This has got to STOP!!! (unexplained muscle pain)

[cnote]

I'm still having unexplained muscle pain all over my body. My lower back mostly affected, but the past 2 days, my lower back feels great!

My shoulders will get random bits of pain here and there, but last week they were sore as heck!

Today my left forearm is tender to the touch.

I was also having random pain in my knees last weekend... now that's virtually gone. My left knee was tender to the touch in between my knee cap.

My anxiety has been KILLING ME about this. I can't sleep good, I have ZERO appetite, even though I'm making myself eat. I've lost 5lbs the past 2 weeks...

I FINALLY went BACK to my Dr. again for the 10th time, and I told him I was afraid I had fibromyalgia.

He told me that I actually MIGHT have fibromyalgia.

But what I hated about his response today was this...

He said "You may or may not have fibro... I can't just tell you that right here... we have to do 2 things. #1, we can do a blood test, which I know will turn out fine, b/c you are healthy. We did blood last Summer and you were normal. OR, you can take an antidepressant EVERY DAY, and we'll see how you are doing."

That's IT!!!?? Blood work or an antidepressant every day!??

I told him "can I think about taking the antidepressant at least?"

His answer baffled me... he replied "Only after 1 month. Then we'll start it."

I said "Thanks but no thanks... I will no longer put chemicals in my body. I've been med free for 4 years and have been doing just fine without them, besides these constant unexplained muscle pains."

I think it's time for me to find a new doctor... even though my Dr. has been great to me for 8 years.. I feel like he's just DONE with me, and just wants to throw pills and no investigate my muscle pain any further.

I even asked about seeing a rhumatologist, and he said "you don't need to see one, you are healthy."

While I know there's nothing SERIOUSLY wrong with me... I would at least like a legit tender point test and to rule out other possibilities! Because THEN I KNOW my anxiety will decrease on it's OWN. WITHOUT DRUGS.

Thanks for letting me vent. :)

I WILL figure this all out.

I may let him do the blood panel, but demand more than just a standard blood panel. Maybe a RA blood panel, full vitamin panel, etc.

[RubyWitch]

So glad you FINALLY got a DX! You do have a long road ahead of you, but the outcome looks very positive and I wish you all the luck in the world. Keep us updated as you move through all your various therapies.
Your long lost friend.......greenlydia (Now RubyWitch)

[cnote]

I'm still struggling off and on with the muscle pain/tension issues. My Dr. finally told me that he can bet it's 100% anxiety related. He said with GAD, like I have, I can feel FINE, but my FINE, i sa low level anxiety, as in I'm always a LITTLE BIT anxious, even when I'm feeling GOOD. He said muscle tension/spasm/pain etc. is all due to anxiety. He doesnt even think I have fibromyalgia or anything. Just part of my anxiety. Ugh... who knew? I still won't do meds... yet. But I may do a another run soon to at least prove it to myself. We shall see. Thought I'd update. :)

[cnote]

I hate to say this... but I'm almost 100% positive this is fibromyalgia...

I have EVERY symptom on the checklist.

I'm scared ********!!!

I can fall asleep at night, but I awaken 3 hours later, every single night, wide awake.

Last night was the worst. I sat up, tossed, turned, in pain... watched the sun rise... prayed to God to heal me.

Finally fell back asleep for maybe 30 minutes before I had to go to work.

All I dreamed about was FIBRO FIBRO FIBRO!!!

It's turning into OCD.

I dont' know how to fix this... I NEED SERIOUS HELP!

Going to my Dr. doesnt do jack squat.

I really need him to refer me to a rheumy and let them diagnose me.

My Dr. is great, and has great intentions, but he just GUESSES a lot.

He won't give me a definite answer or diagnoses to the ongoing widespread pain...

[cnote]

Whelp, I have a diagnosis. I have been diagnosed with Mayofascial Pain Syndrome. I basically have taut bands in the fascia of my muscles that create tons of knots. Over time my other muscles have over compensated causing more fascia issues etc. This could be life long, but some can nip it in the bud and at least get 90% better. I have A LOT of physical therapy to do. LOTS of deep tissue, LOTS of sports Dr. visits and Gua Sha etc. Dry needling will also be included in the mix. My anxiety has diminished SO much now having FINALLY been diagnosed. I KNEW I wasnt crazy. :) I read a story on the Washington Post that I could have written myself. A man was jogging... and his first symptom was BLADDER PAIN. It's AMAZING what these trigger points can do to your body, even parts that are healthy. They send referred pain, and can even press on nerves causing constant muscle spasms.

