Fibro??
#72450 - 05/22/04 02:04 PM
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How do you get Fibro? Is it like IBS as far as just 'appearing' at some point in your life? For those of you who have it - were you born with it? Or when did it start? What causes it?
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~Cara~
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I could write a book on this, but briefly,
1. You get fibromyalgia as a result of an illness or accident or extremely stressful experience that somehow triggers the fibro.
2. Yes, it's like IBS as far as just "appearing" at some point.
3. It seems like people may be born with a predisposition to it that then gets triggered later. It seems to run in families (my sister and my first cousin Ann both have it.)
4. My acute fibro flare that I'm still in just started a year ago as a result of exhaustion and stress from a nightmare work situation. But I think I've had a milder form of it almost all my life.
5. They don't know what causes it, just like they don't know what causes arthritis.
Why do you ask, Cara? Do you know someone who might have it?
Also do a search, Jen's written up a lot of explanations and descriptions for people, mostly in the Living Room.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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I'm asking because I always read about you all that have it on the boards, and it sounds awful! I'm scared I'll get it....well what were your first symptoms? I don't have joint pains - but I am tired ALL the time, so that's why I thought of it.
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~Cara~
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Oh, sweetie pie, I was afraid that's why you were asking. I sure hope you don't have it. The good(?)news is that there's lots of other things that cause fatigue that can be TREATED successfully and completely. So the first thing is to go see your doctor and tell him or her that you're tired all the time enough that you think there might be something medical causing it.
To answer your question, my first symptom was pain. A flu-like aching in the middle of my back in the afternoon at work when I was overdoing it or stressed.
Hope that helps and hope you feel better.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanks a lot. I hope I don't have it too! I don't want to see any more doctors because I can't handle the bills anymore!! I have over $3000 in hospital bills still and it makes me want to cry! I will go to the doc if things get worse of course....are there easy tests for Fibro?
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~Cara~
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No, there's not just one test they can do and it's definite. It's based on your history and whether or not you have pain in certain places called trigger points. Then if the doctor thinks it's necessary they can do some blood tests to rule out other stuff.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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my right knee. I went to the doctor and he said I probably just pulled a muscle. By next week I had pain in my left knee also and the same doctor then said I had Bursitis. But a few days later my fingers,my hands, and my arms were also hurting. So then the doctor decided to test me for rheumatoid arthiritis, lupus, muscle diseases and all. I had a lot of bloodwork done and it was all negative. In the meanwhile my ankles and my back, my neck also started to hurt and I started getting a sore throat also. Over the years, I started getting a lot of headaches. I couldn't exercise anymore. Then I was finally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Actually one doctor said it was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the other said it was Fibromyalgia. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is caused by stress and a traumatic situation and I was under a great deal of stress at that time and I had gone through something big in my life. But the Rheumatologist said my pain was in different areas and that's why it's Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia happens in people who don't sleep well and I believe stress plays some factor too because they do say that a stressful situation can trigger it also. They also say that people with Fibromyalgia also have some sort of pain in the boday. But you get used to it after a while. I have started to exercise again, I used to do step aerobics before I got Fibromyalgia but a few years ago I started doing the treadmill. They say many patients who have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome also have IBS. So I guess that's one of the reasons why I got IBS. Hope this helps 
Edited by Ashley (05/23/04 10:11 AM)
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Re: Fibro??
#72678 - 05/23/04 04:32 PM
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Linz
Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 8242
Loc: England
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I had a really bad case of post-viral lethargy when at school and had joint pains after that. My doctor tested me for RA, etc and all came up negative. They couldn't work out what it was at all and I gave up on finding a solution. After I developed IBS, it got loads worse and Heather suggested it might be Fibro as I know I don't have Chron's (sp?) - which can give joint pain. The joint pain was always my biggest symptom.
Have you been tested for anaemia? Are you eating enough protein? Do you take vitamins?
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This sounds exactly like what I experienced 2 years ago! Joint pain that just seemed to spread all over, and such fatigue it was hard to function! Had all the rhumetological tests - negative, but only given Celebrex to help with the pain. It did get less severe, but still flares time to time. Should I ask about fibro again? I did at the time, but the doctor was a bit skeptical.
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God is Faithful!
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I do take a lot of vitamins, and I haven't been tested for anemia - but that's always been a concern because my mom is very anemic....and I 'black out' a lot when I stand up fast for like 10 seconds. I always thought that was related to anemia. I am going to get tested for that in about a month...so we'll see!
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~Cara~
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