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fibromyalgia without pain?

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Posted 8/27/2008 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
I know that the biggest part of fibromyalgia is the chronic pain, but is it possible to have it without the pain?  In March after having a cold I developed some tingling in my right hand along with a really stiff neck and shoulders.  It progressed to tingling in my right foot and then to a strange heavy sensation in my upper extremities, a lower backache, and a lot of neck/shoulder stiffness.  When I went to the doctor he immediately suggested MS as I have a brother with MS.  The MRI was negative for that as was a repeat neck MRI and a few other tests.  I am a nursing mother of 3, so I get little sleep, pick up kids all day, and sit in strange positions all day and sometimes for hours at night.  My physical therapist made many suggestions for sleeping, changing my workstation (I do medical transcription part-time), and just being more aware of when my body is in awkward positions.  My symptoms are much better with just some tingling in my foot and occasional stiffness and tingling in my hand.  Symptoms seem worse when it is damp and also seem to correlate with my menstrual period.  I am tired a lot, but as I mentioned I have 3 kids and work from home, so I don't get much sleep.  I also have tenderness (I would call it mild) at many of the tender points.  As a kid I had a lot of leg cramps, which I read could be an early indicator.  Could this possibly be fibromyalgia?  Thanks!
Posted 8/27/2008 4:51 AM (GMT 0)
I honestly don't know if it could be fibro or not. The only thing I can say, is that if you're not in pain, then it would probably make it very hard to diagnose you with fibro if you do in fact have it. Pretty much the only test they do for it is the pressure point test where the doctor presses down on certain areas to see if you are experiencing pain from it. Though for me, I didn't even realize that a lot of those spots were bothering me until the doctor started pressing down on them and the same thing could happen with you.

Of course it could be in it's early stages. I suspect that I've been dealing with fibro for many years, but I only started experiencing the pain this year.
Posted 8/27/2008 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Hi SAHMof3,

And welcome to the forum. The best way to find out the answer to your question is to have your doctor perform a physical examination on you. There are pressure points on the body (I believe 18 of them) that a doctor can press to determine if you have fibromyalgia pain on some of them ( I believe 11). You can also read the fibromyalgia 101 thread and see how you fit into the diagnosis too. It's really hard to say without the pain, just tingling, but I suppose anything is possible, but I would quess not likely. Asking your doctor is your best bet.

Anyway, my main reason for responding was to welcome you and hope that you feel well.

Gentle hugs,

Lindaloo
Posted 8/27/2008 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, stay at home mom of 3, and welcome. I'm glad you don't have MS. My fibro started out with fatigue and the pain gradually came. I had been going through all kinds of test so when I had my first flare of the all over beaten feeling it was easy for my doc to make a dx.

 

Read all the symptoms in the fibro 101 thread, even print them out, and see how many fit you.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 8/27/2008 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
I too wanted to welcome you to the forum, I agree with the others, to aks your doctor, is so hard to tell from a small amt of symtoms. You could have it, but only a doctor can steer you in the right direction, usually to a rheumatogist. thats would dx mine.
Posted 8/27/2008 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Mom of 3,
My best shot at what's going on with you is a bunch of pinched nerves in your back from posture problems and lifting liddle kiddles all day. Nursing can also bring its own set of 'tingles'. Have you tried any simple yoga? That will often get things re-set and good to go for busy moms. There is a list of simple flexibility exercises that I learned at my yoga class at a local hospital that you can do on the living room floor. Easy to do and no weird poses or freaky postures. Go to:Yogic Sciences Research Foundation Flexibility Series. Once you learn the series it takes about 20 minutes to do the whole thing and you get up refreshed and feeling great. Worth a try!
Posted 8/28/2008 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, and welcome.  With me I think it started years before it was a problem and was diagnosed.  I developed tmj,  a joint displacure in the jaw I have since read that it can  be an earlier indicator and many with fibro have this also.  With me it developed slowly and then wham, there it was fully.  You will know when you have it, hopefully your symptoms wont worsen.  See what your doc says next visit. :-) :-) sue2z
Posted 8/28/2008 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
My rheum didnt even test my trigger points just by what i told him he dx me and told me to do water aerobics. Which is good. i just got to do it.

I prined out the link Jeanie put up with the yoga and it was pretty easy, and i could feel the next moring it had done something.  And my pm wants me to so my stretches, to help strenthen by back,.

Anyways thanks Jeanie...

Posted 8/28/2008 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
You are very welcome. For fibro's my yoga instructor recommended starting with 3 or 4 reps of each and also, said to take a mild analgesic before class to help me do better. So I'd take a couple of acetophen before class and carry on. Now I don't need that because I've got the flexibility I was looking for.
Posted 8/29/2008 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome!
I am a mom of 4 with a nursling who is almost 11 months. I nite weaned him and that helped me to get better sleep. It was hard at first. Having 3 kids in 4 1/2 years with the co-sleeping really did me in. I too was originally dx. with MS because of my symptoms. Now I was told I have fibro. I too have the same type symptoms of the tingling, numbness, etc. I think it is the positions and posture. Try to improve your posture if you can.
GL and please keep in touch here.
Carolyn
Posted 8/29/2008 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
It almost sounds like neuropathy. Maybe a nerve conduction test is in order? That will find nerve damge if there is any.
Posted 8/29/2008 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
I started off with fatigue and mild aches in the legs, and pain in my hands. After 2 months, I developed numbness in my left foot, facial pain and numbness in my lips and left cheek. Then it changed to pins and needles in both arms/ hands, both legs/feet. Only after that have the aches worsened, adn I get sharp pain in different parts of my body. I'm also much more fatigued, but the numbness and pins and needles have almost gone. It is a strange DD with so many symptoms, I think it may take a while to get a dx and figure out what is the problem.

Thank you for the link Jeannie, off to check it out now :)
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