[cnote]

Yes. Dr. took blood a few days ago. Results came back fine for inflammation and thyroid. Basically everything came back great. I'm healthy as can be... but I sure don't feel like it. I've got almost zero appetite, losing weight that I cant afford. I think I'm making myself sick from worrying so much about all this unexplained random muscle pain, burning and joint pain.

In reality, the anxiety of the "unknown" is the worst part. Sleep is horrible too... and the fatigue.

My whole body just feels weird.

[cnote]

My Dr. called me today and said my blood was perfect. I'm super healthy. YAY! LOL. I knew that would happen. So then I asked my Dr. what he thought it could be. He said "we know you have anxiety for sure, really bad, so we need to treat it." I told him I will be seeing a therapist soon. He was thrilled to hear it. I told him, if therapy doesn't help, then I'll 2nd think taking a tricyclic antidepressant again... short term while in therapy. It will be the last resort. It will at least help me get over this irrational fibro fear. Last thing... He still couldnt say if it was fibro or not, but he wasn't going to refer me to a rhumatologist b/c I'd be wasting my money he said. Which I do believe him. He still wouldnt say if he thinks if all my aches and pains are fibro. He told me it doesnt matter what it is, it's nothing serious, and that the anxiety is obviously out of control over it. He is correct. Today I started researching depression and muscle/joint pain... and BINGO. Unexplained joint and muscle pain etc. is DEF. a sign of depression. Also, I can tell you, that I am rarely excited about things I usually would... every day is just a chore. That's how it's been for A LONG time, but I dont' feel said or blue, but you don't have to necessarily feel sad or blue to having signs of depression. Anxiety and depression go hand in hand. I remember when I was on an antidepressant, I was taking my family on vacation with no issues, having a BLAST etc. Now, being off drugs for 3 years, I can cope just fine, but life is just that... FINE. I feel like if the chronic pain was gone, I'd be good. But it's just too much. But, id' rather have depression/anxiety than fibromyalgia, as silly as that sounds. At least they are treatable with or without meds. And I know it doesnt have to be forever. I won't do benzos. lol. Promise. I'll keep you up to date on the therapy once I jump in. Thanks for always being there for me. :)

[phoneixrising25]

Hi cnote,
Have you had a thyroid antibody test run?   Fibromyalgia symptoms are often similar to autoimmune thyroiditis.

[Paxiled]

As I said, it could be literally too many things to count.  You do know that arthritis doesn't usually cause pain, and MRIs can find things wrong but they might hurt you and not me.  So nobody can really rule it all out.  I know, I've been through all that.  Orthopedists want to do surgery or shoot you up with cortisone or send you to PT, which ends up taking up much of your life.  Rheumatologists want to shoot you up.  As my doc said, you see a surgeon, he only knows how to cut; you see a shot doctor, he only knows how to shoot.  Nobody in allopathic medicine looks for the whole picture.  

[cnote]

Paxiled... do you think this could all be just part of my anxiety disorder taking a physical form? If that's the case, I have full faith this will not be forever.

[cnote]

Paxiled, my Dr. called me today and said my blood was perfect. I'm super healthy. YAY! LOL. I knew that would happen. So then I asked my Dr. what he thought it could be. He said "we know you have anxiety for sure, really bad, so we need to treat it." I told him I will be seeing a therapist soon. He was thrilled to hear it. I told him, if therapy doesnt help, then I'll 2nd think taking tricyclic antidepressant again... short term while in therapy. It will be the last resort. It will atleast help me get over this irrational fibro fear. Last thing... He still couldnt say if it was fibro or not, but he wasnt going to refer me to a rhumatologist b/c I'd be wasting my money he said. Which I do believe him. He still wouldnt say if he thinks if all my aches and pains are fibro. He told me it doesnt matter what it is, it's nothing serious, like you stated paxiled, and that the anxiety is obviously out of control over it. He is correct. Today I started researching depression and muscle/joint pain... and BINGO. Unexplained joint and muscle pain etc. is DEF. a sign of depression. Also, I can tell you, that I am rarely excited about things I usually would... every day is just a chore. That's how it's been for A LONG time. I remember when I was on an antidepressant, I was taking my family on vacation with no issues, having a BLAST etc. Now, being off drugs for 3 years, I can cope just fine, but life is just that... FINE. I feel like if the chronic pain was gone, I'd be good. But it's just too much. But, id' rather have depression/anxiety than fibromyalgia, as silly as that sounds. At least they are treatable with or without meds. And I know it doesnt have to be forever. I won't do benzos. lol. Promise. I'll keep you up to date on the therapy once I jump in. Thanks for always being there for me. :)

