Just been diagnosed with fibromyalgia

[Marnie87]

Since being admitted to hospital 4 days ago my RA pain is having a field day and munching on the morphine like it's sweets. A dr visited me yesterday and told me she thinks I have fibromyalgia aswell as RA. Does anybody else? What impact is this going to have on my life? Do I see the same consultant as I to for my RA? Please tell me any experiences that you have had with RA and fibromyalgia

[Hidden]

yes. me and at least two others( hope they dont mind me saying,? but as they declare both conditions on here hope it is ok?). but as. at work I do this because of confidentiality I wont name the persons!. but I am sure they will come forward and speak and help you also x

I think I now know why you were in so much pain.(. once your meds are sorted you will be fine.. mine have been changed, tweeked, and I have made some informed choices that suit me , but we are all different.. with me even though meds are as good as possible?!., the fatigue is my over whelming problem and always background pain.. my theory is that your body or rather my body can accept a higher pain level with time?.

Also when not in an acute flare/ pain situtation you will feel so much better.

I am working albeit part time. I am now next wednesday going to pain management.. almost two years after diagnosis!! (sept 20th 2011) was diagnosed eventually in nov 2009!( the pain service was closed to new patients for over a year!! full?)

[Hidden]

Hi hun

I'm one off the others Alison mentioned.

So sorry to hear this but I did think this also when you said what pain relief they were giving you.

I have found that most people I meet with ra control there pain with co codamol etc however like you I can take morphine like sweets on my good days I take 50mg of mst as my morning dose and 60mg as my evening dose.

And on bad days I can take 10-20ml of oramorph ever few hours to get through.

When my best friend was going through the painfull days of her cancer she would be on either 30-40mg of mst and she would be spaced out and confused but up to 60mg on its own does nothing but take the edge off the pain.

LIke Alison says you should be able to get control of both and once your meds are right you will feel better, you should see the same consultant for both well I do.

you will probably be given a nerve medication to help with your pain and also something to help you sleep like muscle relaxers.

hope you get your medication sorted soon and glad you are in the right place to be looked after.

take care

Julie x .

[Hidden]

Hi Marnie.

Fibromyalgia is something I can't help you with and I'm very sorry they think you have this too.

There are however quite a few people on here who will be able to help you (above) and I'm sure they will.

This as obviously been a very big shock for you, your just coming to terms with RA and then they spring this on you. I know there is also lots of help out there for you, I have met many people while I've been in hospital who also suffer with fibro.

At least you have answers now, perhaps not the ones you wanted, and I'm sorry for you, but you can at least try and get your head around the situation.

It's not going to be easy, you are very young and have your whole life in front of you and the only way to deal with this is with a positive attitude and learning ways to cope. That's probably sounds a little insensitive at the moment, but you know I'm not like that I just want to help by being positive and to help

you accept the situation.

All that pain you have been suffering so badly with over the past few weeks/months you now know why your body as had such a battering.

I think you may see the same consultant or be referred to the pain clinic.

I hope they sort your medication for you very soon. Have you had your Anti-tnf injection yet?

Please take care of yourself

mand xx

[sylvi]

hi, yes i'm one of the others who have both. Don't worry it will be sorted out eventually. My ra is stable but nobody could tell me why i was in so much pain. I was depressed, not sleeping, very stressed as well. I thought i was going crazy, i thought at the rate i was going they would section me, thats how bad it got. I also felt that nobody was listening to me. One day i was in bed with pain and my ra nurse rang me up. Suffice to say i was in floods of tears through the pain. It was at this point i think she had an idea what was going on with me. She got me an emergency appt with rheumatolgist he wasn't my regular one as he was away.

He then diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. At last someone was taking in what i was saying. I've been put on 2 lots of pills to start with, with them being increased as needed, which will happen.

I felt that a weight has been lifted off me now. I'm not out of the woods yet, but i'm getting there. I'm not pain free yet, but i will be eventually i hope.

I got made redundant 2yrs ago and sadly i haven't been able to work since, but i feel that if i could get this sorted i might be able to work part time. Don't give up work unless you really have to. Go part time until you get this settled by all means, but don't give up work until it is absolutely necessary.

There are plenty of us on here with both who will support you.

Take care and it will get easier at least.

My love to you.

Sylvia. xx

[Hidden]

Thank you sylvia and julie, I was hoping you would reply.I was thinking I perhaps shouldnt release your names? which is why I didnt, but I knew you would come forward! .xx

I am cautious what I say and do after the problems we have had with people leaving the site and I was trying to be discrete I.e not release other peoples personal info.. because I cant name people at work so im assuming the "confidentiality" aspect applies here?..

Alison x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Feel free to mention my name lol no problems xx