Hi...last week my doctor mentioned Fibromyalgia to me, too. Everything for me seemed to start back in December, when I got a sharp right side pain on my head...would come for a few seconds out of NOWHERE and then leave. It came every few days, at any time even when I was resting and scared the hell out of me! Then in late January I was just sitting alone eating lunch and felt dizzy, like I was floating slowly or something...my vision seemed to go blurry and i couldn't swallow! NEVER happened to me before!!

Went to the doctor and he checked me head (did some resistance tests with his hand), and said he really thinks that episode was a panic attack. I didn't go on meds or anything at all right away...but I kept on feeling dizzy off and on for a few months. Then, on March 4th I had a "classic " panic attack where i just felt like I couldn't catch my breath, heart was racing...then I was ok after about 10 minutes. Then the very next day, I woke up literally feeling like I could not take a full deep breath!! Scariest thing ... that feeling lasted for a full 9 days, and was CONSTANT...I had NO relief. I went to the ER 2 times b/c of it and they found nothing wrong...didn't even mention anxiety. Got 2 chest x-rays and they said they are clear/good. Bloodwork, EKGs...fine...

Then on March 14th I went to the doctor and that day, I started feeling relief like I was breathing better and normal again!! the weirdest thing! I was prescribed something for anxiety and an inhaler, but the inhaler usually doesn't work (probably since my lungs are clear....so it's not really doing anything...the med def. helps calm me down better).

Anyway, it's been a roller coaster since then...and in late March, I developed a bad left side back pain / deep ache!! Came out of nowhere and felt like a pulled muscle, even though I didn't do anything to pull it. That lasted for about 2 1/2 months!! And still comes and goes now...my shoulder also hurt, as well as my left arm. Then I developed a VERY tender and sore left rib pain. My skin even hurt with a light touch!! I still have that now a little, since that started about 2 weeks ago...I am hoping it's just muscle pain. Since I'm not doing anything strenuous, after I told the doctor all this...she suggested Fibromyalgia. My mother was diagnosed w/ it in the 90s and she kept saying she thinks I have it, but I am still not 100% sure. I requested blood work, and my doctor ordered a bunch of tests that will (hopefully) rule out more serious things!!

Sorry this got so long but I have some of you symptoms and it's so scary, esp. when they tell you you are fine, but you don't FEEL fine!! That's where my anxiety comes in! It's a horrible cycle...

My main symptoms (can come at any time, off and on):

Left back pain and rib pain
arm pain (mostly left)
feeling of tight chest muscles and makes it feel hard to breathe sometimes
dizziness, even at rest
pain on right side of head once in a while

I have a friend who was having terrible anxiety attacks after both her parents died within a couple of months of each other. She couldn't so much of anything and, with a husband and two young children, it was urgent that she got some help. She ended up having the best results from something called a 'beta blocker'. I did some reading on it and found that a lot of performers use it when they go onstage. It totally calms you down. Maybe something to look into, Jbaby27.

That sounds like a good idea marsharebel.

Now that I actually think about it, my skin has been pretty sensitive. I tend to move my boyfriends hand when he gently strokes my arm or anywhere else, because it feels kind of painful. I never thought of that as being a symptom though.

I have the same exact symptoms I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and inflammatory arthritis. I never thought I would find someone with all the same symptoms as me that is crazy. I wish you all the best. If you are diagnosed with it. You can write me and I can tell you everything my doctors have tried for me somethings may help that didn't help me or things that helped me may help you as well

I have all your symptoms and more. I was diagnosed 20 years ago with Fibro. You mentioned "hyperthyroidism"...are you sure it's not "HYPOthyroidism"?? I have that also for many years and a lot of the symptoms are the same, and it's not unusual for people to have both. If your thyroid is low, you should definitely be on thyroid medicine--I have for years with no side effects. You might want to get checked out by a Rheumatologist--they are a lot more knowledgeable about this stuff than your family doctor. The hypoglycemic/dehydration could be just becaue you hadn't eaten or had enough fluids that day--those things are not going to cause you all the symptoms you have. I think you need a more experienced doctor--I went to several before I found good help.

Many of your symptoms could very likely be related to stress/insomnia.

Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder. It's main symptom is neuropathic pain. For myself this manifests in extreme tenderness. For example, I find wearing a bra painful. Any small pressure it a very uncomfortable experience for me. Insomnia in my case is likely due to brain overactivity.

I'm not a doctor but from my experience your symptoms don't sound like a textbook case of fibro. If I were you I wouldn't settle for this diagnosis, especially since there isn't really much that can be done for it.

I also have the tenderness. My boyfriend loves to hold me and caress me but I always tell him to stop because it hurts. He doesn't understand and we sometimes end up fighting over it.

I also have the bra tenderness thing. The only time I wear one is if I'm in public.

A few other symptoms I didn't mention are... sometimes it takes REAL effort to speak. Like I really have to focus on my mouth producing the words my brain wants to say. And sometimes I feel like my brain is stuck or frozen and I just can't form a thought at all. Sometimes my words will come out all mixed up. I've also experienced some vertigo.

