Why do I feel so bad all the time? Could I have fibro?

[snark42]

Hi all. I am new here and basically looking for a sounding board. I don't know what to ask/tell my doctors, or what kind of doctor I should possibly be seeing so I guess I'm looking for guidance in those areas.

I really feel like there is possibly something wrong with my health. I cringe saying that because it makes me feel like maybe it's just all in my head, or I'm a hypochondriac, etc. However, I've felt this way since I was a teenager (I'm now 30). When I was about 14 years old, my thyroid was inflamed temporarily, giving me symptoms of hyperthyroidism. After it resolved, I did go through a period of time where I suffered from symptoms of hypothyroidism. However, as an adult all subsequent bloodwork on my thyroid has always been normal. I had a lot of anxiety as a child and eventually sought help as an adult, and antidepressants have helped immensely with that.

Yet I am constantly tired. Not just tired. I feel like I have no energy, and that even the littlest things take monumental effort. I am depressed. I am anxious (though this is much better than when I was younger). I bruise very easily. I am very pale. I don't sleep well, and even when I get a LOT of sleep I am still exhausted, and sometimes I don't feel as if I've slept at all. I was extremely skinny for most of my life. Since having kids, I am not nearly as skinny, and though I may not particularly care for the way my body looks postpartum, I am definitely not overweight.

The fatigue has plagued me since my teen years, as I said. But over the past few years the fatigue seems to have gotten worse, and I also have trouble concentrating and remembering things at times. My brain feels foggy. Over the past few years I have started experiencing migraines (I had a terrible one in January that scared the tar out of me, and I finally had an MRI done, which looked fine). I went to the doctor once a few years ago because my hands were tingly and numb, and after some bloodwork (which was fine) the doctor gave me a steroid and then basically dismissed me. I feel like I have to urinate A LOT (this is another symptom I can remember as a teen as well). Right now as I type my hands have a vague achey and stiff sort of feeling, but they don't look swollen or red. Recently many times when I wake in the morning my back hurts so much that I have a moment where it hurts to move AND it hurts not to move, so I have to move very carefully and very slowly to get out of bed. I feel stiff and wonder if this is what people much older than myself feel like. My husband sometimes rubs my back, and I always have knots. Sometimes when he rubs my back, I'll cry out because I feel like he is massaging too hard and it hurts. He says he isn't being too hard, but I'm sure the amount of pressure feels relative from person to person. I wouldn't say that I feel like I am in PAIN all over my body all the time, but I think it would be accurate to say that my body always feels tender, if that makes sense.

I have been checked in the past for anemia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems, diabetes, and probably other things I can't even remember right now. Half the time I feel like I'm crazy, and there is nothing wrong with me, and I just need to suck it up and count my blessings and get my act together. I was even told once by a former doctor and nurse, "Well, you're a mom." So basically I feel like I'm in a cycle where I just accept that I'm a mom, and this is normal, until it gets worse again, and then I get a bunch of stuff tested AGAIN, only to be told AGAIN that everything is normal. Can it be right to feel like this?

I have never kept a detailed journal of symptoms, etc., but I can say with some certainty that the following help but do not alleviate the symptoms entirely:

Eating more healthy foods
Exercise (however I sometimes feel wiped out afterwards)
Antidepressants

I also take prenatal vitamins, as I am still nursing our youngest baby (though she is almost weaned) and Vitamin D.

I hope I don't sound like a total nut case. I haven't had a very difficult life, but I have had some trauma (well who hasn't), so I suppose it could all just be related to that. I don't know.

Your thoughts are most welcome. Sorry this was so incredibly long!

 

[1sweed]

Welcome to the forum. I was wondering have you ever seen specialists for your heath problems. A neurologist would test you for things like bone, spine disorders or MS, and other muscle diseases or a rheumatologist would check for lymes disease and RA, and lupus plus other types of arthritis like fibro. Since you live in Cleveland you might visit the Cleveland Clinic where the same place has every doctor you might need or test done for a reasonable fee.

In the mean time please read through the topic's on the symptoms that bother you the most and you might find some new coping skills to try that don't rely on medications, but on home products that can make a difference in your life. Feel free to post where-ever you like and ask more questions and we will try to answer them in the best way we can.

Hope to see more of you around the forum.

 

[snark42]

Welcome to the forum. I was wondering have you ever seen specialists for your heath problems. A neurologist would test you for things like bone, spine disorders or MS, and other muscle diseases or a rheumatologist would check for lymes disease and RA, and lupus plus other types of arthritis like fibro. Since you live in Cleveland you might visit the Cleveland Clinic where the same place has every doctor you might need or test done for a reasonable fee.

