I am new to this site and I would like to know if the pain is like extreme cramps

[Kaz]

Hi I am new to this site and I would like some information if possible. The pain I get is it like getting extreme cramps in the muscles. I seem to get this during the night several times. I try to walk the dog at least 20 minutes every day but some times this is very painful (but I do not give in). My GP has refered me 5 or 6 yesars ago to the hospital who diagnosed suspected fibromyalgia (no one has ever said it is fibromyalgia). These cramp pains can start at the least little thing just reaching without stretching can cause them anywhere from the top of the legs to the ribs, back, shoulders or neck, picking up a pen or knife and fork can cause them. Does anyone have or had the same problem.

 

[sunkacola]

Hello Kaz, Have you been tgested for the other things that could be causing this problem? If you have gone through extensive testing and come up with no diagnosis from those tests, then suspecting fibromyalgia is reasonable. But you need to eliminate the other possibilities first, because if it is something else you need to know. The kind of thing you describe is felt by many of us who have fibro, in varying degrees and extent.

Do you have any of the other symptoms of fibroyalgia besides the muscle cramping?

 

[Kaz]

Hi thanks for replying, I do get exrtremely tired for no reason. I have had several tests that many not sure what I have had anymore lol. I do have arthritis in my spine and knee and noticed this week that it is starting in my fingers. What other aches and pains should I be looking for ? I have been diagnosed as having diverticulitis which is similar to IBS. I have put weight on and can not shift it, although I do eat healthy meals. I was blaming the fact that I am not as active as I was 4 or 5 years ago. I do have very swollen ankles the left being very painful. All the tests have confirmed that there is nothing wrong. Even an ECG. I am at a my wits end would just like to know what the problem is and then I can start looking into ways of managing it.

 

[sunkacola]

All the tests have confirmed that there is nothing wrong.

If you have diverticulitis and arthritis, then there is certainly something wrong. Pleanty wrong, in fact, and your arthritis might be the cause of all your symptoms.

What other aches and pains should I be looking for ?

None!! Don't look for aches or pains or for anything at all like that. To do so is only to cause yourself more worry (see my previous post ), and it is putting your energy in exactly the wrong direction -- looking for problems rather than solutions. Instead, put your energy into doiong what you can to make sure you are helping your body.

I do eat healthy meals.

Eating healthy meals means a lot of different things to different people. What is very healthy for one person may be practically poison for another. What is necessary is for you to do the experimenting to find out what constitutes healthy food for YOU. And it could be exactly what you are already eating, making it simple. But it could just as easily be a completely different diet. Until you start working with food and your body you won't know if something that is generally considered healthy food that you eat daily is actually a huge trigger for your pain and other symptoms. See my post for advice on how to do this, and I always invite you to ask questions and get support here. We can't do that work for you, you have to do it. But we will be with you to help.

I am at a my wits end would just like to know what the problem is and then I can start looking into ways of managing it.

I very strongly suggest that you start looking into ways of managing what is going on now rather than waiting to know what the problem is. There is no definitive test for fibromyalgia, so if you have that you won't ever get that as a solid for-sure diagnosis with proof.
If you have MS or something else that has a definitive test, that's another thing.....andyou need to be tested for it.

Take a look at your medical record if you don't remember what the tests were, so that you can be on top of your own testing and care. This is very important! If you don't know what tests have been done or what routes your doctor is investigating then you are putting y ourself in a powerless situation that you don't need to be in. Knowledge is power. Read your medical record.

If you start impleenting the things I suggest in my post, and any other variations on that which seem sensible to you, you will be on the right road no matter what it turns out you have. Don't wait for a diagnosis that may be months or longer in coming. Some people here waited years before getting a diagnosis of fibro.

 

[sunkacola]

Even an ECG.

PS....an ECG only measures what is going on in your heart, nothing else. Good if you don't have heart problems! But there are a lot of other things that could be going on. Also, if you are getting extremely tired there IS a reason for it, it just might ot be obvious. The thing here is to find out for yourself what is going on, alongside the medical testing.
We are here to cheer you on, offer our experience, and answer questions as best we can.