[Paxiled]

I think it's time you stop seeing allopathic doctors and try something new.  Your best relief has come from your chiropractor and massage, in other words, alternative medicine.  Some things doctors are good at, others not so much.  I'd definitely get a thorough blood work-up, especially to check for things like Vitamin D deficiency or magnesium deficiency, but really, you just don't have fibromyalgia -- you're just so far from being that bad off.  It could literally be anything -- overwork over the years in your workouts, age, stress from something, bad posture, bad diet, electrolyte imbalance (in the US usually too much calcium and D and not enough magnesium).  Have you asked your chiro about acupuncture?  As I've told you, I've got pain all over the place that started a few years ago.  I'm a lot older than you, but for me it was caused most likely by overexercising on too little sleep after Paxil withdrawal destroyed my neurological system.  Stuff happens.  But doctors aren't great at finding these odd things.  They're too rushed, and their training is just not suited to difficult stuff.  All they really study is how to match a symptom with a drug.  It's maybe time to expand your avenues of search for your solution.  Peace.

[cnote]

Paxiled, you are my man!! Thank you so very much for always being the first to respond to me, no matter what. You and I have a long history on this website. :) I know you and I have come so far since coming off our our prescriptions.

I do think I'm going to go ahead and get a full blood panel done. A RA panel (for inflammation), fatigue panel, vitamin deficiency panel etc.

If those are all clear, I may get an MRI to clear out arthritis, since this is all happening near joints. I mean, it IS a possibility.

I understand that my Dr. "thinks" an anti-depressant will help me, but I also know from past experiences, that an anti-depressant is just going to be a band aid for my concern for my mysterious muscle pain.

If I can RULE out everything, and get a clean bill of health, then I TRULY believe my "concern/somewhat anxiety" will lift greatly without having to take an antidepressant! And I'll be back to the person I was 2 months ago before this flare up of pain.

I just feel that he's not taking me seriously.

He did finally admit yesterday "okay... we'll we've been blaming a lot of stuff on anxiety for too long... maybe it is time for a blood test."

But just his answer was insane to me. Blood test and or an antidepressant. Those are my only options. lol. No x-ray's of the joints, MRI, or anything...

I'm sorry, but this is stuff he does not "specialize" in in my opinion, and I feel like I should be referred to a Dr. who can rule stuff out a lot faster.

Just my 2 cents.

No, I also don't believe I truly have fibromyalgia. I've had WAY too many people tell me that, even ones that DO have it.

Anyways, I know this storm will eventually pass!

Anyways buddy... you take care! I hope YOU are doing awesome!!! :)

[cnote]

Paxiled... I've reached a low man... I went to the Dr. today to draw blood... Im' SO fatigue every single day, it's miserable. I have no appetite, yet make myself eat. I feel achy... I have odd shooting pains in left knee, elbows, shouldes... etc. I just feel ill.

I'm afraid all he is going to do is tell me my blood is NORMAL tomorrow, and suggest I start treatment on an antidepressant.

I really don't want to take anymore drugs man. I bought some magnesium tonight, and will start that. Also bought some 1000mcg vitamin B12 vitamins I'm going to start tomorrow.

Could this all be anxiety??? If it is, it's not my typical anxiety. Sure it could be my body worn out from worrying over the past 3 weeks... Could it be undiagnosed depression? I remember the commercials that say "depression hurts". lol.

It's just too much man...

Feels like I have the flu or something.

But at the same time, I have FULL FAITH I'm going to COME THROUGH without drugs!!!

I CAN DO THIS!!!

I'm still functioning! I can go to work! Film and edit. But I just feel like complete crap!!!

It's weird, my lower back pain is completely gone!! It has been for a few days! Same with the severe shoulder blade pain! But it's just this constant random pain thats in my knee cap area... like a odd burning, or little needle poking type sensation.

I can roll my finger over the right side of my knee cap, in the mushy tendon part, and it is tender to the touch.

I'm worried this could be fibromyalgia dude...

Fatigue, unexplained random pain, off and on severe low back pain, shoulder blade pain... It's been going on for 1.5 years like this... but just getting more and more strange.

THERE HAS GOT TO BE AN ANSWER!

What would make me SO happy is if my Dr. would send me to a rheumatologist to just RULE IT ALL OUT.

Heck man... maybe I have LYMES disease!??

I have had my fair share of tick bites every single summer!