Fibro Help

[dozzadoll10]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum and I'm looking for some advice. I've not been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but 2 doctors have mentioned the possibility. I will apologise now for the long post but I am hoping you can all help and if your symptoms sound the same. Shortly after the birth of my second son I started getting tingling and pain in my legs, it got to the stage where it hurt walking up stairs. I went to the docs and had bloods taken, nothing was found. So after continuing with this pain for many months it then started affecting my arms and upper body. The pain started to become unbareable. One of the doctors thought I had chondritis. After going back and forward to see doctors I finally found a doctor who would listen. She done more bloods (nothing found again) and referred me to a neuroligist. She was also the doctor that mentioned Fibromyalgia to me. So I finally had my neurology appointment and I am being sent for an MRI in my neck which i am just waiting on my appointment. So to add to it all i now have daily stomach cramps and diarrhea. Stool samples were done and again nothing found. I am now at the stage where the pain is ruining my day to day life. My arms, upper back, legs, lower back and stabbing pains in chest and stomach, tingling in arms and legs are part of my day to day life and it's making me miserable. I would just like to know if any of you suffer the same and can relate to what I am going through? Also how did you finally get diagnosed with Fibro? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for listening x

[Trikki]

Hello and Welcome dozzadoll...I must agree it certainly sounds like fibro and I am sorry you have been having such a rotten time, especially with a young family it must be very hard. You seem to be getting some help with your doctor with blood tests etc. but maybe you could ask for a referral to a Rheumatologist who is usually the one person who will diagnose Fibro after ruling out other conditions...Unfortunately your "tummy troubles" could be IBS which is also linked with fibro. Have you tried natural Greek yogurt with a spoonful of honey to ease the cramps and diarrhea! There is lots of support and information on this site which you will find invaluable and of course we are all hear to listen and talk with you and hopefully give you a giggle at times...xx

[Ramjets]

Hi dozzadoll10

Sorry to hear you're suffering so much. You do seem to tick off a lot of the fibro symptoms. I went through similar experience to you as I was getting severe headaches, pains in my neck and back, tingling and numbness in my arms and legs. Went to doc numerous times and after various clear blood tests I was eventually referred to neurologist for CT scan which also came back clear. I was told I was probably suffering from some kind of weird migraine however this just didn't feel correct to me. It was only through my own research that I came across fibro so armed with all the info I could gather I went back to my doc. Good enough he was receptive to this and referred me to a rheumatologist and I was finally diagnosed with fibro. Unfortunately it can be a long process as there is no actual test for fibro as such it is just a case of ruling everything else out (so many conditions have similar symptoms) and fibro is the last condition standing. Hopefully you will get some clarification after your MRI but if not I would expect your doc to refer you to a rheumatologist seeing that they have already mentioned fibro. My heart goes out to you for what you're going through as I know with me, the stress of not knowing exactly what my condition was added to my misery. Lets hope you get a proper diagnosis soon so you can start to receive the correct medical care and also know how to help yourself better. Good luck and try not to let it wear you down too much. xxx

[bluebell99]

Hi dozzadoll10 and welcome to our friendly fibro forum where you can find advice, support, help and information.

Have you seen our Mother Site fmauk.org ? Here you wil find a wealth of information including guides and links.

I am sorry you are suffering so much and with youngsters around, life must be very difficult.

If you look to the possible causes of fibro you will see childbirth is mentioned along with others, so could possibly be the reason you are feeling this way.

Like Trikki has said, perhaps ask your GP for a rheumatology referral, especially if your MRI comes back as normal.

If you feel your symptoms are making you feel depressed then please seek your doctor's advice.

I do hope you will better very soon.

I advise you to lock your posts for your internet security. Instructions can be found in Pinned Posts, to the right of the screen, where you will also find tips to get the most out of the forum.

Kay

[dozzadoll10]

Thank you everyone for your replies. It's really good to talk to other people about this condition. All of my family don't know the extent of it so I mostly suffer in silence. My partner also works away from home so I am on my own with a 4 year old and a 2 year old most of the time and it's very hard. Once I've had my MRI, which I can see coming back normal I will asked to be referred to a Rheumatologist. Hopefully I can get answers that way. I have thought about going to the doctor to discuss how misterable its making me. Sometimes I think I suffer from Anxeity because of all this pain and having no idea what is actually wrong with me. I can spend all day worrying. I will have a look at fmauk.org too. Thank you Bluebell99. Again thank you for all your replies xx

[mikkalelow]

Hi I developed symptoms in my late 30's (now 57) ,I was diagnosed with, and treated for polymyalgia two years ago. My GP referred me to a rheumatologist after I became steadily worse and did not respond to the steroid pednisalone.It took two months to ween me off the steroids. I was diagnosed with fibro two weeks ago and still need to get my head around it.I am going to try to manage drug free in the first instance which considering how ill I can be is unlikely. on a good day i can go to Tesco,do the hoovering and after a lie down,cook the tea. On a bad day I manage to shower and get downstairs. I then prop myself up on the sofa wondering if I might get a bit of remission when the weather is warmer. I am lucky in one clinical respect, I tend not to get headaches. I have a permanant cold/flu/sore throat and the pain is sometimes so bad I think I must be some nutty hypocondriac cos 'you just can't have all these symptoms'.The ear noise is deafening coupled with fibro fog I often feel like I am standing outside looking in. One thing I know let your nearest and dearest into your world,maybe by getting them to see sites like this one. My partner is great and never makes me feel a useless hypocondriac,a pain or lazy (we have been together over 30 years so she knows the real me).Those that love and know you will finally 'get it' and you will feel better for that. I am not in a good place at the moment because frankly I was always relieved I had poly and not fibro so I had talked myself into having the lesser of the two ? I know me though and at some point sooner rather later I will be much more positive and with it more proactive in easing the illness. Let your family know and good luck !

[TheAuthor]

Hi dozzadoll10

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? Welcome to the forum and it is wonderful to make your acquaintance. I am so genuinely sorry to read of your suffering and struggling and I sincerely hope that you can find the answers that you are looking for my friend.

As a man, my story is slightly different although your pain regions were pretty much akin to mine. I started with my back and legs and it spread form there over a two year period. I was diagnosed very quickly as I saw a private consultant.

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? Welcome to the forum and it is wonderful to make your acquaintance.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken