Question
i am currently seeing a fibromylagia sp. i have been very worried lately on my current condition. i was diagnosed with fibro when i was just 15 years old. started with my feet retaining some sort of fluid was making being on my feet very painful. the 1st doc told me it was tendinitis. then my knees the pain was so intense. the only way to relive it was alot of pressure but when I STOPPED pressing the pain intently returned worse. i had full blood work ups it showed nothing. then after i had my first it became horrible. i used to cry and just lie there. but when i became pregnant again it went away. then i had the stroke, tia they said. i was months pregnant. then i had twins that following year. after them the pain yet again got worse. i am so stiff i can hardly move. blood work up again was normal, they checked every lab even x rays. have never had genetic testing or an mri. i am a medicaid patient. i guess that helps, go figure i have free health care and the docs want to get paid so i guess i understand. iam weak and tired my hair is starting to fall out again. and the worst symptoms are the new ones. i have tingling in my head while resting followed my shock like sensations. at this time my heart races and it becomes hard to catch my breath. i jerk and twitch. my vision has also become hazy making it hard to see. also my neck has been so stiff i have been getting terrible head aches. please help me add some thing my doc just will not dismiss the fibro diagnosis. she keeps telling me its fibro, even though my fingers are very stiff and they swell and become inflamed. i didn't think fibro could off set balance either i can't even wash my hair in the shower with out holding on. she claims it can. my body is screaming help i hurt so much each day is like dragging around 200lbs! i need some one to hear me. but none will listen i even took lexapro i said i don't care what i have to do just make me feel better. but each day it gets worse and harder. i have 4 kids 3,2,and 13mo twins. i want tobe a better mother and a wife. but how can i clean and play with my kids if i can hardly dress my self? jut getting my fingers and my mind to remember takes so much. doctors are supost to make u feel better when u are sick. so why won't mine why are they so quick to say its nothing when they didn't even look.
thank you for your time i much need your imput

Answer
I'm so sorry you're in pain and having such trouble.  Diagnosing fibromyalgia is difficult sometimes and can become a "diagnosis of elimination," meaning they eliminate all the other possibilities by testing and by symptoms.  I know you're frustrated but it sounds like you have a good doc who not only tested to be sure but recognizes that fibromyalgia is an actual condition. Some still believe it's all in the head - of millions of people!

There are some things to try - see your doc again and ask about Lyrica or a related medication.  I take Neurontin, in the same family as Lyrica, but cheaper.  Both work on nerves and help with pain.  I notice way fewer days of "achiness." Lyrica is the only drug actually allowed for use on fibromyalgia, but we've been getting drugs to try "off label" for years, like the SSRI/depression meds.

The swelling and inflammation you mention isn't a part of fibromyalgia and your doc should be monitoring that.  Some of the arthritises are pretty easy to find - osteoarthritis can be seen on x-ray.  Others are more elusive and may need more symptoms to identify.

Keep working with your doc and in the meantime realize that fibromyalgia can affect you in many different ways and you may need help to get through your busy day.  Rest is really important, and I bet that's not easy with three kids 3 and under!  Don't feel bad if you need to have grandma or a friend come over and play with them a few hours while you nap or just rest with your feet up.  You'll be a better mom and wife if you can get time during the day to rest.

Also, just because you have fibromyalgia doesn't mean you can't have other, unrelated things going on.  Again, keep working with your doc as much as possible and change to another if you can't seem to get her to look at all your symptoms.  Medicaid or not, you deserve good health care.