Looking for answers for a friend

[LostNoMore]

Hello MH family. I tried posting this in the Pain Management forum. No one answered. Not too many people over there. I thought I would see if someone here may have some insight into an ongoing problem a friend of mine is having. She's 40 yrs old, suffers from migraines, takes Effexor for depression and thinks she may have fibromyalgia. She's chronically fatigued, has a lot of trouble sleeping, and she's now having a persistent pain in her lower back that wraps around to her chest and is extremely difficult to get rid of. I think it may be Osteoporosis. any thoughts?
Last night she took 4 perc 10s and it barely touched it. She's not an addict, in fact, she hates pain pills as they give her a headache. She is unemployed, applying for disability (turned down twice so far) and has very little money.
She's very frustrated, as am I. Does anyone have any ideas here? Possible causes?  Should she look into Cymbalta? How hard is it to get diagnosed with Fibromyalgia?  Help! I thought that a lot of us over here in the addiction forum deal with pain issues and depression so why not post this here? I hope it doesn't make anybody upset because it's not really about addiction. Apologies if it does.

[vicki595]

It's diagnosed through careful history taking on the part of the practitioner. There's a particular criteria that needs to be followed and the doctor needs to be well versed with symptoms of fibro,etc...Pain needs to be present in all four quadrants, for over three months, and 11 out of 18 pressure points must be sensitive to pressure/pain. Or something like that...
There aren't really any lab tests to perform.  She may have it and the headaches could be a symptom.  I think if she visited a general practitioner and talked it over she could get it ruled in or ruled out...it would be worth the office visit.  

[LostNoMore]

Yes, she tries SO hard to take care of herself. She doesn't drink, she walks every day, doesn't smoke. The back thing has been bothering her, off and on, for about 8 months. It will go away, then come back, but now it's worse than ever. She thinks she has fibro, yes. How is that diagnosed? I need to go hit a meeting. I will be back in a couple of hours. I appreciate your help Vicki and Scared.

[vicki595]

Her dose of Effexor may need to be tweaked...is it the back pain that's causing her distress at this point?  How long has she had that?  Does she believe she has fibro? It's a pretty complicated illness...poor thing. Does she take good care of herself for the most part?

[LostNoMore]

Thanks Vicki. Her disability is migraines. She's sometimes down for days when she has an "episode". Nothing gets rid of it. She's tried all the migraine meds. Maxalt works best but it doesn't work all the time. Neurologists are baffled. No one has been able to help her. She's been on the Effexor for probably 10 years. She says it saved her life. As fas as doctors, she really doesn't have one. I took her to a neurologist a year ago and it was more of the same for her...office visit, MRI, etc. This doctor said "you're going to be a tough case". NO help there. Put her on maxalt and handed her the bill.

[vicki595]

No one should mind you asking a question here...there's so much knowledge combined...

Here's what I think:  She needs a diagnosis before taking any more meds. It's much better to find out what she's dealing with, as you know. Did she take four perks at one time?  That's a lot!  It makes me think: kidney stones. But who knows...

I know doctor visits are expensive, not to mention tests and lab work. Healthcare is big business!  She needs to start with the least expensive stuff: GI work up,CBC,etc...

It could be depression also. You know her best...Has she been on the Effexor for awhile?  What is her disability and what doctor is working with her for it?

[scaredmommy2005]

You would never make us upset. We are all friends and want to help those in need. I don't have an answer to your question but I hope somebody does. Let your friend know I am praying for her.