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Does anyone know what triggered their Fibro?

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Posted 8/26/2011 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
I have read that stressors can be enough to bring this condition on. This certainly could be true in my case. I battled sleep problems for about 8 years often depending on alcohol or sleeping medications. I was also put on benzos for anxiety and they did more harm than good, creating a long term drug dependency. When I was on the benzos I was having daily panic attacks, several landing me in the ER. This went on for years. I can't imagine a persons body being under that king of stress for such a long time being any good.\\

Having gotten off alll the these types of things, I realized that it was the benzos creating the daily panic attacks. I now fee more relaxed than ever, but now have the fibro symptoms.

I kind of wanted to see if others know what their triggers were to developing this condition.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Jeff
Posted 8/26/2011 4:28 AM (GMT 0)
The wonderful flu shot. It totally floored me. I had had arthritis for many many years and
with that shot I could barely walk. I went to the company nurse who said she had never
seen such a severe reaction. After that everything went to heck and back. shakehead
Posted 8/26/2011 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
I've had two trauma's just before my symptoms started one beeing physical the other psychological.
- I had an accident around the time the symptoms started. Fell down several flights of stairs in a footie stadium and landed back first on a plactic stool. Dr took x-rays, said nothings wrong and sent me on my way. 1 month after symptoms started
- I also had a massive nervous breakdown at the same due to work related stress, I developed a lot of compulsive/obbsesive behaviour and what not, again pain started not too long after this (accident was march 2010, nervous breakdown april 2010)

Either both or neither relate to the fibro i'm not too sure myself :)

Fiona
Posted 8/26/2011 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
My fibro, I believe, was triggered by my daughter's delivery. She and I died twice in delivery room. She is 15 now and the joy of my life, but within a year I started having pain and fatigue, RLS, IBS and TMJ.

Maggie
Posted 8/26/2011 3:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have a hard time figuring out when it started, because I didn't have the more intense pain until this past year, and the other symptoms I thought were just various weird stuff I was going through. I've always had pains whenever I've had the flu or colds and had symptoms worse than anyone else. If someone else got a bug that lasted 2 days, it would take me a week to get over it. about 2 years ago, I had the flu and because my body temperature tends to be low (and I figured this is why it took me so long to get over things) I decided to not take fever reducer but try to ride out a fever. My fever got to 104 and I passed out while in the bathroom, but luckily my head went into the tub, so the side of the tub kept me from hitting my head. I did get a bruise on my upper arm from that. I went to the doctor and got an EKG and everything was fine. I won't let my fever ride in the future! I tend to think that I had some symptoms up to that point, but that exacerbated everything.
Posted 8/26/2011 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
 For me,I think it was a combo of thing: back pain, years of not know how to cope with stress( still knot sure I've know how to deal with stress). The last part of 2010 I got the shingles and I was like what I ever had the chicken pox so how could I have Shingles. They said it was because of the shot that keep me from getting me chicken pox. I'm no doctor but ,that just what I think.  I'm one of those people who stress about everything even my family's peoblems.
Posted 8/26/2011 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think my gluten intolerance triggered mine...the fact that I didn't know why I was sick for so long.  Eating gluten when gluten intolerant is a terrible stress on the body.  I have had aches and pains for years, sometimes told I was too young to complain so much. rolleyes
Posted 8/26/2011 7:19 PM (GMT 0)
I fell out of an office chair and ruptured several discs in my neck. I have a 3 level cervical fusion. After that my Fibromalgia kick in. I went through many trials, even getting dependent on narcotics after surgery. I am finally getting control of how to treat my Fibromalgia.
Posted 8/26/2011 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
Yes! almost actually. Im 99% sure i have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth(SIBO), i get the results this thursday. I took a hydrogen breath test from my gastroenterologist, shouldve been the first test i took, but owell. I have gastroparesis, vit d deficiency, and GERD. If i have sibo it would explain the chronic pain and fatigue i have. Sibo is a major factor in people with fibro and cfs, its just not known so much unfortunately. Here is a website about it http://www.endfatigue.com/health_articles_r-s/Stomach-sibo_an_easily_treatable_cause_spastic_colon.html 

and i highly encourage everyone who reads this to research SIBO and read other peoples  symptoms on forums and such, the symtoms very greatly. You might not think pain is related to the intestines, but it is nonetheless so do your research and get well.

Posted 8/26/2011 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. It seems we all have somewhat different triggers. I was expecting to hear "stress" more as a trigger based on the reading I've been doing about this condition. Although in one sense from all the responses it seems that the body has undergone some type of stress whether it be physical, emotional or psychological.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.
Posted 8/26/2011 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
This time last year a dog that I was caring for got loose and went missing. I spent over 6 hours in the August heat without shade, or sunscreen, or water, or bathroom breaks looking for him in the fields and roadways surrounding my home. It all ended with him being hit by a car and dying, at which point his family finally was able to get back into contact with me and I had to tell them the terrible news.

Pretty much the worst day of my life.

I know that about a month later that I was starting to have more pain but I was largely attributing it to my work. But it wasn't unmanageable. Then in February this year I got a virus/flu that was going around and it really knocked me on my butt. I was careful to take time off work and to take things easy and even when I started feeling better, I was still having pain and it had gotten worse. AND I couldn't blame it on my job anymore since I had been taking it much more easy.

