I am sorry that you are experienIng such pain. Can I ask why you won’t take any meds? I know from experience that they don’t work that well but sometimes seem to at least dull the pain. I am on neurontin and that has seemed to work the best at at least dulling the pain some of the time.
Question for all: how do you get the docs to listen and treat your pain as real? I think sometimes they just throw painkillers at me to get me to shut up!
I use heat. A hot tub helps me alot, but of course we don't have one. I would talk to your pain dr or your pcp and have them get you some pain killers for break through pain.
Mo, glad to see you back but sorry the pain is still there.
I know your frustration over having tests done to explain your pain, only to have them come back as "normal." But doctors really aren't testing the right things. My rheumy said our nerves have more pain signals in them than non-fibro people. So it's really there. WHY it's happening, doctors don't know.
I hope that pain subsides. Splinting does help fibro pain. I've also used wrist wraps.
I know what you mean about pain meds. They really don't cut the pain.
Have you tried accupuncture? Or gone to a pain clinic? Might be worth looking into.
MoMerrellL I hope you have gone to the ER by now. Please give us an update. Could it be carpal tunnel? My daughter suffers from it and she has to wear a brace on her wrist to her fingers.
I have a vein in my ankle from an old injury and the blood tingles in it and it pulses - I can actually see it do it. It is nothing serious for me but you should get this checked out asap because some of the things you might be trying might be harmful. Good luck. Jo
I describe the pain as feeling my veins, muscles and tendons. . .like really feeling them. I can feel the blood flow. i know that sounds crazy but I can feel the blood flowing through my veins and I get a cold chill with it like menthol to the skin.
I am thinking an advanced stage of carpal tunnel, where they say the pressure has no where to let out. . .but all tests say I'm okie doke!!! One ER doc said that my bones showed signs of wear like RA, he said the cartilage on my bones have worn down and are now starting to rub one another but when my rhuemy took an X-Ray months later, she said she saw nothing so I am lost. I trust my rhuemy but I can believe the ER doc too as what he explained to me makes sense.
Heat or cold presses can help or make it worse. When i took a shower the next morning, the hot water made my arm hurt worse, I almost fell from the pain. IDK anymore. . .frustrated
I stopped taking meds about a full yr ago. I did not like the side effects and I experienced far too many for too long. I stopped when a NP informed that a drug I had been on for about 4 yrs was recalled by the makers of it. They said it reacted like cocaine does to the brain. It made sense as to why I kept getting migraines from my migraine med. I weaned myself off and that period was brutal. I felt like I was going through some kind of detox from years of heavy drug use. My body shut down. . .from that point on I vowed to not take any more meds. I know side effects from one drug is not the same for the next but from that experience and my experience on tramadol where I was awake mentally but physically my body could not move, or neurontin where a doc gave me too much of a dose to take and I literally started hearing voices and going all coo-koo bird (luckily my friends noticed my craziness and flushed the pills for me). .all of these experiences were enough to tell me that meds is not for me. I have been doing better without them though. I can manage my flare ups better as meds are not masking the true source of my pain and I do keep a small amount of meds on hand like flexeril or imipramine for when I absolutely cannot take the pain. I end up taking a few day regimen about once every 3-5 months.
I realized with fibro that you have to find what works for you and no meds work for me. Not to mention that any and all meds I have taken, NOT one, not even vicodin or percocets, or any strong drug or muscle relaxer, ever took the pain away from my wrists or ankles, not even cortisone shots or TPI's.
I have tried acupuncture and I liked it. felt weird but did the trick. I went at the pain clinic who after 3 years as a patient sent me a, "sorry we have kicked you out of our system for missing 10 appointments in 3 years." their policy! HA Bullshiiiii. .. . .besides the new doc I had was brain dead. she paid about as much attention to me as a horse does to a pig.
I too can see and feel the blood pulse. It's so freaky and weird. I am thinking its carpal tunnel. . .but no I have not been to the doc yet. I will make an appt with my rhuemy and possibly go back to the hand specialist.
