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Whiplash and Fibromyalgia

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Posted 10/11/2009 4:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I have a whiplash injury and my doctor has told me that I now have Fibromyalgia and it was caused by the whiplash injury.  I was rear ended 9 months ago in a auto accident. 

Has anyone had this experience?

I am still seeing the doctor weekly and also a massage therapist for the myofacial massage which really helps.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Posted 10/11/2009 6:32 AM (GMT 0)
Yes! I was in a car accident, t-boned in my sedan by a huge pickup truck and thrown sideways. I was going the speed limit, 25mph, and the other was going 50mph when he plowed into my driver's door. I had severe whiplash in all 3 regions of my back and was in treatment 4x a week for six months, with the chiropracter, acupuncturist and massage therapist. I just had an x-ray of my neck yesterday and found that it is still in spasm, i.e. straight, no natural curve. I am beginning to think this was a major factor, coupled with stress and hormones.
Posted 10/11/2009 9:35 AM (GMT 0)

My Younger sister was in a vehicle that was rear-ended about 5 yrs. ago. In the following months she never was the same. She was diagnosed with Fibro approx. a year later. Her Rheumatologist feels that the accident triggered her Fibro.

I had shoulder surgery in 1994 & that's when all of my problems started. I have always had trouble with migraines, tension headaches, & neck/shoulder pain, but after my surgery my pain seemed 100 times worse & also had pain in new places. I tried living with it & was in & out of doctors, etc. for years. I was finally diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago.

I think from hearing other stories on here that most of the time something triggers their Fibro. Surgery, accidents, very stressful times in their lives, & even giving birth. I really believe that I have always had it. It just got to the point where I couldn't handle it any longer after my surgery.

Now, I get flares that seem to be brought on by stressful times, weather, or me doing too much.

 This is a great place to come to learn about Fibro & different ways to help you live with it. A good place to start is on the Fibro 101 thread. (usually at the top of the page)  I hope the therapy helps & you start to feeling better.     

                                                                                   hugs,    Springfling

Posted 10/11/2009 1:16 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks to you all for your input and help and sharing. I was thrilled to hear the response's. It makes one feel like you are not alone and have some help, guidance and support. My doctor told me to join a support group, he felt it would help me. Whiplash is a serious injury from what I have experienced and from what others have told me about their experience. I have deep ear pain and throat problems, burning in my back, weakness in my upper legs and my skin is tender in my upper legs and across my shoulders, memory fog and loss and the future looks bleak at times. Heat makes me feel better, and stress makes it worse. My therapist told me to take a bath in sea salts, and she has me taking vitamins and eating healthier and told me to avoid stress. And I must stay postive in my thinking that I will get better.
Thanks again for responding, I appreciate all the help and advice. I am looking forward to making new friends on the board.
Blessings
Posted 10/11/2009 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
 

  My therapist also told me that a whiplash auto accident can cause Fibromyalgia.  I also have trouble with my arms and hands, they just are weak and give out with no strength in them.  With my nerve damage I was told not to do excercises except under water so I will have to wait to get my strength back, it happened just before Christmas last year.  My massage therapist is very good at talking to me and giving me helpful advice, she told me to think of wellness and to think of getting well, telling myself that I will recover.  I do know when I think on the bright side and think that I will overcome this it does help me overcome the pain easier, altho my back is burning now and my neck is stiff, I feel more hopeful this morning by just thinking that way.  I have just turned a young 59 so that makes a difference in the outcome too, they tell me, things are just harder on us when we are older.

Blessings to you all.

 

Posted 10/11/2009 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Mustang and welcome. I already had fibro but had a little wreck almost two years ago and it took almost a year for my neck to stop hurting. The more treatments I had on it the worse it hurt so I finally took a hands off my neck approach and it finally got better. I also have some osteo arthristis in my neck.

 

It seems any traumatic event can cause fibro. For me it was a long drawn out stressful period in my life.

 

I'm glad you joined, stick with us and you will learn a lot about fibro.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Posted 10/11/2009 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Marlee, I appreciate your welcome and information.