 

[sunkacola]

My advice for managing fibromyalgia (especially for newcomers)

I am not a doctor or anything, just a person who has lived with fibromyalgia for several years now and has done a lot of research and trial and error experimentation. What follows is just basics. There are a lot of variations. You will find your own versions of everything I say, as this is not a...

www.fibromyalgiaforums.org

 

[cookiebaker]

I have been diagnosed as having diverticulitis which is similar to IBS. I have put weight on and can not shift it, although I do eat healthy meals. I was blaming the fact that I am not as active as I was 4 or 5 years ago. I do have very swollen ankles the left being very painful.

oh boy can I relate to this!!
I also have diverticulitis, have put on weight (also not as active as I used to be - hard to be when you hurt so much) and I also cope with swollen ankles, with the left one being worse than the right! It is almost like you were peeking at my medical records, LOL

If you dont have any, get some compression stockings - either have your doctor prescribe for you (which will send you to be fitted properly) or you can take a chance and order some from Amazon.
I ordered some 15/20lb ones on amazon.. taking care to take good measurements (to fit right, you will need to measure the calf) - the ones i got fit well and do help when things are not too bad.. and they come in some fun colors, too.
I also have some that were "prescribed" - these are 25/30s (more compression) and I only use them when the ankle/lower leg gets really bad because they can be quite uncomfortable (i dont like the tops of these - they have silicone to keep them from slipping down)

Sunkacola is spot on tho - dont go "looking" for more aches and pains, if they come up, you will know.
Focus on managing what you do know for sure.. make things as good as you possibly can for what you know you have right now.

I also agree with making yourself familiar with what is in your medical records. If you have questions about something in there, then ask about it, and dont let them blow you off. You deserve to have a clear understanding of your health and test results.
Know what you have been tested for, what you haven't. Know what your blood test results are, too, and where those numbers should be on average - most test results will have a range of what is considered "normal"
If you haven't been checked recently, I would ask about getting a full vitamin/mineral panel done.. the muscles cramping for no apparent reason just kind of screams low something to me.. most likely potassium, but it could be something else as well and the only way to know is to get tested.. low vitamins/minerals are fairly easy to treat with OTC supplements.

Experimenting with foods is also another excellent idea.. just because you have eaten something all your life does not mean you haven't developed a sensitivity to it now (especially with the diverticulitis)... I found out I can no longer eat "white" breads - hamburger & hotdog buns, dinner rolls, etc.. I also dont eat peppers of any kind any more.. no green bell peppers, or the more colorful ones either.. never really did care for the "hot" ones, so no loss there... also cut out tomatoes.. huh.. just realized, both of those are in the nightshade family... oh darn.. I guess that means I should probably give up my potatoes as well.. good thing i like sweet potatoes!

So, Just because something is considered "healthy" does not mean it is healthy for YOU. And the only way to figure that out is to experiment.
Use Sunkacola's newbies post (her last post above) as a great jumping off point.. lots of great, sound advice in it.

 

[JayCS]

What other aches and pains should I be looking for ?

I fully agree with everything sunkacola and cookiebaker have said.
For cramps aside of low minerals drinking enough is also important, so praps try drinking more if you haven't already.
In case you meant "looking for" less literally:
To confirm a fibro diagnosis more you "need" some "more" widespread pain and certain "more" additional severe symptoms - 2 would be if your tiredness is actually fatigue, and the diverticulitis as abdominal pain. See the 2016 criteria attached - but think about each one carefully, praps together with someone else, to not overlook things you're used to.
So using these would be a way of "looking for" certain typical (overlooked) symptoms, to be able to address them.

