pain in the 15 points that knock you flat but you will be damned if it will ruin you and break you, GP's are useless - teaching practices great but find a specialist and ... well ... its not all rosy but I hope in some silly useless way, I as an experienced and formal diagnosis ex wheelchair living with it person can make you believe you are wonderful - this is just an awful thing but you are better than it.

Why the dandelion - we are all each as beautiful as it is but we need the wind to free our thoughts and hopes to germinate a new life - a new way of living - with fibro - but in control of fibro - be its boss - grow a new life with it but manage it and interrogate it, challenge it and all the other things CBT and mindfulness teach you and available on the NHS (but via a psychiatrist that says yes you can have this because you can't cope with fibro...) so = get a proper diagnosis and insist until you do - then get treatment - do confuse with MS or ME its very very different and it is not just rheumatism! - clue in the name - fibro + inflammation! Do please try to have hope and do please walk that 10 yards then the 15 yards then be able to pick up a pen then a bag then a book then two books then 50 yrds then more and don't give up! It took me 12 weeks to manage to crawl stairs - 10 years on I just walked two miles on Monday and feel okay! off now for the vitamins, joint oils, drugs, massage oils and hot water bottle routine before bed! But tomorrows a new day! signed by my Angel Puss a 24 year old moggie who is deaf and lost her marbles but happy - she looks like mrs Norris - the cat from harry potter but reminds me everyday of me! xx

[kittyfisher in reply to AngelPuss]

Hi angelpuss

what an inspiration you are. You made me cry not out of sadness but to think that like yourself I could one day be like you and have my life back. Be able to do the things that I loved and not let this condition get me down like it is. I've always been a fighter, got up got on with things but this is a hard battle this one. Can I ask where you live? Did you get all the help through the NHS? I try so hard everyday to do things and I do them because thats just me but I always suffer for it but I carry on and yes there's times I just cant and I get so exhausted but to think one day that I could walk through the forest like I used to or cycle for miles or go back to doing the job I adored so much would be fantastic but right now during this flare up does it seem possible? Well if one person thats you can do it then why cant i. Thank you so much. Life doesn't seem quite so depressing now but whats the first thing I should do? Can you tell me please?

Hugs

kitty

[AngelPuss in reply to kittyfisher]

Hiya Kitty,

Glad if it gave you some hope - thats all I can do - Like you I had a job, I hacked around lanes, swam every day and always picked myself up - bullying, cancer and all sorts of rubbish - I got on but i think getting on was not dealing with it - not dealing with the depression that came and not dealing with the fact I was tired - I think the body is very good at saying 'right that's it - enough - you look after me or I will stop you in your tracks" and it did. At first - I didn't know what it was I just kept losing all sensation or dropping things and had this whooshing in my head, pin and needles and pain - then I had physio and on the couch my body went into what she called 'body crash' due to no longer being able to cope and the physio asking it to do more than it could. I recall months of fear and diagnosis and months of being very very sick and very very sad and depressed. Two things made the difference - the first was:- GP I had referred me to another GP who specialised in fatigue and glandular fever; blood tests revealed GF virus still in the system so she and another GP took me on and believed in me. They believed me - it was not all in my head and caused by me imagining these things! The second life changing experience was the CBT but at first I was - blimey I can't even think properly!! I was so desperate not to wait the NHS wait - I sought out the best person I could and took out a bank loan to start paying for the sessions at £70

- then the consultant helped me shift to see him as NHS. There are lots of people who tout CBT and even offer it over a weekend - don't - I had to change 36 years of thinking one way into thinking another - learning my emotional triggers, how I chose to respond and challenge that response. For eg - the trigger might be dropping a cup - the response would be to beat myself up for having this illness and being so useless... I learnt to then realise I had a choice about how my thoughts responded - say - oh well - its only a cup - bum I'll now have to wash another one - ha ha - its not a reflection me it was the cup! So CBT taught me these things -

to repeatedly tell myself - I am okay - I am not in danger - I am safe and I am okay - I am fine

to smile and smile at others - say hello and be friendly - them being friendly back showed me that I was likeable - they saw me not my disability (I did go for the blue badge assessment and had one for a while then thought I did not want a badge I wanted to be normal)

this was the hardest one - to look in the mirror and say I like me - I like my body and although my body feels crap its still loveable -

to be nice to me - to put me first and my needs first -

to ask for help - I got a occy health person to fight my work battle to change my hours

and finally reward myself mentally every single time - wow I walked 5 yrds well done me - wow I made tea - I am brilliant! I was not allowed ever to focus on what I couldn't do and what my illness stopped me from doing - If I felt pain - I had to say out loud - I welcome you pain - I welcome you reminding me that I need to stop and rest - thank you I will now rest - hot bath water bottle etc.

