Those diagnosed with fibromyalgia?

Question

I was wondering if you get viruses (or feel as though you do) more often than the typical person. I get achy and (feel) feverish along with dizziness and stomach distress (more than usual as I have colitis, inflammation of the colon which is part of the large intestine) every couple of weeks.

I have been taking L-lysine as that is rumoured to help those with the herpes virus (though Not a cure) to have less outbreaks and thought that if I am getting a virus (not necessarily the herpes) that it would help, just fyi. Anyone else experience what feels like a virus every so often? The rheumatologist had said that he didn't believe that I have chronic fatigue syndrome which I actually don't agree with ;) Thank you for any help!

Well bless you for being an EMT (emergency medical technician) and also having fibro! In all fairness to the rheumat, he'd said (and this was a few years ago) that he didn't believe that I had chronic fatigue syndrome since I didn't have it for the six month and still being able to go out and such. I still believe that I have it though. Don't know if it would make a huge different with both diagnoses, however, as fibro and CFS seem to overlap. Thank you for the website :)

Answer 1

It is a side-effect of Fibro to have flu-like symptoms including fevers. Also another side-effect is chronic fatigue. I don't know who your rheumatologist is, but I'd seek a second opinion! The Fibromyalgia Network has a great list of doctors.
http://www.fmnetnews.com/

Fibro can also be responsible for irritable bowel syndrome and GERD. While the severity of symptoms fluctuates from person to person, fibromyalgia may resemble a post-viral state.

Answer 2

To comply with the "official" diagnosis, your MD is right that you must present w/ several specific symptoms which last more than six months.

To some practitioners, both diagnoses are pretty much "garbage-can."

Has your rheumotologist put you on Lyrica yet? That will help w/the fibro aspects; and, if the viral/post-viral junk continues, you'll be "awarded" the sentence of chronic fatigue syndrome after the req'd. six month duration.

There's some really exciting pharmaceutical trials going on @ Stanford Medical Center w/ a Roche product, Valcycte. I read 21 of 25 patients returned to work, exercise, and life as we knew it w/in ten weeks of the anti-viral drug usage.

Also, check out the CDC website for cfs for the definitions & other good basic info.

Avoid snake-oil salesman, supplements, and removal of your dental fillings. There's many folks willing to take $$$ from the desperate; and, cfs/fibro are not pretty.

In fact, I know I'm going to Heaven since I haven't yet wished this miserable condition on George Bush II.

Best wishes,