Do I have Fibro?

[JLouL]

Hi, I have been suffering with pain now for months. I am getting tired as not sleeping well. My arms especially feel like the muscles are pulled when I haven't hardly done anything. Last year I ran half a marathon and now I struggle with a mile. I keep walking and 'getting on' because I have to! I've had immunity bloods etc taken and apart from having thyroid trouble (they're in range now but my thyroxine dose has increased from 125 to 200 over the course of a few months.) Despite this now being in range I am still struggling with the aching. Could it be Fibromyalgia? I have been referred to a physio as my back is painful too. I'm so feed up!

[Hidden]

Hi. I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling like this. It could be fibro but the only way to tell is to talk to your doctor and tell them of your concerns. I hope you get some relief soon. Roo xx

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

I would go back to your doctor and perhaps keep a daily diary of your symptoms, keep plugging away until they start to pay attention ,some doctors will diagnose and some send you to a rheumatologist for a 2nd opinion. I hope you can move forward horrid living with pain x

[Irish-Cow]

I have similar symptoms started recently but just don't know too if it is fibromyalgia, or possibly polymyalgia rheumatic. My thyroid is normal... a friend a while back told me to take vitamin D and C every day for thyroid and that has certainly helped my energy levels. Yes, good diet and keeping moving is very good. I have found that has reduced pain and stiffness a lot after my first flare up recently. I hope it all settles down for you and proves to be a temporary condition. I tell myself this too!

[Maggiet]

Hi

You say your bloods are ‘within range’. Do you have the exact numbers and ranges, please. Also, NHS services won’t do T3 and T4 and only do the bog standard TSH. I use Medichecks and do my own blood tests every 6 months to see what is happening. I also take NDT, not Levothyroxine, but that’s a conversation for another time, most probably!

[JLouL in reply to Maggiet]

My T4 usually ran around 20 (I function better at higher end of normal). It dropped to 15 and I appeared symptomatic. It’s now at the top end of normal. So I’ll be having it checked again soon. The Gp did consider a referral to endocrinology if I was symptomatic. Do people change from needing T4 to T3?

[Maggiet]

I guess everyone’s body is different in the way they work and react to Levo. When I had my bloods privately done, it showed that I was low in T3 and middling for T4 which is when I switched to NDT. I lost 10lbs and felt better inside - if that makes sense! BUT, I’m not a medical practitioner and cannot advise on which drugs you should take or not. The endo sounds like a good route and may have some good suggestions for you. Good luck x