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.
I'm wondering if any of you have also had thyroid problems. Many on a different blog have said they had hypothyroidism. Sometimes it feels as if my thyroid is swollen. I had labs done in the past and have run on the low side of normal. I'm wondering if it would pay to take something to bring it up to a high side of normal in the hopes of it increasing my energy. Do you think the docs will go along with that thinking?
Dunno how many of you had seen/read this post so I figure it bears repeating, since the subject of thyroid keeps showing up frequently. I NEVER knew so many symptoms of thyroid disease CAN mimic Fibro. Hope it proves informative to some, it was a real eye opener to me!
http://positivemed.com/2012/03/29/thyroid-activity/
Wishing you all less pain days, respectfully Musta (hugs)
The problem with thyroid disease (and Fibro) are they both have multiple symptoms that can be masked as a variety of different conditions. Over medicating your thyroid can also cause similar symptoms. So although one would think their thyroid may be under active, it could also just be over medicated making your symptoms just as bad or worse. (So taking a hormone replacement isn't always a good idea if your levels aren't clinically low. it can actually exasperate your symptoms)
I have had it for so long I can feel the difference in my body, so I know when my symptoms (fatigue being the biggest for me) are being caused by my thyroid and its not the fibro or CRPS. Thyroid disease is typically genetic. It runs in my family on both sides.
In researching the issue, I found that, in years past, medication was given until the symptoms went away, having nothing to do with the hormone levels, TSH, in your blood. My levels look fine, but there is something else and I've been wondering if anyone else has this problem.
Apparently, my body does not absorb elements properly. When I was first menopausal, I was taking ever more and more hormones, but my symptoms continued to rage. The insomnia was so horrible, I can't tell you. I just practically slept-walked through about 3 years. Finally, the "Hormone Goddess" (so called) who was treating me said that, perhaps, we ought to try a hormone patch, rather than the typical pill-by-mouth. It worked. Fascinating and still is. My doctor said that, if you got too much hormone, you would know it because you would start getting the shakes. I don't understand why he can't give me more, at least until I might get shaky. Having the hormone available in my blood apparently doesn't mean it's getting where it needs to go.
She emphasized "low dose" - I'm hoping it will make a difference at least in the energy level. We'll see.
Did you doctor tested you for any other possibilities for the fatigue? There are so many vitamins deficiencies that can cause fatigue. I am also border line anemic and have a hard time absorbing medications. So although my Thyroid levels are now level, my iron levels cause me to be incredibly tired also.
Unfortunately the symptoms for too much thyroid hormone can be similar to not enough, which means if you are getting too much it can also interfere in your sleep patterns continuing your fatigue.