So, now I find out I have both arthritis AND fibromyalgia!

[liberalhistorian]

SHIT! Just SHIT! I found out last week that I have fibromyalgia (I'd suspected it for quite some time, but got the confirmation of it last week). A cousin was diagnosed with it recently. Since we had the same symptoms (I'd been experiencing them for awhile, but just kept ignoring it), I finally decided to go to my own doctor, an osteopath, who determined that I did, indeed, have that particular affliction in common with my cousin. I hate flare-ups, like I'm having right now. I'm in so much fucking pain that I can't stand it, even with tons of Advil and aspirin.

So, now I just find out that I also have arthritis in my hands and knees. I'd also suspected it for awhile, especially since it hurts to even play the piano for just a few minutes (which is really sad, since I've played for almost 35 years now, I just turned 40), let alone do anything else with my hands for more than ten fucking seconds. It figures that it would have to flare up at the same time my fibromyalgia decided to have a flare-up episode as well.

And there's no real cure for either of them, and they don't go away, so now I have all this pain and inflammation and exhaustion (I'm so fucking tired with the fibromyalgia flare-ups, and I can't even sleep for the pain) to look forward to for the next forty-fifty fucking years. Yippee yee-haw. Goddamn, with these flare-ups I feel like I'm fucking eighty years old. And I've always been in pretty good health, too, which I know I should be grateful for.

And I know I should be grateful that it's not cancer or lupus or any other life-threatening or fatal disease. And I am, because I've had friends and family deal with those and I know how much worse they are than what I'm suffering. And I know it could be a lot worse, I could be dying or much more incapacitated and disabled, both of which would be disastrous for my teenage son as I'm a single mother, and I'm really lucky in that respect. And I know that it's better that I do know what I have, because there are things that can be done to help ease a lot of the symptoms, most of which I can even do on my own without a lot of fancy medical mumbo-jumbo. But GODDAMN, I'm in so much pain and exhaustion right now that a part of me doesn't give a shit. It hurts to fucking move. And it hurts when I don't move, either. I just want both of these flare-ups to go away. FUCK!

Sorry for the childish rant, I'm just real pissed off and depressed right now. I was feeling better earlier, but not now.

[roguevalley]

1. my cousin went to Stanford U medical center with her fibro. you

have my COMPLETE sympathies. :(

[liberalhistorian]

3. What did they do for

here there, do you know?

[The Backlash Cometh]

2. Oh, hell, I've been venting all week. Today's your turn.

Glad it's something you can learn to live with. My aches and pains, btw, do come and go. I don't know what the magic is, but I know that regular exercise (which is not excessive) has been helping.

[liberalhistorian]

4. Yes, that is definitely true

with both fibro and arthritis, especially swimming and water exercises. And not eating any junk (DOUBLE SHIT!)

[democrat in Tallahassee]

5. Sorry to hear. I have fibro too. Massage therapy helps me. The depression

is the worst part for me--it just makes all the pain that much worse.
And nobody understands, really. They say they do but they don't.
I've been having a major flare up--I think the election caused it damn it.

[liberalhistorian]

9. I would imagine that stress

would have a lot to do with flare-ups. And I'm already on permanent anti-depressants, so depression isn't going to be a problem, although I can certainly see how it could be with fibro.

[serryjw]

30. I've heard very good things about this...

I have asthma & arthritis. I'm going to try it next pay period.

http://www.myviaoffice.com/Site/Site/show_tpl?mergefile=layouts/productinfo

[liberalhistorian]

31. Thanks, I'll

check it out! Anything to help.

[Sydnie]

6. Not to be nosey or anything, but

could you elaborate on the symptoms you were having that made you think you had fibromyalgia? I am curious if I am heading in that direction myself and don't know too much about it. I know, I could google it, but hearing how it manifested itself in you might give me a clue if that is what is happening or if it is something else.

I recently (within two months) have developed "trigger finger arthritis" in my thumbs of all places and am about to go to a specialist for that. My primary doctor said I will need surgery for that. I am just amazed at how quickly I went from just fine to no motion or painful motion at best. I am developing it in my other thumb as well with one being further along than the other, for some reason. I tell you, I bent my thumb grabbing my pillow in my sleep several times the other night awoke screaming in pain.

I have other aches and pains which I think might be the beginnings of fibromyalgia though.

Could you share?

