Could it be Fibro?

I'm a 24 year old female, who, until November 2006 was in good health with the exception of kidney stones. I posted in the Heart forum before, but this is my first time in the Fibromyalgia forum.

I started having left side chest pain and left shoulder pain and went to the ER, where they did an EKG which came out fine. The pain continued and I started having bad muscle pain all over, in my arms, jaw, ribs, and upper back. I've also had tingling on the left side of my face, hands and feet. I saw a Cardiologist who did an EKG and a Stress Test and Echocardiogram, all of which they said were normal.

I've never had pain in my ribs before, and it's on both sides, even going into my back. I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I have has saline breast implants since 2002.

All this random pain is very new, it feels like it just came out of nowhere.

Could this be fibro or is it something else?

Any help is appreciated

[idesofmarch]

I don't think that it is Fibro for one reason. Fibro causes pain on both sides of the body and both halves up and down.  You should look into your saline implants though.  Do you breasts look normal to you?  Any dipples showing, one flatter than other, one lower than other etc?  You should look up symptoms of leaking breast implants to see if your symptoms match.  Other than that I don't have a clue but don't give up on finding out what is causing these symptoms, it could be serious.  Good Luck

[Barbarella]

Are you under a LOT of stress?  I had similar pains like yours once and it was caused by stress.  The pain in the ribs the docs told me was "neuralgia" in my case caused by stress.

Stress and anxiety can give you the feeling of serious illnesses including heart attacks, just to find out that there is nothing physical wrong with you.

[*Robin*]

The pain is on both sides of my body. My implants look normal and my Plastic Surgeon doesn't think there's a problem. All of ny tests have come back normal, which is why my Dr. thinks it's Fibro.

I've had the following tests, all normal

MRI of Brain
MRI of Cervical and Thoracic Spine
CT Scan of Stomach
Tests for Lupus and Lyme Disease
Many EKG's
2 Echocardiograms
Stress Test

The Dr.'s don't know what else it could be. My Dr. touched a few points in my back and when I said they were tender, she said she thought it was Fibro.

I have pain in my arms, knees, thighs, ribs, and back a lot.

Do you have any other ideas, I just don't know what else it could be?

[*Robin*]

No, I'm not under any stress, aside from the stress of not knowing what's been going on with me for 2 months.

These symptoms came on Thanksgiving Day and never left, but have gotten progressively worse. The pain has traveled. Before Thanksgiving, I had no stress and wasn't anxious or anything like that.

I saw my Dr. yesterday and she feels that it is fibro, as all other tests are negative and these symptoms don't point to anything.

[idesofmarch]

You  say it is on both sides of body and thighs. What about knees, ankles, feet, arms, hands, neck, low back & buttocks? Did it all start at one time or  did more things show  up after you started stressing about the first days of symptoms? You may have fibro or you maybe making things worse by worrying about it.  Do you have any other sytems that started around the same time? Anything that you think has nothing to do with the rest of your symptoms?

[Barbarella]

Ask your doctor to refer you to a Rheumatologist.  They can tell you for sure if its fibro.  

Did your doctor ever order a bone scan?

[*Robin*]

I have pain and tenderness in my knees, arms, hands, neck, low back buttocks. I haven't noticed much in the ankles and feet.

It initially started with the chest and left shoulder pain, then progressed into sharp, shooting pains down both arms (thankfully that only happens every so often). I also have pain in between my wrists and elbows and a lot in the back of my knees.

I don't recall any other symptoms that began with my original symptoms, except for occasional numbness and tingling in my hands and feet and burning on one side of my face.

I had an EMG and EEG that were both fine, so there was no neuropathy or anything.

Anything you can add is greatly appreciated.

[*Robin*]

I'm supposed to make an appointment with the Rheumatologist on Monday. Hopefully he can see me soon.

No, my doctor never ordered a bone scan. What does that look for?

[*Robin*]

My primary Dr. told me that many male doctors don't recognize Fibro because there's no test for it except for the Tender Points Test, so they just overlook it.

I hope that's not the case with this Rheumatologist. After having all these pains for 2 months, I just want to know what it is.

[Barbarella]

The reason I mentioned the bone scan because my husband had lots of pain in his shoulder and hips.  They said they were looking for arthritis/bursitis and that the bone scan would show (he also had X-rays and Ct scan).  But it didn't show anything.  It turned out that his shoulder pain was because of a chip/crack in his shoulder which the MRI finally showed and that was the cause of his big pain in his shoulder, he had to have it operated on this last Friday.  The hip pain didn't show anything on the bone scan or the Xrays/Ct scan.

