For a couple years, I've seen TV commercials about fibromyalgia medicines, and it's crossed my mind that it sounded like me, but I never looked into it. But since I've been on Twitter, I've started talking to several people who have it, and the majority of their problems are the same as mine.
I just took a quiz on WebMD to see how likely my symptoms are to be fibromyalgia, and the results say that there is a "high probability" that I have it. I have all but one of the symptoms that WebMD lists. The only one I've never had problems with is the discoloration of hands and feet.
Symptoms:
- Anxiety
- Concentration and memory problems
- Depression
- Digestive disorders
- Discoloration of hands and feet
- Dryness in mouth, nose, and eyes
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Morning stiffness
- Pain
- Painful menstrual cramps
- Restless legs syndrome
- Sleep problems
- Swelling, numbness, and tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
- Trigger points
- Urinary symptoms
The worst of my pains is hard to really explain. It sort of feels like electrical shocks shooting through my muscle tissues. That doesn't really explain it great, but I can't think of a better way to say it. It happens all the time. I also have cramping-type pains all the time (of course it's worse based on my menstrual cycle, but it happens all the time). I quite often get cramps in my calves that hurt like hell, sometimes to the point I start crying. I'll just barely move my leg and it will cramp. Sometimes I do it in my sleep and I wake up screaming in pain. I also get the cramps in my stomach region and on my sides. Those cramps don't happen as often as the calf ones, but when they do happen it's the worst pain I've ever felt in my life.
I've been tested and treated for almost all of the symptoms alone, but no one has ever really looked at the problems really as a whole. I've always said that I think there's an underlying problem causing everything, but no one ever really listens to me.
After I get all my dental issues resolved, I'm going to go to my general practice doctor and ask him about it. He's the one who is most likely to really listen to me.
2 comments:
I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia almost 20 years ago. It hasn't mattered what weight I am. My symptoms are comparatively mild, it's a chronic low-grade ache. I also have these ones:
* Anxiety
* Concentration and memory problems
* Depression
* Digestive disorders
* Dryness in mouth, nose, and eyes
* Fatigue
* Headaches
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Morning stiffness
* Pain
* Painful menstrual cramps
* Restless legs syndrome
* Sleep problems
* Swelling, numbness, and tingling in hands, arms, feet, and legs
* Trigger points
* Urinary symptoms
Usually my pain is only a 2 or 3 on the pain scale but it is all over my body and never goes away. Sometimes my arms, legs and back hurt worse than that. I get the leg cramps you describe too.
I wish I had an answer. For me, massage helped the muscle stuff, but I can't afford it right now. So I just go around with cartoon stars bursting off my body all the time! ;-)
I had fibromylagia for 2 years and it was hideous. Finally got rid of it using Reverse Therapy, which is kind of mind/body medicine meets CBT. Google it, it's really the only thing apart from masses of Ibuprofen that gave me any relief. My sympathies to you xx
Post a Comment