I am glad you don't have pain in the elbow area as it is quite annoyig...it is the worst pain area for me. I have an appointment with my doctor coming up and I do think further investigation is needed just to make sure nothing else is going on. I did have Lymes disease which apparently triggered my full blown fibro and I asked every dr. i see if the elbow issues could be a result of the lyme (including an infectious disease dr.)....all said no, it is the fibro. thanks....will let you know if anything comes from this follow up appointment.
I have the elbow pain too which I guess makes sense as there is a trigger point on the outside of your elbow. Or it may be the inside. I don’t know- but the tiny gremlin in my brain causing the fibro fog probably knows. LOL
My husband who has fms just went to the doctor. He's been having pain in his elbow like a pinching that is constant and when he is moving the wrist it causes even more pain associated with a pinching feeling. The doctor told him it was tinnitus. I am not 100 % for sure if that is the cause of his pain. Very frustrating..
Hi Dancing Wolf, that is the first I have ever heard of it causing pain in the wrists and elbows, but I guess it can be related to the blood vessels in the neck? It all gets very complicated after a while, doesn't it?
Hope he can get some relief, I know this is hard on both of you!
I'm just so happy you brought the elbow pain up cause I injured my elbow (and knee) before the full-blown fibro came on and I keep telling myself they're unrelated. Of course they're related to fibro! Elbows and knees don't hurt forever without a cause. And like you, my x-rays are always clean, except on the back. So it's the fibro. I actually reminded myself of it today when it hurt while I was working. It made me feel better, so thank you.
Oh, Lyme disease. Interesting intersection with fibro. Did you get the Lyme treated immediately or did you not know and wait? Interesting how it triggered the fibro. Doctors should study why it triggers fibro, and see if it is THE fibro trigger. Or one of THE triggers.
I seriously wonder if many of us (all?) have undiagnosed Lyme disease and that started the fibro. It would be interesting to see if fibro rates are higher in states that have heavy concentrations of Lyme disease vs. those that don't. Someone should do a study...
I'm glad you don't hurt there, at least SK. Since it's a much used joint, it's just one less nasty spot for you to have to worry about.
It's interesting how fibro hurts people badly in different areas, like it settles mostly in one place but sends satellite fibro settlements to other areas in the body. Like a bacteria or virus.
I was treated for the Lymes fairly quickly within a few weeks as the rash showed up. I was on the 21 day antibiotics which the doctros say should have treated the Lymes. Unfortunately my symptoms never went away and only got worse. I had a ton of blood work and have seen my primary, a rheumatologist and an infectious disease dr. all who say this is fibro. I am sure I have fibro but my elbows are a puzzle to me. It is constant pain in both elbows...never lessens. Is much worse with activity and some areas sensitive to touch so I am often awaken at night as I toss and turn with elbow pain. I also get monthly massages by someone who works with fibro clients and see a chiropractor two times a month. I am on Cymbalta, Vit D supplements and Omega 3. Still nothing seems to help the elbows...even tried a tennis elbow arm brace and cortisone shots in the elbow..neither helped. Just frustrated......
Elbow pain was my first symptom, I was diagnosed with Tennis elbow, had over two years of cortizone injections until the pain started moving to my shoulders and my hands. Now the pain is all over. I found out I had Fibro last November and have been experimenting with different meds ever since.
I am on a high dose of Neurontin 3200mgs per day, Prozac, Naprozin and Amitriptoline. I use Voltaren gel for really bad pain, its a rub and will generally deaden some of the pain.
In the last two years, my health has declined to the point where my husband has to help sit me up in bed each morning, My feet burn so badly I have terrible pain just trying to walk. I am afraid to drive due to foot pain and fibro fog.
Fibro fog has put me in places I have no idea why I am there, I put the wrong things in the wrong places and I have lost the ability to hold a decent conversation because of stupid words coming out of my mouth. There are days I want to curl up and shut out the world from pain and nerves.
Elbow pain was just the beggining, its is all down hill from there !
Fibro can do that - different pains and levels and time lengths for different areas. My SI joint is just like your elbow - non-stop pain 24/7. I had it cauterized in July, which helped for several weeks, but now the pain is coming right back! But until now, I've only had intermittent pains in other joints, although the elbow was fairly steady. Now it's changing. Pain is staying longer, not going away as often. So I think that fibro wears a different mask for every joint and for every day and season. Yes, it could be fibro giving you non-stop pain in the elbow, while being "kinder" to other areas of the body.