Actually "looking for symptoms", incl. overlooked ones in a neutral curious way I've found to be extremely helpful in the long run, because I track and then tackle all of them, big and small, and have been able to get most under control that way. But as sunkacola says this is to look for solutions at the same time and to not get overwhelmed it's best to tackle those you already know. It may be helpful to prioritize them, for instance sleep may cause many other problems. But sometimes it's easier to tackle a simple small one, like a local pain, using exercises etc., each of which can also cause other problems.

would just like to know what the problem is

For conditions like fibro researchers haven't found any root "cause(s)" yet, which leaves us again there, tackling single symptoms. Sometimes grouping them can help find some of "our root causes", like muscular tension leads me to certain supps and all the many kinds of relaxation types, seeing dryness in several areas (which might be sicca syndrome) can help us understand praps another strange symptoms, like my eyes getting itchy I thought was primarily tiredness, but realized they're "just" dry and gua sha helps. But they can also distract: A feverishness-feeling I thought was praps "autoimmune", and used cold showers for that, but by analyzing and remembering pre-fibro feverishness I realized it's tiredness and could sleep it away in the afternoons until I was able to increase sleep depth naturally more.
So if "the problem is" actually mainly fibro, then you have not one problem to manage but many, maybe 30-50, because many of them are independent of one another. I've identified 40 insomnia triggers, 10-15 of my supps support it, and I use quite a few further techniques for sleep. But am still sometimes I'm just awake at night for 'no reason at all' (maybe neurotransmitters playing up) and then know I have to get up inside of 15' and do something calm till I'm tired enough. But that's enabled me to get up to 7-8h of deep sleep almost every night (exception the other day: 2h of deep sleep, but lots of sleep substitution with Yoga Nidra). But my hope that this will increase my energy remains unfulfilled. Except in combination with Chinese acupuncture, which increases energy and insomnia, so if I manage to retain a hold on deep sleep somehow all the same, then I have more energy, if I don't the acupuncture doesn't help, cos of increased insomnia... So my lack of energy does not have a root cause in insomnia (= independent), but is influenced by it (= connected).

 

[Jendaw86]

Yes. To all the muscles issues and left foot being the worse. I head to rheumatoidology tomorrow. If they tell me anything new I'll let you know. My advice is to go back to your doc and ask them to look at your complete history. So far they have me on two migraine meds and two "night time never/pain" meds so I can sleep. During the day I just suck it up. Some days are better then others...

 

[fibrofoggirl]

I would say the pain is always there & never goes away.....mine is worse in the upper back. There is pain in legs, hips, arms, chest, & neck. When I walk, after about 10 min, my upper back ends up with a "fire" like pain. There's been days, that I wish my arms could just go on a shelf for a while to give me a break cause they ache so much. I use heat on me as well as max freeze or icy hot that husband will rub on my back. I was hit by a truck on hwy & the trauma from the car accident triggered fibromyalgia. When I was working, I got weekly massotherapy which helped me get through the work week.

 

[DebMarPir]

Hi I am new to this site and I would like some information if possible. The pain I get is it like getting extreme cramps in the muscles. I seem to get this during the night several times. I try to walk the dog at least 20 minutes every day but some times this is very painful (but I do not give in). My GP has refered me 5 or 6 yesars ago to the hospital who diagnosed suspected fibromyalgia (no one has ever said it is fibromyalgia). These cramp pains can start at the least little thing just reaching without stretching can cause them anywhere from the top of the legs to the ribs, back, shoulders or neck, picking up a pen or knife and fork can cause them. Does anyone have or had the same problem.

Hi! I don't want to misinterpret what you said but you say your pain "is like" getting extreme cramps. Is it cramps or not? I began suddenly getting attacks of cramping all over the body and they would move, and these were very painful. I was put on Gabapentin for these, which stopped them. For a long while I would still get cramp-like symptoms in some areas, an arm for instance, and spent time trying to work out that cramp with a massager, but then find my skin had bruised really easily. I didn't find many others had cramps but I did until on the medicine and short time or so thereafter. Some find they have side effects with Gabapentin, but I didn't and for me the drug is a life safer.

 

[sunkacola]

There's been days, that I wish my arms could just go on a shelf for a while to give me a break cause they ache so much.

Oh, I understand that! With me it's legs, but I have been known to say I just want them to be put on a shelf for a while. Of course, if that happened we wouldn't be able to do much but we'd at least get a break!

 

[cookiebaker]

I can relate to the "take them off and put them on a shelf for a while" thing too...

My partner asked what I wanted for my birthday.. I told him a new body. the one i have has too many problems.. arthritis, fibro, nerve issues.. yup, life would be much easier with a new body.. LOL