Is it possible for a 20 year old to have fibromyalgia?

Question

My mother was diagnosed with it, but not until she was at least 40 or so. I heard you are born with it and that it is genetic. I also heard that you wont be dignosed with it as soon as you are born and that it gets worse as you get older. Please give me any information you ma know about it.

Answer 1

Yes, it is possible for a 20 year old to have fibro. I was 17 when my fibro. started. If you think you have it, see a rheumatologist for a diagnosis. Interview them first to make sure they have had fibro. patients. As a rheumi. they should be familiar with the American College of Rheumatology diagnosis criteria for fibro.

To respond to the lady above, who seems to have encountered ignorant doctors: I wish fibromyalgia were a joke. I've had it for about 10 years, since I was a senior in high school. My doctor ruled out other conditions, like nutritional deficiencies, and sent me to a rheumatologist who did research for the Mayo Clinic to confirm my diagnosis.

If it were a joke, then why would peer reviewed medical journal searches bring back all sorts articles on it, including articles finding more evidence it is real. Like: "An increasing number of scientific studies now show multiple physiological abnormalities in the FM patient, including: increased levels of substance P in the spinal cord, low levels of blood flow to the thalamus region of the brain, HPA axis hypofunction, low levels of serotonin and tryptophan and abnormalities in cytokine function."

Plus, (I looked the following up) The American College of Rheumatology, American Medical Association, The World Health Organization, and the National Institutes of Health have all accepted FMS as legitimate.

I wasn't overweight when my fibro. became active. The people I have known with fibro. are not overweight either. I had a car accident that I walked away from with no injuries. Over the next month growing pains started and then became wide spread pain. I know other people who's fibro. has activated from periods of stress, pregnancy, or other events.

Here's another quote from fmaware: "Recent studies show that genetic factors may predispose individuals to a genetic susceptibility to FM. For some, the onset of FM is slow; however, in a large percentage of patients the onset is triggered by an illness or injury that causes trauma to the body. These events may act to incite an undetected physiological problem already present."

I don't put much stock in the nutritional healing or cure books for fibro. So far, none of that stuff has worked for me yet.

Answer 2

Your not born with fibromyalgia. You may have a higher chance of getting it if your mother had if but its not heretitary. Doctors really don't know what fibromyalgia is or what triggers it in some people and not others. Its possible that you are begining to have symptoms of it, however many test need to be done to rule out all other possible causes before a diagnosses of fibromyalgia is made. The sooner you begin treatment the better, if you wait it will progress. I was diagnossed 10 yrs ago, my doctor at the time didn't know much about the syndrom and didn't give me the correct information I needed to stay as healty as possible. I am know disabled, and have to take very strong narcotics for the rest of my life to help control the pain. The best information I can give you is to make sure you doctor is qualified to treat fibromyalgia its a very complicated syndrom. Make sure you eat well, exercise daily including streaches, if your not sleeping well address it right away. Most people with fibromyalgia also have some type of sleep disorder and if left untreated will cause progressive muscle damage. Your muscles repair themselves while your sleeping. Many people also have depression and anxeity that may need to be treated with medicaiton. also a muscle relaxer will help keep your muscles from tighening, trigger point injections also help aleviate the pain. Avoid stress if possible. There are many things you can do now to aviod alot of pain later in life. The most important is to educate youself and make sure you doctor knows what to do to treat fibro.

Answer 3

I was "diagnosed" with fibromyalgia when I was 19. After looking further into the "disease" and finding out that many doctors don't believe it even exists, it had caused ME to disbelieve that it even exists.

The symptoms of "fibromyalgia" are generally just a combination of nutritional deficiencies and the signs of getting older as a woman. The other option is that it's could be ANOTHER syndrome or disease.

I pushed my doctor to continue working on a more feasible solution, rather than just brushing it off as fibromyalgia. We continued looking into things and testing. After a few years, we figured out that I actually have celiac disease, which is a legitimate disease and very treatable.

Fibromyalgia is seriously a joke. I know a lot of people are going to be outraged at my saying this, but I don't care what they have to say. I care more about dispelling misinformation and getting you and your mother the proper care.

Your mother should look at changing her diet and making sure that she takes vitamin and nutritional supplements, in addition to proper diet and exercise. Both help with the symptoms of "fibromyalgia" quite a bit. Other than that, there's not really much you can do. It's just called being female and getting older. If you feel that there could be something further that needs looking into, medically, I'd urge you and your mother to look into it and get second and third opinions, medically.

Answer 4

There are documented cases of adolescent FMS. Unfortunately people are getting dx with it when they're children; so yes you can be dx as young as 20. Of course there a lot of dr's that use FMS as a catch all because they don't want to find out what the true cause is. Make sure that your mother has exhausted all other possiblities. A lot of the time a "true" dx is best from a rhuematologist. What helps me also is seeing a pain management clinic. As previously stated fibrohugs.com is a great site for FMS awareness even for "normals" Just do a lot of research so that you can better understand your mother and the disease itself.

There is no other way to treat the disease except to treat the symptoms. Unfortunately there is known way to treat the disease itself.

Answer 5

I think that you can have it at 20, I did but it wasn't diagnosed until i was 34 mine was triggered by a pregnancy and got worse from there. You can live a normal life though I do to a certain extent yes there are days that I do not want to get out of bed because I hurt so much but if you just lay there it hurts more. Go to your doctor and tell them your symptoms they will send you to a rumetologist and they can tell you if you have it, if you do do not give up hope all is not lost!!!!! www.fibrohugs.com is great I joined it not to long ago. I wish you the best of luck and do not give up.

Answer 6

docs still use fms as a general label for pain--even if it is due to another condition such as osteoporosis...or as a general label for pain they can't be bothered to figure out... it is still highly over diagnosed---most people actually have something else... there are many things this can be--anything from a bad bed to cancer.. a fused neck and bulging disks can mimic fms...as they can affect the rest of the body i actually developed symptoms at 5---and have responded to an experimental neuro treatment...and am as sure as anyone can be that I am properly diagnosed...

Answer 7

Making dietary changes is your first line of defense in treating hypothyroidism. Learn here https://tr.im/HsAb2

Many people with hypothyroidism experience crippling fatigue and brain fog, which prompts reaching for non-nutritional forms of energy like sugar and caffeine. I’ve dubbed these rascals the terrible twosome, as they can burn out your thyroid (and destabilize blood sugar).

1. Just say no to the dietary bungee cord. Greatly reduce or eliminate caffeine and sugar, including refined carbohydrates like flour, which the body treats like sugar. Make grain-based carbohydrates lesser of a focus, eating non-starchy vegetables to your heart’s content.

2. Up the protein. Protein transports thyroid hormone to all your tissues and enjoying it at each meal can help normalize thyroid function. Proteins include nuts and nut butters; quinoa; hormone- and antibiotic-free animal products (organic, grass-fed meats, eggs, and sustainably-farmed fish); and legumes.

Answer 8

Three references that have good discussion and info on FM are:
Prescription For Natural Cures - Balch & Stengler
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine - Murray & Pizzorno
The Miracle of Magnesium - Dr Carolyn Dean
Check local health food stores for copies or your local library. Available on Alibris.com at discount.

Answer 9

Most people diagnosed with it are very obese, like in the 300s, 400s, though some are thin and might actually have something else instead. I guess you will have to see a doctor.

It's very hard to diagnose. Most people will assume depression and hypochondria type things first. Sorry.

Answer 10

2