Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
Hi everyone my name is laura...
I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia after seeing many doctors and a very unnecessary hysterectomy, not that I really regret it as it helped with pelvic pain and heavy menstrual cycles. I was diagnosed by a rheumatologist.
Anyway I have dealt with pain and digestive issues my whole life, the pain was manageable, but in my early life digestive issues were not. I was diagnosed with severe ibs as a junior in high school after losing a ton of weight and getting down to 89 lbs. But the chronic pain started in 2005. I had chronic pelvic pain and low back pain, which lead me to see many Dr's such as gynecologist s and just my primary care. Had medi-cal at the time, so specialists and tests were limited. Did not work for many years due to pain. Well I at that time was diagnosed after mri and laparoscopies with bulging disc and invisible endometriosis along with adhesions from previous c section. Had a pelvic surgery to remove adhesions.
Fast forward to 2011 pain and digestive/stomach issues increased tremendously. And the pain was what seemed like spreading to my joints, neck, shoulders, hands and feet. Not to mention the fatigue and what i thought was lack of sleep, but not being able to focus or process a thought.At this time I was working at my job um currently at, and have medical insurance. The journey begins with the hysterectomy as my internal med dr and gyro thought back pain and stomach issues may be related to more adhesions and endometriosis. This was after two scopes from GI dr who saw nothing but polyps that did turn out to be cancerous. So another severe IBS diagnoses from him. After the long recovery from hysterectomy the pain NEVER went away and increased a little more. All it helped was my pelvic pain. After this I had another huge weight loss.
So I went to see my gyno again and he sent me to a pain and physical medicine specialist, he pretty much examined me and said I had myofascial pain and prescribed physical therapy and stretches in the am before showering. I did what he asked and it NEVER helped. I went back in and told him it didn't help and that I was getti my an electric shock feeling in my feet, mostly the right one and toe numbness only on two toes, he was intrigued at this point and ordered mri and nerve conduction test.
Well when this all came back with no red flags (just my previous bulging disc) he said all was well with my spine and that he thought it was a sacral joint dysfunction, so he gave me a shot of steroid and after the lidocaine wore off (I was at work) I went into the worst steroid flare of my life. The pain was unbearable! It was from head to toe, after more missed time from work (not sure I mentioned I have missed a lot of work and am never able to accrue sick time because of the missed time) He decided to send me to pain management, she actually listed to the whole story and picture I'm telling you all and said I'm seeing to many Dr's that just focus on one part of the problem, she said all she would be able to do is the injections with xray and I might go into flare again. She suggested it might be something autoimmune and that I should see a rheumatologist. I got a referral from my dr and saw her on the 25th of last month.. After looking through my records and all my tests and surgeries, as well as doing a trigger point test in exam room said it is for sure fibromyalgia.
As of right now my pain management has always consisted of Norco for pain, which helps take the edge off the pain and she put me on wellbutrin which did not help and are fibro fog worse as well as making me angry and feel like I could not control my thoughts. Antidepressants always (I've been on a few) make me feel worse and do a number on my already sensitive stomach. Sorry for the long post, I just am excited to be apart of a support group as everyone is tired of hearing of my pain and I have no one who understands. And believe me when I say this is the short version, I left out a lot of other surgeries, issues and tests. Thank You For Reading AND Sorry If there are mistakes as I of course did not sleep well and am not feeling great :(
Also hope someone can tell me what has helped them. I'm new to the medications that can help, I have been on a few of the fibro ones, just never helped and they were prescribed before I was actually diagnosed. That y ou again for reading.
I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia after seeing many doctors and a very unnecessary hysterectomy, not that I really regret it as it helped with pelvic pain and heavy menstrual cycles. I was diagnosed by a rheumatologist.
Anyway I have dealt with pain and digestive issues my whole life, the pain was manageable, but in my early life digestive issues were not. I was diagnosed with severe ibs as a junior in high school after losing a ton of weight and getting down to 89 lbs. But the chronic pain started in 2005. I had chronic pelvic pain and low back pain, which lead me to see many Dr's such as gynecologist s and just my primary care. Had medi-cal at the time, so specialists and tests were limited. Did not work for many years due to pain. Well I at that time was diagnosed after mri and laparoscopies with bulging disc and invisible endometriosis along with adhesions from previous c section. Had a pelvic surgery to remove adhesions.
Fast forward to 2011 pain and digestive/stomach issues increased tremendously. And the pain was what seemed like spreading to my joints, neck, shoulders, hands and feet. Not to mention the fatigue and what i thought was lack of sleep, but not being able to focus or process a thought.At this time I was working at my job um currently at, and have medical insurance. The journey begins with the hysterectomy as my internal med dr and gyro thought back pain and stomach issues may be related to more adhesions and endometriosis. This was after two scopes from GI dr who saw nothing but polyps that did turn out to be cancerous. So another severe IBS diagnoses from him. After the long recovery from hysterectomy the pain NEVER went away and increased a little more. All it helped was my pelvic pain. After this I had another huge weight loss.
