lumps everywhere

[daisy7]

My pain started in the right rib area during a pregnancy. I first noticed an extremly tender lump on my lower rib. Now I have numerous "lumps" throughout my body and they are indeed painful. My doc told me I had fibromyalgia and not to worry. Well I am worried. I am fine until something hurts then I begin to think that i may have the ugly "C" word. (Oh my ribs and sternum still bother me from time to time.) Has anyone else had this issue?

[acwhhi]

I spent the last 6 weeks on an emotional rollercoaster after starting with intense pain in my right rib area that then moved to my sternum, intermittent, with periods of my nails being bluish. Then I felt the lumps along my rib and upper chest muscles. It was tender and sometimes painful. I became more worried when I felt the pain and tenderness spread down my backside of my ribs and a tender spot here and there. I was for sure I had lymphoma or some spreading cancer. I was to the point of feeling so poorly that I had no appetite, gastrointestinal issues, and was for sure I would be admitting myself to the hospital for chemo in the very near future. This was after a negative chest xray and ecg. I would feel good for a bit and then lousy again. There was a morning or two that I was sure it was going to be my last, and I was trying to keep a face as I kissed my children off to school, for what I thought would be the last time. Between the Fibro symptoms and the panic symptoms, my world was closing in and I was truly living in the moment, fearful to make any plans for the future. I even made sure all my passcodes and information was written for my husband to be able to pay bills once I was hospitalized and then died. Recently, as my muscles were tight and my sleep was interrupted with crazy periods of being in between reality and sleeping, I was doing delirium checks with myself, feeling this was spreading into my brain. I had read many of my symptoms (like bladder spasms, muscle tightness) were likely the fibro but still had no answer about the lumps. Last night I read somewhere else, and then more today, that this is common and nothing to worry about. I work in the hospital and had a doctor and a PA/ coworker feel the lumpy area and he was not concerned, that it was subdermal and not cancer. However, it was not until I read posts about the FM lumps that I have now got my life and peace o mind back. 2 mos ago I was a very healthy - green smoothies, acupuncture, going to the gym- middle aged mother of 5, who was doing quite well. What a ride!!! So glad to have resolution. I can deal with the symptoms - pain, etc- it was the not knowing that was literally killing me!  

[daisy7]

Yes there are other symptoms. Stiffness in the morning, pain and tenderness here and there. Tiredness sometimes. I had a series of bloodwork done to rule out arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. I had my gallbladder removed because I had so much pain. No stones only a polyp was found. I have had several series of bloodtests done and so far everything checks out normal. Chest x-rays were good and I also had an upper GI series done, and that was good. I did notice that some of the lumps seem to  have disappeared but I have noticed so many more, and that is what bothers me most.

[Curls]

Do you have other FM symptoms.  Are these just an add-on?  In that case they may be FM.  Do they disappear over time and then appear?  If they disappear then they are not cancer.  There is an FM symptom where lumps form under your skin.  They are solid, can hurt to press or bump against, and tend to leave after a while, and come back.  I can't for the life of me, remember what the name is, but I had that, asked my doctor and as he described it my brain clicked on with, "oh ya, I've read about that as an FM symptom."

If this is the main reason to diagnosis FM along with the rib pain during pregnancy and ongoing, I'd get a 2nd and 3d opinion.  It's not a major symptom of FM and FM involves a lot more.  A rhuemtologist is the best bet for FM diagnosing.  Even if you get a 2nd FM diagnsis (and I wouldn't tell them about the prior one in the appointment), if these are your major symptoms, I'd go for a 3rd or more opinion, so that you aren't getting brushed off for another condition.  

Please let us know as you figure out more about this.  Hope this was helpful.