My mom has Fibromyalgia,could I have it too?I am 19yrs old and have alot of her symptoms.?

Question

Ever since I was little my body aches when it rains.My family doctor said it was growing pains,but it still happens and I think I'm done growing.(my brother and sister 8 and 16 both get these "growing pains") Recently my neck and shoulders swell up randomly.It feels like i'm turning to stone, it gets so bad sometimes I cant move my whole upper body.I dont like to take pills so I use hot and cold compresses.If I really have Fibromyalgia is there anything I can do now to prevent a life of hell and being addicted to pain killers?

Answer 1

Yes. Become more active. You've got 'sympathy illness' which happens frequently when you spend a great deal of time with a sick caregiver, such as your mom.

Do a little at a time, but get into activities appropriate for your age group, and some of the symptoms are sure to go away.

Answer 2

I too have Fibromyalgia and it can be inherited. Risk factors for developing fibromyalgia or exacerbation of the symptoms include stress, cold, or heavy physical exertion (high-impact exercise)
There is not really much you can do for Fybromyalgia as you well now with your mother having it. There is more then just the aches and pains to actually have fybromyalgia, they are as follows
Diagnosis is based on the presence of 11 (or more) of 18 tender points in the fibrous tissue of the muscles of the:

· Shoulders
· Neck
· Rib cage
· Chest
· Arms
· Knees
· Thighs
· Lower back

The tender points will have been present for at least 3 months and commonly will cause a traveling or spreading pain. The pain in the tissues above is usually described as deep-aching, radiating, shooting or burning.

Other symptoms include:

· Fatigue
· Decreased exercise tolerance
· Insomnia
· Depression
· Craniofacial (face) muscle pain or aching
· Headache
If you have alot of these symptoms then I suggest you see your doctor and talk to him about Fybromyalgia.
To help with my fybromyalgia is Improved Fitness - Low impact exercise is recommended for patients with fibromyalgia. Patients show improvement of symptoms when they start with low impact exercise such as swimming and walking. Starting slowly helps stretch and mobilize tight sore muscles.
Gentle stretching and light massage may help to relieve symptoms. Relaxation and Stress reduction techniques have also been shown to be very beneficial.
Hope this helps you.

Answer 3

The answer to your question is YES! I have been diagnosed for about 8 years now with FMS. Many studies have found that it IS heriditary. NO it is not contagious in any way. It's found to be linked to genetics much like the other Auto-Immune Disorders.
Be careful when taking over the counter meds such as Ibuprophen because they can harm your body. I ended up with a bleeding ulcer from Ibuprophen because I didn't want to be on prescribed pain medications. Even taken as directed, they may cause damage.
Get with a good Dr. that is familiar with FMS and other Auto-Immune Disorders. They do have tests that they will run to make sure what kind of illness you are dealing with.
It's also NOT from taking care of a sick parent. My Mother was never ill until this past year when she became sick with FMS. We don't even live in the same State so I also didn't give it to her.
I had a Physician tell me that it shouldn't hurt to grow.
That's my two cents worth. Feel free to write if you have other questions.

Answer 4

This is a tough question since Fibromyalgia, Lupus and other autoimmune dieases are tough to diagnose. I would suggest going to a good rhumatologist and get a checkup. Explain your symptoms and see what is reccomended. I have been diagnosed with both Fibro and Lupus. It is no fun.

Answer 5

I was diagonosed last summer. I have probably had fibro since I was my teens and showed early signs when I lost my son alsot 5 years ago. I am 24 now.
It sounds to me like the symptoms I had and when I told my doctor (who also treats my mom's fibro) about them he started the blood tests to rule out arthritis and lupus. I had the swollen arms. They usually got that way in the afternoon or under stress. I also would wake up stiff and unrested. I would sleep at night tossing and turning and sometimes not even getting to sleep till 4 or 5 in the morning.
The pain starts in the upper extremities and goes down from there. At first try the over the counter tylenol, advil or whatever has worked for you for headaches andother body pains. However, honetly sweetie, only if you are one of the few lucky ones with fibro that don't have to go to any other kind of medication for pain, you will be moving on to other pain meds. Your also will have to be looking out for the other problems that come with fibro. The not sleeping, the depression, the IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).
If your body is acting anything like mine did you may be expieriencing a burning sensation that feels almost like your muscles are waking up from sleeping but its burning instead of tingling. One could also describe it as a match being held closely to your muscles. You may also soon be noticing that your clothes hurt or your hair hurts. Its hard to explain that pain but I will tell you this once it happens you will understand.
As for being addicted to pain killers well, there is a big difference between addicted and relient. Yes, there are some people with Fibro that are addicted to pain killers. But there are some people with fibro that arent. There is a difference and it goes for anyone taking pain pills or any meds. If you are taking them for the actuall reason they are given to you such as pain than that is relient on them. For example me, I take tramadol, its 1 10th of a morphine pill. I take it every 4 hours for pain. I do not take it any other way. That is how it is prescribed. That is how I take it. Now if I were adiccted I would take it anywhere from every hour to every other hour. Yes, I take it now to keep the pain at bay. Its called maintaing the "pain -free" feeling. Do I still hurt even though I take my meds? Yes, but I dont take any more meds till the 4 hours are up. I do know some people that take thier meds whenever they turn around wether its time for them or not. That is addicted.
As for what you could do now. Take B complex ( a good one) or just B6 and B12 which ever, Vitamin D - that helps your muscles absorb the B vitamins, a good multivitamin, vitamin A that helps reduce stress affects on your body, and take and look into getting either a liquid B complex or B12 dots for you to carry with you when you feel a bit sluggish. that helps.
If you start to notice problems in how you go #2 that is the start of IBS. start taking a laxitive once a week and stool softners at least one a day. I take 2 at night and 1 in the morning. And take fiber as well for it I have Benefiber. The powder kind it is awesome. You cant taste it in whatever you mix it in to. I hope this helps you a bit.
There are places online that can help you as well. Fibrohugs.com, fmnetnews.com, fmaware.org and Fibrotalk.info. There are also a lot of support groups online. Not only with yahoo but with places like myspace as well.
My myspace is www.myspace.com/FibroAinjul I have some links to other groups on myspace if you want to look. Good luck and feel free to email me if you want to talk or just need information or support. Good luck.

Answer 6

Fibromyalgia is a common nonarticular disorder of unknown cause characterized by achy pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles, areas of tendon insertions, and adjacent soft tissues. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment includes exercise, local heat, and drugs for pain and sleep.

Answer 7

There might be a chance that you will end up getting it too, my mom has it. But through the time my mom has had it, I have also learned that it can be brought on by a traumatic incident, like abuse, so like someone else said, see a good Dr, and seek different opinions.

Answer 8

fiberomyalgia is related to arthritus and nothing can slow down the pain, its horrible.

Answer 9

there are meds u can take..I think it is a virus, so it can be contageous