General Chat

nudging for Kaz

my gp says its emotional and physical trauma causes, and though ive heard anti depressants may help with seratonin, he refuses to give me anything like that

Issue no 3 of 'that's life' (have started doing the puzzles again to wake up my brain, and for when the computer doesn't work!) has an article on FM - the poor woman was first sent for tests in case she had CJD! I know I am a mad cow, but thank goodness the doctors never suggested that to me when I first went with my symptons!! It says that there are around 14,700 new cases in the UK each year and around 90% of those affected are women. Although the causes are unknown, suggested reasons include a lower level of seratonin (a feelgood chemical in the brain), viral infection, disturbed sleep patterns, and emotional or physical trauma.

you know what its a comfort to have the symptoms understood, i thought i got hot flushes didnt know that was another FM symptom, but i get ready for work in morning and have to change before i go out cos my top is damp, then my arms are cold but im scared to go out in a coat cos im so bleepin hot, it really helps to share and read others doesnt it

Sally - thank you for that .................. I always feel like I want the warmth of a jumper on my arms - but no where else - get hot flushes a lot these days anyway so that doesn't help - half the time I need to be in short sleeves or sleeveless tops ............... can't win LOL Take care and I hope you get back to some normality soon xx

Ann sorry to hear you are poorly. I have been suffering from fm for many years!!!!!! had tests done for everything under the sun.it does not show up in blood tests,and it is now called the silent disability.for by all the other symtoms,you can also suffer from an internal heat , you are cold on the outside which makes the pain worse,but because of the internal heat you cant cover up,as you then feel claustrophobic,,,which in my case caused me panic attacks,,,,which I hope Im not causing you now,,,,, I have it from head to feet, and recently spent 6 weeks in bed because of it,and another 4 weeks to get back on my feet,,still struggling a bit,,but getting there,,,,the worse thing for me was the not knowing,,,as my imagination was on overtime...my GP told me I was suffering the same pain as someone with arthritis,,only all over my body,,,,I cant have painkillers as im allergic to them and anti inflammatories,,,although there are a lot out there that do work for many people,,I just have a poor system,,,,massasge helps for a bit ,,aromatherapy...and screaming at OH works wonders!!! but the only advice I can give you is dont give in to it ,,it's not easy , I know, you have your up days and your down days,,,I have a worpt sense of humour,,thats how I get by,,and my lot are nuts too , so there a great help. I really do hope you dont have fm.and I am an oddity,so take this with a pinch of salt.but as I said before there is a lot of great medication out there....and one day there will be something I can take,,,in the mean time,,,,theres always the bottle , ha ha . good luck , will think about you and offer up a prayer. Sally x .

ok thanks it doesnt show up FM on bloods, only thing close to it is they can detect swelling of joints from bloods, the points my gp told me for fm are backs of shoulder either side then go down to just below on tops of ribs , base of spine, either side of base like hips, then either side of knee joints ankles and wrists, oh and base of skull either side just under hair line o--------------o shoulders ( *** 1**** ) (**** 1**** ) o*** 1***o ribs ( *** 1**** ) ( **** 1**** ) o**** 1 *** ohips the 1 down middle is spine dont know if this explains it better lmao

Julie Anne - I get it hun lol Yes I have been told FM doesn't show on bloods - but I haven't discussed FM with GP yet - it was only reading on here after I had my initial consultation that made me wonder. For now he is checking out any arthritic disease .................

Thanks Julie Anne I went for blood tests last Friday - altho they couldn't do them all as GP forgot to tell me one of them was a fasting one - so now my full set of results will be delayed by 5 days as I have to have the fasting one done this week ................ Will keep you all posted xx

im so glad another threads been started i hope you get the diagnoseis soon mcanne its half the battle, i saw a rheumatologist 2 in fact and they said its not arthritis, and sent me packing , in the end after years of suffering my own gp said its fibromyalgia, i have had numerous anti inflamatorys to try, in fact ive tried the lot ibuprofen brufen celebrex, arcoxia meloxicam vioxx, week before it was withdrawn, it helps i work in pharmacy, all the above made me bad, arcoxia i ended up in hospital now i take tramacet, mix of tramadol and paracetamol, but the pain is awful if im honest, you just feel guilty at keeping on saying that, i get the burning in my collar bone neck, base of skull aches , headaches get severe when they are here, elbows wrists, shoulders, knees and ankles, fingers all hurt, and some areas are now swollen, most times when i sit now i have trouble straightening, and hobble till i get going, i layin the bath every morning to help me feel human before i go to work, and every night to help ease it, the trick is dont be fobbed off by doctors, keep on till the give you answers, as for periods i kept on till i got a hysterectomy, they said it was normal to have one for 32 days none stop heavy, with a day break and start again, only when i mentioned my health plan did the doctor say i can do it within a month, !!!!!!!!!! keep at um mcanne

thanks anne right now i could quite easily go to bed lol. i feel tired all the time. dawn my left knee is painful so is my ankle.it actually feels as though it is on fire and feels twice the size,although it isnt lol. i get burning pain in my shoulders and neck. a couple of years ago i went to the dr with the knee problem and he put it down to water on the knee.so i accepted it and plodded on.but it has never been right. as i dont drive i have to walk from client to client in my job.i used to be able to get from one house to another in 5 minutes but recently i find its taking me abt 10 minutes as my legs feel like lead lol. my boss has noticed this aswell but she is lovely so im ok there lol. i will let you all know how i get on next week. susie

