Fibro Challenges Online Support Group

Hello all, I have a few questions

What were the first indicators that you had fibro?

How long did it take you to get diagnosed?

Thanks.

I had suspected that maybe i had Fibro about a year ago. I have had problems with joint pain for the past 3 years, and my doctor put me on Celebrex even though I had no signs of Arthritis in my x-ray, but my Rhuemetoid levels were a little high, but at my next visit they were normal again. The Celebrex helped for a while but then I got Bronchitis and started having pain in my chest, they said was from the Bronchitis and then ran a bunch of tests on me to check my heart-which is Great- but it has never gone away and it has been about six months. It also got to a point where my husband couldn't even hug me because it hurt in my arms and shoulders.

So basically over the past three years I have gradually gotten worse. Started with knee, ankle, hip, and neck pain and now my ribs(all the way around), shoulders, sternum, back of my arms and legs hurt. I hate to tell you this, but it took my Dr. over 3 years to diagnose me with Fibro.

It took years for me to be diagnosed too. I had one doctor tell me to walk more and wash my hands more. He didn't know what to do with all my symptoms.

I was a message board monitor on the old AOL boards about 15 years ago... one support group I managed was for chronic pain. My board posters' sharing was very open. It was a good place. AOL used to be a nice place, and my board was a pleasant one. But so many of my posters' complaints and anecdotes about their symptoms sounded like ME! That's when I began to suspect. From there I started some heavy-duty researching and I was finally diagnosed ten years ago.

It really helps to at least know what you are dealing with.

I've been diagnosed with fibro for about 8 years now but I know I've had it longer than that...

It started for me one summer when my dh and I were traveling around the country for his work.

We were stopped in a small town and my thyroid went wacky. Instead of being hypothyroid, I was now hyperthyroid. My thyroid meds was cut way back to counteract but it stayed that way most of the summer (also had menopause start at the same time - a fun summer)

After that I began to notice pains in my legs, head, heel, butt and my thinking became strained.

After taking many tests, to rule out anything else, my hometown dr told me he thought I had fibro.

I did know what fibro was already, however. Since moving to that small town, of the first 10 people I met - 5 had fibro.. I know the diagnosis was not good and felt a great deal of dread.

Most of the time I wish the diagnosis had not been given because I find that any dr I go to - as soon as they find out I have it - ask me what I expect them to do about it - it's the fibro, don't ya know!

TEMA

I believe I first had Chronic Fatigue symptoms when I was pregnant with my first daughter; she's 14 now. I had the first pains around the time I was pregnant or shortly after I had my youngest and she's 10 now. At that point my rheumatoid factor was high too, but not "high enough to dx you with RA yet. You'll probably 'come down' with it eventually" I was told by the very young doc in the family clinic I was using at the time. I was finally dx'ed for sure in Sept. 2008 after realizing I hadn't slept well in 6 weeks or more that summer.

My mom had epstein barr and it was really hard. She was really out of it at times. If I remember right she slept for 3 days once. Hope you are doing better.

Mine was brought on by extreme emotional trauma from a situation that I had to live through for several years. For years previously, I had already lived with severe chronic lower back pain from a near-fatal car accident. But after a while, during this particular period of time I'm referring to, I began to experience mysterious pain all over my body that could not be explained.

My health was great, but I just began to hurt more and more, all over my body. I also got very stiff, and got so severely constipated that I looked to be six to eight months pregnant for months at a time.

I lived in another country at the time, and had been seeing a pain therapist for treatment with my back pain. She witnessed the additional pain over several months, and she eventually diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. At the time, I had never even heard of the word. That was back in 2003. A lot has happened since then...both good and bad.

Wow Starr,

You've really been through alot.