Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Overview

Fibromyalgia syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue. Fibromyalgia symptoms include chronic pain in the muscles, fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tender points or trigger points at certain parts of the body. Fibromyalgia pain and other symptoms can be relieved through medications, lifestyle changes, stress management, and other fibromyalgia treatment.

Courtesy of WebMD

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder that causes extreme fatigue. This fatigue is not the kind of tired feeling that goes away after you rest. Instead, it lasts a long time and limits your ability to do ordinary daily activities.
Symptoms of CFS include fatigue for 6 months or more and experiencing other problems such as muscle pain, memory problems, headaches, pain in multiple joints, sleep problems, sore throat and tender lymph nodes. Since other illnesses can cause similar symptoms, CFS is hard to diagnose.
No one knows what causes CFS. It is most common in women in their 40s and 50s, but anyone can have it. It can last for years. There is no cure for CFS, so the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms. Medicines may treat pain, sleep disorders and other problems.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

Fertility Doctor Appointment

Ugh it was a rough morning that will lead to a rough day. An 8 am appointment that is 45min away is never a good way to start your day. Add to it a trans vaginal ultrasound (extremely painful for someone with endo) then the most blood ever taken at a doctors office it was like I was donating blood. They pulled out 8 vials they stopped at 7 when the technician moved the needle and released suction (OUCH!!) add to that my husband had to tell her what vein to hit and how it laid she was not going to try to stick me again. I have nice strong veins just don't try to stick me they will roll away and give you the slip which has left me black and blue on more than one occasion. They told me that my uterus is tilted backwards (which I already knew) which used to be believed as a cause of infertility but I have lots of follicles that they are tracking. The sonographer made Chris hungry when she called them chocolate cookies. I should have some blood results back later today and they rest by Monday and then we will go from there on what they think we should do next. Now if you excuse me it is time to pop pain killers it feels like my ovaries are in a vise grip.

Immunologist Appointment

So... today was an interesting day at the doctors. My general practitioner sent me all the way to Bloomingdale to see this Immunologist she did warn me that he was a little kooky. She was not lying to me that is for sure he was a little off the wall but it worked for him. I filled out the usual forms about medical history and current symptoms and he was able to basically give me the low down on my entire health, thoughts, feelings. It was very intriguing, and off putting at the same time. They asked when my migraines started he knew I used to get awful motion sickness. Just ask my grandparents about grape kool-aid on the way to the campground- no good. He explained to me that I have a high risk phenotype which makes me more susceptible to different things and 5x more sensitive than the "normal" person. That is why I can hear you mumbling under your breath in the other room Christopher. He said it comes into play with light, sound, pain, emotions, feelings he explained that is why I am a texture eater (picky). With all of this he did confirm that I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, more information to come on these. He also tested me for allergies the ones that I knew about were not a shocker: dust, mold, ragweed, grass, pollen then there were some shockers eggs, green peppers, cinnamon, paprika and cats (sorry Rascal cannot pet you) So  I am to stop eating these foods one at a time for 10 days then introduce them back one at a time and see what symptoms occur to see if I need to stay away from them all together or if in moderation is ok. The bad part is it left both of my arms red, itchy and swollen and you can still see all of the little dots where they poked me. I am still trying to process everything the kooky doctor said and everything that he was able to tell me about myself that nobody else would even scratch the surface on.   He did give me a B 12 shot which seems to be working a little more so than the little pills that you stick under your tongue and he told me I need to become in a competitive sport since I do not feel that work out "high" like again "normal" people. If anyone has any ideas please feel free to post them. If you are reading this most likely you know me so do NOT say running. LOL He also explained how having this high risk led to my endometriosis and why I am in so much pain due to it. He explained that with this most peoples smooth muscles are affected hence the uterus and fallopian tubes they just do not operate as they should causing the back flow which places the endometrial cells on the outside and on organs that they have no business socializing with. Right now the best advice he could give to me was to continue taking the supplements, make sure I am sleeping well every night and try to do activities to increase my serotonin levels leading to an increase in my dopamine levels which should over ride some of the chronic pain I am feeling. Well I guess it is time to try to relax and get ready for bed since I have to be at the fertility doctor at 8 am tomorrow morning.

