Afraid I might have Fibro, can someone help me?

[fallenTXangel]

I've always had aches and pains. Never thought anything of it. I'm overweight, so I usually figured I just over did it. But, two days ago my arms and hands were killing me. I hadn't done anything different to cause the pain. Later that day, I noticed my shoulders, neck, and back hurt too. The pain is so widespread that I stopped thinking I was getting arthritis like my mom and dad, etc, and started thinking I had the flu. And this pain is like nothing I have ever felt before.

But, I have no other symptoms. No sniffles or fever. But the pain is growing. I woke up yesterday soooo sore. Even my toes hurt, which is really weird even for me lol I've also been having more headaches lately. And, for the past 6 months pretty severe bouts of dizziness. I just kept blowing it off until this new pain thing started. So, I googled joint and muscle pain, dizziness, and headaches. Wow. Fibro came up so many times I shut off the PC so I wouldn't freak out.

But it's not going away. Sometimes I'll wake up and one or both hands will be completely numb (not a new symptom.. been happening for over a year.. but a forgotten symptom until it happened yesterday). Also, yesterday just sitting watching TV, I started getting weird hot tingling through my forearm and hand. Not like my hand had been asleep.. like something sharp and hot was crawling around inside me. And hot and cold both not only don't help, but last night hot water made me have a pins and needles feeling in my hands and arms.. but it was a hot pins and needles feeling, if that makes any sense. Also have been having trouble sleeping as well as staying asleep. I feel exhuasted whether I've slept 5 hrs or 10.

And so I checked out the tender points thing. Places that I didn't realize hurt, do hurt as soon as I pressed on them.. my ribs, my clavicle and sternum, my back, shoulders, inside my forearms. 12 of the 18 they look at are really really sore, plus other areas as well.

At this point, a normal person would see the doc. But, I have endometriosis, GERD, two hernias, IC, PFD, esophageal spasm, asthma, allergies, etc etc. So I keep thinking if I don't go, they can't diagnose me with something else. I am sick of being sick! Also, this is a military treatment facility. Despite the hernias and GERD, when I'm sick or hurt they give me motrin and send me home.

So, does this sound like fibro? Is the weird tingling thing part of it? Also, how long should I deal with this pain before seeing a doc? I just know if I go in at this point, they'll say I haven't been hurting long enough and laugh me right out of the hospital. But I can't get anything done because I'm so sore. I'm a SAHM of a 5 and 10 yr old. My family needs me. I can't even make my kids a sandwich or fold clothes or mop the floor without everything hurting.

[sailawaygrl]

Yes, some of it does sound like Fibro, but there are other things it could be as well. I think you need to see your Dr as soon as possible. Don't put things like this off, I know what you mean about another one to add to the list but don't play with your health. I think for your children you should get seen by a Dr. Hopefully they can help you have less pain.
Let us know how things go, and be sure to tell them ALL of your symptoms.
Sandra

[fallenTXangel]

Thanks! I know I should go. I just hate our doctors here LOL It's hard to find anyone who knows anything about anything besides colds and broken bones. The way I was finally diagnosed with IC was because I demanded to see a specialist for my endo, and she also diagnosed me with PFD, IC, and adenomyosis. And wondered how everyone had missed it for so long.

So yeah.. not sure if I'm gonna be taken seriously. But.. I'll probably go tomorrow. If nothing else, I'll be on record as crying my eyes out over the pain. It's weird... sometimes throughout the day, parts start to feel better, like my hands, while others start to feel worse.. like holy wow my shoulders and back are killing me. Poor hubby couldn't hug me bye or hold my hand this morning. And it doesn't help that he's not taking this pain seriously. He told me to wait it out.. maybe it'll go away. Sounds like he's in denial as much as I am.

[Briza]

Hi Fallen
What meds are you on? Muscle pain can be a side effect to some medications.

[fallenTXangel]

My mom asked me the same thing when I told her about the pain.. wanted to know if I was taking any new meds or did anything else new. She has MS, so her meds are the kind where the side effects are almost as bad as the symptoms you're trying to fix.

I'm on 10 mg zyrtec, 5 mg singulair, 180 mg verapamil (for my esophageal spasm), zantac 2 times a day (forget the dosage), and nexium.. I've been taking all those for the last couple of years. I started prosed mid Oct of last year. I take that as needed. And I started elmiron 400 mg a day about 2 months ago. That's been kind of on again off again because I had to stop it for an upper endoscopy in mid Dec, then they took biopsies, so I had to stop it again because it caused too much pain. Then, off it again when I had to have an epidural blood patch for a spinal headache a month ago.

I hardly ever take ibuprofen not just because of my bladder, but also because of my hernias and GERD, but I got desperate today and took some. 800 mg. It did NOTHING for the pain. Ugh!