where to begain to get to the end of pain

[Momgyver]

I am a 45 year old female that use to be fairly active.  Now I am lucky to get 7 days of the month were I am almost pain free… Mind you some days are better than others.

I have had chronic fatigue, back pain, bloating, GI issues and just general all over aches and pains for about a year and a half.  Lower back pain a bit longer but it was intermittent. And recently I Also experience long periods of breast tenderness (two to three weeks of the month)

I had pelvic reconstruction last March (after a 4year battle and finally going to a ppo) and for six weeks after surgery,t I seemed I was  fatigue and pain free. (Except for the surgery site, of course) It made me realize just how much every day pain I had been dealing with. Since then I have been trying to narrow down the root cause.

I was very disappointed when my lower back pain and GI issues came back with a vengeance.  After so many years of complaining, I finally had a MRI and now know that I have "evidence of degenerative disc disease with minimal disc desiccation at the l4-5 and L5-S1, degenerative facet hypertrophy was noted." They made it sound so “no Big Deal” on the report.

My current doctor wants to treat me for Fibromyalgia with anti depressants….after extensive blood work came back in normal range, though she did note that I was deficient in vitamin D and magnesium.
  I am not a big advocate for Pharmaceuticals but will use them if nessesary. After reading the fact sheet that came with the samples I am afraid of side effects, (short and long term) and that it may cover up the symptoms of the real culprit.  and for how long will I need to take them????

I guess what I want to know is could my over all pains stem from my disc issue or GI issue..  

I did decide not to take the antidepressants and have been taking 3000 IU of D3 for 3 weeks now.  The first week seemed good, but I had just finished my period. And that seems to be the 7 or so days that I get a easement of my symptoms.

Thanks in advance for thoughts and feed back

Momgyver

[Garth L Nicolson, PhD]

Response from Prof. Nicolson:  In cases where signs and symptoms are extreme or when several (20-40 or more) signs and symptoms are involved, we usually look carefully for chronic, systemic infections (cell wall deficient intracellular bacteria and viruses).  Why?  Because our research has shown that over 70% of patients have multiple infections that require treatment.

[Pfuqua]

Have you been diagnosed with fibromyalgia? I have and your symptoms sound the same as mine. After any kind of trauma to my body (root canal, car accident, neck injury) my hair has fallen out. My rhuemotologist says this is all part of the fibromyalgia. Irratable bowel syndrome is also associated with fibro. Have you seen a rhuemotologist? If not, that is the way to go. My anti depressants are critical . If I stop taking them I come undone!

[Momgyver]

Thanks for the understanding !

I  have not yet REALY had a good cry.... (gota keep a stiff lip.4 husband & kids)
I do get teary though as I think about how long it has been and what a bunch of bozo Doctors there are out there .I went to the same doc for 4 year and never met him once...(Not that I go offten).HMO conveyor belt...to think, in order to get decent care you have to put your family in the poor house...there was 20,000 for my prolape surgery that the insurance did not pay.

The MRI was not for  my tail bone. it has been broken since I was 10.. they did check to make sure tha it was still free floating,,,, I guess that it can become Calcified and cause problems. The MRI was for the lower back and hip pain.

I am not sure that I have IBS or not but I did tell all my doctors that I have crohens in my family.  I dont have bleeding and/or  enough abdominal pain to be checked  that I quess.

as to where I am today!
I did allot of research on my prolapse issues and some of the articles and Med journals pointed to some of my ailments as symptoms, especially with more sever cases of prolaps.
It made since to me!.... all my organs in the lower abdomen are attached to the back, with everything inside going south no wonder my back hurt ….. and if  fecal mater is hanging out in my system, no wonder I felt toxic.  So I was thinking.
Hurry!!!!  Surgery was the answer.!!??  I hoped that with everything back in its place and since I would be able to go like a normal person,  my back pain would ease up and my GI issues  would get better.

