Physical signs of fibro?

[RWilliamson]

Do you ever get physical signs of your fibro? I have alot of symptoms in my hands and here is an example. I have had RA ruled out but I worry this is the start, does anyone have anything similar? Thank you

[Dizzytwo]

Hi there, fibro tends to be wide spread pain through out the body. It's not the norm to start in just one place (like hands for example) then spread.

Your hands look a little like mine and mine is caused by OA not fibro xx

Momo

[Hidden]

Hi there,when were you diagnosed?Mine was diagnosed by the pressure points and from "crawling skin"in 2005..my hands look similar to yours but I have many other symptoms that could be numerous other conditions.

[Crosspigs]

Im guessing you mean outward signs of fibro? I don't have the redness, but those knuckles on my hands are puffy, not that I had noticed tbh.

When I am particularly poorly, the right side of my face drops and my eye will close. My left pupil is slow closing, and I slur. I also get tremors (internal & external)

My tongue is permanently sore and inflamed at varying degrees. I also get muscle weakness, twitches and jolts.

There are a couple of other things, but I cant think right now (or type).

There appears to be nothing "conventionally" wrong bar Fibro, so that's what the gp has put in my papers.

Good luck with your hand hun x

[Cat00 in reply to Crosspigs]

Your symptoms sound more like migraine, especially the face dropping and one sided eye closing and sluring....

[Lulu_Lollipop in reply to Cat00]

That's what I was thinking. My migraines are like that. No head pain, but numb right side of face and further down, eye fireworks, slurred speech, confusion, fatigue.

[Crosspigs in reply to Cat00]

We always thought it was silent migraines, but nope. I get a lot of vertigo, too. I'm sure my GP would blame Fibro if my leg fell off 😉

[Cat00 in reply to Crosspigs]

Vertigo is also a symptom of migraine.

[TK256116E in reply to Crosspigs]

Yes, it's an easy "cover all" to put it down to Fibromyalgia or M.E in my experience, too

[jaxbev in reply to Crosspigs]

Thank you for posting your symptoms, when I have a bad flare up I also have tremors, slurred speech, confusion, severe fatigue, muscle weakness and drooping eye lid. It has been worrying me, but it's some comfort to know that these are associated with Fibro as well. My finger joints are swollen and very painful, though I have been diagnosed with OA, they are getting worse lately. I have a GP appointment today about that. I'll post an update later. Love and gentle hugs to our fellow sufferers. xx

[jaxbev in reply to jaxbev]

update on GP appointment: I have been prescribed Ibuprofen cream to try, also advised that a vitamin D supplement is helpful especially in the winter months

[Billyboy2216 in reply to jaxbev]

Hi I have been diagnosed with OA in my rt.hand this week, it's so painful, I already have it in my rt.knee, diagnosed last year. I was prescribed Co-codamol and Ibuprofen Jel as can't take tabs as have Diabetes and Hashimotos, hope you get some relief from the cream, my GP also recommended Compression Gloves to help with pain n stiffness and also to give some grip 🤨

[jaxbev in reply to Billyboy2216]

Hi, like you I can't take ibuprofen tabs and I've been prescribed Co-codamol. The gloves do help, so hopefully a combination of these will make a difference. Is there some sort of knee compression support available that could help you? x

[Billyboy2216 in reply to jaxbev]

Hi thanks for the reply, atm I'm having Steroid Injections in my knee and GP had said I will need surgery for a replacement at some point when I can lose more weight x

[jaxbev in reply to Billyboy2216]

I hope the injections give you some pain relief. A knee replacement would be better, no doubt, It's a vicious circle though, isn't it? It's difficult to exercise when you are in pain, and you don't burn calories, so it's harder to lose weight. I can sympathise, but I'm sure you will do it, x

[Adlon57 in reply to jaxbev]

Should I or shouldn't I, have genetic osteoarthritis, big brother with knee replacements, [have seen him 'lumping' around🥴] or injections for the knees, have diabetes 2, so overweight, now going through PC radiotherapy, so don't feel very exercise like at present!

[jaxbev in reply to Adlon57]

I'm not medically qualified to offer advice, I'm sorry. I can only sympathise with anyone who experiences weight problems due to their physical limitations. I wish there was a solution for us.

[Frogge in reply to Crosspigs]

Bell's palsy can cause the face dripping in one side and the slurring as well. My sister gets that every few years.

[Crosspigs in reply to Frogge]

Thanks for the suggestion. And to everyone else. I hate going to my gp, they make me feel like a hypochondriac, and some staff there still don't believe fibro is a thing. Doesn't sound like any of the other local surgeries are any better, and I worry a move will result in a change to my meds. That will just be the last straw. So many times I go there, and come away in tears, and these forums kind of make me feel worse. Purely because, you guys can home in on things, and yet my doctors seem clueless or worse disinterested. Take care everyone x

[Blearyeyed]

Have you already been diagnosed with Fibro and this is a symptom you keep getting since?Just wondering are you asking if it's something you can have as part of your Fibro or should you have it checked in case it's something else.

Fibromyalgia is mainly a nerve related pain condition that can cause a big variety of other symptoms in people whom have it including hypersensitivity for some which can show up as temporary allergy like rashes and reactions on the skin. You get pain symptoms across various parts of the body with Fibro rather than just in the hands.

Knuckle swelling and a rash on your knuckles is not a primary sign for looking for Fibromyalgia.