That's scary and freaky about the Lyme disease, seeing as you got immediate treatment. My sis was in the same boat as you - got horrendously sick by week two of Lyme and got it dxed immediately. In her case, she's had no after effects. So one has to wonder if we also have the genetic component that others lack? And the genetic component is there, sitting silently, until it's attacked by an illness or accident or stressor...Something to think about.
Hi Sharon. Sorry to hear about all you have gone through the past year. They also thought I had tennis elbow but like you, the pain progressed to the full arm and hand. And within a short time effected my other arm the same way. I also feel that the over all pain has gotten worse within the past few months. This is limiting the things I can do and it is all so very frustrating...as you know. I also started having foot and calf issues recently as well.
I also have fibro fog and have trouble with word recall and memory. For me this gets worse when I am having a really bad day and increased pain. It is very frustrating...sorry that this is a daily struggle for you.
I do know that fibro is different for everyone and guess since up until now, elbow pain was not talked much about so I was thinking that maybe something else is going on with the elbows. i don't doubt I have fibro as for years I thought something was just not right about the amount of pain I was feeling but I was always able to manage the pain with OTC meds. As weird as this sounds, I just thought everyone has similar issues with pain as I did since for so long I have known no different. I realize now, that everyone does not have pain as I do. I have 15 of the 18 trigger points...again these areas have been bothering me for such a long time, I just though it was 'normal'.
But since the Lymes diagnosis, the pain is much worse, much more consistent, and much more difficult to manage. I was diagnosed with scoliosis in my early teen years and as the years progressed, I was diagnosed with TMJ, degenerative arthrisis in my lower back and lower neck. I have always had issues sleeping (since high school) and 'chronic pain' type issues. So I also wonder if there is a genetic component and the Lymes truly triggered this.
Do you work? This is the hardest part for me. I am no longer working because the the arm/hand pain...very difficult to work without two functioning arms. I am a special ed teacher by trade. I have always worked and now when we need the money the most (older daughter off to college next yr and another daughter going in two years). I have been trying to think of things I can do but even the simplest things hurt...such as typing, texing, holding a book, ect...and then there is the fibro fog. I had a break down attending back to school night for my one daughter...I guess this was the first big school function I attended since the fibro. I hurt and was overwhelmed sensory wise and then there were so many people and so many directions, I felt completely out of control. I have never had an experience like this...I actually had to leave and sit outside because I was overcome by emotion. Did not like that feeling. I guess since this is all relatively new to me, I just have to learn to manage things better.
I am more and more amazed at the similar stories, everyone has the same symptoms. Why on earth is it, we all seem to think this came from some sort of accident, trauma, sexual assault or some mind blowing incident.
What I do know is that when I was 51 years old I went sleding down the overpass in six inches of snow with all the neighborhood kids. I had a wonderful time, was sore the next morning but I was able to do so much, I took long walks with my dog, hauled huge bags of dog food, bags and bags of groceries, worked full-time and still had the energy to hit the yard work when I got home.
At 53 years old, I am sitting on the armchair debating whether to wash the car. Where are my meds!!
Well, guess what? With all the rains, I have new joints that are swollen, painfully inflammed, and hard to move, this time the left elbow, first time it has ever bothered me, also my right knee! These are in additon to all of the other joints that ache and thump ! So I guess I am in on this after all!
Looking forward to tomorrow at 5 pm, for my Enbrel shot!
Hope everyone is getting some relief, I am just getting ready to take some! Reminds me of the song 'jagged little pill'!
My problems all began with my elbows! I couldn't carry the grocery bags one day but had no idea what I'd done. 10 years later I still have pain in them most days and cannot carry anything without having my elbows bent. Can't lift anything even slightly heavy. Also pains in my knees ankles and wrists. (Not to mention everywhere inbetween!) Leslie, you are definately not alone! I use heat on mine. This helps a bit. Good luck with yours.
This all started in my elbows as well....has also moved to pther parts but my elbow and arms are what causes be a great deal of pain everyday. Like you, I also very limited in what I can do on a daily basis. Sorry your elbows are bad also....I can definitely sympathize with you! I also use heat...helps sometimes. Good luck to you as well.