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25 Newly Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia

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Posted 8/4/2016 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I'm completely new to this forum, and I wanted to use it for some research. I'm on the younger side of being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so I'm also interested in seeking confirmation of a potential underlying cause. My symptoms started about a year and a half ago - urination became more frequent. At this point I had preexisting anxiety, depression, IBS (constipation), gluten sensitivity and PTSD. Naturally, it got blamed by anxiety. Eventually the frequency followed into the night, making my insomnia worse. Then I started feeling a burning sensation after urination and pain in my lower back almost in my glutes and my urethra. After that I started experiencing a weird "pain" in my pelvic muscles that was later diagnosed as Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, and now I occasionally have pain during intercourse. Fatigue started kicking in once the insomnia got worse, and the fogginess accompanied as well as memory problems. I got severe pain in my entire body in the Winter months, and that's when I started realizing something was wrong. The colder I got, the more pain I felt. I started sleeping maybe 10 hours a day, and my symptoms improved with that,diet change, and yoga, but the second I would go outside of anything my joints would ache and I would be exhausted. Something as simple as grocery shopping will leave me tired and aching, which is bizarre for someone at 25. Every test comes up normal. Gyno tests are fine, vitamin D, and everything else. The only thing that was off once was my thyroid.. but they keep checking it and it comes up normal. I have recently gone off birth control and my anxiety lifted almost completely as well as depression, but I get a significant mood and energy dip after ovulation and during the days before menstruation. I'm wondering if perhaps it is in fact thyroid related or reproduction hormonal imbalance causing at least some of the symptoms. Anyone else have any experience with this?
Posted 8/5/2016 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Cmccarthy, and welcome! The pain and memory problems could possibly be fibro along with IBS, anxiety and depression. You need to have lupus, Lyme disease and other things ruled out before a diagnosis of fibro is given. These other illnesses have many of the same symptoms as fibro...including pain and memory problems. There is no good test for fibro so that's why you need these rules out.

The pelvic pain, lower back pain with frequency of urination and burning sure sounds like an infection going on. Perhaps a second opinion would be good. I use board certified doctors and if they are diplomates...all the better. Remember, 50% of doctors graduate in the lower half of their class.

There is a lot of good info in Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. Good starting links for you would be Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia. All of Fibro 101 is good and you can learn a lot there.

Here is another really good link all about fibro.

umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/fibromyalgia

Let us know what you find out because we really do care about you. 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 8/5/2016 11:46 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I do as far as hormones. I get the moodiness, fatigue and pain two weeks before my period. That has increased over the years because it started with a few days before, then a week, and now it's two weeks.

Also, a year ago they found my thyriod levels low and since then it has been fluctuating. (Did they test you for thyriod antibodies? Hashimoto?)

Seven years ago, I was 30 when first diagnosised with fibro right after having my first baby. At that time all the blood test were normal.

My hormones play a role with my fibro symptoms but not the only factor . Currently I am taking armour thyriod med but I am also trying to find natural ways to help balance my hormones . I been looking into essential oils like clary sage and helichrysum . And I found a PMS tea that I like too.

My nerve pain is in the lower body( low back, tailbone, hips, pelvic, leg, ankles, and feet. Physical therapist and chiropractor told me I had SI joint dysfunction.

I'm sorry that you are going through this at a young age. It is very frustrating. Since I've been on this forum I read a lot of helpful tips from other sufferers. Different tools like heating pad, tens unit, diet tips, medication. So hopefully, there can be some information that will help you. I'm still looking for a doctor that will help me.
Posted 8/5/2016 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Sherrine,
Thank you for welcoming me. Yeah they maybe have ruled out lupus with bloodwork (I have no idea how they rule it out but I'll look into it), but I had to personally ask to get tested for Lyme. I'm going to be doing that along with the standard Thyroid testing and also for Diabetes just to be safe (concerning the frequent urination.) I agree, it does sound like an infection. All of my tests, including an internal ultrasound gave absolutely no clue as to what was going on. I'm free of infection, STDs, and everything looks normal. Perhaps I will be looking into a second opinion. The weird thing about IBS is that the constipation can also play a part in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction or even with painful bladder syndrome or IC (which is also what it sounds like I could have but I haven't been tested), which could contribute to the low lower back pain as well. I didn't even consider the level that some doctors are at when they graduate, and that makes me feel much better for going through the practice I'm going through currently because I had to see a few doctors for second opinions. I might even change my primary because I feel like at this point, it's me who is my primary doctor. Everyone else just prescribed antidepressants or painkillers, and booted me. Which I can't take either, so that's also part of the reason I'm doing my own little investigations. Thank you for the resources and the support though, I will be checking them out.

purple_lyx,
That's interesting that it keeps getting more frequent. Are you working with an endocrinologist at all? I haven't been tested for thyroid antibodies, but I'm finding more and more that it may be the right choice to also rule that out as well. I hear A LOT that women's thyroids go out of whack after childbirth, and I've never had children so everything I experience especially the PFD, leaves my doctors scratching their heads. What's the brand of PMS tea? I'd actually really like to try it. I had read that women shouldn't really have PMS, so that when it comes up it's a good indication something isn't right hormonally and obviously the worse that it gets, the more of an imbalance. I wonder if the tea could help if no one else can give me answers? I think another step is for me to see a PT. That's SO interesting because an x-ray about a year or two ago when they were checking my pelvic area actually showed inflammation there, and my rheum at the time didn't think it was anything significant. I really appreciate everything you told me because it gives me some things to explore now and has definitely made me want to push forward with what I had already wanted to do. :)
Posted 8/6/2016 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
I have problems with retaining water as well, it all goes right through me. Mine is linked to poor adrenal health. It can go by the name adrenal fatigue, and a lot of the symptoms are similar to fibromyalgia. Essentially, my adrenals are stressed, have trouble making enough aldosterone and thus I "waste" salt. Without enough sodium my body can't hold onto water. I add about 1/4 tsp of Celtic sea salt per pint of water I drink when it is bad and it stops real quick.
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