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Posted 8/28/2013 11:43 PM (GMT 0)

I've been in denial of my Fibromyalgia for awhile now.  Just trying to push through each day.  My heart doctor did some tests to try to find out why my heart rate was so fast (averaged 102 over a 24 hour period).  He discovered my serum cortisol is low.  I was just wondering if anyone else out there had chest pain, rapid heart rate, or low cortisol level?

I will try to read the 101 at the top, but for now I could try to read it (but it wouldn't make sense & I wouldn't remember it anyway) or go to bed ..... I need sleep.  I'm exhausted.  Need help

Posted 8/29/2013 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Jasonmom, and welcome. People with fibro have pain in all four quandrants of their body, fatigue, and cognitive memory problems. I'm not aware of rapid heartbeat and cortisol levels. Chest pains can be caused from a myriad of problems.

Have you been previously diagnosed with fibro? You can have fibro and other illnesses. We get weird things but not everything is caused by fibro so it's a good practice to be thoroughly checked out when new things occur.

When you go into Fibro 101, good starting links for you would be Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia. These can give you some idea if you have fibro or not.

I hope that helps you some...at least in ruling things out. 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 8/29/2013 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Jasonmom,

It is scary to have Tachycardia....I get it sometimes, and it totally wipes me out. But the longest I've ever had it is probably 10 hours or so. Had 2 nuclear stress tests, and both times I was declared fine.

Finally, they caught it on an EEG and my doctor determined it to be a benign type. Now I don't worry so much, but it still bites!

I can't imagine if it was going like that constantly - of course you must be exhausted! How long has this been going on?

Debbie
Posted 8/29/2013 6:37 AM (GMT 0)
I have both Tachycardia and low Cortisol. The Cortisol is related to our Adrenal Glands, I have been circling that wagon for 3 years. I gave Chronic Fatigue and Hypothyroidism as well so I get bounced around like a ping pong ball between specialists. Basically you just have to find a Dr. who doesn't think your a Hypochondriac and then start the Treatment Trials. Hang in There :-)
Posted 8/29/2013 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
I've been DX by 2 different Rheumatologist as having Fibromyalgia, but I'm still not sure.  They went off symptoms, not off trigger points.  I know I have the spots that really hurt when barely touched (upper arms, lower and upper back) but never had a doctor check for spots.  I also, at times, am really really sore on my ribs - if touched there the pain is ........ I can't describe how bad it is.

I've looked at the symptoms and I have many of them.  Worst is constant unrelenting pain and fatigue.  I have to push myself to get out of bed in the morning.  Throughout the day at work all I want to do is go home and go to sleep.  I'm afraid someone is going to get hurt due to haze that I'm living in (I'm a nurse). 

I hide the pain and depression from everyone.  I don't want to be this person. 

I edited your post - hope you understand - please read forum rules.

Debbie 

Post Edited By Moderator (Acheybody) : 8/29/2013 10:50:33 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/29/2013 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Jasonmom,

The trigger points aren't necessary for diagnosis anymore, as I understand...if you have widespread pain that's been going on longer than a few months, and the fatigue and fogginess, and sleep problems, AND they've ruled out some other conditions, that's when you get diagnosed.

Debbie
Posted 8/29/2013 5:18 PM (GMT 0)
hi there

I have consistent heart rate of about 104, but really low blood pressure, which makes me think the fast pulse rate is anxiety related...The doctor put me on beta blockers to calm this down and now i average around 80.
Having said this though, today I had my first acupuncture and massage since having fibromyalgia, it made my blood pressure rise to 114/75 (usually 80/60) and slowed my heart rate down to 70...so something worked well with it!!
Couple of things to maybe ask your doctor about or to try? Hope that helps
Posted 8/29/2013 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
I have had a very high heart rate. It has largely resolved, and was due to a flare of crohns disease. It was scary while it was happening. My blood pressure also was elevated during that long flare before I got the disease more under control.

welcome to the forum!

Are you doing anything to help you manage with your diagnosis, or does the doubt extend to not taking drugs? Are you seeing a therapist for the depression?

And, I mean this as nicely as I can, are you being pro-active or hiding? I know from experience that hiding rarely works.

So glad you found us!
Posted 8/29/2013 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
My bp is usually low, but seams to be on the rise now.  It was actually up to 120/90 the other day.  I am on a beta blocker also.  It's brought my rate down to 60 for awhile but now it's back up to 80s. Still running a high for me bp. 

I do have some points on my body that hurt crazy bad if barely touched.  Just never had a doctor feel for them.  First time I got the dx was about 10 years ago.  Second time was about 5 years ago.  Both times by rheumatologist.

Posted 8/29/2013 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Stacey,

I'm just curious - why are you continuing to fight the Fibro diagnosis? It's not pleasant to know you have something chronic, but on the other hand, it's not life-threatening, and there are many ways to improve your quality of life with it. The medical community has really come around since I was diagnosed 20 years ago....by and large, they no longer dismiss us.

I was very relieved to get the diagnosis, because all I had been living with was finally validated. I had actually begun to half-wonder if I was truly making it all up in my head.

