Im a Navy vet who needs help....

Hello,

I have read several posts on this forum, including the Fibro 101. But I do not know what to do to get diagnosed. I have gone over the symptoms, and can honestly say I have about 80% of them. I have had all of these symptoms for going on two years now, some getting worse by the years. Muscle soreness (weakness), feeling that my joints are swollen but they aren’t, joint pain, neck pain, foggy thinking, severe hip pain, skin sinsitivity, etc. I have been diagnosed with the following: Osteoarthritis (back mostly), Osteoporosis (back mostly), depression, anxiety, unexplained muscle tension (I swear that is what my VA record says), severe reoccurring migraine (been tested a million times by neuro’s, none can find the cause), stiff joints in the morning till I go to sleep, trouble sleeping (go to sleep, staying asleep, and at time waking up), anemia, there is tons more. A couple of years ago my VA doctor thought I might have Multiple Sclerosis since 3 men in my family have it. So she tested me for that, a scan of my brain, came back with no signs of MS. I have low Vitamin D, and I am on tons of medication for all my various diagnosis. Someone suggested I get tested for Fibro, but the VA (Veterans Services) won’t do it because they “don’t think that’s causing my problems since I have already been diagnosed for other things”. I have insurance, but I can’t afford the co-payments.

Any advice for this Disabled Veteran would be helpful? Anyone know how to get the VA to help?

Thanks.

Can you see a rhumotoligist? I can't spell that word. We usually just say rheumy. I think it would do you good. I don't think that the doctor you are seeing believes in fibromyalgia. But maybe you need to bring it up to them. I never saw a rheumy myself. I see a DO...

I hope that you find some help soon. In the meantime, take care of yourself, keep moving and keep posting. Oh, welcome to the forum!!! I am glad that you found us...

Hugs, Karen...

Hi, lilrebel, and welcome. Before I give my suggestions, I want to thank you for your service to this great country. It takes a special person to put their life on the line to help keep us safe. Thank you!

It sure does sound like fibromyalgia to me. Can you request to see a board certified rheumatologist? Dealing with the VA can be difficult from what I have seen. You want a doctor that believes in fibro. It is a true illness but for years we have been told it's all in our heads.

Have they done blood work to rule out lupus and Lyme disease? The symptoms of these illness are similar to fibro. Doctors usually run blood work to rule out these and other illnesses that share many of the same symptoms as fibro. If all the blood work comes back normal, a diagnosis of fibro is usually given. This is because there is no good test to diagnose fibro. It's a process of elimination. In Fibro 101 there is a link called What Else Could It Be and you will see what should be ruled out. You already have had MS ruled out so that's really good!

I realize you are in a difficult place right now. Doctors don't like patients diagnosing themselves but sometime we have to do that. We do know our own bodies better than anyone else.

The only prescription medication I take for fibro is a muscle relaxer called Robaxin. I only have to take half the amount prescribed by my rheumy. The other things are over the counter. I use ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, magnesium malate, and vitamin D3. You said you were low in vitamin D. That can cause pain and fatigue. Did they tell you to take vitamin D3? I was low in D and now take 5,500 IU a day...that includes what is in my multiple vitamin and my calcium supplements. Most people are deficient in magnesium because of our modern diets. There are links in Fibro 101 about vitamin D and magnesium and how they work in the body. The magnesium malate is bound with malic acid and this has shown to help with the pain of fibro.

Do keep moving because if you sit or lay too long, you will be stiff as a board and have more pain. I walk as my gentle daily exercise, do daily stretching exercises, and pace myself when doing things. All of the above has helped me live a full and enjoyable life in spite of this illness.

We have a wonderful IBS forum on HealingWell and they can help you with that issue. In Fibro 101, there is a link to a journal. You can print this out and keep a food journal to see what foods could be causing you problems. But the IBS forum can give you really good help with this issue.

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

Thank you all for replying to my post.

I havent been tested for autoimmune issues, I have had my thyroid tested, because my mom has an underactive thyroid. But the tests come back low, but still within range of being ok.

What kind of home remedies should I try? I take calcium, I dont remember the dosiage, but the VA has me on it because of my osteoarthritis.

Is there a book anyone can recommed to me? There are so many out there, this is kinda overwelming..

Thank you all!

Can you go outside the VA network to see a Rheumy, explain the situation, and get an outside evaluation for Fibromyalgia? Then bring those medical records with you to your VA appointment?
All the symptoms you mention I have had.
Are you a female or male? This can make a difference since hormone levels tend to be wacko in Fibromites.
Also, I strongly encourage you to look at your diet.
Gluten is huge as a source of multiple body wide symptoms. You don't need to have celiac to experience the debility it causes if you cannot digest it. Try going strictly gluten free. You can get info and recipes online. Next is histamine. Mast cells release histamine in response to triggers and dietary histamine can overload the body so that you will have severe "allergic" symptoms (not a true allergy).

See my other post for a low histamine diet plan developed by the Mastocytosis Society. A low histamine diet has been nothing short of miraculous for me. I have to be strict with it. Cheating even a little begins the symptoms. The more I cheat, the more I regress.
You could also try an antihistamine for weather related flares and for migraines. In fact, the migraines are a tip off that you likely have an amine problem, you get a toxic build up because you cannot break it down fast enough. Some people lack the enzyme diamine oxidase to break it down. This is why a low histamine diet is helpful. It reduces overall body load of histamine. Think of histamine as poison, and you are suffering from mild scromboid poisoning (what people can get from fish that has toxic levels of histamine in it).

One more thing. Taking a sublingual melatonin by Nature's Way, 2.5 mg, at bedtime was the only thing that eliminated my migraines initially and I had them for nearly 20 years. Melatonin is known to help prevent migraines. It is cheap! If you don't get relief with that alone, then I would use an antihistamine like Benadryl and as a last resort add an Advil or other over the counter pain med with it. I rarely ever have to add the antihistamine or pain med anymore as long as I eat low histamine. In fact, I haven't had a migraine in a long time. Even the daily pressure headaches are a thing of the past and the stabbing vascular headaches as well.