Some things I have had for a long time, including the nerve pain and unusual sensations, and the sensitivity to light. So I don't know if fibro has just be sitting in my wings, so to speak, or if it all came up at once. But I know these two events really changed my health.
Posted 8/27/2011 4:38 AM (GMT 0)
Lyme Disease.
Posted 8/27/2011 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
My onset was a combination of severe stress when the economy changed and our restaurant began doing poorly, I tripped and fell on the floor hurting my foot, my father was diagnosed with cancer (he has since passed) and my gallbladder stopped working (had surgery). All this happened at once and the fibro began.
Posted 8/27/2011 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
My started after being fired from a very stressfull job that I put my heart and soul into staying up till 2am to keep up with the work load from an office that was supposed to be 6 to me and one other person. I was the only one working in our home since my husband had to retire due to his chronic asthma. This after 18 months of stress. I had two surgery's and antibiodic induced colitis. I switched companies due to the one I had been working with for over 10 years was selling out only to work for a company that the owner was addicted to crack and was firing people that had been there for over 20 years. I kept thinking I could handel it. When I was much younger I managed to be a single mom and work two jobs so why was this any different. I had no idea what I was doing to myself. If I had to do it over again I would have slowed down but I didn't know this would result in my body reacting in such a negative way. I have 5 daughters all grown now and I tell them all the time to slow down. They are too much like their mom. I don't want them to end up like me. I am still working but had to make alot of changes and take a job making much less money. I'm surprised but we are able to make it on my income and my husband is a God send. Since he doesn't work he takes his time each day but he makes dinner and pretty much waits on me every day I get home from work. I truly feel my onset was stress related. I hope this helps you! I have had to come to grips with the fact that I will have to live with this the rest of my life. I'm always looking for ways to relieve the pain and live life to the fullest. I have good days and bad but the way you approach you pain and the mindset you have can make a big difference.
Posted 8/27/2011 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Besides having a very sad childhood with an abusive father, mine really flared up when I was pregnant with child #1, and then later when I got influenza and pneumonia and a little later started perimenopause. Mostly, I think it was the flu and pneumonia.......although perimenopause was awful too.
Posted 8/27/2011 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not sure.

Like alot of you I had lots of emotional times as a youth.

But I feel that mine was triggered while going thru a nasty divorce and being pregnant for my third child.

I can't pinpoint that I had anything physical happen but more of an emotional thing. Does that make sense?

I have had injuries but I can't say that it was the trigger.

Maybe it was everything and I just got to the point that I couldn't handle any more.

Maybe it's the Lyme but I had all the stuff that comes with Fibro before the Lyme. Maybe I've had the Lyme longer then everybody thinks.

I just don't have any answers it seems just more questions.
Posted 8/28/2011 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Rheumatoid Arthritis + disabling Bipolar Depression + 3 kids + husband working full time while in full time nursing school
Posted 8/28/2011 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
This is such a big question to answer. As a teen I was in an accident that was devestating, My left leg is now about 2 inches shorter than my right. I was 17. Nothing could stop me and I thought I recovered but through the years I began having issues with my back,leg and hips. I had two pregnancy's that were very high risk and lost a twin on each. Again I fought to recover. My job was very high stress and I traveled alot. At age 49 the pain was so severe and I just could not function. At that time I had back surgery with fusions. Felt much better for about 9 months and then my legs and knee's were just not working and the pain was intense. The doc said that my knee joint was completely gone and I was walking bone on bone. Anyway, had Knee replacement. It was a complicated surgery and did not go well. I have not recovered since that time. I'm now 51 and am in pain 24/7 of some sort. I found out that I have advanced Sjrogrens and with all the stressors was diagnosed with Fibro in 2008.

Pain comes from many sources and I'm glad you are going to a doctor. Just make sure you are comfortable with the doc and the treatment. Don't be afraid to see a second doctor and make sure they do run all the tests. Had I seen a good doctor in the beginning I might not be on disability right now. I have been ill for a very long time, the exhaustion and pain at this point limits activity.

Good luck and best wishes

 

Posted 8/29/2011 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
I can't say for sure, but I think it was just one too many massively stressful events. I think I had various symptoms in varying degrees since I was a teenager, gradually getting worse over the years, with the peak starting about 4 years ago.
Posted 8/30/2011 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
My hysterectomy! My health went to heck in the proverbial hand basket since the day I lost my lady parts.
Posted 9/1/2011 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
It was a combination of medicine while in hospital for respiratory failure
Posted 9/1/2011 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
I found out in November 2009 that my husband had been having an affair nono . I then went in to have a complete hysterectomy 2 days later.... After that i started feeling cruddy and figured it was just the trauma both emotional and physical, but never got better. I have since remarried smilewinkgrin and my now ex husband has broken his neck (he blames karma, I blame stupidity eyes   , but guess who is right here by his side with all of his medical issues, yep me. My husband now is very proud of me and supports me completely, but still its hard and I seem to progressively be getting worse as far as symptoms go....
Posted 9/3/2011 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
I was just diagnosed yesterday. The doctor is 100% certain the stress of my divorce (really, the custody battle) brought it on and is just as convinced it will all go away when the divorce nonsense is all over.... I believe it may have started while we were still married, but he was extremely emotionally and psychologically abusive.
Posted 9/3/2011 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
Extremely traumatic delivery of 1st child, lost 1/2 my blood volume from serious tears from an overeager young doctor who didn't know how to use forceps. I almost died. Fibro started soon afterwards as did my ulcerative colitis. Mostly recovered or learned to adapt to the pain afterwards, until....

Removal of female parts - 1st hysterectomy made it worse, but ovary removal another 9 years later sent it over the edge...

It's amazing how much stress we put ourselves through. Surgery, physical and psychological stress are the worst.
Posted 9/3/2011 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Mine was a combination of work stress, marriage stress and I lost my Mother-in-law. After she passed - I had to take over being in charge of probate - cleaning a house (to our surprise had turned into a horder situation), the physical and emotional work was the trigger.

 

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