exhausted and in pain

[carrie]

I am a new member. I am 41 and a mom to two young daughters. I am in constant pain. I was diagnosed with RSD after a knee surgery last year, and was hospitalized for a month, but prior to that, I had horrible neck and back pain, and hand pain that had been going on for a few years. When I had RSD, I went on Lyrica, and noticed the back and neck pain went away, and i didn't know if it was from the lyrica, or the fact that i had not been moving because of the knee surgery that had gone wrong. I am seeing a dr for fibromyalgia next week. What are the "pressure points?" I basically have severe neck and back pain, knee pain, hand pain, finger pain, scapula pain. Is that considered fibromyalgia? I have also been being treated for Lyme Disease after my western blot came back positive. Can advanced lyme disease cause fibromyalgia? I feel like such a loser and i can tell my husband does NOT want to hear " I am in so much pain". When i say things like that, his response is "well honey, we are getting older." but- i'm not 80. I'm 41. I'm not in middle aged pain. I am in really bad pain. all the time. I want to ski and play tennis and do pilates and excercise and do spin class, and I literally can sometimes get through two or three days,but then my whole body seizes up and i am in even worse pain for the next few weeks. I am SO frustrated. Lyrica made me gain 30 lbs. I can't bear to gain 30 lbs again. Has anyone tried things that haven't made them gain weight? If i gain 30 lbs, that isn't good for my joints either. Any ideas or things that help I would really really love to hear. My husband is always telling me why don't i "go work out?". I think it's so strange given that i have told him i am in horrible pain. I don't think he understands. There is NOTHING more that i want than to go work out... I don't like being tired and in pain. I feel like i am even more tired from faking feeling good when i just want to lie in bed for the rest of my life and take muscle relaxers, but i don't want to miss out on my children's lives. i have a great husband. i just don't think it's possible for someone to understand what this pain feels like if they haven't been in my body. really.... can anyone help?

 

[KNH55]

I am so sorry to hear you are in so much pain! Here is a link that might help you.
Fibromyalgia Tender Points and Trigger Points: Locations of Pain for Diagnosis

 

[1sweed]

Carrie,
First off welcome to the forum. I am glad to hear you are going to see a doctor about the chance of fibro, being the cause of your pain. Since KNH55, has given you a link to find out about the pressure points I don't have to try to explain those. You ask about Lyme disease, do you have it or were you just wondering if it could cause your symptoms? I think that Lyme disease can cause painfulness and some symptoms like fibro, but since I don't have it and thank goodness I don't, you might need to do a web search for that. Other types of arthritus like RA, can cause finger and hand pain, as well as, other joint pain. I hope the doctor your seeing is a Rheumatologist, cause that is the kind of doc that can complete the diagnosis for you.
If you read around the forum in the areas about chronic pain you will find some ideas on managing pain. Other folks have talked about using Lyrica, and can tell you what side affects they had. If weight gain was the worsed side affected you had to get pain relief, then it was not so bad. A lot of Prescription meds cause weight gain, some side affects are worse then others. I hope this doc your seeing figures out what is going on and helps you manage the pain. Let us know how things go. Good Luck!

 

[candelishis]

Carrie, do a Google search for "fibromyalgia and lyme disease"...you'll be shocked...

 

[KNH55]

Hi Carrie, sorry to hear you are having such a hard time!
I hope you find something that helps you soon