I'm new here so don't know how to do everything yet and hope I am on right site to be asking this. I've had fibro I believe for several years but didn't get diagnosed with it till last April 2012 . I'm still trying to understand things about it and not sure about what all it can do to your body , everything I've learnt up till now has been off of Web Md.com didn't know where else to turn and so happy I found this site with such wonderful people on it . Here lately I've been having awful knee pain in both knees and was wondering if this is something anyone out there has also had . Don't know if this comes with fibromyalgia or if its a start of arthritis . My memory is getting so bad that I'm forgetting how to even spell words sometimes and have to think about it for sometime before I can spell a word its awful , I can leave one room and by the time I'm in the next room I've already forgotten what I had to do or say. If anybody else can help with this please do , also does anyone know what to do for the tired exhausted feeling . I workout in a gym 3 days a week when I use to workout 5 but can't no more just to try and keep myself going and if I didn't I think I would be stuck in a bed all the time. But need help to understand all of this . I would appreciate anyones help here.
Here is a good article to start with as far as understanding Fibromyalgia. It is a very complex condition, and you can get thousands of responses just 'googling' it or you can use the search engine, to search through the archives here, just click discussions, you'll see it at the top of page.
I just used it, typing in 'definition of fibromyalgia' and here is what came up. Hope this helps!
Hello Texas Girl and welcome to our site. It's a great place to get knowledge about our illness and there are some great people who help here as well.
Knee pain - YES!!! Might be fibro, might also be arthritis. Have you had any x-rays done of the knees? I don't know your age but I'm 50 and osteo-arthritis is already setting into my knees. And let me tell you, I've had horrid flares with them, so you're not alone! If you flip back a few pages, there's even a thread dedicated to the topic. Quite a few of us have this awful pain! I don't know what your knee pain feels like but mine hurts on either side of the knee, in the tender points. The pain is ouchy! sore and there's also a dull, relentless painful pressure as well in the knees. Then I also got a pain like liquid fire running from the knee down the shin for several days that was so severe that I couldn't even walk. Does this sound anything like what you've been suffering?
Spelling errors - check, especially when I'm tired.
Forgetting what I've gone into the other room for - check and double check. Happens all o f the time.
The tired exhaustion - sleep helps, otherwise I do ten times worse with brain fog. Also, do you have a sleep disorder, like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome? If so, you should see a sleep specialist. I went and ended up with a CPAP machine that pushes air down my throat at night and it's helped me to stay awake for many afternoons. Of course, not everyone has sleep apnea but it does tend to affect people with fibro, as do other sleep disorders.
Oh, and the most important thing - learn to pace yourself. If you're tired going to the gym 5 days a week, go 3, as you are. If you can no longer clean the whole house try a portion of it one day. Taking sitting breaks helps with chores! They can also help to clear your mind a bit. Fibro forces you to sloooooow down and learn new ways to do things. The more you focus on simplyfing your life to accommodate the fibro, the less stress and even less fatigue you'll feel.
Please feel free to read some of the various threads of the discussion board. There are some excellent questions posed and a lot of helpful answers.
You've asked some excellent ones yourself and I'm sorry that you're suffering from fibro. It's a complicated illness to understand and suffer through. Having friends on here helps!
I want to thank you so much for replying to my discussion it did give me a better understanding of fibromyalgia and can tell there is a whole lot left to learn I will be checking into the archives and reading things on here as much as possible thanks again
You're so welcome, TexasGirl, and welcome to our fibro family. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We're always happy to try and help you because we've been there too.