Mo, Kudos to you. I admire you for trying to get through this without meds. You sound like you have had a lot of bad experiences. So far I've only experimented with Lyrica and Cymbalta and really don't know if they are helpful or not. I am still taking pain medication once a day just to be able to take care of my sick mom and to get chores, etc. done.
Have you tried any homeopathy/natural type of treatment? I am thinking of doing some research and look into 'natural' remedies. Is your fibro pain mostly in your wrists and ankles - or all over? Mine is all over - which I can bear - but the worst part for me is that I cannot put my feet on the floor when getting out of bed in the morning because of my ankles and thighs. And my rear end is also in pain. What's that all about!!? The pain is excruciating and I almost have to crawl to the bathroom first thing.
My doctor has suggested I get orthotic shoes at $450.00 a pair. Yeah, right! I will be trying those just as soon as I win the lottery! Have a good day. Jo
I am glad to hear that you can manage without meds. I hate taking drugs. I don’t know if my neurontin is helping but it seems to. I am pretty sure the muscle relaxer I am on helps because I took a dose in the daytime (my doc says I can only take itat night)once and it helped.
Why do our hands, wrists, feet, ankles hurt so much? Nothing ever takes away that pain for me either and I can’t walk sometimes.
Hi Mo. I can top that doctor story. I have been with my doctor for 8 years and have never had to undress at an appointment! She just sends me for tests or to a specialist or gives me meds. But we talk a lot and she feels sorry for me. (At least someone in my life does!) She always gets on my case for doing too much for my ailing mother that I am taking care of. I like her though because she is so sympathetic about my fibro and understands it. (She is the one that gives me Percocettes, so maybe that is why I like her?)
MBP: My ankles and feet are my most painful areas. But the worse part is that it also goes up to the back of my thighs to my rear end. Most days I cannot walk until I take a pain pill. I don't know what is worse, the overall pain or the pain in specific areas. I haven't had problems with my wrists at all but do have it with my hands. The wrist pain might be carpal tunnel? Does the muscle relaxer actually take the pain away? I haven't tried that.
Jo, muscle relaxers seem to help. I was only taking Zanaflex at night but the doc added Mobic during the day and I just started that today. Before I started the Zanaflex, I dreaded getting out of bed in the morning because it hurt so bad to walk. Now I can walk without any trouble most mornings. I am hoping this daytime med helps cuz my muscles are always so tight and painful, especially if I try to do anything. Sometimes i feel so tight and weak that i cant use my IPad. Might be worth a try and they are pretty inexpensive meds.
A neurologist can do the test for carpal tunnel, they have the testing device, don't know if a hand specialist would, but they sound like a good place to start Mo.
Thanks for getting back to me, MBP. I know what you mean about getting out of bed in the mornings! I go through that daily. I've actually had "accidents" on the way to the bathroom because my feet hurt so much and won't get my body there fast enough!
I have been diagnosed with tendinitis in both my right elbow and right ankle but then they said it wasn’t. Also have problems with my wrists and hands and finally had the nerve test for carpal tunnel and it was negative. The docs just gave up after that. Frustrating! It seems as though once I had a diagnosis of FM, they just started saying that any and all symptoms I have are due to the FM or that I am just a “hysterical woman”.
LOL !
Hi Mo,
Just wondering when you're appointment with the Rheumatologist is -- please keep us updated -- I worry because you can feel it in your veins, it could be many things. I hope you see one of the docs soon !
Hugs!
Have an appt tomorrow with the hand specialist!!! We shall see how this goes, I updated a discussion about it. . .thanx for the support guys. Im hoping its nothing too bad but the pain i feel is quite brutal!
Hope all goes well, Mo. We will be anxious to know what they say.
I have been struggling with severe wrist pain, even with Enbrel added to the meds, and just took the 12th shot, so I have taken the amount necessary to feel the full benefit of the med, so see the Rheumatologist next week, the wrists are at the top of the list.
Here's hoping for some answers and some relief!
SK