Wondering if a past injury to your body can be flared up again with the fibro??
When I was 6, I had quite a bad car accident and fractured my collarbone and broke my pelvis.
I have had another RTA in 2005 leaving me with bad whiplash, and 2 disc in top of neck bulging, and 2 more at the base spine.
We went on holiday & i returned home with shingles in my ear.
prior to that i had to have 2 x surgeries to my left knee 10 yrs back.
Now, I have extreme pain from all of those areas/joints that had been weakened. It's the only way I can get my head round this whole debilitating illness. I understand the pain is just your brain telling your nervous system ouch.... That bloody really hurts, but I know I'm not going to die of it.
Sad thing is I really, really don't want to be in this much pain and confusion for the rest of my days...what's your views on you ended up with it??
I have not applied for any benefits yet, don't know if I'd be applicable. However I do have a blue badge as I can only work a small distance with out the pain getting to unbearable :-((
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nattynoo
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I damaged a rib ligment at the front of my chest playing tennis, age 24 it wouldn't heal despite physio painkillers and rest ... Was finally diagnosed with chostochondritis and fibro at 25 ...
What a horrible time you've been having. You have my greatest sympathy. I know there isn't a cure for this disease, but it doesn't necessarily mean you'll be stuck with the symptoms forever - people are constantly finding new therapies to help improve their quality of life and relieve their symptoms and people can still live well with chronic illness and pain.
I don't know a lot about this area, but from what you've put, I can see your under a lot of stress as to how your fibro is impacting your functioning in general and how will you generally cope, (and thus further impacting on your symptoms), so I'd definitely say see what you're entitled to. I don't see why they wouldn't give their support, they can't just leave on your own if you're suffering to the point of not being able to walk a sufficient distance, surely? You'd feel a lot better knowing their was some form of support out there.
Regarding the pain and general symptoms of discomfort, it can't do any harm chatting with your GP to see if there is any more suitable pain relief you can be provided - but I know that's easier said than done, especially if you're feeling particularly poorly.
I'm wondering whether a Pain Management course would be of benefit to you. I know some people can manage their pain through things like tai chi and mindfulness meditation too.
Ok my fog is clouding everything so that's the best I can do for now although I'm sure there was just one more thing.
Quickly before I go, I think it's important to explore the issue of how this thing came about, I'm wondering whether their is a genetic predisposition but we need a pretty strong trigger for it to occur.
Mine was stress, stress and more stress. I lived with stress of bullying, among other things, for years, was constantly misunderstood, and constantly being forced to do things I didn't want to do. I know the stress was having an affect on me, goodness knows I felt awful all the time, I had the bad tummy, the tight chest, and the headaches, the insomnia, the anxiety attacks and the blood shot eyes. As well as constantly being itchy and never feeling clean - which I'm guessing was caused by stress. I knew I had to get out of the school, but I wasn't allowed so I had to live with it, I was only a teenager, I didn't have a voice. But I knew if I didn't get out somehow, that it would have a terrible impact on my well being. And he presto, it did. I'm 18 so I'm still there in my last year and have a few more weeks to go, last year was fine, this year - probably thanks to all the recent stresses, I started getting flashbacks and have a few more weeks to go - Goodness only knows what my results will be like. I know it's nothing like what happened to you, but yes. I think if I had left there my Fibro could have been prevented, if only for a year extra years if it was always going to happen, or may not have been as severe. So I just think it's a shame.
But nattynoo, we have to keep hoping you will get some quality of life back. You just need the right support, I hope more people can help you and give you more info on some of the advice I have given.
Oh yes the genetic thing - well the family on my Mum's side have a reasonable collection of health problems. Aunts have porphyria I think it's called (no idea what it is but something to do with the blood and it causes symptoms similar to Fibro) there is one aunt who has a problem with her thyroid - but I don't know if this relates to me because my thyroids working fine - which is nice to hear - apparently I'm a picture of health apart from this Fibro it's just a shame I don't feel it often. Oh and one aunt has endrometriosis (I think the spelling is right), apparently it's hardly known but overwhelmingly common in women (sounds a bit like Fibro to me..) and I didn't realise until recently when someone posted a blog about it - women with the condition are pretty likely to have Fibro with it.
Depression is also in the family; both my Mum and my Gran have been on anti depressants. (And I'm guessing, the way my auntie told me I was 'joining the club' when I was prescribed them for pain with Fibro - that she has been on them too). I'm sure there is a link, not just secondary - as a few months back someone asked a question about it and a number of people complained of having the condition before they got Fibro.
