what are the symtoms of fibromyalgia?

[libertysrose]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering what the symtoms of fibromyalgia are?

i always feel very tired and very little energy to do things ... i have had bad lower back pain , pain in my kidney area both sides , my left leg falls asleep at night and bothers me in my sleep which causes me to wake up, my feet fall asleep all the time and my hips hurt , plus i wake up in the mornings just aching all the time .... not sure what is causing all this does anyone have any ideas?

[tkdrew]

I don't have any answers for you but I have the same problems. I hope someone has info to help us both. Its scary.
Kristi

[blondie45]

I can only say what my symptoms are but like IC everyone with fibromyalgia might have different symptoms. It is sometimes hard to tell which symptoms are from fibromyalgia and which are from IC. The biggest symptom that I notice that I relate to fibromyalgia is my legs hurting ALL the time and then occasionally my upper arms hurting and feeling like I worked out for an hour the day before when I did not. I get very very tired every day about 1 in the afternoon and can barely move, function, or think. I take one of my tramadol pills at that time and about an hour later I feel tons better. Hope this helps.

[libertysrose]

It is scary sometimes, I plan to talk to my doctor about it but i am almost afraid to dont get me wrong she is a wonderful doctor but sometimes i feel like she thinks some of my problems are all in my head or maybe i have just overwhelmed her lol.
I have IC and Endo but i didnt think they caused symtoms like that. I guess i am just wondering if i have something else going on that they havent found yet. I feel very overwhelmed already having these two things wrong and then thinking there might be more.

TKDREW , I am sorry you are feeling the same things its nice to know i am not alone but then again i wish i was i hate that anyone else has to feel like this i hope we both get some answers soon to.

[Eccles]

Your symptoms could well be fibromyalgia. There are lots of on-line support groups with information on fibro, here's a couple:

Fibrotalk:
http://www.fibrotalk.com/bb/index.php

Prohealth:
http://www.immunesupport.com/chat/forums/login.cfm?b=FM

[Digbe]

Some days I wake up and HURT all over! I feel like I have the flu, but with no fever or other symptoms. Just the awful achy feeling all over. I'm unable to do anything. I find myself in bed all day curled up with a heating pad and basically in tears because I'm so miserable. Could this be fybromyalgia? Sometimes it happens twice in one week and then sometimes its weeks before it happens again. I have IC and was diagnosed almost a year ago. Everytime I tell my doctor about these types of days, he just says it's part of IC, but says nothing more. Awww come on, feeling like you've been dropped from a 10 story building is part of IC? It's so hard to explain the pain, but it's awful... almost like someone beat me all over with a 2x4. Does anyone else have days like these?

[lisacar]

Hi Libertysrose,
I do agree with Blondie45, in that everyones symptoms can be different. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after figuring it out myself. There are a bunch of spots on your body which when pressed are usually really tender. I about jumped off the table the first time I was pressed upon on the backside of my hips. All my labs test are normal for auto-immune things like Lupus or Rheumatoid arthritis.

Fatigue is a big thing with the pain all over (never mind the bladder/pelvic tenderness), and so is usually the issue of sleep. A lot of people with fibro sleep poorly or awaken unrefreshed even if they did sleep, and I'm not talking about awakening to pee constantly, just interupted sleep. Headaches and migraines are common too - yuck. I often wake up feeling like I need for my joints to be oiled, because I'm so stiff!

I think someday they'll discover there is a major link between Fibro and IC and IBS, but they (docs) don't seem to understand all of it yet, or they tell you it's not real. That's probably the worst part. It sure can be depressing and anxiety provoking. I told my husband last night I feel like I'm obsessing about my health, and I'm so sick of feeling sick and tired. Enough already, ya know?!

I have a great physical therapist and she's teaching me to stretch more and walk more, but gently and slowly.

I think fibro is just another thing to deal with in this "syndrome". I'm sure here there must be some kind of survey showing how many people on this site have fibro along with IC. I'm GUESSING it's well over 50%, but I'd sure lLOVE to be told I'm wrong.

I have to admit, I'd sure like to know you don't have kidney problems having pain back there though. Tell your doc. We know you aren't nuts.

Lisa

[jensue973]

I have been talking to my doctor too about these type of symptoms and considering if I have fibromyalgia or not..I have that constant feeling when I wake up like I can't walk or body ache feeling like I got run over by a truck...lol It is worst in the morning but gradually improves a little thru out the day..No fun though I can tell u that...Good luck
Jennifer

[libertysrose]

Thank you all for your input ... I talked to my doctor about some of the symptoms i was having she feels like it is stress related so she put me on lexapro. I helped with some things i was having problems with but i still never feel like i get enough sleep and i know i dont ... i still have headaches and i still wake up some mornings feeling like i got ran over by a mack truck..plus my righ hand falls asleep at night which drives me crazy it so bad it wakes me up if i am sleeping for a little bit.

[BigFig]

Hey everyone, I am also one who suffers with joint pain. I just re-read in the patient handbook "An Introduction to Fibromyalgia" and have seven out of the nine tender point sites that are listed. I am seeing my GP on Friday and want to discuss this with her, but I was wondering for those of you who have been diagnosed with Fibro, what sort of treatment/meds are you using?

[lisacar]

I was put on Relafen (a drug in the same family as ibuprofen) and Flexeril (a muscle relaxant) for the fibro. I have also been on an old antidepressant called Trazadone, and it's also good for insomnia, because it gets you sleepy. A lot of people with fibro sleep poorly. The doc also sent me to the physical therapist who began me stretching and walking.

Lisa

[Trishann]

I don't have the answer for you. My joints hurts sometimes but if I am in the car or sitting to long my ankles and bottom leg aches so bad to the point I have to take pain pills. Sometimes they feel numb. I told my doctor but he just gave me pain pills. I am like you. I wish I knew what is going on. Is it IC or something else. I know it is very aggravating when you hurt and you don't know why.

[BigFig]

Thanks you two for your responses. I am off to the doc this am and found on one of the sites list above a really good symtom sheet. I have checked off my symptoms I have and am currently having. Of course the last few days have been pure h***. My mom is really sick and we had to take her to the ER early Tuesday, She did get out of the hospital yesterday, but without the doctor really wanting her to. She needs to have a catheder put in her heart but it so high risk that he is not sure she would survive the procedure, but if she doesn't have it done she is basically a time bomb waiting to explode. It's been a really rough one for me and my family, but it is her choice.

Anyways, thanks again, hope you are having pain free days!

Carol