NEWLY DIAGNOSED

Hi everyone. I have recently been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia, but reckon I have been suffering from it for a few years prior to this. I have a number of other health conditions too so have always attributed any pain, tiredness, forgetfulness to them and the drugs I'm already on. Just thought I'd run something by you all and see if anyone can give me some advice. I've been having a lot of pain in my upper arms and am finding it difficult to lift anything; even picking up a cup of tea is difficult. Over the past week it has been getting worse and travelling down my arms, with tingling and sort of numbness in my fingers. I'm finding if I do 'too much' it gets a lot worse - I was slicing very soft, uncooked meat yesterday and was in a lot of pain all day afterwards. I can't get comfortable in bed at night and probably only got about 2 hours sleep last night because of the pain. Is this a common symptom of fibromyalgia? I don't want to keep running to my GP every time I feel something which I think is a problem.

[avocadopeardrops]

Hi I am sorry to hear this .

I would suggest seeing your dr to rule out a disc problem or pulled muscle in your neck or thorax.

If it is a disc problem whilst it is painful it can be treated etc.

I had a whiplash and have to avoid lifting, stretching , reaching up , twisting movements. How are you coping with your meals etc? Have you got any help?

Hugs

[Hidden in reply to avocadopeardrops]

Thanks for your reply. I'm okay when I'm eating. Sometimes preparing meals can be a problem (peeling potatoes, mashing potatoes, chopping/cutting, stirring constantly) and quite often I have to get my husband, son or daughter to jump in to do these sorts of things but they're all happy to help so I'm very lucky.

[Janet28]

Hi Hidden welcome to our wonderful forum ☺ I'm sure you will come to find the forum invaluable in chatting to others who are going through the same experience as you, talking to others at different stages of their lives with Fibro and learning from their experiences.

It does help with the whole process and I wish I had found the site years ago. I have had Fibro for nearly 30 yrs and I'm still learning about it, like we all are.

All of the symptoms you mention are all comon with fibromyalgia but it's also very easy to put every ailment down to Fibro and something more serious gets missed, so it is also best to check out any new symptoms for you, with your gp.

My arms are extremely painful at times and i can't push myself up or hold anything, as you say, even holding a drink, I quite often have to hold with 2 hands to drink & put it straight down. I also have Polymyagia aswell as Fibro & when my hands, wrists, fingers are sore with arthritis and my arms are painful too, I find things very difficult, so i know how you feel.

Please do go look at the mother site where you will find all the information you need and lots of useful links on Fibro and I look forward to chatting to you on the forum.

fmauk.org

Peace, luv n light

Jan xx

[Hidden in reply to Janet28]

Thanks for this Janet. I'm already feeling like I'm welcome on the site from all these replies I've received. I also have arthritis and osteoporosis (early onset due to being on steroids for kidney failure/transplant in my childhood) so understand what you mean about the pain in my hands, wrists and fingers. The rain makes it worse, which isn't great as I live in the west of Scotland where it rains A LOT.

[Dizzytwo]

Hi there Hidden welcome to the best group on the net . I see our lovely admin Janet28 as already given you the link to our mother site it may be worth checking out there is some great info on there.

Sorry you are hurting so bad {{hugs}} You may be going through a bit of a flare up due to the weather ? after 30+ years i am still astounded at all the new things I find that effects me.

My rule of thumb is if I feel something way different than what is the norm for me I will have a word with my doctor. Not every thing we feel is down to fibro. Please feel welcomed to our group xx

Mo

[Hidden in reply to Dizzytwo]

Hi Mo, thank you for your reply. I think you're probably right about the weather which aggravates my arthritis as well. I'm not in quite so much pain today although still have the tingling and numbness in my hands. I take Co-codamol 30/500 for pain in my joints and I've also got Tramadol which I was taking as well as the Co-codamol, but I don't think the Tramadol helped at all. I think I may go back to my GP and speak to her about pain relief as I maybe need something different when I have a bad flare up.

[Dizzytwo in reply to Hidden]

Sounds like a plan to me good luck xx

[bluebell99]

Hello and welcome to our friendly fibro forum where you can get advice, support, help and understanding. I do hope you have looked at our mother site fmauk.org as this has a wealth of information, including guides and links.

The NHS site is also useful if you are unsure about anything.

nhs.uk/Conditions/Fibromyal...

If the lack of use and increasing pain in your arms is something new, it is always best to get it checked out with your GP. I cannot offer a diagnosis as I am not medically qualified, but when I had similar troubles it was due to the arthritis in my neck.

Are you able to self refer to a physio? This could be very useful for you too.

I hope you feel better soon and look forward to seeing you around the forum.

Kay

[Hidden in reply to bluebell99]

Thank you Kay. I have just set up an account on the mother site so will hopefully get more info from that. I am able to self refer to a physio so may do that in the future, although I believe it's quite a long waiting list for the NHS ones. I'm feeling a bit better today - not so much pain but still tingling and numbness in my fingers. I think it's because I just tried to take it easy yesterday and listen to what the pain was telling me.

[Hidden]

Hello Yes I get this sounds like fibro to me

[TheAuthor]

Hi Hidden

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.

As the others have said it all sound like classic Fibro symptoms. However, a few years ago I had horrendous pain going from my back and down my right leg. It got to the point whereby I was having trouble walking. I went to my GP who sent me for an MRI and it turned out I had a compressed sciatic nerve, yet I presumed it was my Fibro? If these issues persist or get any worse it may be best to talk to your doctor just to have other medical conditions ruled out of the equation.

I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck and please take care of yourself my friend.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[A1den]

Hi Sammy

Welcome to the site, its a lovely family here, you'll fit right in, i'm no doctor so i couldn't help with the pain.

It does sound like carpal tunnel, maybe ask your doc about that, i had similar pains and currently waiting to see what it it.

hope this helps

Aiden