I think I may have fibro?

Hello, I hope you don't mind me posting.

I just don't know what has been wrong with me these last months . To stop myself rambling and making a nervous mess of this I'm just going to list how my body has generally felt for pretty much over a year, but seems to be getting worse .

IBS - I get massive flares, before it would just be constipation, where-as now it is diarrhea where I can suddenly need the loo for no reason and leaves me in masses of pain and chills. I've tried cutting lactose, wheat and gluten out. Tried buscopan, loperamide, colofac and yet, this can still happen. Cue me dare not going anywhere.

Aching - Pretty much every where! Feels like I have overdone it at the gym (if only!) Even my neck and arms ache? Recently, it has been my back which has been the worse, t is really deep and feels as if somebody has got a plank of wood and smashed it across my back :(. I've taken co-codamol, ibuprofen and regular paracetamol and this has no effect.

Headaches - Recently, they have been horrid. For some reason they are worse in the car? The pressure seems to build up even more.

Periods - They pretty much would last me the entire year, until some bright spark Dr (sorry, I'm still bitter lol) put me on microgynon which led me to being in the hospital for losing a tonne of blood and in masses of period pain.

My hands can go tingly and my boyfriend says are always like ice :(. My left leg for a while has been really tingly and achy too, I've tried moving it, walking etc hoping it would be a trapped nerve but alas it continues :(.

Hot flashes - I'm only 25!

Tiredness - Recently, I have gone from being totally against napping to wanting to nap pretty much all day :(. Oh and I'm not sleeping too good either.

Depression and anxiety - Yes, I do have a bad past, but I was referred to a psychologist and was making great progress and BANG. These symptoms started happening bit by bit and the anxiety just seems to be peaking to the point of where I used to go out and volunteer, do university I am now scared of leaving the house and forcing myself to go out in hope I will get better.

Clumsiness/confusion - I don't seem to take things in? Or I make really silly spelling mistakes? It feels no matter how much I want and try to allow some information in it just goes flying across my head. Also, my boyfriend will say something and I'll forget in the same minute or mis-hear words. Oh and I lose my balance a bit, not massively but enough to acquired the reputation for being 'a bit clumsy'.

Chest pain and indigestion - I may GERD/GORD (whatever it is!). Yet, I have been having this pain for over a month now in my sternum? It is really painful and I keep worrying I have something wrong with my heart, despite having an ECG at the hospital and nothing being wrong. I take rennies and ranatidne and this hasn't helped. I'm eating a healthy diet, yes of course I have junk food now and again but I have made a real serious effort to not overeat and I now cook pretty much everything from scratch.

Sinus problems - Basically, when I get a cold, without a shadow of a doubt it lasts longer than a week and the sinuses are affected too i.e. can't taste or smell.

*Takes a deep breath* I think that is it!

Sorry, about how much of a post this is and thank you for reading. I just fear I'm going mad, especially when my Dr has put my IBS down to 'anxiety'. The joys of having a mental health condition means that even though your symptoms happen in the comfort of your own home, doing what you like and never experiencing these symptoms before, even when you were rock bottom and suicidal. Of course means every pain or ache you now feel will instantly be labelled as 'anxiety' . Part of me wishes it was anxiety, as then when I try and do 'mindfulness', read the self-help books, follow CBT etc it would work!

Which is why I haven't been to the Drs as I'm just worried they will shrug me off :(. I just want a normal life, I want a job, I want to go out and enjoy this gorgeous sunny day and have friends, do a picnic and the list goes on. Over this last year I have felt so trapped and I'm trying to do every thing I can at home, but instead, the aches and pains continue, along with the rest of it.

Is it all in my head?

Has any doctor done a blood test for autoimmune disease?
While some symptoms sound like Fibro others sound like autoimmune.

Ask your doctor to run an ANA panel, SED Rate, and Compliments.

Definitely get some hormone tests done to see if your endocrine system is functioning as it should be. If your doctor does not take you seriously maybe you need to find a new doctor. The symptoms you are describing do sound like fibro, but there are many other things with similar symptoms and even if you do have fibro you could have other stuff going on that is contributing to it. I would really try to rule out all the other possibilities or things you can work on. Having a good knowledgeable doctor is key. Best of luck to you.

As for IBS, anxiety can worsen it, but it sure is annoying and dismissive to be told that it's "just" anxiety. Also I'd stay away from loperamide, your digestive system can get dependent on it and then when you stop your IBS is worse than before.

Have you tried going 100% gluten-free for at least a month? And I mean literally no gluten whatsoever, not even things with minute amounts of hidden gluten? Or doing a general elimination diet where you eliminate all of the foods that people most commonly have problems with (gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and so on)?

There are some herbs and supplements that can help with IBS.

Post Edited (Pelagicdancer) : 5/5/2013 2:50:59 PM (GMT-6)

I agree that you need to see a doctor and get some tests run. If it is fibro you need a diagnosis to help you start the path toward treating the symptoms. It's true that fibro shares symptoms with other problems so the tests are important.