[claire2601]

Hi I have been using the IBS part of this site for a few weeks now as i am going through the worst time of my life with my IBS, but someone has sugested that perhaps i have fibromyalgia as well and i thought the best people to ask are the people who suffer from this illness. For 10 weeks now i have been suffering from stomach pains which have been so severe i have been admitted to hospital twice and kept in for 4 days both times i have come away with more painkillers. All my blood test have come back clear also a stomach x-ray and CT scan have come back clear.I have also been suffering from:extreme tiredness, sometimes sleeping for 14-16 a dayWeakness, where sometimes i have had to help getting up the stairs etc, it feels as though i have the flu without the cold symptoms.Muscle pain, which feels like i have run the london marathon even if i have just walked to the bottom of the garden or sat in the same position for 5 minutesmuscle twitches all over my body but mostly arms and legsWhen i do feel up to it after even a small amount of excercise i can feel very strong pulses in the top of my legsswelling of the fingers and toes, i even wake up in the night and have to take of my wedding ring and the usual depression that comes with any prolonged illnessCan someone please tell me if it is possible that i have this illness and what i can do to get my GP to recognise this>Thanks in Advancexx

 

[M&M]

Have you spoken to your doctor about these symptoms?

 

[claire2601]

hiyes i have spoke to the GP but he did'nt think it was IBS that was causing the stomach problems so thought all the other symptoms were related. I am due to go back Middle of next week and wanted a few ideas before then.

 

[M&M]

Well, best wishes for your upcoming appointment. One thing that can be a big help to your doctor is for you to keep a detailed symptom log. Keep track everyday of every symptom you have, and rate it on a scale of 1-10. Keep track of your activity levels too, and anything else - what you eat, how much you sleep, etc. Something like this (kept over long-term, especially) can really help you and your doctor piece together all your symptoms, notice any kinds of patterns or relationships between what you do and how you feel.Your symptoms certainly do not strike me as a typical presentation of Fibromyalgia, but that doesn't mean it's impossible that you have that. Please keep us posted on what happens at your appointment!

 

[lidelg51]

Certainly doesn't sound like Fibromyalgia...perhaps more like an anxiety related condition. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a couple of years back only to find out shortly thereafter that all my symptoms were caused by a mild hypothyroid condition. Went on Armour Thyroid and all was well.

 

[Martongirl 37]

Hi I have been using the IBS part of this site for a few weeks now as i am going through the worst time of my life with my IBS, but someone has sugested that perhaps i have fibromyalgia as well and i thought the best people to ask are the people who suffer from this illness. For 10 weeks now i have been suffering from stomach pains which have been so severe i have been admitted to hospital twice and kept in for 4 days both times i have come away with more painkillers. All my blood test have come back clear also a stomach x-ray and CT scan have come back clear.I have also been suffering from:extreme tiredness, sometimes sleeping for 14-16 a dayWeakness, where sometimes i have had to help getting up the stairs etc, it feels as though i have the flu without the cold symptoms.Muscle pain, which feels like i have run the london marathon even if i have just walked to the bottom of the garden or sat in the same position for 5 minutesmuscle twitches all over my body but mostly arms and legsWhen i do feel up to it after even a small amount of excercise i can feel very strong pulses in the top of my legsswelling of the fingers and toes, i even wake up in the night and have to take of my wedding ring and the usual depression that comes with any prolonged illnessCan someone please tell me if it is possible that i have this illness and what i can do to get my GP to recognise this>Thanks in Advancexx

 

[Martongirl 37]

hi therei have had cfs for years and only recently ihave been having bad stomach pains including a burning sensation in the lower abdomen. I also have ibs and have been tested for stomach pains including scans and endoscopy but all came back as ok. My doctor then thought as i have a history of ME he felt that the burning pains could be fibromyalgia and started me on Nortriptyline. I have been on them for 8 months and my pains are so much better but i still have really bad bloating. I have also changed my diet and i now dont eat any wheat or gluten. I have read that stomach pains and digestive issues are relevant to fibromyalgia.regardsJulie

 

[M&M]

I've read that a lot of Fibro patients have digestion/stomach issues. And of course, stomach pain also goes along with IBS too, if you have that as well. It sounds like your doctor has been very thorough, and I'm really glad the meds have been helping you. Sorry to hear that the bloating is still an issue though - that is really SUCH a nuisance! I think your doctor has made a good guess, as many Fibro patients have described odd/similar stomach pains. Hope you'll continue to do well pain-wise on your meds!

 

[JasonG]

Have you had your nervous system evaluated? Many of the symptoms you've described sound neurological in origin...especially with the lack of significant findings in your labs. Waiting for identifiable symptoms and/or problems to show up in lab work or in the various tissues of the body is like waiting for a big fat tumor to show up before you begin to treat the cancer. Since the nervous system is responsible for directing and coordinating all other body functions when there is a neurological problem it will present itself as a problem in another body system. Just like if the frame on your car is bend the evidence will be in the tires. Correctly naming the symptom of "abnormal tire ware" and then constantly replacing the tires or trying to drive the car differently will never fix the problem of having a bent frame. If you're looking for a lasting solution that doesn't require constant intervention then you have to be willing to look "outside the box". If you do what everyone else does you can expect the same results everyone else gets.