Reading a Book

I was at the library the other day picking up a book Chris had on hold and I decide to stroll the medical section. I found a book called ENDOMETRIOSIS- The Complete Reference for Taking Charge of Your Health by: Mary Lou Ballweg and the Endometriosis association. I would recommend it for anyone that wants to gain a better understanding of the disease/symptom/condition no one seems to know what to call it. I know have a better understanding why my doctors want me to see an immunologist. Which by the way is set up for March 30th they warned me it will be take about 2 hours for the first appointment. Basically this thing that is taking over my body and my life is opening the door for other conditions to come about. Some doctors are saying that endometriosis is an auto-immune disease which is why many women then come down with chronic fatigue syndrome which is a viral infection, who knew? Then also fibromyalgia which just means these women already dealing with pain that we would not wish on our worst enemies have new areas developing daily pain. Right now I am trying to keep those off of my list, but I may not have a choice to use treatments for those conditions in order to make my day to day life easier. Basically the immunologist is going to not only test me for newly developed allergies another side effect of endometriosis and for other conditions that the endometriosis have helped to gain control over my body and my sanity! Time to go back to reading lets hope there is some good news somewhere in this book, doubtful I know since there is not a cure or really not that many treatments. This book also talks with women who have made the tough decision to have a hysterectomy and afterwards still have the pain because the lesions and adhesions are not only on those organs they can grow on the bladder, rectum and even the lungs. Ugh lets all hope for a happy ending please!!

PSA commercial in England

It seems like they are ahead of us in spreading the awareness of this horrible condition, I hope that maybe by next year the U.S. will also make a commercial of some sort alerting women not to ignore the symptoms thinking it is something else or "normal"


http://vimeo.com/20910143

More Health Obstacles

Soooooo on Friday I woke up feeling very weak and dizzy and just could barley move. I managed to get into a doctor to figure out what my body is throwing at me now. She did not know for sure what is going on she is running a whole bunch of blood tests that I could not even remember them to tell Chris. The doctor wants to rule everything out before treating me for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. so after we get the blood tests back she told me that should be by Thursday she will want me to see an immunologist whom she warned me was coukie but brilliant and a neurologist the she said was OLD and old school but used to looking beyond the common diagnosis. I just want to go back to being normal not being in intense pain everyday and this feeling as the room is spinning is getting old rather quickly. I am tired of having to explain the details to people. If I had a broken leg there would be a cast showing I was injured if I had cut myself there would be stitches but here I am feeling the worst that I have ever felt and people literally look at me and say "but you look fine." I just have to do my best to hold in my tears of frustration every time. Please cross your fingers that I will receive some answers this week and do not have to deal with people that simply do not understand.

Changes

So the last change was me getting a 9-5 type of job and now so has Chris. My husband has been on the crazy schedule that is the life of a paramedic for years so it will be very strange to have him home every night. He is still working for A-Tec Ambulance just no longer on an ambulance he is now an office man! I am sure he will miss going out on the calls and so will the doctors that requested him for transports. I know that he will not miss constantly running his butt off and not sleeping at night. On a side note we did not follow doctors orders this month I am just so nervous it is driving me crazy. I have a lot of family members who are telling me I would be a good mom but I am not sure that I am ready for everything that it entails. Deep breaths I need to stop over analyzing everything and learn to just let things happen.

Best Explanation I have seen!

http://www.endocenter.org/endoflash_highspeed.htm

Ok I will warn you if you watch this clip it is a little hookie but it is the best I have seen and since it is Endometriosis Awareness Month I will try to share every good link I find