No I have not seen any specialists yet as I'm not sure where to start. None of my primary care doctors have ever suggested referring me for anything further. I've basically always been met with the diagnosis of, "All your tests are fine. Nothing wrong." And I guess I've just always accepted that and figured it was "all in my head" and just tried to cope.

We moved to this area less than a year ago from out of state. My primary care doctor is not associated with Cleveland Clinic, but I will look into that suggestion. Would you start with a neurologist or rheumatologist?

 

[1sweed]

In your case I think I would start with a rheumatologist. If he finds something more serious then this doctor would refer you on to a neurologist, or other doctor. Sometimes doctors do suggest you talk with a mental health counseler, but try not to be upset if they do. I used to get mad as hell and later decided that talking with someone was the best thing I ever could do for myself. And it was, but now the real issue is getting that diagnosis and learning as much as possible about your condition.

When you do get a diagnosis you will be glad to know whats wrong. And you will find the best thing to do is the hardest, that is handling and coping with your disease. So by reading here and asking questions you will be much better informed and find ways to lessen your pain and deal with the weird symptoms that can drive you half crazy with worry. The posts on this forum are a treasure-trove and all it takes is reading and taking notes. Then when something comes up you will have some ideas on managing it and you also have all of us to post questions too.

I look forward to seeing you around the forum and joining in on helping you as much as I can. Good Luck!

 

[Trellum]

No I have not seen any specialists yet as I'm not sure where to start. None of my primary care doctors have ever suggested referring me for anything further. I've basically always been met with the diagnosis of, "All your tests are fine. Nothing wrong." And I guess I've just always accepted that and figured it was "all in my head" and just tried to cope.

We moved to this area less than a year ago from out of state. My primary care doctor is not associated with Cleveland Clinic, but I will look into that suggestion. Would you start with a neurologist or rheumatologist?

I really think you should see a rheumatologist first, I think he is the one specialist you need right now. A good rheumatologist should be able to tell whether you have fibro or not. A good one will order several blood tests, just to make sure you don't suffer from MS or Lymes disease, because those two are known for causing symptoms that can be quite similar to fibro.

By the way, some of your symptoms resemble mine a lot. I also experienced weird symptoms as a teen. Please go see a rheumatologist soon and let us know how it goes.

 

[LivetoErr]

I'm sorry you feel so alone in your plight to find out if there is anything wrong with you.

Have you tried having your husband look up Fibromyalgia trigger points via a search engine? While, it's not an official diagnosis you can have your husband touch you in the listed places and see if you feel pain. Not knowing where these points are will help you be less bias towards the experiment. If you experience pain in the listed areas then you really should see a Rheumatologist. It would at least provided you with a basis point and perhaps ease your mind a little.

Good luck!

 

[snark42]

I'm sorry you feel so alone in your plight to find out if there is anything wrong with you.

Have you tried having your husband look up Fibromyalgia trigger points via a search engine? While, it's not an official diagnosis you can have your husband touch you in the listed places and see if you feel pain. Not knowing where these points are will help you be less bias towards the experiment. If you experience pain in the listed areas then you really should see a Rheumatologist. It would at least provided you with a basis point and perhaps ease your mind a little.

Good luck!

Maybe I will try this later. Husband is taking a nap right now. Thanks!

In response to the other replies, I have not yet called a rheumatologist. I am so scared of being met with, "Nothing is wrong with you", "It's all in your head", and so on. I have no problem being referred to a therapist. In fact, I have been looking for one for help with some other issues, but I've been having some difficulty finding one that I like based on reviews that also takes my insurance.

Yesterday I went to the gym and had a pretty good workout. I have felt like my past few workouts were rather sluggish and that I didn't "get much" from them, if that makes sense. Yesterday I felt good, and I felt like I pushed myself, but not too hard. Today I have some muscle soreness, which I expected, but my lymph nodes in my neck seem to be swollen and tender as well. Coincidence? I think I recall reading about this somewhere...

Thanks again everyone. I will continue researching local rheumatologists. I actually really like my primary care doctor, but I've only seen them a few times...I'm just super concerned that if I see them again I'll get the "there's nothing wrong with you" attitude.

 

[dorann]

The first thing that I would say that you should probably do is to talk to your family doctor about the issues that you've been experiencing. Most likely it won't be your family doctor that will be able to help you but they will be able to point you in the right direction as to what kind of a specialist that you should be seeing. I would guess a rheumatologist but I could be wrong.