Hello Petunia nice to meet you I'm glad to hear its not just me with the knee pain but at the same time don't wish pain on anyone . Mine hurts like you were saying on the sides mostly never had the feeling of liquid fire running down it but does have a pressure feeling on it to also doesn't want to bend sometimes just really painful I first started noticing it in yoga class . I've been taking yoga for six years and never had this before but back when I was 29 years old (an I'm 49 turning 50 this month ) I could be walking an all of a sudden my knee would collapse on me and sometimes I would be carrying my daugther which was a baby back then , so this became a big problem for me of course and I went to the doctor and they took x-rays of the knee and couldn't find anything wrong so said it was probably a start up of arthritis . Now that was 20 years ago and until lately it hasn't bothered me . It just went away one day as fast as it came on . So I just don't know but did have a doctors appointment today and he said he thinks its Tendonitis not sure I agree with that but for now he wants me to take aleve for it . Which is something I was already doing it helps some but not on my really bad days . My family has arthritis all in it so I'm thinking thats not good for me . My oldest daughter already has RA and has had it for 5 years already I feel so sorry for her.
As for sleep know its been a good year sense I got that and I do actually have sleep problems I've suffered from insomnia my whole life sense I was a baby my mom told me . Took all kinds of different sleep meds finally one day just gave up on all of them and just lived with it none of the doctors I seen knew what to . Then last July I got this awful cough thought it was bronchitis went to the urgent care near by and they said it was allergies gave me some meds to try and stop the cough worked better than nothing but didn't take the cough away so went to my doctor and he said same thing and told me to take benadryl at night time with my Trazodone sense nights were the worse time for me however the days weren't no cake walk either.That didn't work so went to an allergy doctor and he did a blood test to see what I was allergic to and it came back showing milk only which I've known that my whole life so then he started playing around with these food drops because he's determined its food I'm not believing that got no where with it so after 5 months of that I stopped going had enough . So today my fibro doctor gave me a referral to a allergy / immunology doctor. So see how that goes.
I have to admit I'm having a hard time getting use to pacing my time I like to get things done and over with so I don't have to come back to it but if there is one thing fibro will do to you is slow you down the pain is awful enough and then there is the being so tired and forgetfulness , to much stuff at one time that we have to go through but I'm learning . Anyways thanks so much for letting me know all the things you did I am still in the learning pharse and it looks like I will be for a long time considering I'm getting hit harder and harder these days .I know this site is going to be alittle bit of heaven in my world of pain.
Welcome to the world of Fibro~ It is a nasty disorder that needs to be cured. It is everlasting and in my opinion gets worse as you get older! I was a gymnast and cheerleader all through school, (30 years ago) I sometimes wonder if all of my joint pain was caused by my wear and tear on my body when I was younger. I now coach our high school cheer teams, and I make sure that they stretch before doing any type of gymnastics. I really think that if you are going to subject your body to that type of work out you need to warm up the muscles and joints before working them out! I am very proud to say that I now have 4 National titles and 2 grand National championships under my belt. My cheer team also came in 2nd in our state competition! I am one truly proud coach, I just hope my girls don't end up like me! But anyway, I hope things get better for you! Hugs, Jackie
Well now you have a new friend - new here as well. People here are great - so go for it. Anything you want to talk about or just share, cry, vent that's what we are here for and it works. We just have to believe and that's the hardest thing when you are in pain, can do the things that made you happy, etc. but we are here. so WELCOME
Welcome to our fibro family, it is a very overwhelming diagnosis and the best thing to do is educate yourself, so you no what are the symptoms of this complex condition. The main symptoms are unrelenting pain to all parts of the body it's different for everyone, no energy and fatigue, your brain and thought seem disorganized and forgetful, and you have a poor quality of sleep. and some suffer with chronic painfull headaches. it effects everbody differently and you may not experience all or just some of these syptoms. It is important to get a good GP who is kind and is understanding towards Fibro suffers and will be a advocate for you. You are in the right place for support because a lot of people can't fathom that someone can be in pain 24\7 but the people here not only understand it they live it. I think that is enough for you to take in at once there are some very good information on this site and you've always got us at the end of your mouse 24\7 I live in Australia and there are people from many country who participate so welcome to the family Love & Hugs Jeannie