Bipolars with Fibromyalgia Support Group

Hi everyone. I was just wondering if I experience the pain of Fibro the same way as others or is it so individualized that my experience is totally different. Here's how I experience my pain.

I have an all-over ache like my body is a rotten tooth. When I walk and a lot when I sit down it feels like the muscles in my thighs are shredding. I get neck and shoulder pain that runs down my neck shoulders and into my arms. I cant move or turn my head without severe pain I have sharps pain episodes where the pain originates under my left rib cage then runs around to my back. I can't really move when I have these. I have lots of headaches and migraines. Periodically, both of my hands will hurt so much that I can't pick up things. My arms ache so badly I can't keep them up for long enough to do my hair. I have IBS that flares up at times when I have a lot of stress and pain.

Well I could go on but that's most of it. How about you guys?

Updowngirl,

My pain migrates.. usually it'll settle in certain areas for about a year, but if I've overtaxed my body or I'm under a lot of stress then other areas start acting up. For instance when I very first noticed symptoms it was cervical pain, thighs, hands and hips.

Over the years my feet got involved and now hurt almost all the time, as do my hands and right now hips and cervical, but not thighs. I also have IBS flare ups that tend to come and go erratically and are one of the few pains that are not equilateral.

The good news is some areas like my forearms flared only once and never again. Go figure. hugs heather

My pain is more of a stabbing/throbbing pain. My joints, elbows, and knees are tender to the touch and it makes it hard for me to move. My back is constantly stiff as well as my neck and shoulders. I can hardly stand to be touched or squeezed. Sometimes I get a tingling/burning sensation in the bottom of my hands and feet. If I walk around too much I get winded and out of breath easily. I'm constantly exhausted. Some days are better than others, but days like I've gone through recently where it's all of the above at once it's like pure hell.

Updown, I also get pain in between my ribs and the muscles in my chest will also tighten. My original pains started in my neck, chest, shoulders and hips.

Post edited by: brandib811, at: 10/17/2010 06:20 PM

Brandi, I also experience the shortness of breath. I thought I was the only one! And the constant exhaustion is terrible. I don't know how I would survive without disability. I simply can't work. The bipolar made that happen, but I've struggled with the fibro for 25 years.

Wow updown. Out of curiosity, when were you diagnosed? Did you go 25 years without a diagnosis and treatment?

I didn't get a diagnosis until a couple of years ago. I just kept complaining to my GP and over the years he would give me antidepressants that would send me through bouts of mania before I was finally diagnosed with bipolar. He also treated me with pain medication and physical therapy. Nobody really knew about Fibromyalgia back then so they just treated each flare up as if I were having a reaction to a pulled muscle or back spasms etc.

I remember the day, the exact day i woke up with what I now know is Fibromyalgia. My whole body hurt. I couldn't get out of bed. I complained to my husband and he just said" There's always something causing you pain. ". He was sick of me complaining about my many aches and pains. But on this day I just could not move. I said I had to be taken to a doctor thus starting the treatments I describe above.

I'm sorry you had to suffer for so long. I'm glad you're on the way to getting some treatment now.

Hey all! Most of my pain is in my legs all the time (knees mostly) but when I have a flare up I feel like I have the flu I ache all over. Brandi I totaly understand not wanting to be touched it hurts to much, which is hard for me because my children are huggers and it's hard for me to tell them ok just a quick one and then try to hide the pain from them. Do you guys get some kind of warnig that you are going to have a flare up? I don't it just comes on.

I get a feeling...I can't place it, but its a feeling of fogginess and fatigue I guess that alerts me. That and mild pain in my hands and knees that gets worse