One more thing I nearly forgot, my auntie and Gran are deficient in Vitamin D as well - as couple of people mentioned this but it appears to have been discredited as of recent - albeit some of the symptoms are similar. However, I do think I need a round of applause for remembering all their health problems, especially through this fog, and the fact that they pride themselves on being the queens of 'unusual illnesses' (my family is 'quirky' don't ask).
The thing is, these are family members so how am I to know if they're anything to do with me or my Fibro? While my Mum's test results for porphyria came back negative - she believes that they messed the procedure up so she could well have it and may have passed on it to me (I don't think it's even possible for me to have it unless she has it).
I've always believed that I take more after my Dad's side of the family, other than a few heart problems and backache they are as fit as a fiddle. Especially my Dad's Dad. Maybe it's easier to look for answers so that those horrible years can't be solely to blame.
I do remember my Dad telling me about his Mum (my Nan - God rest her soul) complaining of symptoms of Fibromyalgia so it could be from there, but again it's hard to tell, he can't have guessed what she ever felt like or how I feel.
Many of our symptoms can be attributed to people without Fibro now and then (unfortunately, which is why it's so hard to diagnosis), we just get them all the time and more severely to the point of them being debilitating, thrown with a few unusual symptoms we can't find the words for to describe; how else would some people be able to keep going and others not?
Sorry for going on but I hope you've found interest in my speculations. I hope someone can maybe provide answers in my above queries. Maybe it's part of the puzzle to finding a cure. Maybe in order to find a cure we need to find the cause?
I really am sorry to be such a waffler. I always do when it comes to questions like these, it is a very important issue. And I am far more sympathetic to the accidents you've had and how they affected your Fibro. It must have been very traumatic and I wish you peace.
I also wanted to say even though vitamin D may not be related to Fibro per se, but I still think getting the right nutrients can help. So make sure you supplement yourself with a good number of vitamins as they are the basis to allow your body to physically repair itself, your body can work at a more optimum level. A friend sent me this: lifescript.com/health/cente...
I wouldn't advise over doing it as the kidneys don't like it. It's amazing what people can come back from in terms of physical trauma. Please, if anything, don't forget that.
Of course if you can get a good diet that's even better. I find Almonds are really good at keeping you fuller for longer and they have zinc and protein. Banana (releases energy at a steady rate so I get a boost, without having that soar'n'crash associated with chocolate.) and blueberries (have anti oxidant - I don't know what it means but apparently it's good) are what I have for breakfast with some orange juice. Cranberry juice then helps with any bladder problems and nighttime, try eating a kiwi fruit about an hour before bed. It releases melatonin which is the 'sleep chemical'.
Funky fairy, thank u for taking the time out to reply with such helpful info.
I am already seeing the pain clinic and pain psychologist. However they over a greater geographical area than they can really care for, so appointments sometimes spread wide apart.
I have had acupuncture privately and NHS. Also healing from reiki.
This comment has led me down a long path this evening ( can't sleep anyway) into reasons behind fibro and stress. Hope I have opened others minds also to looking deep within sometimes rather than the 'here and now'
Thanks again and sending a fibro(((hug)))
I had a very traumatic pregnancy 18 years ago and I have never been quite the same again xxx
Delis me too. Whilst I am very fortunate to have 3 healthy children, I still yearn for those I lost. After my 1st child, I fell pregnant and eventually went for my 5 mth scan. My husband and I had the misfortune to have the sonographer from hell. Basically sent us off to a side room to wait for an hour because she couldn't see babies head!! This is something we never can forget or forgive. Such cruel words. I was seen by a Consultant,who looked at our scan and told to go straight to Kings College hospital in London to confirm our Baby had anencephaly. We just went on auto pilot after this. We couldn't go on the Friday evening as Nobody to see us then, so we had to wait until the Monday to take the train up to Kings. We saw prof Nicolides. Wonderful man who very gently broke it to our babies spine had a neurological defect and had stayed open causing the scull not to form properly causing her to be 'incompatible with life!' We were sent off back to our home to arrive at hospital the next morning to induce my labour. 2 days our little baby fought to stay, but eventually she arrived and passed away before we could see her properly. The pain we felt when was born is indescribable. I blamed everyone else in my head for loosing her, not giving her a chance, but in reality she never had a chance, ever. This was at christmas 1997 and I remember it all as clear as yesterday ( even with fibro fog ). From the labour to staying in a side ward where I was isolated from other mums thankfully but only to hear they're babies cry . Never will I forget that trauma and loss of not hearing our baby cry.
