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Joint pain: Does that mean it's not fibro?

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Posted 3/6/2011 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Before I go any further, I wanted to let all of you know how life-changing this has been for me...to be in this community. This is awful, and it keeps getting worse. But after a long crying spell, I drag myself to the computer, read these threads, and I feel better. So thanks to all of you.

I am new here, just diagnosed by a rheumy with fibro. Sounds very reasonable to me, now planning treatment. But there is a hitch: My PCP told me the other day, "I don't think you have fibro. That guy is wrong. Your pain seems to be "jointy...mostly around the joints. And that's not fibro." He also said: "You have lots of joint cracking..especially your knees, and that's not fibro either." I am looking for some reaction to this. What do you all think? You get cracking? Joint pain? I can even feel my back "shifting" for lack of a better word. Anyway. I felt better getting a diagnosis, but now I am doubting it due to my PCP, whom I have always trusted...

Any feedback would be great..

 

Posted 3/6/2011 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi FibroProf,

You can have Fibro and other things wrong at the same time. I am a perfect example, and yes, my joints crack and pop and swell and hurt. I have OA, EOA and Fibro. My basic symptoms are pain and fatigue. You may very well have something else going on, but you also may have fibro. A rheumatologist is a specialist, and they generally know a lot more about this type pain than PCPs. Maybe both your doctors are right....Fibro and some other form of arthritis? My rheumy prescribed Lexapro for the burning in my feet...caused by Fibro...and the burning went away. I take Tramdol for pain and Soma when needed. Soma is a muscle relaxant. I get through my days, but I could not work or even handle the little housework I am able to do w/o my medication. Try not to be discouraged. Perhaps you might talk to your PCP about some xrasy or an MRI and have those results also sent to your rheumy. Just a suggest. Hope you find some answers soon!

Blessings,
V
Posted 3/6/2011 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, FibroProf, and welcome!  Well,  I don't have arthritis but sometimes it feels like my joints are hurting.  Our bones move in the joints with the help of tendons, muscles, and ligaments....and these are affected by fibro.  If they are hurting it can feel like it's in your joint.  I have not had heat or redness but my fingers can hurt and they do pop when I open my hand from a closed fist.  Many here have popping in their necks, knees, etc.  We used to have the Snap, Krackle, and Pop Club here!  turn

 

There was one time my thumb hurt so badly that I could barely hold a pen.  I had no strength in that hand and couldn't open jars, either.  This went on for months and I was practicing how to write with my other hand so I could write out my bills.  All of a sudden, it started getting better on it's own and now I have absolutely no problems with that hand at all.  I have things like this happen to me all of the time.  I have pain in my feet near joints every winter.  My Internist, who I think is wonderful, thought it was gout but gout, from my understanding, will clear up in about two weeks, even without medication but this went on for about five months and then disappeared.  This has now happened three years in a row.  I find if I wait long enough, things get better and the pain shows up in other places.

 

Your doctor could still be correct.  Usually you are run through a battery of tests to rule out other illnesses before a diagnosis of fibro is given.  AND you can have fibro and other things like arthritis, too.  But, I just wanted to let you know it could be fibro, too, with my experiences with this syndrome.

 

Be sure to check out Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  Check the Symptoms link and the link called A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  These are a good start for you. 

 

I'm so glad you found us and joined our family.  I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine 

Posted 3/6/2011 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
I have joint pain as well, but I also have what my doctor calls degenerative polyarthritis which is degenerative osteo arthritis in nearly every joint. My back 'shifts' too the disks don't have any cartlidge between them anymore and they just tilt and pinch and hurt LOL I know many of the ladies (and gentlemen) have fibro and arthritis. There are other conditions that cause joint pain as well, I'm not sure of what they all are but I think more than likely someone on this forum has at least one of them and knows of others.
I hope your doctors figure it out and get you some relief.
Posted 3/6/2011 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
Well...it is interesting you say that. Because the pain around my joints appears to be tendon pain... In fact, with my right new, the popping and cracking is very clearly NOT the actual joing, but rather the tendon sliding over the joint to cause the pain. Moreover, my foot pain is pretty clearly the achilles tendon, as well as the plantar fascia... so yes, I see what you mean. I tried to explain this to the doc., but he did not really get it. He is generally good, and this surprised me. But tendons and ligaments seem to be my biggest problem spots...and they tend to hurt mostly right around the joints...

Thanks for looking and sharing!

Posted 3/6/2011 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
FibroProf, welcome to the forum. I think you can have both fibro and other dx as well. The Rheumy is definitely an expert in these types of symptoms. I have fibro and my Rheumy said I have the beginning of Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as Arthritis. I was telling him how my feet hurt a lot and he said that this is also another form of arthritis so he said I have a combination of FM, beginnning stages of RA, and possible arthritis. I would discuss it w/ your rheumy and see if he also thinks it is FM but arthritis as well. Good Luck and keep us posted. God Bless
Posted 3/6/2011 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
You all raise some good points... But the rheumy did some xrays, blood work, etc., and says I do NOT have any inflammatory arthritis, or lupus, or anything else he knows of. Of course, it could be early stages of AS or arthritis of some kind, just not sure... But definitely you are all correct...it could be something else in addition to the fibro. I hope not! This is bad enough...worrying about one more thing might make my head explode!
Posted 3/7/2011 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
I have joint pain, knees, hips, neck. When I first got Dx they did millions of xrays, I have some arthritis in my knees and my neck, but not my hips. So anywhere I had pain that was not arthritis I figure is from fibro, or from tightness in the muscles.

It's hard with fibro because we just assume all the pain is fibro. The other day I felt that flu like achy all over pain and just figured it was fibro. the next day it ends up I am sick with an infection and have a fever. That was what I was probably feeling the day before but just figured it was fibro.

Ask the doctor if he doesn't think it is fibro, what does he think it is??? I had a doc say that to me, very dismissive when I told him the rhemotologist HE sent me to dx me with fibro. He said "They dx everyone with that!" so dismissive, and I had been going to him for years with all these pains and such. So if it's not fibro, than what is it. I didn't ask him that, I just stopped going to him. But I always regretted not saying something to him about his dismissive attitude.
Good luck with your doctors. it's hard to find a good one.
Posted 3/7/2011 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
My pain started in my bum knee and my back. Normal for a guy, right? Then it spread everywhere, but still focused in the joints. I'm not a doctor, but pain centered around the joints doesn't mean its not Fibro. All you can do is take what the Rheumy says, take what your PCP says and analyze yourself. Also, just see what works to make you feel better. Doesn't matter what you call it, you still hurt. A rose by any other name... etc. Hope you feel better!
Posted 3/7/2011 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hip pain can be bursitis and that is common with fibro patients.  I have that and when it acts up it's very difficult to walk or even lie on the hip.  But, it does get better.  The pain of fibro waxes and wanes.

 

Sherrine

Posted 3/7/2011 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
It is interesting that you said that Sherrine, I was just thinking about that while playing bookworm because I saw the word "wane". How you doing with that by the way??? I lost again, starting over from the beginning.

I believe that it is kind of getting common to see fibro and arthritis together. I think maybe the muscles and tendons being ridgid put added stress on the joints. We just have to get an oil can and oil the joints. lol... Like that tinman on The Wizzard of Oz. That is how I feel sometimes, if not like the scarecrow when I can't stand up. lol...

I hope that you all are having a wonderful day. I am going to go play bookworm..

Hugs, Karen
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