Pain increasing

[mcleod66]

I have observed a gradual increase in the intensity of my pain over the past few weeks. I would like to know if this is a normal occurrence.

 

[SBee]

Hello mcleod66
Many of us unfortunately suffer from flare ups which increase symptoms. Can you think of anything you may have done differently that may have increased the pain? All of us know if we push ourselves too far it can have pretty disastrous results.
Perversely not doing enough moving can lead to worse stiffness. Its a crazy thing trying to balance ourselves, feels like living on a bloody knife edge at times.
Stress in particular can really increase symptoms. Are you getting any support from a GP you can talk too?

 

[mcleod66]

My GP is trying her best to get me back into Therapy but a long waiting list in this area. I suffer from extreme PTSD and serve depression and anxiety along with Autism. With constant visits to hospital and a operation every six months life has been a struggle recently. Nobody in the local health area seems to know much or anything about fibromyalgia and I have had to do all my own research into the condition. I just do not understand why the pain is getting worse or why I'm constantly tired and forgetting things .

 

[sunkacola]

@mcleod66 , it seems to me --the opinion of someone without medical training -- that your extreme depression and PTSD could be causing the pain to increase. Of course, the opposite could also be true, it could be that the pain is increasing and that is exacerbating your mental health issues. As a person with extreme depression and anxiety myself, I know the feeling of wondering what is increasing what or if they just go hand in hand. I know for a fact that depression and anxiety will cause extreme fatigue, and I deal with this often.

I do know that for me, if something can make my day better emotionally it will help and if something is badly upsetting it will make everything worse on a physical level. If therapy would help you, I encourage you to pursue it.

 

[dramaqueen]

Hi there,
I am new to forums so bare with me,female living in the UK,started off with ME years ago & within the last 10 years now Fibromyalgia.
I haven't been right since January this year after I developed Covid for the first time ill for 6 weeks thereafter I got shingles. As I have a low white cell blood count & can't fight off infections I get all the preventative jabs. So the GP advised me wrongly to have a spring Covid jab & I have gone down hill !!! Now I have pre Covid syndrome ? I have had new pain symptoms for the past 4 weeks that are unbearable 24/7 ???
I can't sit down or lie in bed so no sleep or rest not that I sleep much anyway. So I have turned unfortunately to have a couple of glasses of wine in the evening along with pillows & hot water bottles takes the edge off slightly. Not that I can get a GP appointment living in the UK !!
The GP's phone call tells me I am depressed & run down, I can't take meds because of the side effects, even the pain patches cause issues.
Now R Arthritis has been mentioned as well ?? What does someone look like from the outside with pain ? Unless you walk in someones shoes you have no idea. I am waiting now to have a CT scan !!

Best wishes Constance Xx

 

[mcleod66]

I am hoping to go back into full-time therapy but as usual the NHS don't have enough therapist in my area. I have been trying mindfulness but sometimes I find the pain getting worse especially in my shoulders, neck, and back. Getting someone who understands Fibromyalgia is not easy and getting treatment in my area is very difficult, I'm starting to wonder if I'm causing the pain to increase.

 

[SBee]

Hi @mcleod66
i understand the frustration of waiting for an appt for therapy, had long ling waits myself. I dont know if it will help, but have you tried the UK site FMA UK? A fibromyalgia site that has helplines where you can talk with ' real ' people who have fibro themselves or within their families.
Speaking with someone with such experiences may help you in the interim whilst waiting for your appt.

Unfortunately, I agree with you that finding a professional with knowledge of fibro seems near impossible. Whilst I have a supportive GP who will discuss meds with me, 99% of my knowledge of fibromyalgia has come from this very forum. I find it true that much of any improvements is due to the work we put in ourselves. And thats hard to accept when generally we look to medical professionals for help in most health issues.

My worse nerve pain is neck and upper body, and some gentle exercises can help a little.

 

[SBee]

Hi @dramaqueen

Welcome. Strangely I had chronic fatigue syndrome many years ago, which improved and now have fibromyalgia a symptom which I really struggle with is ... Chronic fatigue. ( amongst other symptoms ). For myself, but like you, my health deteriorated with a huge bundle of heath problems, both physical and mentally. My thoughts are sometimes the body gets so wrecked it simply cant fight off further ' attacks ', stress of any kind as I am sure we all know amplifies physical health.

Whilst you seem too sensitive to medications, and I believe many of us with fibromyalgia and additional chronic conditions also suffer with anxiety\depression. I find the relentlessness of pain and fatigue so hard to deal with some days. It almost overwhelms me.

But its good that your surgery is also still doing further blood tests to make sure nothing else is also going on. Rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia do sometimes seem to go hand in hand. i was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis in April, just 4 months after getting the fibro diagnosis. ( already have osteoarthritis ).
Although im kind of glad to get any confirmed diagnosis, I then think well what am I supposed to do with it now? For me, its finding out for myself what helps me. That takes time, its no quick fix, and takes some experimenting. I do take meds, some for existing conditions, and some pain killers and meds for nerve pain. I try to pace myself ( and fail spectacularly some days ), try to eat well, exercise slowly, a bit of chair yoga\meditation.
And crucially I use this forum for advice and support because no one can, as you say yourself can know what its like better than others experiencing similar health issues.