could this be fibromyalgia?

[ALT76]

It's funny, I actually have my first appt w/a rheumatologist this Weds, to be checked for Lupus.  However, everything seems to be hitting the fan this week and with recent symptoms, I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't fibromyalgia.  I know he can check for that too though, so I thought I'd get some opinions here.  A brief history:  I'm 31, and for the past I'd say 8 years I've been battling illness after illness, (including 2 bouts of mono - the second of which was just last year) constantly feeling tired and achy and almost always having a sore throat and swollen glands.  My OBGYN suggested the lupus check when I went for an annual, and she noticed the glands in my throat and I told her that swelling was standard, and then I told her I frequently have pain at the top outside (under my arm) of both breasts, and I thought those were just swollen glands.  That's when she suggested I get checked, since I'm currently trying to conceive.  About 3 years ago I had severe abdominal pain, but I didn't have insurance and the clinic thought it may be a gallstone, but I couldn't get it checked out so I suffered through it.  Last year I had similar pain, this time with insurance, and had an abdominal CT scan and it was normal.  About 2 years ago my ankle swelled and started giving me pain, and I had it x-rayed and they said it was fine.  Since then the pain comes and goes (seemingly with no rhyme or reason) and no one else has looked into it in 2 years.  Then, just last week I started having pain in the same leg, in the shin.  Also coming and going, and it doesn't seem to matter if I've been active or at rest.  When it happens, there is nothing I can do to "get" to the pain - I can't massage it, or stretch my leg - nothing seems to touch it or affect it.  Then on Monday night I had unbelievable, scary chest pains.  Pain shooting out my back, to both shoulders etc... I told myself it was gas, even though I'd never experienced gas that high or painful before.  The next morning it was back, but not as sharp, and I was still getting the leg pain.  I called my doc and they made me go to the ER immediately.   I got a CT scan of my chest, which was normal, my Electrocardiogram was slow but normal, and an ultrasound of the top of my leg, to check for clots - also normal.  They said my CBC was "beautiful" and "perfect".  They claimed the chest pain could be reflux, but it doesn't burn and I've had heartburn about 10 times in my entire life - I've never had a problem with it and never so much as taken a tums.  This chest pain has been intermittent ever since, and last night during an episode I noticed for the second time that if I pressed on both sides of my chest a couple inches below my collar bone, it was very tender.  A couple hours later it felt as though I had done 200 push-ups.  I went to bed and now I feel like I spent all day yesterday moving furniture!  (which I didn't do any strenuous activity!).  My upper body ACHES horribly, particularly those spots on my chest.  I've tried massaging, but it only seems to make it hurt more.  Any thoughts what it could be?  Like I said - chest CT was normal, bloodwork was normal. ????

[LPCCSM]

So, what did the doctor diagnosis you with? If the doctor is not asking for specific things to be checked in your blood then they do not get checked. Just because a doctor states he did a blood test does not mean that he check for the correct things. Did the doctor check for white blood cell count, low microbial virulence, elevated ESR, breakdown in nucleotides, excessive uric acid, or making sure you do not still have mono or a similar virus present? My husband's vist to the rheumatologist was a joke. The rheumatologist told him that he did not have Lupus, the end. Ask for a specialist that is for Fibro not arthitis, they are not the same thing. I have not been able to convience my husband yet, but my girlfriend that has Fibro swears that it has made a difference in her life to work with a doctor that listens and doesn't say stupid things, like it all in your head.

[oliviamarie12345]

OMG i was just recently diagnosed and was wondering about thirst!!! I drink so much water when I was in high school my teacher told my mother she thought I had a bladder problem. I wonder if thirst and fibromyalgia are connected?!

[sfbaygirl]

I hear ya. I have been off work for over 3 years. I was on Chemo for a year, didn't clear the stuff and now have fibromyalgia.  When it rains it pours, huh?  I think the FM can be caused by some of these things. Massages seem to hurt me more too. Check out the Lyricia with your Rhemy. I hope it will work for you. It does for some and not others. Sounds like you have a lot more than the fibro going on. So do I, but at least it is working for now and pain meds just sort of ease the pain....so I am greatful for that!

Lidna

[ALT76]

Man!  That's only the half of it!  I got dx'd with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome a year and a half ago, was on evil hormones trying to get pregnant for 7 months, during that time I had 3 ovarian cysts rupture, plus the mono, and literally was getting sick EVERY month!  Then I just had surgery in December to check for endometriosis - and sure enough... I've got that too!  I've spent a good part of the last year and half laid up for one thing or another!  This month I was supposed to start injections to try to get pregnant again, but it may have to wait til I get the rest of this **** sorted out!

[sfbaygirl]

Wow, sounds like you have been through an ordeal!  I was dx'ed with Fibro several months ago, after a year of horrible pain. I had the pain for about a year and a half before that. My rhemy watched my symtoms and decided it was FM. He put me on Lyricia which as helped a lot! I had pain in my chest and shoulders, sometimes like a 12 on the pain scale. Now I am doing better. I hope it lasts. Yes, mine comes and goes at times. I do get some pain now and again on the Lyricia but nothing like it was before. I tried Neurontin too. It drove me nutz!  Good luck with the rhemy! Let us know!

Linda

[ALT76]

I forgot to mention that for about 3 years now I've had unquenchable thirst.  I drink about 2 gallons of water a day, I'm up all night alternating between drinking and peeing, and I've ALWAYS got to have water with me wherever I go.  I've been tested many times for diabetes and my thyroid, and all is fine in that area.