Hi Susie You've done the best thing ............. that's the trouble see, we all just carry on and ignore things - blimey if I went to my GP for every pain or weird thing I have I'd need a season ticket LOL Unlike you and others, I don't have the 'exhaustion' to the extent that I have to rest - I just feel really lifeless at times and take ages to 'come round' once I get up at the weekends. Weekdays I know I can't afford to hang about cos I have work. But I spend a lot of time inbetween tasks etc just sitting on the sofa. My back is a killer when it starts - I always put it down to some kind of 'wear and tear' as it started during a time when I was also working a weekend job at Tesco and was on my legs constantly and doing heavy lifting ............. I would come home some times and spend the remainder of the day crashed on the sofa cos it was early hours too. Sometimes I would push thru it and go do the garden - I used to be able to garden all day long - now I only have to mow and clear my tiny lawn and I am done in!! So whether or not it is related to my current symptoms I don't know. Good luck with your appointment. I would just add also - as Dawn has mentioned the difficulties she has with trying to type correctly ........... I am a trained touch typist, and while no where near as bad as Dawn, I have noticed that I seem to either hit the wrong letters now or reverse the correct ones within a word ?!?!?!??

Susie I dont just get the pain I get burning in joints/muscles cant sit or lie down for long without some pain

anne thankyou for replying.and im glad youve had your bloodtests.i hope everything proves ok. sorry i have only just answered but im so exhausted i went and laid on the bed lol. ive decided to make an appointment to see the dr next week. hes been my family dr for 30yrs and knows me inside out so hopefully he can tell me what the problem is without having all the blood tests lol. at the moment im shuffling from side to side writing this as my hips are so painful. like you anne,my back hurts even by doing the most smallest of tasks.ive now had enough and need some answers lol susie

I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 43 had to finish work Im 59 now But last Nov was really off colour been to the docs I have the symptoms of fibromyalgia. the prickly skin ....headache ....jaw terribly painful....arms elbow wrists feet knees .........not sleeping up between 12 30am and 2 30am every night...I have diabetis and diverticular disease. my doc is messing about but I have to go 26th Jan and will ask if she thinks this is what I have got the pain is terrible today Linda

Well I have been for my blood tests this morning - altho one of them was a fasting one and the GP didn't tell me this, so I have to go back again next Friday for that one - so this means initial results won't be fully analysed for probably 3 weeks now :O((( Susie - I think someone said before that no one person has identical symptoms with another, but yes yours do sound similar. I for one have not had any stomach problems other than period pains, but that could be for any number of reasons. However - I have been suffering terribly with my lower back for about 3 years now - simple tasks like............ - changing the bed - hanging out washing - washing up - walking amlessly/wandering about rather than with purpose anything that involves standing and/or bending or leaning forward, can trigger the most nagging of pain that then requires painkillers and resting !!!!!

i have just read this thread and am in shock!! for the last 2 months my legs have felt like lead and the muscles are so painful i can hardly walk some days. my hips aches, as does my lower back. i am constantly tierd which i have put down to working and looking after mum,but now im not so sure. its my day off today and i didnt wake up untill 11am but i felt as though i hadnt been to sleep.just starting to feel awake now lol. my arms also ache most days and the pains seem to jolt me. as im sat here writing this i can feel the pressure in my hips and the muscles in my thighs have gone numb. does this ring any bells with any of you? susie

Hi Anne I was diagnosed some years ago with Fibromyalgia and had many of the symptoms listed in above replies. A few years later, I had a slightly painful and swollen stomach on one side, so had more tests. An x-ray revealed an enlarged spleen so I had blood tests which showed I'd had glandular fever. They then decided that I actually had M.E. but I think they're quite similar. Hope they get you sorted, a diagnosis at least is better than not knowing and wondering. Love Mandy xx

Thanks for the further input......... Sheila - I did question my GP whether it could be menopausal as I am showing other symptoms - my blood tests tomorrow also include checking whether I am Peri-Menopausal.

Good luck McAnne. Over the last three years I have seen a massage therapist, three physios, two rheumatologists and 3 GPs. I have had seven diagnoses, six of which are proven not correct, and have finally been told that my muscle and joint pain is a symptom of the menopause and I should take paracetamol if it gets too bad! Somehow I'm not convinced, but at the moment I can't face doing battle with my doctor again. Sheila