He is not the stressed out nervous time, and the total opposite from me.  He also doesn't worry about anything.  His pain in his hips so far we could not find out yet what the causes.

[Barbarella]

I meant to say he is not the nervous/stressed out TYPE, don't know how "time" got in there :)

[Barbarella]

You're right.  Lots of doctors and even some Rheumatologists do not recognize fibromyalgia.  Just like for yrs they didn't recognize panic attacks, didn't recognize white coat hypertension.  

It takes somebody famous, with a famous name to have an illness like that for the doctors FINALLY to recognize it and not brush it/us off as "hyper and its all in our heads".

[PlateletGal]

Hi Robin,

Just a suggestion. Before you see the Rheumatologist, you may want to find out if he/she recognizes and treats fibromyalgia patients'. It can save you time, money and agony if you do and you have fibromyalgia. I know my Rheumatologist didn't believe in fibro or CFS and I know Rheumatologists all over the country are getting swamped with people like us and some of them are upset about it. In my case, I also had a very high ANA titer (1:640)

[PlateletGal]

Good luck with the Rheum. You may want to contact his office and see if he can treat and diagnose fibro. I know I was disappointed when I saw that Rheumatologist and wish I had never made the appointment. He was useless... told me he was taught not to believe in CFS or fibro. And here I had a very high ANA titer --- the same range that people w/ lupus and tissue connective diseases have ! I remember sobbing when I walked out of the office. Now I have competent physicians' who have diagnosed me and are treating me. If I ever need a new physician, I will check them out thoroughly before I see them.

[idesofmarch]

Yeah make sure whatever doctors you have an appt. with does believe in what you think you have.  I see where you may have fibro or other auto-immune disease but I stll have a feeling that the shoulder/arm problem may be a seperate problem. Good luck with your appt. Hope you find the right answers.

[Truthfinder]

Robin, the tests for Lyme are notorious for false-negatives.

Also, if the infection is recent, it won

[Kalio1]

Im sorry for all that have received this diagnosis, it is hard to suffer from something that doctors and others claim "doesn't exist" when you know it exists because you have the symptoms! Remember, many illnesses are treated this way simply due to the doctors not having any real answers. Years ago they used to tell women with endometriosis it was all in their head too, before they finally identified that disease so try to stay positive and hope answers come someday. In the mean time, an excellent diet and exercise and possibly some good supplements can't hurt.

I hope anyone who has received a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia OR CFS has been tested for Hepatitis C. There are often NO clues that you even have this virus and doctors misdiagnose people with it all the time. The symptoms are attributed to age or menopause or "depression" the old catch all diagnosis. Many people suffer from this disease but are misdiagnosed as having Fibro or CFS. Please have the blood test for Hep C to make sure you don't have it. Checking your liver enzymes is not enough, you have to have a specific blood test to make sure Hep C isn't the culprit. It is not true that only those who have used drugs in the past can contract this virus, if you have been to the dentist or had a surgery, air gun vaccination,ear peircing in a public setting. a tattoo or a manicure/pedicure at any time in your past, then please be tested for it. Although the chances are small of contracting it, they do exist, you CAN pick this virus up in medical/clinical settings. Be tested, ask for it, they do not test for it routinely.


Virtually all the symptoms of CFS and Fibromyalgia can also be attributed to extra hepatic manifestations of Hepatitis C. This disease is epedemic in our country, an estimated 5 million people have it and have no idea they have it. Most people have never even heard of it even though it is the NUMBER ONE reason for liver transplantation in America today. It is not a liver disease either, that is a misconception. It is a BLOOD disease and can affect many areas of your body and wear your immune system down. Please, be tested to make SURE you don't have it and it isn't what is causing your symptoms.

[victory28]

I suffer with a very painfull body.I get very stiff neck for days then it will simply dissapear for weeks then come back.I have very painfull knees and feet.I struggel with stiffness of my body that is worsend by a simple task as cleaning my house.It takes me 2 to 3 days to recuperate after cleaning my house.I get frozen shoulders if I pick something that is just slightly heavy and this is very painfull.I have backacke constantly that makes walking very uncomefortable.I get very depressed as it has restricted me from anything that is physical.I enjoy my sewing but find sewing a few hours will cause alot of pain in my elbows and fingers when I get up the next day.I do have osteoarthiritis,but could I have fibro as well.
Thank you