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Posted 7/2/2011 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone. I've been reading this forum for months and have finally joined because I finally got a diagnosis of fibromalgia. I'm sure I'll be posting questions and hopefully leaving helpful comments for others.

A little background on me.... I'm a 44 year old female and have always lived in western Washington. I've had depression and social anxiety my entire life and have been treated for it for about 8 years now. Zoloft and amitryptaline are working really well for me. Some fibro symptoms I think I've had forever, but mostly I noticed odd symptoms starting about 4 years ago that disturbed me. I tried to treat myself and avoided going to the doctor because, well, I don't have alot of faith in them. I tried eating better, going gluten-free, getting more exercise, counseling, supplements--pretty much everything I could try so that when I finally did go to the doctor they couldn't say "try this blah blah blah" because I already had tried it. I began searching for a diagnosis last October, initially fearing I might have multiple sclerosis, but that was ruled out, along with lupus and any sort of inflammatory disease. My PCP decided to blame it all on depression and dismiss me. I felt like if she didn't already know I had depression that she would do a more thorough job of helping me. I got really discouraged and gave up for awhile, until I switched doctors a couple months ago and she referred me to a rheumatologist. Along with osteoarthritis in my shoulder and lower back, she diagnosed fibromyalgia.

So that's basically my fibro journey. I'm looking forward to learning from everyone and trying to help others in return. And by the way, I am soooo glad it's a 3-day weekend!! :)
Posted 7/2/2011 5:13 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I have learned so much, I haven't tried the diet change. I was wondering did it make a big difference? My problems is that I love pastas! It seems the natural things work so much better for me. Eating right, supplements, exercise and heating pad. It seems if I go on a medication, I have terrible side effects. It 's only taken 20 yrs to figure this out.
Posted 7/2/2011 6:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Love and Welcome!!

And a special Hug from a fellow Western Washingtonian!! I too have lived my entire life in Western WA ~ NW Pierce County. And I agree about the 3 day weekend finally getting here. I was on the hiway today along with 27K of my closest friend just trying to get home about 2:30. I was already a jungle out there. When hubby came home from Tumwater, where he works, he said the traffic heading to the beach and the Olympic Peninsula was horrific. Good reason to stay home this weekend.

I'm glad you found a doctor who could figure out what's going on and one you can be comfortable working with. For me that's the biggest part. Luckily I have a wonderful PCP who takes care of most of my 'specialist' type needs. Once I've seen a specialist and get things figured out he then is willing to take over treatment, unless I have a serious problem of course. Makes it nice to be able to go to one doctor each month and not all over creation. We live out in the sticks a bit and it would be a lot of driving if he wasn't willing and capable of doing this for me.

OK, enough babbling. You'll find I tend to do that...tongue I'm glad you're here and am sure you'll be glad you came.

Hugs,
Chutz smilewinkgrin
Posted 7/2/2011 8:05 AM (GMT 0)
 

Welcome I love animals!

Have you ever been tested for heavy metals?  Mercury and other metals are huge contributors to depression and anxiety.  A hair test is more accurate than a blood test for metals.  I felt a substantial improvement in mood after I detoxified from mercury with the supervision of my MD.  No longer on any anti-depressants.

Best wishes!

Posted 7/2/2011 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Iloveanimals, and welcome!  We have a lot of animal lovers on this site!  I'm glad you decided to join the family.  Our members are wonderful and love to help one another.  As a bonus, we really do care about each other, too.  I think you will like it here.

 

Be sure to check out Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.  As you have already found out, you need to be your own advocate with this illness. 

 

I know you said you tried supplements but did you try malic acid/magnesium supplements or vitamin D3 supplements?  These have helped others on this forum, including me, with pain and fatigue.  There are links about these in Fibro 101.  You might bounce this off your doctor, too.  It can't hurt but could help.

 

I am glad you found a doctor that is helpful.  As Chutz said, that's the hardest part!  So, now you are on your way to feeling much better.

 

In Fibro 101 there is a post all about positive thinking.  It really is excellent and I know that positive thinking has helped me tremendously with this illness.  I don't have the stress or the anxiety like I used to.  I was a mess with anxiety issues when I was younger but then I realized it was really fear and I didn't have anything to be afraid of.  So, I was able to kick anxiety to the curb and focus on my many blessings instead.  It still tries to come back but just using breathing exercises and focusing on something that takes my mind away from how I'm feeling works good for me.  This is how I contro the anxiety.  Anxiety causes stress and stress causes more pain.  It could help your depression, too.  I'm glad that the Zoloft helps you, too.   

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from you soon.

 

Sherrine

Posted 7/2/2011 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, thanks for the nice welcome! :)

ak angel - The diet changes I tried were basically eating less sugary carb stuff and more protein, thinking the sugary carbs were making me tired. That change really didn't do anything, though overall I really should eat less sugary carbs! But I love them. Oh well... then I tried eating more fruits and veggies, like everyone should, and that didn't do anything either. I tried going gluten-free for 2 weeks, and aside from losing a couple pounds because I could barely find anything I wanted to eat (I'm vegan, so that really made it hard), I didn't notice anything in the way I felt. Still, I'm sure if I went all healthy eating/nutritious I probably would feel a little better and lose some weight. I'm not quite ready to make that commitment, though....

Chutz - Go Washington! :) I have no desire to go out in the masses of traffic and people and am spending a mellow and hopefully productive weekend here at home in Thurston County.

Lyme14 - I have not been tested like that, though it has crossed my mind occasionally. I've read about mercury poisoning from dental fillings and such, and thought about pursuing it. I remember many years ago I asked a doctor about it and was totally dismissed (as usual). How would I get a doctor to agree to test a hair sample? Do I have to go to a naturopath or something?

Sherrine - I have done the vitamin D3 thing, but have not heard about the benefits of malic acid. I'll check it out. When I had my vitamin D level tested it was extremely low and I got prescription D3 to boost it up. After that I started taking D2 on a regular basis, so I think my level should be ok. Although I did take the prescription D3 after a struggle with myself (being vegan I am opposed to using animal-derived products whenever possible, which D3 is), afterwards I switched to a plant-based D2. Now, positive thinking... believe me, I do try. I know we all have our pasts and various traumas to deal with, and some carry on better than others. I'm one of those that struggles way longer than the average person. Maybe it's because I'm a Highly Sensitive Person and emotional pain just hangs on and on forever. But I'm working on it.
Posted 7/3/2011 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
 

Hi I love animals,

Often chiropractors or nutritionists will do a hair test for metals and can monitor detoxification.  My chiropractor tested me, but my MD followed up on the detoxing (after seeing my results) since her office combines conventional and holistic medicine.

I'm also an HSP--good books!  I have been doing a lot of self-work in the area of forgiveness because I tend to hang onto things as well.

Best wishes!

Post Edited (Lyme14) : 7/2/2011 9:50:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/4/2011 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi iloveanimals, welcome to the forum.

I love them too! All my life I've had issues with eating meat, and have gone back and forth with vegetarianism, though I haven't quite gone vegan.

I've tried so many dietary changes to feel better, and for the last year or so I've been eating more starches than anything else (because of IBS) - and it's very weird. After always eating whole grains and lots of fruits and veggies, I now seek out white-flour foods, and have very few fruits and veggies - because my system doesn't like digesting them. Going gluten-free only made me incredibly constipated - go figure.

I do eat a little chicken breast meat and tuna now...don't like to, but I have to make an effort to keep weight on (another new phenomenon!) and eat what will give me energy. Never could have seen that one coming when I was younger - I had to fight extra weight just like most people.

Debbie
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