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Hi, im new to the forums..... and fibro!

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Posted 8/10/2012 1:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, im gathering this forum is American based, but it looks good, with lots of info, wich is really helping me, because until yesterday i didnt know Fibro existed!

The past 2 weeks i have been on antibiotics as at the start my tonsils were enlarged, and for the first time in my life i had swollen lymph nodes. Wich of course worried the crape out of me! So anyway, the antibiotics worked a little on my tonsils, and made me feel a tiny bit better for 3 days, and then they didnt work. In fact, i started swelling everywhere, under my armpits, my neck, all my throat glands, and my lymph nodes had gotten larger.

Thinking the worse (the dreaded c), i went back to my doctor, who increased the antibiotics, and mentioned the fibro word, but i didnt take much notice. I also got the results of my blood test hed taken when i first thought it was tonsilitis, and everything came back ok except my B12 (wich i was very deficient) and my blood protein (wich was roughly 6 x what it should be). As i have an injured right hand/arm (for wich i have tensynovitis and complex regional pain syndrome) my doctor thinks the swelling in that arm was why my protein was high.

Come to friday just gone, ive finished double doses of anitbiotics, x 2, and still no result, im more sore than ever, i cant sleep (im also on sleeping pills - they havent worked), andnow my right side of my chest and breast feel as if ive pulled all the muscles shakehead , plus feeling like my right arm is on fire and ive been hit by a bus!

So my doc utters the F word. (Fibro). And now im stumped. Never heard of it, or what it was, and feel as if my life is over (its not, i was just devastated). Id already resigned myself to hardly being able to do the work i loved (working with horses) due to my injury, now i had to work out how i was even going to get out of bed everyday (wich lately has been a huge struggle).

Ive started on Tramadol (100mg x twice a day) plus my epilem again (to help with the pain, plus side effects for my injured arm with nerves), as well as i will be starting on zoloft.

So any do's and dont's i should know? Foods to avoid etc? Ive briefly read the Fibro 101, but will go through it again.

Oh, btw, im female, 30 and Australian scool

Posted 8/10/2012 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry you have had to search out our group but glad to have anyone with fibro. This group does seem us based but there are people here from all over, I am a Canadian with fibro and a few other things.
You really should make yourself a cup of coffee sit back and actually read fibro101. You will notice some of your symptoms fit others don't but we are all different. Your doctor should be sending you to a rheumatoid arthritis doctor who can diagnose fibro through a tender point test as well might suggest a different way yo manage the pain.
The biggie is stay active do not sit around and wait for a day when you feel great, move around and you will feel better. I am sure you will be welcomes soon by on of the forum mods in the meantime I suggest you read through some of the threads they will give you and idea how different the lovely fibro is.
Posted 8/10/2012 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

Welcome to the fibromyalgia forum. I am so glad that you looked over fibro 101. It has a lot of information on it. With foods, try to eat protien based diet. That is what I was told to do anyway. Avoid a lot of carbs. I eat a lot of fruits and vegies. It seems to help.

Living with fibromyalgia is a one day at a time type thing. In my life it is anyway. I can't make plans because I never know how I am going to feel, so I take it one day at a time. And try to stay in the moment.

I think you will like it here. There are a lot of wonderful people on this forum. I hope that you feel better soon.

Take care, Hugs, Karen
Posted 8/10/2012 2:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Allicat, and welcome!  Another Australian!  We do have a few Australians on this forum but I sure couldn't tell you who.  I'm lucky if I remember my own name half the time!  Yes, we are based in the United States.  We have wonderful members here that love to help one another and, as a bonus, we really do care about one another, too.  I think you will like it here.

 

The muscle pain and burning pain do sound a lot like fibro.  The swollen glands, I hope, are gone because of the antibiotics.  I know I personally haven't had swollen glands with this illness.  Maybe other members have.

 

Usually a myriad of tests are run to rule out other illnesses that have many of the same symptoms as fibro...even the pain symptoms.  These other illnesses would be treated differently than the way you would treat fibro.  Many see a good rheumatologist for the definitive diagnosis. 

 

In Fibro 101, the links you probably should really read are called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  Another interesting link is called Doctors Respond to New York Times Article.  These doctors are responding to other people who don't think fibro is a real illness.  Well, it sure is!

 

I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, vitamin D3 supplements, and an alternative product for pain called Curamin.  I also take a prescription medication called Robaxin that has helped me a lot.

 

Gentle exercise helps with fibro, too.  Good gentle exercises are walking, swimming and  yoga.  I always have less pain and fatigue after my walk.  Pacing yourself helps too.  Everything gets done, but in a different time frame, and your body will thank you for it.

 

Keeping a positive attitude helps, too.  I think it's helped me as much as any medication I have taken.  I just focus on my blessings and it makes me happy and the pain fades some.  Also finding things that you can focus on...like a hobby...help, too.  I love to do genealogy and when I'm doing it I really don't even think of pain!  It's great!

 

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 8/10/2012 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the welcome :)

Yes, atm im finding it extremely hard to plan things, as i never know wether itd going to be a good day or bad, wich makes life a tad awkward as i own horses, who need to be fed and looked after.