[liberalhistorian]

11. Well, the main thing

is pain and tenderness in what's called "focal points", specific tender spots throughout the body. The main focal points for me are the middle of my arms, the sides of my thighs, the bottom of my legs, the sides of my neck and shoulders, and my knees. In a flare-up, they all seem to throb and ache at once, all over, which hurts like a motherfucker.

There's also exhaustion and insomnia, since it often hurts too much to get any real sleep and you feel exhausted from all the pain and achiness and throbbing. You have no energy and it's all you can do to get yourself to move to do anything. Headaches are also pretty common, for me it's usually the right side of my head that feels like it's gonna explode.

[radfringe]

34. in the same boat

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a couple of months ago.

For me it's my neck, shoulders, elbows that seem to be the worse. But also thighs/hips and restless legs. And then there's that back-of-the-head pain that feels like someone stuck me with an ice-pick.

Been through Physical Therapy, chriopractors, TENS, pain meds and all of that -- hasn't helped. Either pain meds don't touch it at all -- or they make me loopy to the point where even though I still hurt - I don't care... la-la-la...drooling in a corner....

I'm often seen walking around work with a "hot pack" (sort of a portable heating pad) around my neck and shoulders. It helps a bit, but not much.

Feeling like you've got the ache-pains part of a flu-bug for most of the time is not fun. When the "exhaustion" part of it hits - my arms feel like 2-ton lead weights.

When it gets really bad, best I can do is to take a hot shower, pop a couple of tylenol-PM's and hope for sleep.

Started up over 10 years ago -- and the doc's first said it was bursitits, then pinched nerves, next it was something else that I can't remember, followed by carpal tunnel and on-and-on.

Cold or wet weather on the way seems to cause the worse of the flare-ups, I usually know when it's going to rain/snow and how bad about 3 days before a storm hits.

[liberalhistorian]

36. I know what you mean about restless legs,

I have that, too. In fact, that was one of my first symptoms. It's kind of blended in with the pain in my knees and lower legs, though, so it's hard to distinguish it anymore. What really drives me nuts about that is that walking around doesn't seem to ease it too much.

[flamingyouth]

7. I have fibromyalgia, and you have my sympathies

I've found that this website is very helpful:

http://www.fmnetnews.com/

I practice yoga and Pilates, and I've found that for me bodywork like massage or Hellerwork has been helpful for pain and stiffness.

My mother has arthritis and does Pilates and Tai-Chi, both of which have been helpful for her.

Good luck to you. :grouphug:

[liberalhistorian]

8. Thank you for the link,

I'll check it out for sure. And maybe some of the other things you mentioned as well. It's a bitch, ain't it?

[flamingyouth]

10. Yes, it is indeed

You can subscribe to a newsletter at that site, but I used to get it and found that you can most of the info for free right online there. They have lots of good info on diet, sleep, exercise, etc. Keep us posted about how you're doing. I was diagnosed about two years ago and posted here about it; I got lots of good tips. In fact, I think that here is where I first heard of that link I sent you. :D

[NightTrain]

12. Aww, Lisa, I'm so sorry!

My friend Linda has had fibromyalgia for about a decade now, and I'm well aware of what that goddamned disease has put her through. My heart truly goes out to you at this difficult time! :hug:

[liberalhistorian]

14. Thank you, Dean,

I really do appreciate that. Hope you're doing okay, better than me right now, lol!

[shesemsmom]

13. You have a right to rant

i have the arthritis and that is bad enough. New studies being done on fibromyalgia, hopefully they will find effective treatment soon......hang in

[TexasSissy]

15. I have 2 relatives w/fibromyalgia. My sympathies.

My stepmother, who is 62, has a worse time with it, it seems, than my sister-in-law, who is about 53.

My sister-in-law stays active. She says movement is the best thing. She cleans house all the time, it seems.

My stepmother cannot sleep at night. She roams her house all night long and then catnaps during the day. She is having a hard time with it. She also seems to have more pain than my sister-in-law. But neither of them describe the intense type of pain that you have. I guess each case is different.

I've been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my spine. Bummer, but certainly very easy to live with, so far, if that's all I get.

By contrast, I have a friend with rheumatoid arthritis, which is arthritis from an immune deficiency, I think. His fingers are deformed, and he doesn't walk normally (the toes, I guess). I guess we should be glad we don't have that...not only is there pain with it, but it deforms you, as well.

