Living hell

[dolphindora]

I’m a 52 year old female and was apart from anxiety physically fit& healthy. Went to the gym 5days a week and walked my dog for 1hour every day. I ended up getting an Inguinal Hernia and had a repair done Nov 2008, 3 days later I woke up with most excruciating pain I thought I was going to die it started mid back and went from the middle round the left down the side& towards my ribs.. to cut long story short I was told it was muscle strain. I didn’t believe that from the pain I was experiencing and this went on for a few months& it was relentless. Then I went to A&E as a blood clot was suspected chest X-ray done normal was given diazepam. All I could do was have boiling hot water bottle on it constantly. I was then given Ora Morph but made me feel wretched. Was also told by an Osteopath that my ribs head had come out yet months later still in pain.
Anyway I did get a reprieve for 6months and then January 21 it came back with a vengeance but the pain was not as severe but severe enough. Pressure always intensified it. I get this deep aching both left& right side of my back and the bottom of my back also my hips& always wake up with stiff hips& same at the bottom of my back. I cannot cope with long walks as the aching intensifies, chest pain and sometimes when I flat on my back just touching the sheet really hurts. If I stand for too long the pain and ache gets worse sometimes makes me nauseous. I have to space everything out have to split my housework over day’s because worsens the pain and ache. Always have to be aware of cooking later in the day as that is hell and also have to space that out and in teen I sit with hot water bottle. I can’t do things like I used to and over the months more symptoms such as urgency to go to toilet and embarrassing as a couple of times it’s out before I can get to a toilet. Get more fatigued now and if it wasn’t for my dog I don’t know how I’d even get out of bed. I get achy legs too. When I’m standing at sink to clean teeth my aching gets worse. I already have an anxiety disorder but it’s worse now. I had an MRI Jan this year and consultant said it may be a chronic muscle spasm and gave me Botox injections which didn’t help at all.back X-ray all normal and recently had an in-depth blood test which also came back normal. My hands get achy but not all the time. I’m on Tramadol now which helps a little but I wake up in pain every day and go to bed the same. Not had one whole day reprieve in over a year. I’m also so forgetful. I was watching something on Netflix& thought I’d text my friend to watch it..I’d literally just finished watching it& when I text my friend I couldn’t remember what it was called. Doesn’t sound like much but that was just one example. I never used to be like that.
My doctor following all this said that it seemed it could be FM but another possibility was the fact I’d been on Pregablin for 12years so I said there is no way I’d be like this due to that reason so after seeing him I phoned him and said I was really confused by what he was saying and it ended with him again saying seemed like Fibro. I am with the Pain Clinic now since they did my MRI and they are looking after me but it’s the waiting and living like this every day I daren't plan anything cause it’s too hard. I just have no idea how I can be fit and healthy one minute then have a Hernia op and then 3days later wake up in that kind of pain and have been like that ever since except the pain is much less that’s that. I’m scared...I’m feeling really hopeless too and I used to love cooking food shopping etc now I dread it. I’m a very clean person but I don’t even shower or wash my hair as much as I used to because it cause me pain. I do it in the morning now after I get up cause I can’t do it an night as too tired and achy to have the energy to do then.
I have let the Pain Clinic know that it seems like it’s Fibromyalgia .
Does this sound familiar at all?
Thank you feels good to get it off my chest.

 

[sunkacola]

Oh dolphindora, you poor thing. I can relate so much to many of the things you are saying here, so please don't feel alone. I am not a doctor, but it does sound to me as if fibromyalgia is a strong possibility in your case. It is possible to develop FM as a result of surgery or an accident or trauma, as many here would attest.

I too was very active and worked out with weights, hiked the mountains, and had a very hard time adjusting to not being able to do the things I used to do. It pretty much sucks swamp water. Like you, without my dogs I don't think I would make it. they are my best teachers, constant companions, best friends and what gets me out of bed in the morning....usually with a smile because they are so happy it's a new day.

Planning your day and pacing yourself is necessary now, but trust me you will get used to it, and then it will be your normal. I know....not what you want. Me either. But it is what it is and the best way to cope with it is to accept it and then do what you can to manage it in a healthy manner. I know it's scary, and am sorry you are going through this. I also have anxiety, get achy legs when I haven't done very much, and have fatigue and daily pain. But it is less than it used to be.

I have written a post of advice that is pinned at the top of the General forum. There are a lot of things there, and I have done/am doing all of them, and can attest that it has helped a lot. Not a cure, but an easement of some of the worst of it, and much less dependence on medication. Read it and try some things and see if anything helps you.

And come here for support or answers to questions. We are here to help each other.
One more thing....please be very very careful with the tramadol. It is an opiate and highly addictive. You don't want to add addiction on top of everything else you have to deal with. I used to take it 3X a day, but when I realized it was addictive I stopped and turned to other non-medication ways of managing the pain and am down now to only taking it once or twice a month at most. It's good to have when you really need it, but better to find other things that help you so that needing it is greatly reduced.

Take care of yourself. Be strong. We are here for you.

 

[LouiseR]

Hello,

When I read your post I felt like I was reading about myself.

I am a lady of 55 and I am just like you said..for example I have been in bed all day today.
It is making me very down and weepy..I just don't know what to do with myself and the hospital just brush me off as they say they do not have any FB specialists.
I have RA and OA too and I feel like I am 103 years old...
I am just a waste of oxygen .. taking up space...

Louise...

 

[dolphindora]

You need to get in with the Pain Clinic that’s who I’m with and they do help a fair bit they can’t take our pain away but help us manage it they do your medication too x

 

[AVI]

Good Morning Dolphindora,

I'm new to the FM forum and am glad I found it...it's nice to know that I'm not alone and can vent, share or gain wisdom/knowledge on how to deal with and manage the pain.

I can relate to what you're going through. I was healthy and vibrant and enjoyed being active. I was in the military and served overseas, Saudi Arabia, and upon my return started having seizures, migraines and other pains. With the seizures I experienced neck pain and back pain. I ended up being discharged because of the seizures. A few years later, after my discharge I was diagnosed with migraines. Fast forward to current times, I was diagnosed with FM. I learned that DOD acknowledges those who served in Southwestern Asia Theatre, during the Gulf War, experienced FM, GERD, IBS and other symptoms, as a result of serving temporarily in those Theatre.

I am at a lost for words on how I feel, especially after having to deal with seizures and migraines for so long and finally having those under control and being able to work and live a somewhat normal life, but now having to add FM to my ailments--it's even more challenging. I keep my heating pad on stand by at all times--it really helps with the back pain. After I walk my dog, when I'm not doing house chores or am watching TV I sit on it (it goes along my back) and let the heat permeate--it works wonders.