Just Wondering - Fibro & IBD

Hi, I normally post in the UC section, but have a question some of you may be able to answer.  I see a lot of posts from people who have an IBD and also have Fibro.  How are you differentiating the two?  At least for UC, I am under the impression that it can cause a considerable amount of pain.  Especially in the knees and legs.  I myself wish I could take pain killers every day.

Thank you for any response.  I'm just trying to better educate myself on all of these diseases.

What is IBD??? Like to see if I could help :(

Hi,

Sorry you are having alot of pain as well as having UC.  My daughter has UC and complains alot of leg pains so I know what you are going through sort of. Sometimes she has pains in her arms recently so I wonder if its something more also.  I have fibro myself and the way I was diagnosed was by pressure points and also blood work to rule out Rhuematoid Arthritis.  My fibro pain is alot in my hands, wrists, ankles and feet and back.  I think you may want to bring it up to your GI doc and maybe suggest seeing a Rhuemy doc that knows about Fibro.  There are some meds that help.  I also find that excercise helps with fibro...even light stretching.  Have you gone to the Fibro 101 info page and checked around there?  There is alot of info there about symptoms also. 

I hope you find out what is causing the pain.  Good luck!

Kathy

Thanks! I'll do some reading of the Fibro 101 page. I am just trying to figure out what pains you would attribute to fibro and what pains you would attribute to an IBD.

UC flares mostly feel like you have someone's boot up your butt, major menstrual pains or labor pains. I recently had surgery to "cure" my UC - they took out my colon and I now have new plumbing. The new plumbing is called a J-Pouch, which they constructed from my small intestines. This combined with the fibro has me left me exhausted, hurting, jumpy, anxious, depressed etc.
Fibro hurts everywhere else, sometimes I can see it when the inflamation gets so bad in my wrists and feet. My foot pain is constant and the rheumy says it's not fibro, the foot doctor couldn't find anything wrong - internist no one can figure it out. It's been over 5 years and no help. Big sugestion - exercise in a swimming pool - as it's hard to excercise when your feet hurt!
I've tried about everything, drug wise, and am on 2 anti-depressants and xanez - as needed. Sleeping pill, pill for restless legs and I have a CPAP machine for sleep apnea.
The good news was when I lost my colon I got to get off of HBP and cholesteral medication.
If someone knows how to help my foot pain please let me know. I've tried all suggested shoes, soaks, toxic foot baths - you name it, I think I've tried it.
Thanks for letting me rant!

Interesting. I take Asacol for the UC and have for years. I only have UC flares when I do something stupid, but I have to say they are happening more often.

The UC pain, for me, is localized in the abdomen, and is very unlike the Fibro pain. The worst part for me during a UC flare is how drained it makes me feel, and the even-worse lack of energy and even-worse getting worn out by the usual stuff. Exercising during a UC flare wears me out, while it helps with my Fibro.

Thanks for the responses everyone!

FM sufferer, you describe IBS to a tea!!! Mind ususally hits me at night. You feel like you are gonna die!!!!