So I went to see my gyno again and he sent me to a pain and physical medicine specialist, he pretty much examined me and said I had myofascial pain and prescribed physical therapy and stretches in the am before showering. I did what he asked and it NEVER helped. I went back in and told him it didn't help and that I was getti my an electric shock feeling in my feet, mostly the right one and toe numbness only on two toes, he was intrigued at this point and ordered mri and nerve conduction test.
Well when this all came back with no red flags (just my previous bulging disc) he said all was well with my spine and that he thought it was a sacral joint dysfunction, so he gave me a shot of steroid and after the lidocaine wore off (I was at work) I went into the worst steroid flare of my life. The pain was unbearable! It was from head to toe, after more missed time from work (not sure I mentioned I have missed a lot of work and am never able to accrue sick time because of the missed time) He decided to send me to pain management, she actually listed to the whole story and picture I'm telling you all and said I'm seeing to many Dr's that just focus on one part of the problem, she said all she would be able to do is the injections with xray and I might go into flare again. She suggested it might be something autoimmune and that I should see a rheumatologist. I got a referral from my dr and saw her on the 25th of last month.. After looking through my records and all my tests and surgeries, as well as doing a trigger point test in exam room said it is for sure fibromyalgia.
As of right now my pain management has always consisted of Norco for pain, which helps take the edge off the pain and she put me on wellbutrin which did not help and are fibro fog worse as well as making me angry and feel like I could not control my thoughts. Antidepressants always (I've been on a few) make me feel worse and do a number on my already sensitive stomach. Sorry for the long post, I just am excited to be apart of a support group as everyone is tired of hearing of my pain and I have no one who understands. And believe me when I say this is the short version, I left out a lot of other surgeries, issues and tests. Thank You For Reading AND Sorry If there are mistakes as I of course did not sleep well and am not feeling great :(
Also hope someone can tell me what has helped them. I'm new to the medications that can help, I have been on a few of the fibro ones, just never helped and they were prescribed before I was actually diagnosed. That y ou again for reading.
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We're all troubled.WSo, to remind ourselves we're not at rock bottom (this is a reverse optimism thing I learned as a kid):We are not living on the island of Krakatoa when the volcano goes boom!Yeah, okay, that sucks.***Toay in 1942, Pierre Laval announced that the way to free France was for Germany to win WW2. Pierre did not win a lot of friends. When the war ended, quite quickly he was tried...
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Another day, another ouchie?My bruised achilles tendon (don't ask) makes my foot numb. Wonky on meds, whacked it.Now, as to fibro:A lot of reports are going around some parts of social media that fibro (and dang near anything else) are caused by post-Covid, post-flu, post-vaccinations, post-pick-something.1. Your risk of death or serious complications beyond "ow, that shot hurt!" are typically...
When I was diagnosed with fibro, my doctor first tried Lyrica (which didn't help and in some ways actually caused me more pain). Then we tried Tramadol. That gives me some relief, except on the really bad days. I use heating pads a lot. But I do understand that when the pain is that bad, nothing really seems to work.
A lot of fibro sufferers also have other medical conditions (I have IBS, migraines and depression.) The best thing you can do is what you're doing -- finding a support group. I think it does wonders for our morale to be able to talk with one another and compare notes.
I'm new to this group too, and I've already gotten some great advice.
Good luck to you.
I started off many years ago on tramadol and it did not touch the pain for me. Also it kept me up at night so I had to restrict it to latest afternoon. I just wish their were a magic pill that would make us better, or at the very least put us into a long remission :)
I wish I had an answer for you, but unfortunately I'm struggling, too. My worst pain is in my feet and legs, so it makes doing much of anything very difficult. Despite that, I still try to get out most days and do a little something, mostly for my sanity.
I wish you the best. This site is very important, because of the great support and encouragement we find here. I hope you find some things that will help you.
Take care,
Elizabeth
When you say you have pain in your feet, what does it feel like? Mine feel pain and I get this electric shock feeling in them (only way I can describe it). Hope your all have a day with minimal pain.
Won't say much more, but feel free to "meet" some ofus on daily cehck-in (it's a board tradition to help us touch base) and we're here for you.
Leo
Welcome to the group.
Elizabeth, I have tried neurontin is made me very tired as well and caused stomach issues. It seems like all of those type of meds mess with my head and tummy even more. I have not tried lyrica yet. Thank you for the input. Even my zofran I take I only take when my stomach is really bad because it messes with my head and gives me head pressure.
I was diagnosed with fibro a few years ago and I have been treated with 1 Norco a day for pain management. I have tried Neurontin, Lyrica, Antidepressants with a lot of side effects, so I am just on Norco. It is hard to get the pain under control because each day seems to bring different pain levels. I kind of wish I never had the Hyst because I think it made things worse.
Again I am so happy to have finally found people who understand, however I'm so sorry we are all having to endure this pain and fog!!
Also, inversion table, TENS unit, aquatherapy, sitting ona ball at work, wearing flats...