Where do you start - start by loving who you are despite this... Start by saying well every time before I have just picked myself up and this time my body has said enough - I want you to love me to care for me and to rest. Start by not missing what you could do but focus not on the past but the present and not the future - if you love the woods and can't get there - ask a friend/ family to drive and take you to your favourite place with a comfy outdoor chair and then leave you there to enjoy it - absorb it and welcome how it makes you feel.

Buy a new lippy or bubble bath and in everything try to focus on how some things can make you forget and feel good - smell taste all the things you still have.

Next take a big bit of paper and down one side write what the symptoms are then in a table write what you could do to ease each one individually - is it sleep, warmth, diet etc. Then alongside that write down what you can do - what you need to be able to do it - e.g. buy a decent walking stick from a proper walking shop. On another page or the back write down the side again all the things you can do instead of symptoms and build across from that an action plan - little at a time and what you will reward yourself with. You then end up with an action plan and plan of attack for when it goes wrong (a diary is a good move to id triggers - once you know what these are you can then rule them out and also record the good things - so you repeat these later or when you feel awful you remember that lovely day you sat in the woods breathing fresh air)

Get some blood tests for all your vits and minerals and make sure you are not deficient in iron and D and all the others; get a flu jab and become as healthy internally as you can - don't risk getting colds or infections - don't do too much too soon - your body needs nurtured and loved as do you by you.

Osteo and physio might be too much but cranialoscopy - they gently rock your head to align the spinal fluid and learning to breath properly so you breath from your stomach and not your chest which then puts pressure on your back or other gentle recoveries.

Money wise- I don't have an appliance in my house under 20 years old, my furniture is all hand me downs and I am a recycling freak - because - money is spent on getting me better and managing fibro the spend is for my better life not for what people think if they visit!

Sadly some things you could do before - they leave you for a very long time e.g. 6 years before I could ride again and some things leave you for good e.g. swimming for me - but other things replaced them - I now paint pictures and take photos! It is all about changing your life to one that is different but still rewarding and happy - making new friends or spending time with people you didn't before - things that reward you and you manage the fibro - its just a life that is not what it was before but that doesn't mean life is over - I think every person who ages has to face this - my mum at 79 has a body and mind that no longer lets her do the things she did before it frustrates her too - so for us - we are aging early but still as vital, still as fun, still as loveable and unlike aging if you believe in this one thing - it is recoverable - the mind is so powerful the mind can help you get better or get worse.

One final thing as a starter - if people, mum's especially and people you feel you should be able to trust or turn to make you feel bad about it or don't help in the way you want them to - say to yourself - it is their shortfall that they have chosen not to understand - that they make flippant comments because they don't know what else to say - it is not my weakness but theirs and then never talk again with them about it - my mum has absolutely no idea about the drugs or treatments I have as she will only say something stupid to diminish them - I don't want others putting down the things that make me feel happy so I don't tell them - its nice having things for secret happiness - its all mine! my massage, my pedicure - my little reward making me love me!

No I am not saying I did all these things without set backs and I still find myself struggling to say out loud to the mirror that I like me and I am a good person - but I do - I still drop things, bruise and feel like I am in some washing machine without gravity, I sit here with a warm back pad on my lower back and a scarf round my neck but that just winter isn't it - its not me - not my fault - nothing wrong - I am okay - its just freezing outside - (CBT can train you for life!)

I have had so many drugs for such a long time my memory is stuffed and I have started life's change many years too early and without stopping the drugs they will never be able to say thats the side effect of taking trazadone and venlafaxine at stupidly high doses for as long as I have so now I am having a flare up because I have the challenge of getting off the drugs - but the flare up is just body saying - ermm hello - you are doing things too fast again - slow down and pace yourself!

I hope this helps - it is different for everyone but as my last message - believe in yourself and don't let the little gremlins get you down! xx

[AngelPuss in reply to kittyfisher]

ps - sorry forgot to say - I'm in North West Eng; NHS is it and miss when I lived 30 miles west - the PCT and health service was brill - I moved here and I have never ever had any support what so ever - I have never seen the same GP more than once and I have yet to meet one that has even heard of fibro - so I sought all my help from the alternative therapy world and from specialists - I can't remember which hospital it was in London but they replied to my e-mails every time and I went down for an hours consultation and had their recommendations. Also every time I got nowhere I either walked away and forgot that avenue or I said - I am really sorry - this is no reflection on you but this is not working - I don't feel we are making progress - so do you know someone who you would recomend can help... I realised I was the only person responsible for me and responsible for getting me better - so - and you sound the same sort of person - I did it for myself and I took control. Its the pharmacist helping me reduce the drugs not the GP as I'd never see the same person to know what I took last time - but the pharmacist is there instead! Every closed door means you just have to move on to find the one thats open. :)) Do something nice to day - even if just a warm hot chocolate with you really enjoying it, tasting it and saying how much you deserve it. xx

