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Fibro diagnosis after suffering trauma to your spine???

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Posted 8/24/2010 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
It's me again! turn

I suffered severe trauma to my spine in 2001 after being involved in a bad car accident.  I also suffered nerve and muscle damage as well.  I did one and a half years of physical therapy.  My life when down hill after that.  Since 2001 I have been in 4 additional car accidents (none of them my fault by the way!)  So my spine has suffered a lot and I have been paying the price ever since.  I'm in pain all day every day.  I was diagnosed with fibro in 2006.  Is there anyone else that has been diagnosed with fibro after suffering any trauma to their spine, nerves, and/or muscles?  Just wondering. 

Like I said before, my husband thinks that fibromyalgia "isn't real" and that i'm crazy.  He believes that I'm in pain but it's due to my spine trauma, nerve damage, muscle damage, and thyroid disease.  He only believes this because he has seen medical records from my pain and spine specialist and my neuro.  I so totally disagree with him!  My pain is sooo real and it is NOT normal to feel like I have been run over by a  truck and have this chronic fatigue in addition to my thyroid disease and back problems.  UGH! sorry to vent on you guys.... LOL 

Posted 8/24/2010 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Mysoulsings,

Quick answer, yes, you are correct.

Longer answer - you should have been a fly on the wall today in my first appointment with my rheumy. I have had two bad car accidents as well that affected neck and back for me. Also - had a severe lower back injury while working one day dealing with something far too heavy on an industrial type cart pulling it in an awkward manner. The pain radiated into my toes, and I had muscle twitches that were insane. It took me forever to heal. After they dropped me from physical therapy, I wasn't even remotely fixed! I worked on it myself with a back care book with yoga exercises, meditation and other such things. During that time, even the tags on my clothing nearly sent me through the roof with pain. He said that (among other things) can trigger the fibro onset. It is very well known to rheumy's who know fibro - according to him. He also commented that people with fibro are usually the ones that don't heal from the physical therapy - or at least not on the time table of a healthy person - it takes us months if not years in some cases.

Sort of wiped out tonight so I hope this makes sense. You're not nuts.
Posted 8/25/2010 4:38 AM (GMT 0)
ChickenPrincess

Yeah, I agree that we don't heal from physical therapy. Well at least I sure didn't. I've done physical therapy time and time again and it never helps. It's alway a complete waste of time. How did the yoga work out for you? I've been thinking about doing yoga to see if it helps.
Posted 8/25/2010 1:13 PM (GMT 0)
I really like the yoga exercises - but they are super gentle ones. Some of the ones I see in other books and online look daunting to me in comparison. If you have access to a library consider asking if they can find a book for you: Healing Back Pain Naturally by Dr. Art Brownstein. It's all pretty cool. He is a medical doctor - teaches at a teaching hospital in Hawaii now ---- but in his military days he totally blew out his back and actually went through (failed) surgeries. He already had his western medical training, but then he went to India to learn Eastern methods. It might not be everyone's tastes, but both my b/f and I each found it really useful to our back problems. (My b/f blew out a couple discs while in the military.) Even if you only like it for the exercises, he has pictures with each one - and they're designed to protect your back through positioning. Like I said, cheaper to check it through the library in case it isn't your cuppa tea.

Hope it helps. :)
Posted 8/25/2010 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Many people have developed fibro after accidents.  Sometimes after illnesses, too.  Also, thyroid problems can cause even more pain.  I hope you are being taken care of for that, too. 

 

Print out Doctors Respond To New York Times Article.  It can be found in Fibro 101.  Have your hubby read this.  No, it's not all in  your head.  He needs to learn a few things about fibro and start to be more supportive of you.  It isn't easy living with this...especially if your family doesn't support or believe you.  We do, here, so talk with us. 

 

Sherrine

Posted 8/25/2010 7:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Sherrine smilewinkgrin

 

It is very hard for me because I have no support at all.  I've had showed my husband so many articles, have tried to explain it different ways but he does not believe in fibro period.  He is supportive when he see's me in excruciating pain.  He does ALL the house work, cooks, does laundry on the days that I cannot even move.  So it is good in that aspect, I just wish he would understant that it's not just pain I deal with.  I was diagnosed with thyroid disease at the age of 18 yrs.  I try really hard to keep up with my treatment but I'm not responding well to the synthetic hormones any more.  I need to do some research on Armour Thyroid compound.  I know some people that are on it and everyone says they feel 100% better since they started it. 

Posted 8/25/2010 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
I think I've heard good things about Armour for thyroid problems.  It is worth checking into because your thyroid can cause a lot of symptoms, too.

 

The article I mentioned is written by doctors explaining what happens with fibro patients.  You see, there was an article in the New York Times that basically was saying what your hubby is saying.  This upset many of the doctors that are studying and dealing with this illness so it's an eye-opener for your hubby.  At least I hope so!

 

Sherrine

Posted 8/25/2010 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Mysoulsings, have you read a book by endocrinologist Ken Blanchard called "what your doctor may not tell you about hypothyroidism"? He does talk about the t3 and t4 hormones. Most doctor's think we only need T4 and don't bother with T3. Many patients do fine that way - but some need the T3. Aside from the amour, there is also the possibility of adding separate t3 to your existing prescription of t4. I believe some docs feel the ratio of t3 to t4 in armour might not be ideal over time, hence the reason to get a separate t3 rx. I remember reading something about using a compounding pharmacy for all of this is another option (at your doctor's request of course.) It has been a lot of years since I looked into this - but I think what I just wrote is accrurate. I'd recommend double checking my info. (Hypothyroidism runs in my family.)
Posted 8/25/2010 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the info ChickenPrincess.

 

My provider checks a full Thyroid Panel (Free T3, Free T4, TSH, T3, T4).  We do this every 3 months since my thyroid levels have been out of wack in the last 5 yrs.  She is AMAZING and I consider myself so lucky to have found someone like her.  She always does a consult with one of the other doctors in the clinic before she alters any of my meds.  This other doc is a doctor of osteopahty and is extremely knowledgeable in thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibro.  I've been doing better for almost 3 yrs now.  I also do Cytomel (Liothyronine).  My meds are adjusted after we get the blood work.  If levels are too low or too high.  Cytomel (T3) is the med that we have been adjusting if needed.  I'm just DESPERATE smhair at this point!  I'm tired of "being tired".  I called my provider this afternoon to ask what she thought about switching to Armour Thyroid.  I am still waiting for the clinic to call me back.  I trust her judgement so I will do what she thinks is best.  She is the one that has helped me with the fibro too.

Posted 8/25/2010 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
ChickenPrincess.....I forgot

You are absolutely right about doctors just checking T4 levels.  Some only check TSH levels.  My previous doctor sucked.  She increased my dose of thyroid med instead of lowering it.  It was awful I was getting really bad heart palpitations, loosing my hair.  I went back and saw a different doc.  All he had to say was......"ooh it seems like you had your dose increased when in reality she should of decreased your dose".  I was so upset and started looking for another doctor right away.  After my new provider looked at my records from my previous doctor she was amazed at the fact that the only thyroid leves that were checked were just the TSH levels.  No wonder I was so screwed up and felt crumby all the time!!!

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