how do i know if i have fibromyalgia??

Question

i think i have fibromyalgia, but i dont really know. and doctors never said anything about this to me before. but i get dizzy sometimes, get head aches! and most of all, my muscles hurt a lot!!! especially my arms, back of jaw hurts when i eat SOMETIMES, the same finger(left ring finger) hurts SOMETIMES WHEN I PRESS ON IT, always seem to be tired, feel really weak, and once, the bottom of my right foot, it started hurting A LOT and i was sitting down. felt like needles were going through it all at once when i even tried to move it. but it went away eventually.

im scared. if i do have fibromyalgia, would i die? would i be crippled? would i be in a lot of pain?

im just reallly scared, but i rather know the truth if i have it or not

Answer 1

Take a deep breath and calm down, okay :-) Unlike what some people have said, fibromyalgia (FMS) isn't a "catch all" diagnosis. It doesn't cause joint pain, and it doesn't fit your symptoms as described.

Before a good doctor diagnoses you with FMS, she would rule out anything else that could explain your symptoms, separately or together. She'd do a variety of blood tests to look for any kind of imbalances, and ask you a lot of questions about the exact situations in which your various symptoms showed up.

Take the dizziness, for example Do you tend to get dizzy right after you stand up, or sit up after you've been laying down? If so, she'd test you for orthostatic hypotension. There are lots of other things that can cause balance and dizziness problems, too (see Source for a site all about them).

She'd probably have you go to your dentist to find out what's causing the jaw pain. He would most likely do a routine exam looking for cavities and so on, but also test you for TMJ/TMD (see site in the Source section).

There are many kinds of headaches, and just as many things that can cause them. Tension, sinus, cluster, and migraine headaches are all caused and treated differently. There's a link in the Source section to a site that goes into great depth about different kinds of headaches.

If you're having so many headaches that they're having a negative impact on your quality of life, you should keep a headache diary and take that to your doctor. That will help her to treat the headaches appropriately. I've put a link to a diary form you can print out and use in the Source section.

I'd be very, very surprised if other reasons weren't found to explain most of your symptoms, but IF you have significant pain that cannot otherwise be explained, your doctor might refer you to a rheumatologist for evaluation to see if you have fibromyalgia.

If you've had significant pain in all four quadrants of your body (upper above and below the waist on the left and right sides) for more than three months, and other possible causes such as arthritis, Lyme disease, lupus, etc. have been ruled out, the rheumatologist will do a tender point examination. If there is significant pain in at least 11 of 18 specific points, the patient meets the criteria for FMS.

As for whether or not you'd be crippled or die if you did, by some chance, have fibromyalgia - no, I've never heard of anyone dying from FMS other than by suicide.

I have FMS, and I am disabled, some might say "crippled" at times, because of it in combination with other health problems. However, had I gotten appropriate treatment when I was initially diagnosed, I don't believe that I would be disabled. If the other health problems were not present, I'm certain that I wouldn't be so badly affected. My daughter has FMS too, and you would never know it unless she chose to tell you she has it. She's a very normal teenager who dances, does martial arts, and is otherwise extremely active.

Will you be in a lot of pain? Maybe. FMS is a neurological disorder of hypersensitivity. That means that the nervous system, for some reason, reacts to everything more extremely than it should. People with fibromyalgia feel pain more than those who don't have FMS. We're also more affected by temperature changes, smells, tastes, textures, colors, lighting, and all other sorts of things.

By itself, FMS is not *technically* degenerative - it won't get worse over time. In practice, though, there is evidence (and I'm one of the examples) that shows that people who ignore FMS and don't adjust their lives to take it into account may end up with worse symptoms (more sensitization) than do those who do get appropriate treatment at an earlier stage.

Also, if you have FMS and a degenerative disorder, such as arthritis, as I do, the FMS will sharpen your perception of any discomfort from the degenerative condition, which may increase disability due to that condition.

Answer 2

My initial pains came and went in my joints and skin. I have a clotting disorder and had had a young stroke about a year before this. A second stroke was, for me, what brought the symptoms on. As you are doing personal research into this, my theory is that there is a miss-firing in the brain and nerve reseptors. I know that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can now be diagnosed through MRI with doctors with knowlege. I also believe that this is also why so many who suffer from Fibromyalgia have mental disorders as well. Best wishes to you, and I do hope that I have helped you with my own thoughts.

Answer 3

First of all, sweetheart, you are not going to die, be crippled, etc.. I am living proof, as are many, many people in this world. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder of the fibers and muscles of the body. It is pretty much a catch-all syndrome. There are no tests to confirm it or to deny it. It is pretty much diagnosed by a process of elimination. Multiple blood test and xrays should be performed to rule out any possible diseases or disorders that may be present. There is a website called WebMD and will be very helpful to you. There are also many, many Fibromyalgia websites and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome websites that will help you understand what these syndrome do to the body and immune system. There are ways to help yourself and thousands of people who have this are willing to help you. I have had it myself for about 20 years now and have learned that the best treatment for me was to learn my limits and get plenty of rest. I would avoid any type of narcotic therapy as long as I could, however, if the pain is severe then naracotics are warranted, but please use with caution. Find a good physician who believes in fibro and who will treat you accordingly. If I can assist you please let me know.

Answer 4

fibromialgia is just a catchall for any series of symptoms that have no explaination. Many doctors still say it is nonexistant. My doctor says it is the "I don't want to cope with life" disease. Sounds to me like you just have too much stress in your life. However, go back to your doctor and ask if those are symptoms of fibromyalgia. And relax, its not fatal

Answer 5

Ask your doctor! He can find out and answer all your questions... No you wont die if you have fibromyalgia.... :o)

Answer 6

fibro causes pain in all the joints but there are stress points a doctor can examine to know for sure if this is it. you wont be crippled and medication works wonders for this condition headaches, muscle aches feeling tired are all symptoms Dont worry see your doc and he will prescribe med.