I wonder what the scoop on fibromyalgia is....I'd never heard of it before several years ago, and now lots of people are getting diagnosed with it. Environmental? Food causes? The drs. just discovered it? I wonder.

[liberalhistorian]

18. I know exactly what your

stepmother means, because that's what happens with me. I can't sleep at night, then I'm so tired during the day that I have to take catnaps. It's hard to sleep with the pain, and you can't get into that deep sleep that really makes you feel refreshed.

As for the causes, no one really knows. My own theory is that it's a combination of environmental and lifestyle causes. I always feel better when I exercise, and when I haven't exercised for awhile is when I seem to feel the most pain. Also, when I eat junk or processed or fried foods or foods with added sugar and/or salt (which is pretty much the majority of the American diet), I feel worse. Most people have sedentary jobs now, and we don't get nearly as much opportunity for movement and exercise as previous generations. I think all the chemical crapola in the environment, including in our air, water, and food, has a lot to do with it as well. It may build up in the muscles and cause the flare-ups.

[welshTerrier2]

16. glucosamine chondroitin

for the last 3 months or so, i've been taking glucosamine chondroiton ... the brand (over-the-counter) is ArthX ... 3 pills give you 1500 mg of glucosamine and 1200 mg of chondroitin ...

it's costs about a dollar a day ...

i've noticed a major improvement in joint flexibility ... i used to be able to make a clicking noise with the joints in my fingers ... i could do this about a thousand times in a row ... now, i can't make any noise at all ... and my knees were getting very stiff and inflexible ... not anymore ...

i'm told by friends with pain from arthritis that it also alleviates pain ... i can't vouch for that personally though ...

it apparently takes 2 or 3 weeks before you would notice any effect ... i would strongly recommend the stuff to people with arthritis ... i'm not aware of any side effects from the research i've done ...

for fibromyalgia, check out some of these books:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-4752009-3695828

hope this helps ...

[liberalhistorian]

20. Can that be found

in regular drugstores like CVS and Rite Aid, or is it found only in health food stores?

[welshTerrier2]

21. available everywhere

CVS actually is where i buy it ... don't know about Rite Aid ... not every store carries the brand i'm using, but glucosamine products are very widely available ... another brand that seems to get pretty good reviews is: Osteo Bi-Flex ...

there are lots of different brands ... i use ArthX because the pharmacist said that's what she buys for her mother ... a 40 day supply costs around $32 ...

the research i did seemed to indicate that the quality varies widely from one brand to another ... one note of caution, different products are made from different sources ... some are derived from shellfish, some have sulpha, etc ... read the label carefully if you have any kind of allergy ...

several years ago, there was a best-seller called "The Arthritis Cure" ... here's the author's website: http://www.drtheo.com/ ... here's a link to the brands he thinks are no good: http://www.drtheo.com/badguys.html

the dosage you need depends on your weight ... each pill (ArthX brand) contains 500 mg of glucosamine and 400 mg of chondroitin ...

less than 120 lbs: 2 pills (per day)
120 - 200 .......: 3
over 200 ........: 4

apparently, the main benefit of this medication is that it increases joint lubrication ... a good friend of mine is a nurse in a cardiac rehab unit ... she gets mostly elderly men who have had heart attacks and she instructs them on the best exercise program using the equipment in the rehab center ... many of these folks have all sorts of joint pain that makes it difficult for them to exercise ... six of these patients started taking glucosamine (on their own ... not prescribed) and they reported fantastic results ... it's only anecdotal information, but i've heard similar reports from about 10 other people ... and now, i'm one of them ... the stuff really helps ...

one last thing ... i doubt glucosamine will do anything for fibromyalgia ... if you can't find a suitable method to deal with pain, you might want to look into the following (specific program for fibromyalgia):

http://www.mbmi.org/pages/mp_mp12.asp

this particular clinic, located in the Boston area, is very well known ... i'm sure, if you didn't want to travel to Boston, they could refer you to someone who does similar work in your area ... make sure you read more about their programs starting on their home page:

http://www.mbmi.org/

hope some of this helps you ... keep us posted ... most importantly, try to find a way to stay positive and keep looking for a solution that works for you ... you will find an answer ...

[serryjw]

32. My I suggest ......

Nature's Plus with glucosamine,chondroitin & MSM. It comes in both tablet and cream form. I take both...the cream is a god sent when the pain is bad.