I am happy to meet you and the other's who have responded.

My life is already getting better. 

Have a wonderful day.

 

 

Posted 10/11/2009 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Mustang and welcome to the land of friendly fibromites. Sorry you are dealing
with pain. The people on this forum are like family, loving and supportive and they truly
feel your pain. They understand because they are living it.

I consider myself to be a young 57. Each day I strive to have the best possible day I can.
My Rheumy has prescribed Savella. I take 50 mg. 2x daily and it has helped some with
all over achiness. When I am flaring, I take Flexeril, a muscle relaxer. Soaking in a hot
bath besides my daily shower helps relax my muscles and is a good stress reliever.
Find some exercise that you enjoy, it helps with the stress and helps build muscle.
Not exercising will only make your muscles more stiff and sore and you will hurt all the
more.

If you haven't already, make sure you check out fibro 101, lots of good information.
Glad you have found us. Take care.

Hugs

Robin
Posted 10/11/2009 5:26 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Mustang

Welcome to the group--you will love it here.  People are friendly, supportive, and full of wonderful information on living well with fibro.  They also bear with us when we have a rant or just a downright pity party!  I'm fairly new here myself.

I had a whiplash injury at 27.  A car stopped suddenly in front of me, I stopped before hitting him, however the guy behind me slammed into me.  I had a lot of pain for 7 years,along with migraines.  Nothing seemed to help.  When I was going with my future husband he suggested a chiropractor.  I was pretty sure that all chiropractor were just frauds but decided to give it a try.  Seven months later I was pain free!  The dr stated at the beginning it would take 1 month for every year I had the injury and he was right. 

I developed fibro pain around 36 and wasn't diagnose until about 47.  I am now 69 and still deal with extreme fatigue, pain, fibro fog, etc.  I have found that hot baths help alot, but that pacing helps the most.  Pacing my activities is probably the hardest thing I have ever learned to do.  And I'm still learning!  Its a new learning experience every day!  Using a timer helps.  Setting it for 20 to 30 minutes and doing some housework, exercising,  some active moving around , and then when the timer goes off, set it again for the same amount of time.  This is my quiet time--reading, playing on the computer, paying bills, making phone calls, doing jigsaw puzzles or Suduko, you get the picture.  I find it is harder to break off of the quiet time activities than the moving around ones! LOL!

You also mentioned joining a fibro support group.  I belong to a wonderful group that meets once a month.  They are friendly and very positive.  I have heard from others who have joined the group of their experiences with other support groups, that they were nothing more than pity parties.  That is why they left and joined ours.  So beware and check them out with caution so you will find a real uplifting group.  And you always have us here at the Fibro Forum!  We do care.

Yo-yo

Posted 10/11/2009 5:45 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Yo yo,

It is a pleasure meeting you, I love hearing from you and the others.  Thanks for taking the time to write and share.  It was helpful.  You are doing the right thing, my therapist told me to do things in sections, rest and do some more, not to do it for to long, just break it all down into do some and rest some.  She said when I go to the grocery store, once I have driven there to sit in the car for a while before I get out and go in the store, when I get back in the car, rest before I start the car and leave,  then when I get home from driving to sit in the car awhile before going in the house with my groceries, and to break the sacks into small ones and not carry to much.

Before all my injuries and pain I would go non stop but can't do that no more.

What types of treatment did the chiropractor do to help you heal?  I am seeing a chiropractor now and they also sent me home a tens machine to use when needed and it really helps too.  My massage therapist said I had severe nerve damage and that it will take a couple years to heal that.  Don't know how or if it will heal completely.

Sometime life in the future can become scary not knowing what to expect but I am working at staying postive.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Posted 10/12/2009 10:56 AM (GMT 0)
Hi YO YO,

I'm so glad you brought this up. I was in a car accident when I was younger. I almost went through the windshield. I was never checked for neck or back injury. I was only 12 years old at the time and didn't know I should have demanded better care. Now that Iam older most of my pain is my neck and shoulder area. I never thought that maybe this was the cause. Thank you for giving me something to think about, and bring up with my DR.
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