what does fibromyalgia feel like?

[Katie_cupcakes]

I'm pretty sure my pains are caused by a tumour/secondary bone cancer.
I have wide spread pains in my back, spine, ribs, knees, leg bones, fingers, neck, chest, pelvis(a little bit) I also have blocked/crackly ears, headaches, a really sore sharp stabby pain in my left rib, similar stabby pains lower abdomen. Also waking up with numb arms/hands/fingers and sweating. Iv also got Terrys nails...and a yellow coated tongue...which is not a good sign.

I'm phoning for blood results in an hour...if they come back normal then I'm not really sure where to go from here. I wondered if the cause might be fibro...but I don't know what it feels like. I really think its cancer...the pains started on Saturday, and I had blood taken on Wednesday...so im also wondering that if my bloods are normal, if it !might be different now, seeing as I didn't have these symptoms on wed...

I dunno :(...I should really wait and see what the results are. If they were serious, would the Dr phone me? Thing is being only 23 any abnormal results they probably wouldn't think the cause was serious anyway. They always assume the least serious cause with people my age.

[Serenity1990]

Have you heard of candida overgrowth? You seem to have very typical symptoms and it's safe to google. :)

[Katie_cupcakes]

That has come up a couple of times in my constant googling...I think I ruled it out but not sure why...I'm gonna check again!

[Serenity1990]

The thing is with fibro that it's a bit like BFS: some (myself included) think it's nothing more than a fancy way of referring to somatic features of anxiety.

You sound like me not very long ago, constantly googling to find the answer as to why you're feeling these sensations. You're asking this on an anxiety board, so I'm guessing you know on some level you have an anxiety disorder. This is a real physical illness with real physical symptoms. Given all of your symptoms are anxiety symptoms and you know you have anxiety, why search for another cause?

[HoneyLove]

The thing is with fibro that it's a bit like BFS: some (myself included) think it's nothing more than a fancy way of referring to somatic features of anxiety.


Serenity I would be careful of dismissing fibro as an anxiety thing, that's very insulting to people who suffer from it. I have a close friend who was diagnosed years ago, and she never had trouble with anxiety nor depression prior to getting sick, she's not the anxious type. It's been frustrating for her to come across the attitude that it's just stress/anxiety from people who don't understand the illness. There's been a lot of research into this illness, it's far more than a somatic problem. Yes, stress can be a trigger for some people, but it's far more complicated than that, in a way saying that it's somatic is like saying a heart attack or cancer where stress was a factor in triggering the illness is somatic too.

Katie, I take it you've already been given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia already, and what you're describing sounds like what my friend goes through when she is a flare. You need to trust your doctors and work on your anxiety issues, stress and worry will only make it worse for you. Chat to your doctor about what to do when your illness flares like this.

[Serenity1990]

Serenity I would be careful of dismissing fibro as an anxiety thing, that's very insulting to people who suffer from it. I have a close friend who was diagnosed years ago, and she never had trouble with anxiety nor depression prior to getting sick, she's not the anxious type. It's been frustrating for her to come across the attitude that it's just stress/anxiety from people who don't understand the illness. There's been a lot of research into this illness, it's far more than a somatic problem.


Well put it this way. It has the same symptoms as physical manifestations of depression/anxiety and it is treated with the same treatments as depression/anxiety, namely SSRIs and CBT. There is a huge correlation between those who suffer with depression/anxiety and fibro.

I'm not a medical doctor, my specialism is statistics, but I personally don't believe fibro is anything more than depression/anxiety. At the very most it's a strongly related psychological condition.

[Katie_cupcakes]

I havnt had any diagnosis, that's the problem. Iv seen so many doctors and just get fobbed off with painkillers. The pains been getting worse, not better and I just want a diagnosis...even if its something sinister..just to know why I feel this way.
Phoned for my blood results and was told the Dr still hasn't looked at them (they told me this on Friday too) so now I have to wait till 3 and phone back again.

[HoneyLove]

Well put it this way. It has the same symptoms as physical manifestations of depression/anxiety and it is treated with the same treatments as depression/anxiety, namely SSRIs and CBT. There is a huge correlation between those who suffer with depression/anxiety and fibro.

I'm not a medical doctor, my specialism is statistics, but I personally don't believe fibro is anything more than depression/anxiety. At the very most it's a strongly related psychological condition.

