HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Hello!! New to fibro and forum

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/3/2012 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
Hello again. lol

I posted a topic earlier today, and after rereading, realized it was long and made no sense. So I'm starting over. lol

My name is Beth, I'm 23 years old, and I have not been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. After having problems with my lungs, I was tested for so many different things. I had blood work done (tested for anemia, diabetes, thyroid and hormones tested - all normal). I had a chest Xray, CT scan and EKG, all normal. I had an asthma test performed, which showed I had a restriction on my lungs, but no idea what was causing it. After three months of continual lung problems, it went away on it's own.

Now, after almost two months of no issues, it's back, among other things. In the last year, I've suffered from brain fog (forgetting where I am, where I'm going, certain words, my thoughts just get "stuck"), vertigo, light sensitivity, also problems with my eyes jerking to the left or right against my will, ringing in my ears, lack of taste and hearing, trouble sleeping (sleeping 7-8 hours, then taking one or two 2-3 hour naps every day), nightmares, nightsweats, seven different points of (painful) swelling in my neck, difficulty swallowing, heartburn, heart palps, rib pain, tender skin (almost like a sore muscle), difficulting breathing, carpal tunnel-like symptoms, severe back pain (upper and lower), intolerant to cold (fingers get red and tingly), body parts fall asleep (hands, feet, legs, even nose and inside the ear), muscle weakness, hands shake if I haven't eaten for a while, excessive gas, alternating diarrhea/constipation, extreme vaginal dryness and frequent infections, joint pain, restless legs, and itchy rashes on feet. Of course, there's more that I can't remember at the moment.

I've been poked and proded and tested for so many things, but no one seems to know what's wrong. My GP says anxiety, which really upset me because I know I'm not making up all my problems. I can't talk to my family anymore. I just don't know where to turn and I don't know where to go next.

Does this sound like fibro to anyone here?

Blessings and love,

Beth

Posted 1/3/2012 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds very familiar....You need to go to a rheumatologist and I think you will get answers one way or another. And immune issues typically run together . It could be a couple of different things and not uncommon. Like I was also dx with Psoirisis and Psoriactic Arthritis whith a week or too of FM.

Hang in there! :)

Christie
Posted 1/3/2012 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
welcome colorMysoul- I think you describe all the fibro symptoms. Most DR's will run several test rule out other diagnosis other then fibro. Some people with fibro have other auto immune diseases. I know it can be very frustrating when you describe all these symptoms to the Dr. and they think nobody cant have all those problems. I have been through that myself. Hopefully you can find a Dr. that you trust and feel comfortable with the diagnosis they give you. I have pretty much the same symptoms you have describe. Anxiety is very common with fibro patients. I think once I was comfortable with my diagnosis of fibro my anxiety seem better. I have learned so much on this forum on how to manage my fibro. I use to think I was crazy having all these symptoms. I now know I wasn't crazy and they are true symptoms that I was going through. My mind got a better handle on how to help myself. I have improved by leaps and bounds last year and I hope to continue. Continue to stay around and hopefully you can pick up some ideas to help your symptoms.
Posted 1/3/2012 5:05 AM (GMT 0)
Beachlover- I wouldn't be surprised if I have more than one thing. I just know that most of one I have is going to be one thing, you know? For example, I have a feeling I have some kind of allergy to food. My throat swelled a few months ago when I drank a SlimFast shake, but I don't know which ingredient caused it. When I went to my doctor about it, he said there was nothing I could do to figure it out what it was, just avoid SlimFast.. Ugh.

Angel- I really do need to find a doctor I trust. My GP treats me like my family does: like I'm making it up and pretending to be sick. I went to a Speech Pathologist when I started having problems swallowing (which, of course, came back normal), and she, too, made me feel like I was crazy. I went to a specialist when my lungs were bothering me (I thought maybe I had Celiac disease or multiple chemical sensitvity), and he suggested I may have candidias. Unfortunately, insurance didn't cover that specific doctor, and it was way too expensive for me to pay for. So I went to my GP and said "I saw an allergist who thinks I have candidias, is there any way I can get tested for that here?" And he kind of just shook his head at me and dropped the conversation quickly.

I've already found a phone number for the local Rheum doctor, and I plan to make sure she diagnoses people with fibro. I don't want to waste my time with another doctor who thinks I'm crazy.

I understand what you mean about the anxiety too. It seems like once I was able to accept that anxiety meds helped me with my driving and swallowing problems, I stopped having as many issues. Even now (as I had to quit taking it because the side effects hurt more than the drug helped), my anxiety is a lot better. But I get anxious about my skin pain so it freaks me out again.

Thank you for the responses. :) I plan on sticking around here and learning as much as I can. Hopefully I'll get a diagnosis as soon as possible. I just want to know already!! lol


Blessings and love,
Beth
Posted 1/3/2012 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Beth, and welcome!  I'm so glad you found us and joined in.  Yes, these sound like fibro symptoms but you still have to have other illnesses that have many of the same symptoms ruled out, too.  It sounds like you have been doing that, too.  The only thing is that we don't have lung problems that are caused by fibro.  I've never heard of that.  So you could have fibro and something else.  Maybe it's something as simple as allergies. 

 

Skin pain is very common.  I'm very sensitive all over.  I have to wear very soft clothing, cut tags off my clothes, etc.  So, you definitely are not alone with this symptom. 

 

We do get anxiety easily with fibro and sometimes it can raise it's ugle head without our really feeling anxious!  That happens to me but now I recognize it for what it is and kick it to the curb.  Anxiety can cause people to get some mighty miserable symptoms.  I've had difficulty breathing because of anxiety, too...almost to the point of fainting.  So, I hope your doctor wasn't implying that this is all in your head.  Anxiety is as real as fibro...and neither are a mental problem in my estimation!  It's the "fight or flight" emotion that we all have from fear.  This has helped many an "animal" to survive.  Anxiety is fear and once I realized that it was fear and that I had nothing to be afraid of, I got a handle on it and rarely have a problem now.  That's why I have the scripture in my signature.  This has helped me so much.

 

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  Good starting links are called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  You might just see yourself there.

 

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 1/3/2012 8:02 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, Sherrine, and thank you for the welcome!! :)

I've been looking into other disorders for a very long time. So long, in fact, that my family is immune to my speculations. lol "I think I have Celiac disease, I think I have diabetes, I think I have hypothyroidism." Everytime I think I have found something new, I call my doctor and ask about my blood test. "Did you check my blood sugar? Did you check my hormones?" I'm not opposed to getting more tests, I just want to know what direction my doctor is going in. It's so discouraging to get test after test after test with nothing but normal readings.

After looking at the "What else could it be?" thread, the only other one I've been circling around is Lupus, because it's just as diverse as what I've been suffering with. I just don't have the butterfly rash, and I know that's a main diagnosis point with the illness.

I thought I saw "breathing difficulties" on the list of symptoms in Fibro 101... But it could be part of the anxiety just as easily! It seems that my breathing problems never come alone, it comes with pain and muscle weakness and confusion. So I could just be anxious about my problems. lol

I just really want a diagnosis. lol Hopefully, if I go to the rheumatologist and it ISN'T fibro, she'll at least be able to give me an idea of what it is, and recommend me to someone else. Because my GP just doesn't care. I would go in with a new problem, and he'd just dismiss it like I was making it up.

I just wanna feel better. :( lol


Thanks again for your support. :)
Blessings and love,
Beth
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply