Achy only at night

Hi,
Can you be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia but only experience pain at night? Every night about 20 minutes after I lay down my body aches on the side I am laying on. It starts to ache and throb so bad that I need to switch sides. Then the other side aches and throbs so I flip-flop all night long but never really get relief. I feel like I am 100 years old when I try to turn from one side to the other. But once I get up and out of bed within minutes I feel fine and don't experience pain in my arms and legs until the next night. Does this sound like Fibromyalgia or not? My husband keeps saying I have Fibromyalgia but I just don't agree. I would have pain all the time, not just at night.

[selmaS]

It is possible to fibro and not have pain constantly during the day...the pain cycles differently on everyone, so .....I do know the pain lying in bed...I get it the same way....I also get pain during the day also.....It all depends on where u r will the fibro and other issues......I walked too much for my right ankle yesterday, so all day today it hurts like heck...it did not hurt yesterday.So it changes form day to day.
Have u been to a dr and been dx? If not get a complete check up.

good luck and Godspeed
"selma"

[chirpybirdy]

Hi Selma,
No, I have not mentioned this to my doctor. I am aftraid they will say it is all in my head because it is only at night. So I have been living with it hoping my new mattress would change things. But it hasn't. I also take OTC sleep aids a lot and Ibuprofin to help me sleep. Sometimes they help but mostly not. Last night it happened again. I sat up and rubbed my arm to see exactly where it was hurting. It isn't the joint but the upper arm muscle. It just plain aches when I lay on it. So I turned over and it felt better only to have the other side start up. It is a horrible cycle because I only get relief on the side that is up. I guess I will have to start with my general doctor and go from there.

Thanks.

[selmaS]

I went the same route...new matress, body pillows ect.....nothing helped, when I slept on my stomach, my jaw hurt, my neck it doesn't matter.Even the weight of the balnkets on my feet bother me.Tell ur dr...if he says it's in ur head, find another dr untill one does the tests needed to get a dx.
I was told it was in my head to and guess what- it is!! This is Brain related so they're half right.
Even if urs is not chiari, u need to get a dx to correctly treat ur symptoms- mwhat u r doing now is not working!
Speaking of work- do u and how many hrs a wk?

Good luck
"selma"

[Ree4tu]

Find a doctor you are comfortable talking to and have an MRI of brain, neck, and spine. Rule out anything serious.  It may be fibro if you have nothing else to explain your symptoms.  Some people with fibro are very sensitive if anything touches them.


Warm Regards,

Ree4tu

[Sweetgirl53]

I have the same problem.  I've been dx'd with fibro for many, many years and I toss and turn ALL night long.  Just like you, I'll get settled and then my shoulder will start to hurt so I flip over.  Then before long, my other shoulder or hip starts to hurt.  After the MRI route there's nothing particularly wrong with my neck or shoulder so my dr is assuming that it's fibro.  I agree with Ree4tu...some people with fibro really hurt when something touches them and this could possibly be what you're experiencing.  Keep working with your doctor and don't fall for the it's in your brain answer.  Good Luck!

[chirpybirdy]

How do they actually diagnose Fibro? Does something actually show up on the MRI if you actually have Fibro?

Yes, I do work full time. I work four 10 hour days and have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off every week. My days are long. I am usually gone almost 12 hours a day if you count your commute into your day. But like I said, my pain is usually only a night thing. My neck sometimes feels a little bit stiff during the day but that is probably because I sleep in funny positions trying to get pressure off my arms and legs. I tend to turn over onto my belly for a good portion of the night but this causes neck pain after too long on my belly.

Last night I broke down and took an OTC sleep aid. I try not to take them on work nights because it is so hard to get out of the drug fog. But I did take one along with my nightly Ibuprofin. I slept pretty good. I only woke a few time to turn over otherwise I slept through most of the night. But I don't want to start a prescription sleeping pill because then it opens another door for addiction problems that I don't want to deal with.

Jane

[junie37]

Just to support other remarks here, I have most of my pain at night as has been stated by others but notice if there is a change in weather, or I use joints such as wrist repetatively then may have day time pain also. I too constantly have to change positions at night, never comfortable for vy long in one position. Sometimes find that sitting up in a recliner helps but that depends a lot on the recliner too.  I have tried Lyrica ( didn't continue ) and Cymbalta for a short time. Like Jane, I do not want to get on meds. Trazadone has been the one med that helped me get sleep but do have that doped feeling in the morning ( some say it wears off after abt 10 days when the body has adjusted ). I take it occasionally.
                        PJ

[selmaS]

there are trigger points w/fibro and if u have so many u r classified as a fibro person. They also do blood work.I've been told that there are thosse that were told they had fibro, when in fact they had chiari.So find a good through dr and get all the tests done!
I was checked for lupus , MS....lyme ect....keep asking the drs. and push, push , push for answers u understand and a dr u r comfortable with!

Stress contributes to fibro, and pain in general.Relax when u can.

Good luck
"selma"

[Monkey1mill]

Have you been tested for Restless Leg Syndrome? My neuro sent me for a sleep study to see if I had it and if it could make my fibro worse. I do have it in both my arms and legs. It is worse at night but if I get up and walk and use my arms for a while it helps. check with your dr and see if he will setup a sleep study for you. Hope it helps but it won't hurt.

feel better

Monkey1mill