I feel like I'm slowly becoming retarded. And I mean that seriously.

Hi, it sounds like you have a mixture of burnout and fibro or CFS, not to forget hyperthyroidism.
This is a very long term thing to treat, so you need to be very consistent with your meds, even if you feel great, and you need to put a special effort into your nutrition, rest, etc, as when you are sick you need these things more than ever.
You really have to focus on managing your stress levels as best as you possible can, and if you can afford it, maybe talk to a counsellor about managing stress.
You must exercise, extremely extremely gently, and build up very (very, very) slowly if you can, or else you will never recover (personal experience).
And you have to schedule "me time" regularly.
Its also a good idea if you do some character-building exercises to get through this tough time, so you dont have a nervous breakdown on top of it all.
All the best,
Millie.

Thank you for all the input.

Millie, that all sounds really great, but with 3 biological kids (one who has Tourette's Syndrome and ADHD) and 3 step kids, the reducing stress and enjoying me time seems a little impossible.

Jayzandra,
I have 4 kids one with autism, one with a heart defect and respiratory disease one with ODD and the 2 year old is well- 2.

I have had fibro for 8 years now. I want to tell you something VERY important and PLEASE LISTEN---

The fact that you do have SO MANY people relying on you makes it even more important that you find some me time and reduce stress. What happens if you get REALLY ill? I was basically out of action for 18 months once and it is not pretty.

I wrote about my kids so that you realise that I DO understand. There is someone who needs you and wants something from you all the time. I have some tips so you can be organised if heaven forbid you do get really ill- feel free to ignore them-

This is so the house will still be relatively clean if you have a couple days where you cannot get out of bed- I've been there and it SUCKS when you finally get up and you are faced with a pigsty-
1- Teach every kid to do a household chore properly and get them to do it regularly- get them to do something useful to the family and in keeping with their abilities.
2- Teach kids older than 8 how to make at least one simple meal each (It will be useful if they can all do a different meal)
3- if practical set up online grocery shopping- you can restock the house from your bed and get kids to put away the shopping when delivered.
***These will save you from a week of takeaways if you are out for the count- I also cook meals in bulk when I am feeling well and freeze for days when I feel like shit***

Other useful things- Be prepared for something called fibro-fog where you really can't think straight and remember things-
- Start using a calendar or diary NOW for everything so you get into the habit- with 6 kids you will need it!
- Try and set up automatic payments for your bills- so you can't forget to pay them and get late fees and housing issues etc.

Hun - you may be doing everything I've written and thats great- I am just letting you know what steps I have put in place from experience with fibro.

From your list of symptoms I certainly wouldn't say you had a classic case of fibro- Have you had the tenderpoints checked? Regardless you seem to have some sort of health issues going on. I would be looking for a second opinion. Fibro is a horrible disease with no "cure". If what you have is autoimmune then they can treat the cause of that and get better results. HTH

All the best
Coralie

There are times I can't have anyone touch me anywhere even very lightly because it hurts. It feels like I'm severely bruised all over my body. Then there are times when only certain parts of my body have that tenderness. It's strange. My daughter would get concerned when she was little. She would touch my knees and I would yell in pain. My ex brother-in-law tried to massage my neck but I would nearly hit the ceiling. He was surprised I was that sensitive. I've had that sensitivity for years before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Anything I take doesn't help with the pain. The only thing that even makes it tolerable is Excedrine. I still hurt and ache but I can move around a bit better after taking a dose. Doctors haven't prescribed me anything and I don't know why. I want to be as pain free as possible and sometimes even the Excedrine is not enough. But anyway, I do know how you and everyone feels with this pain and fatigue going on and the frustration of no one seeing this as a condition/disease and calling us hypochondriacs and lazy.

My tenderness does not feel like bruises, it feels like my skin is burnt. You know how when you accidentally touch a hot pan with your arm and it burns for hours afterwards and you're like, "DON'T TOUCH IT!"? That's how my skin feels. Not ALWAYS and not everywhere. But having a caress can trigger it or it can just feel that way for no reason at all.

Doctors have been trying to figure it out for a few years now. Only running a few tests here and there at a time.

I just went to my Neurologist today and shared with him that I have been dealing with a severe migraine for 6 or 7 says now and long with it I have been having visual issues. I started having blurred vision and wobbly vision. When that starts I have to take nausea med. I an fairly new to the fibro family so reading these post give me assurance that i am not going crazy. I am dealing with almost all the same symptoms you all have and a few extra's. My hips kill me regardless if I sleep on my side or my back. I have to stand in place for a time b4 moving and I feel like an old lady when I do walk. I have been put on Timolol for BP and heart palpitations and migraines. So since the beginning of summer this year I went from taking nexium daily with vicodin when needed to Nexium, Timolol, Zofran for nausea, Savella for Fibro and vicodin every 6 hours for pain. UGH!