Have you been checked for other types of Arthritis that can effect the hands alone , like Inflammatory Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?

Have you had it checked as a skin condition like Reactive Dermatitis? This can happen if you have been in contact with something you are intolerant or allergic too , like new products , certain foods , bites .

There are also conditions which cause various spot type reactions like folliculitis and various papules that can appear like that anywhere so if it keeps happening it would be worth seeing a Dermatologist and taking the photos of anything you have with you so they can assess them.

If it is cold were you are you could be having recurrent reactions to the cold or Chilblains. This is also more common if you have the possibility of having something like Osteoarthritis as well.

[RWilliamson]

Thanks for everyone's replies, I have been diagnosed with fibro for 2 years with alot of "typical" symptoms. At the time I was diagnosed these symptoms in my hands were present so I had xrays and bloods to rule out OA/RA. My rheumatologist said he thinks the redness and swelling is a physical manifestation of my nerve pain. I'll have a look into reactive dermatitis thank you bleary. I just wanted to see if anyone has anything similar or if I should get it investigated further which I will. Thanks again x

[biker888]

if you do have fibro then you most likely have many more nerve endings than is the norm, this causes more pain and sensitivity to hot & cold situations

[Alltheflowers in reply to biker888]

I always thought we had about the same amount of nerve endings, but more in certain areas? But I get your sensitivity to hot and cold as I suffer with that myself.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Alltheflowers]

You're right. We have the same amount of nerve endings as other people but are small fibre nerve endings , and particularly the pain signals, are dysfunctioning, misfire and hyperereact.It is in tender spots because that's were they is a bigger concentration of small fibre nerve endings crowded together.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to Blearyeyed]

If your meaning sfn then there is only thought to be about a30 % overlap with fibromyalgia. Also even with that overlap there is not a conclusion on its relevance.

[E8L8dh]

Hi

Like you I have problems with my hands but it’s osteoarthritis. I take Turmeric Capsules which really do help. They are for inflammation. Hope this helps

[1whitestar]

I have this and it itches my finger hand and toes now swell . I've had an ultra sound it's showing inflammation . My GP has asked have I have gout in the family witch is yes also r.a. in my family. This happens in my feet any part of the body. I now go back to rumerthogly. They said it was fibromyalgia but my GPS have sent photos of my issue and now I go back to see what is going on. All bloods were done showed a rumertied positive but the consultant said the number was not high enough to suggest r.a. hope this helps

[Jam1861]

Hi yes you sound tge same as me hospital said tgey wanted my doctor to refer me to be checked for RA but he did a blood test and said that I don't have it so would not do the referral how ever my right hand is now looking excately like yours and my left hand is also starting to change in appearance to. I also wake on a morning and my hands are clawed for a couple of hours but pain all day in my right hand and wrist they said I have arthritis in my hands and wrists But not RA I have to go for my yearly health review next week so I am going to bring it up again cause it is getting worse I get pain in the joints of my toes as well recently so summit not right and its my feeling its not my fibromyalgia but anything that is wrong with me the easiest thing for tgem to blame is my fibro without really checking

[blackphoenix]

Hi, I have fibro and my hands look like yours but my OT thinks it’s due to my inflammatory arthritis flaring. My fibro gives me neuropathic pain all over my body but I wouldn’t say you can actually ’see’ it, as such xx

[Adlon57]

I have genetic osteoarthritis, female; usually hands, male; knees and back, my hands are affected, 'lumpy knuckles' , my knees are hell at present, I am going through PC at present, I don't think I have fibro, two of my sisters' hands are affected, one has fibro, my brother has had knees jobs, I seemingly next🥴🙄 I suspect my mother had fibro certainly her hands were bad? I usually use magnesium joint oil spray, on my knees, but PC treatment, plus cold wet weather at present, ask me again in about two weeks?🙄I do take turmeric capsules but that was originally to relieve pressure from broken skull injury in 2018, but my sister who has 'bad hands' uses them for relief of pain in her hands👍

[BlueTofu]

My Raynaud's became a lot worse when I developed Fibromyalgia. I have it in hands and feet. (I currently have chilblains for the first time on my right foot, because of it).The skin on my hands is more reactive to anything I put on them as well.

[Crosspigs in reply to BlueTofu]

Chilblains is the worst. I used to get them as a kid, and had been free of them for 30+ years. Until this winter that is. Found some great bootie Slippers on amazon which really kept my feet toasty, but I think the damage has already been done for this year. You have my upmost sympathies, it is a nasty condition to suffer with x

[BlueTofu in reply to Crosspigs]

My sympathy to you too. I can't go out for a few minutes walk as my usual supportive shoes hurt my feet. I've ordered several different shoes/ boots online, to try. But I think untill the weather improves things won't improve much for us.

[Whiteclouds]

hello, I have fibro all over my body the pain seems to move at times and can be very severe to the point that I cannot walk I have tremors and shakes occasionally I have lumps and nodules along my muscles which are painful when touchedand my hands fingers and thumbs hurt the doc says I have OA in my hands my fingers are swollen like sausages I found wearing copper magnetic bracelets help with the pain in my hands.

[Estae]

My fibro started in my hands just like this and they swell, have redness across the knuckles, veins clearly visible. I use ibruprofen gel, compression gloves and ice packs. I have been xrayed and tested for RA and OA and have neither.