[AngelPuss]

Oh sorry - forgot to say - yes to glandular fever too that I had with chicken pox at the same time as an adult - they said that the GL virus in the system for years caused the fatigue (misdiagnosed ME) which meant the stress and then PTSD blew me away - they thought MS as I had no nervous system or muscular control so not ME - then brain scan = not MS = FM x

[elvis777]

looking back i've had the odd ache and pain or reaction that could have been linked to fibro for years. it was only after a difficult pregnancy that i felt awful, my 1st flare i believe. so i guess fibro has always been there lurking but the pregnancy made it come out.

funny how most of us have had glandular fever. i had it as a teenager. in my family there are only 2 of us that have had GF and both of us have fibro!

[fibro]

I can relate to the symptoms of stress etc as they have caused huge flareups, but i have never had any other illness other than german measles. None of the other childhood conditions,i rarely get flu either! i guess i was lucky in that respect. Like i posted below. I think i was born with problems and although the orthopaedic issues were discovered they never took any notice of the rheumatic side. They just didn't unless it was polio!

To me this was life being normal as I knew no better, but growing up attending regular appointments inpatient and outpatient, at Great Ormond Street Children's hospital, for every year and more, of my childhood, it did teach me that there was always someone else who was worse!

So I don't think the reason for Fibro could be pinpointed onto any one reason. I guess there will always be someone who doesn't fit the mould xx

[fenbadger]

My heart goes out to you all

Mine seems to have just "come on" but reading these posts it may be linked to recent stress at work both physical and mental. Or maybe to a couple of recent accidents or a prolapsed disc some years ago. I've pretty well been in pain of one sort or another continuously for the last 20 years or so and thought it a normal progression of anno domini and arthritis.

On top of that there are the distressing stories about the lack of support and the extra battles for even basic care and finance (benefit etc) It's a wonder more don't crack up. Keep the fluffies and funnies coming. The only one I have today is too dirty to be repeated in decent company.

[TheAuthor]

Hi kittyfisher

I hope that you are as well as can be? A doctor at my local hospital told me the same thing. Mine first started showing signs after a sustained illness and got continuously worse ever since.

You take care

Ken x

[Steff40]

I have always suffered with different aches and pains but when I lost my mother last January it got lots worse and pain came and went and memory was terrible thought I was going mental or having breakdown , but then when finally gave in and went to doctor after few tests etc was diagnosed with fibromyalgia , stress and trauma certainly brings it on and think as the pain was there it enhances it but that's what I think I ain't no doctor but that's how I see it one minute I am in chronic pain then day later all gone it's a tough one xz

[Cookie72]

Hi kitty, hope you arehavinga reasonable day today, Sunday, I'm e hind in reading my posts, due to not being so good myself, but it is possible you ad fibro before accident, as oe of the symptoms is bad lo back pain....hope this helps ...hugs ...Dee x

[Babs1620]

I was told it could be started by excessive stress or an accident. So I asked the doctor which thing I should tell her about first.

[Monkey11]

I had an accident 23 years ago and nearly died but was ok till 2001 then I've gradually got worse and now pain and suffering is terrible

[budgiefriend]

I was diagnosed with Fibro in 2002, and it was bad for the next year, but I got some acupuncture and massage treatment on a regular basis from a very good doctor, and this enabled me to recover to close to what I had been before that diagnosis. Then, after about 3 and a half years of being more active and having a lot fewer and less intense symptoms, I tumbled over something in my house, absent-mindedly forgetting I'd put it there, and broke my humerus. Although I recovered just fine from the bone break, my Fibro symptoms came back and got progressively worse. When I told this to the hospital physiotherapist who gave me exercises for my broken arm, she said that Fibro symptoms which have improved often come back after an injury.

[madddyyy]

I was told it was because of my sleep deprivation when i was in the navy. It was not unusual to get only 15 hours sleep in a week and 3 days without any sleep at once. But i can go back to my teen years and recognise symptoms back then. I have a deformed disc in my back and as i worked on ships for many years it was painful. So i think that or a bad illness as a child triggered this.

[mamta]

Hi thanks for sharing yor recovery from this awful illness...Pls can u kindly email me yor medical report, so I may also try to become informed for my own recovery. My email is [e-mail] Many, many thanks.