I went on to have a bouncing baby boy whose now just turned 18. However I then went on to have an ectopic pregnancy where it ruptured in me leaving me a collapsed mess in the kitchen. When the Dr arrived they called for an ambulance who took me straight up to a surgery ward thinking I have a kidney stone. I had a pregnancy test that night which surprised me and my husband, but was told they couldn't check properly until the next day.
Nearly monday morning, 24hrs later because it had all happened on a Sunday came another sonographer . They confirmed I was pregnant but in the wrong place and sadly my fallopian tube had ruptured. They said I had to go NOW to have an op as I looked far to healthy for someone in my condition.
By now after having my 2 boys and loosing 2 girls possibly, I thanked god I was still here to look after them as I shouldn't have carried on with the 'pain' I was in then telling me I had probably had IBS. The swollen tummy and pains I suffer before the tube ruptured etc, my pain threshold was tested to the hilt
However in 2003 I could out I was pregnant again, without trying and on the pill. Along came our healthy beautiful daughter who has healed so many raw wounds.
We never forget the 22/12/1993. How could we?? trying to celebrate Christmas having just delivered a longed for baby. My1st child was born on 28/12 then we list Danielle on the 22/12. Our healthy son arrived in the March After a truely harrowing pregnancy, and then my last daughter arrived 29/12/03z
I bear the scars on my tummy of our other poorly baby whose a constant reminder when I look at my self in the mirror.
Soo, at the end of my story comes a thought which I hadn't really connected before. I had never been truly well since loosing my 2nd child. Part of me went with her and I have never been able to find it since.
Pain whether you can physically see it or NOT, is still pain. I believe now this is when my fibromyalgia really started .
Sorry for such a long reply but just writing this all down give me a realistic, maybe possible reason for my pain
No need to apologise,you have most certainly been through some very difficult and painful times what a blessing your 3 lovely children are,i have 1 child a daughter whom i adore to the moon and back and so much more,due to the complications i went through during my pregnancy with her i am no longer able to have more children as i was sterilised for my own health when i was in my early twenties,i had been extremely poorly all the way through when pregnant with Hyperemesis Gravidarum(Extreme Vomitting) it resulted in me having tears and bleeding in my oesophagus i am now on Lansoprazole permanently for acid reflux due to the valve at the top of my stomach being damaged from so much puking! i developed Pre Eclampsia and my daughter was subsequently born at 33 weeks weighing 3lbs 2ozs and delivered by caesarian section! My conclusion is that my poor body took a battering and obviously couldn't cope with the stress it must have caused,i 1st just started feeling a bit run down like starting with a bad cold or flu here and there,would go to bed early etc and usually feel better next morning,these episodes gradually became more frequent to the point that about 14yrs ago i had tonsillitis so was unable to have my flu jab(I'm asthmatic) i then got flu and was extremely ill with it and had a nasty lung infection also,this left me feeling very weak,aching legs,fevers,swollen glands,fatigue for months after,the drs said i had post viral fatigue and even possibly ME,i continued to have these episodes of extreme pain in my joints especially hips and knees and ankles,i would literally have to go to bed in tears with the pain,but thankfully they weren't everyday,then about 10 years ago my hips began hurting everyday i was diagnosed with arthralgia and osteo arthritis,then had a very difficult divorce and gradually symptoms became more evident everyday,i had the swine flu vaccination about 4 yrs ago after already having my usual flu jab,and boy did it make me ill and to cut a LONG story short i have never had a day without pain and or fatigue since i knew something wasn't right that i wasn't imagining it and that it wasn't my mental health that was making me ill(i have BI Polar,Cyclotharmia) it was physical pure and simple,and about 18 months ago i was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia! Phewwww there's a wee read for you!!! Love and Hugs sent to you xxx xxx xxx
I think I noticed my body going down hill after having Bell's Palsy. I missed one day's work when the Palsy started but then just carried on as normal. That was when my hips strarted hurting, then my elbows, knees, feet back, etc Migrainses increased, depressions started. Then stress started to build up as I struggled to keep going. The more tests they did that showed only mild osteoarthritis the more frustrated I became that something was affecting me but there were no answers. Then it was more stress, stress, stress....
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I don't see why they wouldn't give their support, they can't just leave on your own if you're suffering to the point of not being able to walk a sufficient distance, surely? You'd feel a lot better knowing their was some form of support out there. 
How can you get your employers to understand what its like to have Fibro and how you don't know how you are going to feel day to day?
What's your favourite fibro gadget?
what is Fibro and what's the difference with ME
Who manages your Fibro?
How do you test for fibro?