On my worse days i will just sleep and sleep (i guess catching up on the days i cant sleep), and i dont want to get out of bed. I eat a lot of red meat and vegies as my body has trouble absorbing the goodies, so i figure the more i eat of them per week, the more it will be able to take.

The symptoms thread in 101 is very interesting, i suffer at least 3/4s of them, and it all makes sense now, as i always used to think why am i feeling this way, or why is this hurting/shaking etc.

Sadly, stress is a big part of my life atm wich doesnt help, as im currently going through a workcover compensation case for my hand injury, but otherwise not working, so life can get a bit dark, so to find a place where people know how you feel is great!

The rheumatoid doc might be good, i will ask my GP next time i go, as it could be beneficial with my CRPS as well. Thanks for that suggestion!
Posted 8/10/2012 2:11 PM (GMT 0)

Sherrine said...
Hi, Allicat, and welcome!  Another Australian!  We do have a few Australians on this forum but I sure couldn't tell you who.  I'm lucky if I remember my own name half the time!  Yes, we are based in the United States.  We have wonderful members here that love to help one another and, as a bonus, we really do care about one another, too.  I think you will like it here.

 

*The muscle pain and burning pain do sound a lot like fibro.  The swollen glands, I hope, are gone because of the antibiotics.  I know I personally haven't had swollen glands with this illness.  Maybe other members have.*

 

I wish. They are still all swollen, and i feel like im being strangled, and the nodes in my neck are so swollen they are like big balls stuck halfway down.

I suffer at all but the elbows on the points test on the 101 thread, but will definately look at a rheumatoid doc.

Thankyou for the welcome. Theres still a few tests i will still have to have, as my GP also thought i might also have chronic fatigue, so no light at the end of the tunnel yet.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted 8/10/2012 3:00 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Allicat,

At first I had a lot of constipation with the protien diet. But I drink a lot of water now so that isn't an issue. Try to walk as much as you can and do gentle stretches. That is what I do. I try to keep moving, otherwise my muscles to a rigor state. It is hard, one day at a time. I am so glad that you joined us.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 8/10/2012 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Karen, i get tummy upsets and constipation all the time (possible IBS maybe - ive also had colitis episodes and ended up in hospital), so ive learnt to deal with that, my neck muscles and shoulders are already extremely hard from being incredibly tense from not relaxing, but i do get sports therapy massages done wich helps for a few days (once im over the brusied muscles from the massage lol - always a catch hey!).

A friend suggested putting lavendar oil on my pillow as well, to try and relax at night, do you think it might work?
Posted 8/10/2012 5:26 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome AC, i have sufferd with fibro for 12 years and never knew the things i have learned on this forum, this group has helped me so much that i now feel like i can live with this disease and have a happy wonderful life!!!!! Remember what works for one may not work for another but it is a place to start. Iam going to stick with this group and hope you find your home here. BTW what did you GP say was causing the swollen nodes?
Posted 8/11/2012 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi welcome I am also I Australia and in Melbourne. I am new to the forum but have had fibro for 10 years. I hope you feel better soon. Fibro is not commonly known and because you don't look I'll people don't understand this illness. Reading the forum and knowing that I am not the only one really helps me. I also found that symptoms I have is related to fibro. The worst is to go to th doctors with something really bad and they do all the tests and can't find anything wrong. Good luck and hope you will feel better soon. Marianne
Posted 8/12/2012 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks :)

BG - he said it meant my body was fighting something as my immune is low and my throat was a bit viral, but ive never had my nodes swell before so its a bit scary. Ive read also it can be related to chronic fatigue, wich my doctor also mentioned i had a few symptoms of.

Hi Marianne - i a fellow melbourneite :) This forum is a godsend tbh, otherwise i would be so lost.

I just find it really weird how ive only just developed everything over the past few weeks, all the aches, pains etc. Soeone did ask wether my injury and the depression from the injury could have brought it on? Google doesnt tell me a great deal.
Posted 8/13/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
hi allicat,im also recently new.living with Mr fibro is so hard but i find that because of forums like this i dont feel so alone.they are really a lovely lot on here(altho iv had very little contact with ppl on here)i do read the blogs and replies and see how caring they are...WELCOME LOVE TO THIS WONDERFUL.. :-) :-)   smilewinkgrin   tongue   turn   yeah   cool ....just love smilies faces,lots of lv and gentle hugs fm me xxx
Posted 8/13/2012 3:08 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome! I am new to Healing Well but not to fibro. So far I have found everyone here to be so supportive and helpful! I think you will like it here, sorry for all you are going through!
Posted 8/14/2012 10:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there it is nice to know that you are in Melbourne. I'm South African but live in Australia. Its good to know other people with fibro and am wondering if we can meet for a chat. I am in the South Eastern suburbs. Have you maybe had a traumatic experience e.g. Motor car accident? Or was the symptoms there but you thought it was related to other illness like flu? The medicine should start to work but as you can see from this forum it flares up without warning.
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