Fibromyalgia Community

Hello and welcome....MiMi in NC...I would like to encourage you to be sure and ask your doctor to check your Vitamin D level...low Vitamin D can cause some of us to have additional pain...this is a simple blood test...BUT you must ASK the doctor to run it...as it is not included in the normal blood work that the doctors do...

Also I would encourage you to be sure and check out the info under *tips* and *resources* that you will find to the right of this page...

Elbow pain...I also had this...ended up and had elbow surgery...the neurosurgeon told me that mine was one of the worse elbows he had worked on...I got to where I could not use my right hand at all due to the pain...when he did the surgery he told me that it was very red and swollen and he had no idea what had caused this..he also told me that it would take about 2 years for it to heal...it actually took over 2 years...but thank goodness I no longer have problems with it now..

You might try wearing an elbow brace on it at night...which helps...even after I had surgery I wore one for a while...

I was so afraid that my left elbow was going to get in the same shape...as I did have problems for a while with it...but it fixed itself...

You might also try using a heating pad on it...using Stopain Spray also might provide you with some relief from your pain...(you can get this at walmart or drug store).....it is good stuff..

I am sorry that you are so young and dealing with so much...It does take time to figure out what will help you cope better...

Doing gentle exercises and stretches might help you cope better...along with drinking a lot of water...

I have learned how to cope with my FM pain by taking vitamins and supplements and doing other things as well...

We, FMers, must keep on keeping on....until we figure out what our bodies need to cope...it is a process...but I am sure you will find something soon.

Take care and good luck..


MiMi

Hello-

You could have fibro but my first thought is that you may want to find a new doctor. FM is diagnosed by ruling out other ailments. It sounds like your doctor doesn't want to go beyond your anxiety diagnosis.

I had FM most of my life and was diagnosed around 25 (I'm now 30). It is not easy to explain to people having pain and especially energy problems at this age. So many people would say things like, "Oh, you're young so you don't know what (blank health problem) is like" Or, "You're young so you have so much energy." Since they weren't saying it to be mean, I don't usually respond with more than a smile.

As far as work goes, I wouldn't say much about what you're going through. All work environments are different, but sometimes it's good to keep things out of the workplace. Sometimes, within the right context, I will tell people I have chronic pain or migraines. Those are terms they understand. There is still so much misunderstanding toward FM that I won't usually mention that.

Again, I would first get FM diagnosed or ruled out by a doctor willing to get to the bottom of your health problems. Then you can go from there with treatments and ways to cope. I hope you get some answers soon!

Hi Ashroxthemic,

Sorry to hear your suffering, your not alone. I am 33 and was diagnosed about a month & a half ago. I also went to many Dr's trying to figure out what was wrong. My symptoms were chronic pain (back & neck), joint pain, headaches, extreme fatigue, etc. I was also diagnosed with depression and anxiety at 22. I've tried anxiety meds, but I don't like the way they make me feel. I do take an antidepressant.

I also went through years of Dr's telling me I was "too young" for back/neck pain, and joint pain. If we are too young for this, then maybe something is going on, right?!?

Sounds like you need to start a journal and document your symptoms every day. This helped my Dr to understand how I feel on a daily basis. If your Dr. won't listen to that, it's time to find a new one who will. I second getting your Vitamin D level tested. Most of us are deficient. This can make a big difference.

Hang in there, keep track of your symptoms so your Dr. can understand you better. Good luck! *hugs*

Hi AshRoxtheMic , and welcome!
We all understand what you're going through, unknown pain is frightening. Remember during this journey that we're all different, what works fofr me might not work for you.
It sounds like you need a different doc. Many of us here see pain specialists or rheumatologists. A good doc who knows about FM will test to eliminate some stuff, like MS or lupus. Un fortunately, FM is an illness of elimination - they have to check for what it's not before they decide what it is. Make sure your doc checks your trigger points, and tells you as he/she does it.
Check out the resources in the right-hand column. There are some good resources in the right-hand column. Also check out http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/ . There are some good tips for us, and you have to check out The Spoon Theory - it will help people understand what it's like to be in your body.


I wish you the best day you can possibly have,
lou

Hi Hun... Welcome to our family...

I was around 25 when my illnesses hit... At that time they found everything but FM lol... but I was told that the underlying problem would be found some 50 years from then and then 50 years later they would have a cure lol... Well almost 25 years later they dx FM to go along with my many other illnesses... Back then FM wasn't thought about... I am now 55 and have been ill 30 years but still remember how devastating it all began...

I think what made it worse was raising 3 kids virtually on my own for my youngest was a few months old and my youngest son was 2 and oldest son 5... It was harder on them then it was me but I swear made us a closer knit family and them greater people... They have more compassion and acceptance for others then I think they would have had... The only problem being... My sons both followed in my footsteps and both have health problems... even FM... My 35 yr old son is fighting loads of pain and unable to work... but my 32 year old son is fighting thru his pain yet to work 60 to 70 hours a week as a manager of a Pizza Hut... He hurts and fights the fatigue with a lot of energy drinks and coffee lol... but so far he still has the energy to come home to raise his 2 children on his own... And help take care of me...

I noticed that sp2000 mentioned a journal... I found one online a long time ago and used it for a while to learn more about me and help my Dr's know where I am at... Occasionally I still use it for newer symptoms... It is at this website...

http://partnersagainstpain.com/tracking-pain/management.aspx?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=G1932

I hope maybe you can use one like it or adjust it to your needs as I did... I find it to be very helpful... I had another one but I had to reboot my computer and lost it... I couldn't locate it in the search... I think this is a simpler one anyway... Just has more questions and I don't like to think that hard all the time lol...

I hope you come back often... take care...

Love... Jan/Dakota

Thanks everyone!!

I have set up a couple of doc appts over the next few weeks. I'm so ready for something. Did a little bit of researching, with the help of my grandma, and found several of the women in my family have fibro. 2 grandmothers, 2 great aunts, and some cousins. One great aunt has osteoarthritis and my grandmothers both have another form of arthritis(not rheumatoid, forgot the word).

So far my doc has ruled out thyroid problems and diabetes, family history of both so they checked those test first.

It's just getting harder and harder to explain pain to people. My ankles are usually the worst pain besides my chest wall. Followed by my hip, my knee and neck. It's like the ankle pain and knee pain switches legs sometimes one hurts worse than the other. If that makes any sense. No swelling, just pain.

I am not being mean, but to me "medical issues" do not need to be discussed with people at work, unless it is your boss asking or your HR person needing information.

I am a private person on medical issues and believe in a "need to know basis".

To me you leave your personel life at home...

Hi and welcome! You will find a lot of helpful people and tips here.

I agree that you should definitely try to find a more supportive doctor one who is willing to look further into your complaints.

As for your job...if your co-workers ask if you are OK just tell them you aren't feeling well. They don't really need to know exactly what is wrong with you and a majority of them wont be very understanding. If your employer or HR asks about it you can explain it to them in private and can offer to get a note from your doctor explaining your limitations.

The only people who know all about my illnesses are my doctors, my family and select friends. Everyone else is on a need to know basis and I only divulge what I have to. I have come across too many people who don't understand and I choose not to deal with people like that.