Debbie
Posted 8/31/2013 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know why/if I'm hiding from the diagnosis. I do state it when in hospital and nurse taking history I've just never had a doctor check me for those spots. I also have Raynaud's disease for over 20 years. When you have Raynaud's it's often a symptom of a bunch of other autoimmune diseases. I don't think fibromyalgia is autoimmune, is it?

I've taken Cymbalta for about 6 years. In the last month that has been doubled in dose. I've also started taking a beta blocker and amatriptoline. Please note that the doctor who did this with my medication is my neurologist who hates to give drugs. He first wrote me a script for Lyrica, but I found out that was going to cost me about $180/month so he changed to amatriptoline.

To the moderator who had to alter my post. Sorry ..... not sure what I wrote and not sure what you took out. I did read the rules, but not sure what I did wrong. I'll try to read them again.
Posted 8/31/2013 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
I have lupus and fibro. My rhuemy told me that many times fibro will jump on the wagon with other autoimmune diseases.
Posted 8/31/2013 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Jasonmom.

From my searches of the Web, it seems the current thinking on that is that Fibro is not an autoimmune disorder, but it does often show up alongside ones that are....who knows what they'll decide next year.

The reason I had to edit your post is that we're not supposed to talk about suicide on the forum. I hope you understand - I know how hard it is to not end up in a deep hole when you're in lots of pain and it doesn't show any signs of letting up.

I read a post you wrote on the Depression forum, and it hit home...you said you don't like to burden your hubby with your aches and pains because he's a fixer. Mine's that way, too: if it's something he can't do anything about, he wonders why I keep telling him   eyes   I do it because it takes more out of me to act like I'm ok when I'm not (not that I go on and on in great detail.) 

But many people here do better when they don't talk about it much. As with just about everything else with this crazy disorder, we're all different.

Hope you start feeling better soon.

Debbie
Posted 9/1/2013 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks moderator for telling me what I did wrong. I'm just in such a fog. Nothing new I try to read and learn at this time seams to get through my thick scull.

My hubby always asks me how I'm doing. I for awhile would just say "fine", but he learned that I didn't really mean it. I was meaning fine for me, which is different than others fines. Now I just say "the same" but he wants to dig deeper. This isn't something he can fix. I'd rather he just leave it at "the same". If I want to talk to him about it, I will. But I mentioned going to a shrink the other day ...... He wants to know why. I told him that I was just too depressed & was wondering if a shrink could help. My husband has a minor in psychology ... I think he believes he can help. How do ya explain to him that there is no reason but a physical one for me to be depressed. There really is nothing wrong in my life except physical pain & I don't think that is why I'm so depressed. I think something is wrong in my brain. It's just there and I can't figure out how to get it out.
Posted 9/1/2013 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Stacey, don't feel bad about going to the psychologist. Mine has really helped me with dealing with this disease.
My niece is studying psychology herself and is always trying to analyze me. :))
Posted 9/2/2013 5:09 AM (GMT 0)
Stacey,

I'm sorry you've got so much to deal with. A therapist is helpful because they're someone who doesn't know you personally, and can be more objective. I've only gone to one a couple of times, but I really wish I could afford it on a regular basis.

It's so true that the grass is always greener on the other side! - I'd be thrilled if my hubby wanted to dig deeper into my psyche. To him, if you talk about something, you give it more power over you. To me, it's just the opposite - if you talk about it out in the open, and learn about it, you can have more power over it. (How we ever got together, I don't know.) So his stock answer is, "I guess we'll just have to have it cut off."  eyes I don't find this helpful, and I've told him so a hundred times, but deep down I realize he's trying to lighten my mood.

Anyway -

Maybe you are truly (clinically) depressed....I don't know....but I believe the physical pain and all the other unrelenting crap that comes with Fibro can also make you situationally depressed. My doctor told me years ago that he thinks that's the case with me. And he said the really small nighttime dose of Nortriptyline he put me on for sleep can't hurt with my mood, either...

There are so many physical things that I would love do if I could - I have to close my eyes and ears and heart to it to a large degree, or I would go crazy. So I do feel that I constantly fight to keep depression at bay...that and anger.  A lot has been taken away from us - it's not easy to come to terms with this, especially in the beginning. You're doing the best you can in a tough situation. I hope something will help you turn a corner soon, whether its a change in your meds, or routine, or alternative therapies, or a combination of these....or just the passage of time.

Debbie
Posted 9/13/2013 10:05 PM (GMT 0)
 

I just wanted to come back on and say that I don't know why, but I am doing so much better.  Physically nothing has changed, I'm still exhausted and in pain, but my mind has cleared up soooooooo much.  Funny thing is it happened on the day I usually become ......... what's the word ....... devil PMSy.  My husband is happy to have his wife back.  I was so much worse than anyone around me knows.  I think I will find a psychologist or therapist.  Someone who can meet me now and understand that even though it's depressing to be in pain & fatigued, I'm not ....... what's the word .......  tongue ....... nono no that's not right ........ I don't know how to describe the place I was in last week.  I can't explain how much clearer my thinking is now.  Thanks to all of you for your responses.

Posted 9/15/2013 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
That's great, Stacey! I'm very glad to hear this.

Who knows, sometimes our spirits just rise and fall for no apparent reason....glad yours have risen.

Debbie
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