As I wrote in the fist post,  6 weeks after the surgery all my symptoms were back and with a vengeance  

Plus added Joint and muscles pain.
I wake up so stiff that I feel like I am 100
I gained back some of the weight I had lost 3 summers ago. So *****
I like to work out but most days just getting thru the day is a work out..lol

I think I might look for a Gastro, a RA and ortho doctor …. (A little closer to home)
Not sure if this is the direction to go now?  But it can’t hurt.
I really wish that there was a doctor Like Huge Lorry’s, Dr House.  (and that I had the bazillion dollars  get all those cool tests done)  one hour on a Mondaynight and a cure would be in sight.... GRIN

if it were only that easy.  

you said the you  have been dx w/ Chiari and cervical spinal stinosos- fibro-Hashimotos thyroiditis..isnt that in the upper back and neck?  is there surgery that can correct it, or traction therapy?  
Are your symptoms cyclical or constant… mine seem to be cyclical … I am going to start a journal to be sure.  

thanks for the ear
Momgyver

[selmaS]

I am with you emotions and all...I told my PC that most drs give Bull#@#@#! ANd he knew I was upset. I almost started crying right then.I am sooooooooooo tired of being tired and sick .Have you had an MRI because of ur tail bone? I don't want to add to ur problems, but u did say u broke it, and the spine can be the root problem for  ur fibro pain.I get confused as to what is fibro , Hashimotos or chiari pain......I have alot of the same symptoms as u.Working on the IBS....but it hasn't changed my overall pains.

Take a deep breath......u can talk or vent anytime u need to!
Godspeed
"selma"

[Momgyver]

Thank your for answering my posting! it my first

It is such a long story, I will try to not go into every detail.
but about 7 years ago between my two younger children I developed Lower back pain , with a concentration in my hips, (I do have a broken tail bone at about 10yrs of age)
I was about 50-60 lb over weight. I was never x-rayed, or any thing else, just sent to therapy.  Therapy did seem to help, some, But insurance only pays for a small amount of treatments ….got pregnant with my last and the real story begins

5 months after I stopped breast feeding my 11 month old, I lost 1/3 of my hair ( in handfuls) I could take being fat, but to loose my hair was beyond me.  Doc said post partum hormone changes… should grow back…..nope 4 months later it stared again but not as bad.  Thyroid test were normal.  GP said must be hereditary.   Not liking this….. damn genes!.

Over the next few years the back pain would come and go, normal over working and a few nasty periods,,,,,
spent one summer in a friends pool about 3 time a week, lost some weight and felt pretty good.  During this time I stared to notice that I had to splint to go #2 (pressing at the vaginal opening and perineum to give support).  Sex was becoming less fulfilling for me and I began to feel conscious of the appearance, as there was, at times, a small bulge at the opening..(asked a gyn what it was and got a short quick answer Rectocele prolaps and when I was tired of it  he would fix it and strolled out the door)  A WHAT????  This issue became a story all unto its self.

Now about a year and a half ago,
my back and hip pain returned to the point of cronic
I started to have GI issues
fatigue was starting to creep up on me..
Tired beyond belief, especially after eating, could not sit down for a minute for fear of falling asleep ( I do daycare from my home so sleeping during the day not an option)  
Diarrhea,  
Constipation,
Bloating,
Incontinence
Unable to sleep all night,
Mild shortness of breath
And over all aches were now becoming an every day occurrence.
I felt like I was falling apart….(Still do just a little more educate.) What could be wrong with me???? Mystery diagnoses at 10:00) :)
Needless to say I stopped smoking.  Had more test…one time I was little high on fasting sugar level…..( whole other story on that adventure…You know that being fat and out a shape is the diagnosed for all that ails you …..I hate hmo’s)
Looking back now and comparing to what I suffer today I did have more good days then bad back then. Now I look forward to the few days after my period when my days are fair.  The rest suck……..getting a bit teary and emotional if its ok  Ill finish in a little bit.  

Sorry!  

[selmaS]

What are all ur symptoms- when did they start.....I was told I needed vit D also- took it for a while and yesterday my dr said my vit D levels are normal, I no longer need that supplement.
I have buldging disks- not DD, at least no one said that.
U said u had an MRI- what did that entail? I have been pushing for a complete spine MRI...and am finally going to get one. I have been dx w/ Chiari and cervical spinal stinosos- fibro-Hashimotos thyroiditis.....so it is very diff to know from which dx the symptoms r coming from. Fibro can be dx when it is chiari. And because of that I am a believer in getting a complete workup to rule it all out and see what is left. When the drs say it's one thing, but ur symptoms don't fit- get more tests!!!

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma