Questions from a newbie

Hello all,

I am in the process of trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me.  Let me give you the background.

I started noticing muscle fatigue which has developed over a very long period of time.  Lately, I have started having muscle pains that come and go all over my body.  For examply, my forearm will hurt for a minute and then go away.  A few minutes later my calf will hurt and then go away after a few minutes.  It just travels from place to place.  Even my underarm gets sore (the tendon in particular).

I had this same thing happen 15 years ago without the muscle fatigue but with stiffness (no stiffness this time).  The episode lasted approximately a month and then I got better.  I did notice that the pains seemed to go away when I took a week's dose of a steroid (prescribed at the time for a severe outbreak of mouth ulcers).  The rheumatologist that I was seeing at the time never could figure out what was wrong with me.

My questions are:

1)  Can fibromyalgia come and go?  Could I have had an episode 15 years ago and it has returned?  I have had some problems with tendonitis in the meantime.

2)  Can you have fibromyalgia without any sleep problems?  My internist ruled out fibromylagia when he heard that I had no problems with sleep.

3)  Is muscle weakness/fatigue a component of fibromyalgia?

My internist has done a full panel of blood tests to rule out arthritis related diseases and I am waiting for the results.  He says the next step would be to see a neurologist if the blood work comes back normal.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me.

Thanks,

Kathy

Hello Kathy!!

Welcome!!

Your question about fibro coming and going.  I've had CFS or Fibro for at least 10-12 years, I think it might have been longer but I don't have any medical proof of that.  Anyway, I've had "good years'" & "bad years".  For a while I felt so good that I thought it was all a mistake or I got over it, until the past year or so.  When I finally had time to sit back and really think about how I've felt for the past several years.  I can say I didn't have a bad flare, but I wasn't as "healthy" as everyone else.  I had lots of times when I was experiencing pain and fatigue but I would attribute it to lifting something too heavy or doing too much physical exercise or stress.  I think I was in denial.  What I've found out since then is.. the stuff I was doing wasn't too excessive and shouldn't have created so much pain and fatigue.  I've had this so long.. I don't know what "normal" feels like anymore.

I'm glad you're getting all of the proper tests done.  And as LeeAnn said, be sure to be tested for Lyme Disease.  Fibro and Lyme have a lot of symptoms in common.

Please feel free to come back, as questions and get to know your fibro friends and family.

Take care,

Hi Kathy...I was dx'd with fibro in the mid 90's and have periods of time when I thought they made a mistake because I didn't feel that bad.  It does come and go and at first I didn't have any problem with sleep.  yes...I have had spells of muscle weakness, once so bad I couldn't sign my name on a check.  Like the others have said, it's a good idea to have everything else that mimics it ruled out.  But everyone's experience with this disease is different.  I have a friend with it who doesn't get the fibro-fog that I have, and so far I don't get the muscle spasms that she gets every day.  It's a riddle within a riddle!

Huggies

donna

Thank you all for your warm welcome and answers to my questions.  I am still waiting for my blood test results but spoke with a physical therapist in the meantime.  She feels that she can help me build muscle strength with physical therapy and wants to get started right away regardless of the diagnosis.  Her initial assessment is that I am definitely losing core strength and also need to work on my arm and leg strength.

The therapist has experience in working with people with fibro.  I'm nervous because the last time that I tried to use the strength machines at my gym I ended up very sore all over but she said she could work with me and avoid that.  Have any of you tried physical therapy and been successful? 

I have definitely lost muscle strength in my arms, legs, and hands which I had attributed to menopause and age (54) but she said that I was much weaker than I should be for someone my age.   

BTW, as way of introduction . . . I am a high school math teacher, married for 25 years, and have two grown daughters (23 & 20 years old).  Oh, and I have two furbabies (Shih tzus . . . hence the name shihtzulover) named Abby and Gracie.

Kathy