 

[snark42]

A quick update. I still don't know anything, but I have an appointment later this week with my doctor. I'm really hoping I don't get treated like a hypochondriac. Wish me luck.

 

[snark42]

I saw my doctor today. Ironically when I woke up, I was sick--as in, a cold or allergies or something of that nature. I've been battling congestion all day. Ick.

Anyway, she ordered several tests for bloodwork which I was able to get done right away. I can't remember all the specifics, but I know she wanted to do a thyroid panel, check for rheumatoid factor, and my Vitamin D levels. She also wants me to get an ultrasound on my thyroid as she said it felt a bit larger on one side, and I did have some thyroid issues when I was younger. So we shall see! I know this sounds terrible, but I am praying something turns up in these tests.

 

[Jenny Heart]

I do not believe that just because someone feels bad all the time that has to means that someone has Fibromyalgia; however, it may also be something to look into, and, see if it could be Fibromyalgia. People need to listen to their bodies, and hear what their bodies are trying to tell them. If someone walked around stumbling all the time, that could mean that person needed to get their eyes checked. This concept goes for all other areas of concern as well.

 

[Jenny Heart]

You could have Fibromyalgia! I had an eye exam years ago where I explained my eye pain. Then after my exam was over i was sent elsewhere for further testing on my eyes, and that is how I found out I had Fibromyalgia. I had alot of those symptoms you tend to have daily, but, now i take certain medication that does help tremendously. i feel like i don't have it at times, because, I sleep better, and i feel less depressed.

 

[snark42]

So all the bloodwork I had done recently came back within normal ranges. I do have nodules on my thyroid, but with the bloodwork being in the normal range, the only thing they want to do is check on them again in 6 months (to see if they have increased in size, I suppose).

I am still beyond fatigued. When the nurse called with the results of all the tests, she said that my doctor wanted me to know that increasing my antidepressant is an option. I have been in less pain, though, and though my hands are still a bit stiff, they are nowhere near as bad as they were when I first started this thread.

Sigh. I don't know. I started reading more about depression after that conversation with the nurse, and many people with depression DO experience pain (I knew fatigue could accompany it, but I was not aware of the pain aspect), sometimes even if their mood seems stable or fine (their mind might not feel more depressed than usual, but they can still experience pain as a symptom). So maybe it is all just due to depression.

Well, heck, if I wasn't depressed before, I certainly am now. I'm not sure what to do. Depression is a real illness and I have no issue accepting that as a diagnosis and being treated for that, but I guess I just still worry that something else is going on, which might be exacerbating the depression, too, or vice versa. And I've felt badly like this since I was a teen...just some times are worse than others. Can I have been suffering from depression for 15+ years without realizing it?

So frustrating. Not sure whether to go back and ask for clarification on these things from my primary care, ask for a psychiatrist referral, a rheumatologist, or what.

 

[1sweed]

It is always good to share these things with your primary doctor and of course you could ask for a referral to speak with a psychiatrist or even a therapist who deals with issues like depression. When I wanted to see a therapist I searched online for ones in my area and saw their pictures and then read about them and picked out one I thought I would like. In your case I bet the Cleveland Clinic has some on staff and that way all your doctors would be able to work as a team in your care, but you could still do a good web search.

Having been depressed, it can make you very fatigued and in pain and have loss of ability to enjoy life. I highly suggest you find someone to talk with that can give you insights into coping skills and treatments in the management of depression without big increases in medications.

 

[wander_n_wonder]

It is always good to share these things with your primary doctor and of course you could ask for a referral to speak with a psychiatrist or even a therapist who deals with issues like depression. When I wanted to see a therapist I searched online for ones in my area and saw their pictures and then read about them and picked out one I thought I would like. In your case I bet the Cleveland Clinic has some on staff and that way all your doctors would be able to work as a team in your care, but you could still do a good web search.

Having been depressed, it can make you very fatigued and in pain and have loss of ability to enjoy life. I highly suggest you find someone to talk with that can give you insights into coping skills and treatments in the management of depression without big increases in medications.

Oh my, I am experiencing some eye pain as well. Could you describe in more detail how the eye pain is? I have been having it for about 2 years already and my doctor is saying that it is only because of dry eyes, although I'm not very convinced anymore since it's already been quite a while since I have been having this problem. I have been using eye creams and eye gel for dry eye already but it does not seem to work. I'm getting really frustrated and I'm starting to think that something else is really wrong.