Hi, I'm back lol. And I'm still not convinced my join... - NRAS

NRAS

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Hi, I'm back lol. And I'm still not convinced my joints pain is caused by fibromyalgia.

Sarah1969 profile image
8 Replies

My fingers, hands, wrists and feet still really hurt, and are still stiff half the day. But because no inflammation was visible on hand x ~ ray, it's apparently caused by fibro. Who am I to argue with technology? ?!!!! :O X

By the way, I have a MRI scan next Wednesday on my tailbone. Any advice? X

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Sarah1969 profile image
Sarah1969
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8 Replies
allanah profile image
allanah

Ye! My docs tell me inflammation isn't really seen on X-rays? They generally do ultrasound hand scans to find it, but MRI are even more diagnostic.

Ask them before the MRI if it generally will show up inflammation, but whatever the answer, they must want you to have it , as they are expensive to prescribe, maybe to check out your pains, so I hope it goes well. Nice to see you back! Axx

Sarah1969 profile image
Sarah1969 in reply to allanah

Thanx hun. The MRI is a private one, for my compensation claim, but when the results come back, I'm gonna ask about inflammation. I personally think my surgery is too lazy to refer people, so they just blame any unknown on fibromyalgia. X

allanah profile image
allanah in reply to Sarah1969

Lol ye! It would cost the surgery a bomb lol xx

Sarah1969 profile image
Sarah1969

It's frustrating, as it seems many doctors don't bother treating the symptoms of fibro, so it's just so convenient to blame it for everything. I wonder what will happen when I tell my doc I want weight-loss surgery! X

earthwitch profile image
earthwitch

If they are doing an MRI of your sacroiliac area (tailbone) then it sounds like they are seriously considering spondyloarthritis rather than RA, as a positive MRI in that area is what is required for diagnosis. I'm also not surprised they didn't see any inflammation on hand xray - you don't generally see active inflammation on xray. Hang in there, and don't assume its RA just yet - just that they seem to be investigating you fully for other forms of inflammatory arthritis as well, so thats good. Not surprised you have had a diagnosis of fibro though - spondyloarthritis frequently has quite a lot of enthesitis going on too (inflammation at the point where tendons join bone) and the main enthesitis points are very close to the "fibro tender points" - a doctor who isn't so aware of spondy can easily see it as fibro when its actually enthesitis.

Sarah1969 profile image
Sarah1969 in reply to earthwitch

Can an injury to the tailbone trigger that forms of inflammatory disease? I injured it in a bus accident just over a year ago, and it's only because I'm trying to get compensation that I'm being sent for the scan, to find out what injury I've actually got (something else my doctor hasn't bothered about). X

lorann profile image
lorann

I've been told, and also have read, fibromyalgia is a problem of short-circuited nerves in muscles. It would not show up on xray. That is frustrating to have a highly educated person tell you something like that! Your hands, wrists and feet do sound like symptoms of a type of arthritis, not necessarily RA.

Good luck with the comp case. And the bariatric surgery! Just be aware of how it will be after it is done. I think they make sure you understand. All the bestxxx

Sarah1969 profile image
Sarah1969 in reply to lorann

Yeah that about sums up fibro. Something is definitely short circuited, but number five is alive lol. As for surgery, though I've watched a lot of programme about it, and read up, I'm unsure whether to go for a band or sleeve, so still work to do. X

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