freshly 19 with constant pain for years now

[bstu]

hi all, i'm here posting because my mum suggested i should check out some fybro forums. she struggles wiry rheumatoid arthritis, i've had bloods drawn every few years to check if i've developed it, but all tests are clear, so i wanted to see if anyone relates to how i'm feeling....

i had the pain start when i was about 14-15 in my lower back and hips, over the years (19 now, july this year) it's gotten worse and worse to the point where it's putting me in a dark place mentally. it's also incredibly frustrating to go to my local gp to be told that my x-rays and bloods don't show anything....

basically, in the past 2 years, it's gotten bad, and seems to be settling into its "new spots" in my knees, fingers & wrists, hips, jaw, lower back & shoulder blades. ive tried things the dr has suggested to ease it off, but it seems like it just makes it flare up even worse. i'm so mentally tired, i can barely think straight, i feel so sick and tired all the time. id this is how i am now, i can't imagine how bad it will be further down the track. the pain is an every day thing now, some days worse than others, some days close to nothing.... i just hope i can find some comfort or something from this group

 

[Buckle]

Hello. I just joined here as well. Good to hear that you're clear of RA. I have found that few General Practitioners will diagnose fibro. I just mentioned to another younger member, that you may want to make an appointment with a rheumatologist. They usually rule out everything else first, such as RA! But that's a good thing! You are describing joint pain, which might be a different diagnosis than FMS. Pain itself can effect your thinking and moods. Treat the pain and perhaps the rest might be alleviated? There was a medication that I was prescribed many years ago. When talking to my pharmacist regarding the side effect I was having (fatigue and joint pain), she asked; did my doctor not tell me that it was one of the possible side effects? No. Needless to say, I got off of it and the symptoms went away. Make friends with your pharmacy too. For me, they have more information on the drugs than the doctors do. And always check the "rare side effects" on your prescription information. Your mother may be able to give you a referral to an excellent rheumatologist, since she lives with RA.

 

[bstu]

thank you again for taking the time to reply, i think the rheumatologist is the best bet now that i'm 18+ and can see the doctor my mum has been with for years. she says he's amazing at what he does and very thorough.

and as you said, maybe it's not fybro, could be a lot of things i suppose. my x-rays and bloods are all clear, so i just have to keep ruling things out. i definitely get a lot of joint pain, a really strong hot ache along with a stabbing pain, sometimes a bit of numbness or stiffness, feels tender to touch as well. i'm thinking that now my symptoms have gotten worse over the past few years, that maybe it will be easier to tell what's wrong with me lol

definitely going to get a referral !

 

[bstu]

as for meds i take bipolar medication that makes me quite tired and sluggish sometimes, but the mental fog and physical exhaustion has only come around in the past few years, and i've been on my meds for many more years than my symptoms showing. it feels different than the exhaustion i can get from my medication, but i don't doubt it would be adding onto the fire lol

 

[sunkacola]

@bstu .....be aware also that psychiatric medications can sometimes change in how they affect you, and side effects can get better or worse. Not saying that's the cause of your current issues with brain fog etc., but could possibly be so it's worth having a conversation with the doctor about it.

 

[Nan]

Hi and welcome to the best forum Iv ever tried. I am 73 and had fibromyalgia for years and your symptoms are the same as mine and yes it is so annoying having test after test and all come back negative. Good luck on your fibro journey. Nan

 

[bstu]

thank you and yes this forum seems amazing ! i'm so glad i've joined, everyone is lovely and extremely helpful

 

[bstu]

i agree, a lot of my mental symptoms are my meds, and i definitely have tight muscle some days which make it hard, but i also get different types of sensations that are very similar, just present a bit different. that's why i'm thinking it may be fybro. but yes so many things it could be, a hard thing to pin point that's for sure lol