[jdj]

17. take this with a grain of salt:

Is it RA?

Because they've both been associated with heavy metal toxicity.

Like a lot of autoimmune disorders.

Mercury fillings (anything silver in your mouth that you have or have had in the past)

Step one is getting the fillings out and replacing them with ceramic fillings. Step two is chelation either oral or IV which binds with the metals and you pass it in your urine.

I have found that colon cleansing helps with my joint pain (I mean oral pills from the health food store, I've never done colonics) as does taking a series of pills for Candida Albicans, which is systemic. This is just what helps me, as I had been going to doctors my whole childhood til I found out most likely it is metal toxicity that set off all the symptoms. MSM is a pretty cheap sulfur drug (GNC has an affordable one) that helps cartilage. Just thought I would share my experience. Fibromyalgia is also aggravated by diet, when I worked in a GNC I waited on a woman who had been wheelchair bound from it and regained all her mobility by watching her diet and a drug I'm sorry I can't remember the name of, it was OTC. She said tomatoes were the worst thing for her, they would cause a recurrence of symptoms. I wish you the best and hope you find ways to mitigate the pain, I only suggest these things that I have tried because the doctors weren't helping me and were making me worse.

[liberalhistorian]

19. I have heard of the benefits of internal

cleansing, and not just colon cleansing. A friend who works in a natural health foods store has told me about a lot of natural products for internal cleansing, some of which include colon, blood, and deep-tissue cleansing. So, I think I'll try some of those. I can certainly see how those would help, since they get rid of all the crap that naturally builds up in our bodies from everyday wear and tear and use.

[JimmyJazz]

22. I've got both arthritis and fibro - the flare ups really do suck.

But, as flamingyouth pointed out, pilates and yoga both help a lot. I am sorry you are going through this - it really is very painful. Like you, I hesitate to say anything because it isn't life threatening, but looking forward to a lifetime of chronic pain is very depressing.

:hug:

[kiraboo]

23. I have rheumatoid arthritis

but, thankfully, it's so far a mild case. Mainly pain with very little deformity except for my knee joints (which is not typical). Anyhow, I don't take medications unless I'm nearly dead so I decided to try yoga. It was the best thing I ever did. I started very slowly and carefully, never pushing myself. The results were pretty miraculous. It took care of 90% of my pain - even the pains in my fingers. The flareups are much less frequent than they were before. I would absolutely recommend you get yourself a mat, a basic DVD and give it a shot for a few minutes a day. Once you've gained basic flexibility you need only practice three or four times a week to maintain the range of movement. It also has the odd effect of calming the mind. Endorphins? I don't know.

[radwriter0555]

24. Warm climates really make a massive difference. I could NEVER live

in a colder climate than I'm in now... in Los Angeles, as I too have both of those (15 years now).

So when I move to europe, it's the south of france for me... nice mild, temperate climate.

[Minimus]

25. Rant away, I know how you feel. I was diagnosed several months ago

I have a rheumatologist,endocrinologist, dermatologist,gastroenterologist and they think all of my symptoms and disorders are autoimmune related. About a year ago my body went haywire and seemingly started attacking itself. It started with horrible hives that covered my thighs completely. Then I would wake up with my eyes swollen shut or my lips would be huge. From then on it was downhill.

They finally ruled out Lupus, but are considering it is MCTD (mixed connective tissue disease). I have Raynauds. I have Celiac Disease, and dermatitis related to it. I have to stay away from anything with gluten. I have autoimmune thyroiditis, my thyroid antibodies are off the chart and they are still trying to get my thyroid level corrected. I am also anemic and I have to get my blood tested every other month. Most days I feel like sh*t, but then every once in a while I feel almost normal.

I have tried several different drug therapies. Have you tried amitriptyline? Some people have success with it, I did not. I use Flexeril to help with the fibro and depending on how bad the flare up is it helps me to be able to get out of bed. I have been taking Ambien, which has allowed for some good nights of sleep but I often wake up feeling like someone has beat me with a bat all night. But hey sometimes it is worth the trade off just to be able to sleep.

I take a cocktail of drugs daily it is so ridiculous. I have tried getting off some of them but the symptoms come back. Even with insurance my monthly prescription co-pays are crazy, but I'm grateful I do have insurance.