Yes there are similarities, but research suggests it's far more than what you're saying. Even a little reading into the illness will tell you that. There are many illnesses that can manifest in ways that seem like anxiety, or that have anxiety as a co-morbid factor, but that doesn't make them simply anxiety.

You're entitled to your opinion, but make sure that you're basing it on fact rather than assumption. And I hope you'd never repeat this to someone suffering with this illness, it's the equivalent of someone saying to you with an anxiety disorder that it's all in your head, just pull yourself together, if you know what I mean. It's really not that black and white.

---------- Post added at 11:30 ---------- Previous post was at 11:29 ----------


I havnt had any diagnosis, that's the problem. Iv seen so many doctors and just get fobbed off with painkillers. The pains been getting worse, not better and I just want a diagnosis...even if its something sinister..just to know why I feel this way.
Phoned for my blood results and was told the Dr still hasn't looked at them (they told me this on Friday too) so now I have to wait till 3 and phone back again.

Katie, have you tried working on your anxiety to see if it helps you any bit. Or have you actually discussed fibromyalgia and/or anxiety with your GP?

[Katie_cupcakes]

So apparently they lost my blood! Have to wait for the Dr to phone tomorrow tp see if I need to go back and have more blood taken. My gp is completely useless !

[Darren1]

I'm pretty sure my pains are caused by a tumour/secondary bone cancer.
I have wide spread pains in my back, spine, ribs, knees, leg bones, fingers, neck, chest, pelvis(a little bit) I also have blocked/crackly ears, headaches, a really sore sharp stabby pain in my left rib, similar stabby pains lower abdomen. Also waking up with numb arms/hands/fingers and sweating. Iv also got Terrys nails...and a yellow coated tongue...which is not a good sign.

I'm phoning for blood results in an hour...if they come back normal then I'm not really sure where to go from here. I wondered if the cause might be fibro...but I don't know what it feels like. I really think its cancer...the pains started on Saturday, and I had blood taken on Wednesday...so im also wondering that if my bloods are normal, if it !might be different now, seeing as I didn't have these symptoms on wed...

I dunno :(...I should really wait and see what the results are. If they were serious, would the Dr phone me? Thing is being only 23 any abnormal results they probably wouldn't think the cause was serious anyway. They always assume the least serious cause with people my age.


I too have pains all over my body and have worried about secondary cancer.

I have neck pain, pain in my ribs, stomach pain, pain behind left knee.

The pain in my ribs is like bone pain, its near my armpit.

all my tests have been negative - it must be anxiety! im sure it is

i'd be dead by now..

[Katie_cupcakes]

The blood they lost is an esr test to check for inflammation.
I also was referred for an ultrasound 7 weeks Ago and told I might have to wait about 3 weeks. I'm still waiting.
I have such little faith in doctors from all this nonsense. I'm starting to think Google is more reliable !

[cattia]

When I was in my twenties I was CONVINCED that I had fibro. I had widespread muscle and joint pain and I was always tired. I even had all the pressure points that you need for fibro. However my GP believed it was anxiety manifesting itself physically, and sure enough, once I was treated for anxiety, the pain and physical symptoms went away. There may be some people with fibro who don't have anxiety any maybe I never had fibro, just something with identical symptoms, but what I do know is that my pain was very real, and that it was a physical manifestation of anxiety. In actual fact, I have a close friend who had ME and fibro for seven years. She was so bad at one point that she couldn't walk, but she is now completely well, and she believes that anxiety and depression were the underlying causes of her illness too, so it's certainly possible.

[yenool]

Fibromyalgia is chronic widespread pain that can be anything including aching, shooting, burning, throbbing, cramping, etc.

It is associated with anxiety and depression but then so are many other conditions that cause chronic pain - pain is depressing and not knowing how you will feel or what you will be capable of one day to another causes anxiety!

One of the main theories is that it is caused by 'central sensisitisation' where the brain/spinal cord becomes over sensitive to pain signals - possibly linked with increased levels of substance P. (http://www.patient.co.uk/health/fibromyalgia)

It also appears to be associated with other illnesses like hypothyroidism, hormonal abnormalities, vitamin deficiencies (D, B12,etc), autoimmune diseases, and so on.

So I think to say fibromyalgia is only the 'somatic symptoms of anxiety' is wrong, it is way more complex than that and research is only just starting to get a better idea of what is going on.

The use of antidepressants 'proving' it is anxiety is also wrong IMO. They use antidepressants and therapy in many chronic pain disorders because they have been shown to help reduce pain, not because they think everyone with chronic pain is somatizing.