[cutebagaddict08]

Hi Everyone- I've been dealing with Pre Menstural Dysphoric Disorder about a year now, and have had alot of issues with general allergies since I was young, and as gotten worse in the past 2 years. I've been to several doctors-I've been seeing the Allergist, Therapist, and Psychatrist pretty much regularly. My primary doc referred me to a Rheumotologist to see if I could have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with all this- For the passed year I've gotten more tired/ emotionally and psysically exhaused, almost like I feel I have 'mono' 24/7:some days worse then others.
So, I went to the Rheumatologist yesterday-and he is pretty sure I actually have Fibromyalgia (that this ties in my hormonal issues, pain, fatigue, IBS,depression/anxiety, etc.) I got some more labs done just to rule out stuff, but it sounds like he's pretty sure it's Fibromyalgia. I'm a little relieved because I have an answer, but I'm also scarred because this is something that will never be 'cured' and I need to learn how to adjust my life style to deal with the symptoms.

[anna342]

Does sound a lot like fibromyalgia. Don't be too scared, the fact that you have an answer will relieve some of the anxiety, and should in turn make it slightly easier to cope with. The idea that there is something progressive and nasty going on played on my mind before I was diagnosed.

There are lots of ideas out there on how to cope with fibromyalgia. For me, I found it really important to get into a healthier lifestyle, no matter how hard I found it to start with. I got exercising more, eating better (although I still need to work on that), trying to stick to a sleep pattern and just leading a more positive life. I cannot say that I'm happy, pain free and fine, but looking after my body is trying to be the priority. There are support groups out there, depending on where you live you might be able to find out, just do a search online or ask your dr if that interests you.

Diet changes can really help some people with IBS, a lot of people have intolerance related IBS, and with the guidance of a dr eliminating certain foods can help a lot. That will take patience and a lot of will power, but it is worth it!

I would personally try and stay clear of too many pain meds, because for me, they hindered me, not helped. With long term pain it can feel like the only solution, but I'd suggest trying the lifestyle changes and seeing how that goes as far as possible. Of course, this is just my personal opinion and I know that it's not always possible.

[madisgram]

cutebag i've got fibro too. there is a new drug to ward off attacks called lyrica. too expensive for me but i take an epilepsy drug-used off label-that keeps me mostly pain free. in 20 years since diagnosis and on that med i've had only a little break-thru with the fibro. yes it is painful when u are in it's throes. there are positive things you can do to minimize the condition and also foods to avoid. stress can exacerbate it too. i'd suggest you google it to learn more by researching what you can do re this to help you.

[NoBread]

Did they test you for celiac disease? I read a post on another forum by a person who was diagnosed with fibro and for many years lived with it and dealt with it according to the fibro diagnosis. Turns out just recently she discovered her true issue is celiac disease and not fibro. She has started the gluten free diet and is doing much better now.

If you did get tested for celaic and the tests were negative you should know there are false negatives on the tests. They are not not perfect. So it is best to try the gluten free diet for 3 to 6 months anyway for cause you can't trust the tests. It take months to learn how to do the GF diet correctly and start to feel better. So a couple weeks is not adequate.

[cutebagaddict08]

No I don't think I ever was tested for Celiac disease. I know they did a CRP lab draw (inflammation levels) and if that comes back positive then the doc said it's probally not fibro. I am concerned because I looked up in my medical lab books I have from school and if the levels are positive it can be an indication of Lupus. I've expressed my concern to the Allergist about this and she feels is not Lupus but my antibody defiency makes me more suseptable to developing Lupus possibly.
Sometimes I think there's way to many cooks in the kitchen here....everyone has a new opinion and new test.

Originally Posted by NoBread

Did they test you for celiac disease? I read a post on another forum by a person who was diagnosed with fibro and for many years lived with it and dealt with it according to the fibro diagnosis. Turns out just recently she discovered her true issue is celiac disease and not fibro. She has started the gluten free diet and is doing much better now.

If you did get tested for celaic and the tests were negative you should know there are false negatives on the tests. They are not not perfect. So it is best to try the gluten free diet for 3 to 6 months anyway for cause you can't trust the tests. It take months to learn how to do the GF diet correctly and start to feel better. So a couple weeks is not adequate.

[NoBread]

Originally Posted by cutebagaddict08

No I don't think I ever was tested for Celiac disease. I know they did a CRP lab draw (inflammation levels) and if that comes back positive then the doc said it's probally not fibro. I am concerned because I looked up in my medical lab books I have from school and if the levels are positive it can be an indication of Lupus. I've expressed my concern to the Allergist about this and she feels is not Lupus but my antibody defiency makes me more suseptable to developing Lupus possibly.
Sometimes I think there's way to many cooks in the kitchen here....everyone has a new opinion and new test.

Hah, hand me some spice honey!

I found this long long thread on celiac com about fibro, might be interesting to you. There are many threads about fibro on that site. Fibro is not an unusual diagnosis for celiacs, from what I see on that forum.

http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/to...Bfibro+%2Bbook