Staying away from gluten has helped alot. It is hard to do because it is in almost everything. So basically I stay away from processed foods.

I do biofeedback to try to control the stress but right now there is so much in my life it is too hard.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you find some relief soon. One of the hardest things I have to deal with is people not understanding what is going on or how rotten I feel. I get alot of "what is wrong with you now?" If you ever need to talk just PM me.

Here is a very gentle:hug: because I know how they can even hurt.

[tanyev]

26. What a bummer.

You might also investigate the benefits of fish oil.

The Anti-Inflammation Zone : Reversing the Silent Epidemic That's Destroying Our Health
by Barry Sears
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060595469/ref=pd_sbs_b_1/104-6524595-5467923?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

Dr. Sears is a good place to start, but there are lots of others writing about the benefits of fish oil. And you don't have to buy his very expensive fish oil to see results. I do not have any serious health problems, but I take fish oil regularly just for general health.

Best wishes to you.

[liberalhistorian]

28. Thanks, I will

be very interested to check out that link. I have no doubt that environmental issues and the modern American diet play a large role in fibro and other similar afflictions.

[u4ic]

27. So sorry to hear it

I do understand of what you speak. I have Fibro (and CFIDS) and am pretty disabled with it (mostly due to the latter), and am not able to do much at all, even my own shopping. Vacuuming the apartment means I generally can't do anything for the rest of the day (except to heat up something for supper).

One very important thing to do is take something for sleep if your insomnia gets bad. Some dr's don't want to prescribe sleep meds on a regular basis. I've been taking them for years, and if I didn't, I'd be bedridden again. So, if you need it, don't hesitate to try some. I'm in Canada and the meds I use (imovane, tryptophan) you can't get in the States, but they help me fall and stay asleep without leaving me feeling woozy in the am. Good sleep is vital, as I'm sure you know. ;-)

If you eat or drink anything with aspartame or other artificial sweeteners in it, stop. People with Fibro are very sensitive to those ingredients.

Have you done an elimination diet? Some people feel better without certain foods...I found gluten (though I'm not celiac) and dairy to be problematic for me, and feel much better with them not in my diet. Those two, along with soy, corn, eggs and nightshade veggies (potatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) are common allergens. You may find that you become sensitive to certain foods. Sugar is another thing to avoid.

Also, many people feel better with a higher protein diet (not Atkins) as carbohydrates are often not metabolized properly.

I am able to do some light yoga (the sittingstretches, nothing that I need have to support myself) and I meditate...those two can be very helpful. Tai Chi can also be helpful to some. I also found acupuncture of immense help, but unfortunately can't afford it anymore. :(

Nutritional supplements are often needed, such as a good multi, Coenzyme Q10, fish and evening primrose oil, undenatured whey or glutathione precursors, alpha lipoic acid, extra B vitamins, milk thistle or another liver cleansing formula, and digestive enzymes.

www.immunesupport.com is a wealth of information. And there is a disability forum here as well, if you haven't already visited.

Good luck, my friend. It is not an easy path. :hug:

[liberalhistorian]

29. No artificial sweeteners?

Wow, I hadn't thought of that at all, I use them every single day because I drink a lot of iced tea. I'll have to cut them out and see what happens.

[u4ic]

33. Here's a study about Fibro and aspartame

and MSG: http://www.theannals.com/cgi/content/abstract/35/6/702

My chiropractor alerted me to this some time ago. I was chewing sugar free gum, and eliminated it. I did see a reduction of pain. He suggested it to another patient, whose pain actually disappeared entirely. The study did say it produced a dramatic result in a subset of patients, but I'd say it's worth trying.

He also gave me a pamphlet about a pharmaceutical called Cesamet, which is synthetic THC - marijuana, which is now being marketed for pain (it's been used for decades for the relief of nausea/vomiting due to chemo). I know a few people who use the real stuff for their Fibro pain (including a 67 year old grandmother), and they say it helps much better than pain relievers. I've never tried it myself, for the smell.

I do hope you are of the subset that is helped by the elimination of aspartame! :hi:

[radfringe]

35. do you get the "grippers" too?

it's what I call it -- it's like a very hard, very "point-specific" cramp/spasm like pain -- feels as if someone is applying extreme pressure on one area of your body and goes on for several minutes, releases and then repeats

for me it's my right shoulder blade area