Your insight please

[SylvieC]

Here’s my story.  A year and a half ago I went to my doctors practically in tears complaining of pain mainly in my hips, shoulders (including the burning sensation) and elbows.  I was extremely tired and having a hard time sleeping.  I also had major brain fog during the day.

She ran a whole bunch of tests and came back negative.  She prescribed medication that would help me with my REM sleep and I have to admit they helped a lot and since then I have minor pain but feeling much better.  She increased it to 75 mg and I’m really trying not to increase the dose because I feel really groggy in the morning.

Up until that points, probably 3 months after having regular visits with her, I finally asked her what was my diagnose and she said I probably had some form of Fibromyalgia. It’s the “some sort of Fibromyalgia” that had me worried.  All she said is to keep on taking the medication and continue to exercise.   That’s what I have been doing and things were pretty good until now.

I have 2 questions I’m hoping some of you can shed some light on.

1) I have spoken to people who have Fibromyalgia and people that know someone who has it.  The symptoms seem to be so different for everyone.  Do I need to have all the symptoms and be in constant pain to have this? I seem to feel like maybe I have something instead of Fibromyalgia.

2) Does stress level have anything to do with the increased symptoms?  I’ve just received really bad news about my mom’s ovarian cancer and now all the symptoms seem to be coming back with a furry.  Again, mainly the pain and burning in my shoulders, my hips and the tiredness and brain fog.  I have a long few months ahead and I’m hoping I will have the strength to get through it.

Thank you in advance for you insight.

Sylvie

[melo1224]

Is sure sounds like Fibro. And yes stress will bring it all on with a fury!! Try to control your stress the best as possible which I know is impossible. I went through a few years of sickness with my father and it was just a bad time all the way around.
I'm 30 and have been diagnoised for 12 years.The best advice I can offer is to allow yourself to feel what you feel. Don't think you are crazy, I think acceptance of Fibromyalgia is key to living the best that you can. It's hard to tolerate when you're in pain and soo many test come back negative. You want them to find a cause for your pain but more times than not they will say everything is fine. Just find some good support and a good doctor. I personally have avoided long term medications. I will take something during a flare but I never stay on anything too long. I try to exercise a few times a week. I just do what I can, some weeks I'm able to go full speed and have a great work out with weight training and cardio. Other weeks I'm limping along on a cardio machine, sometime I have to just leave and go home defeated. However when I can tolerate a workout it improved my condition. Please be encourged, you're not alone. Good luck!

[PlateletGal]

"Does stress level have anything to do with the increased symptoms?"

Definitely !

[patsy10]

I don't know if you have FMS or not but remember fibro is not a disease it's a syndrome, meaning,  it's a group of symptoms without a known cause.  Some diseases can cause fibro symptoms like the autoimmune diseases , lyme disease etc...You might want to make sure everything is ruled out.