Fibromyalgia & Colostomy: Seeking Advice & Support for Joint Pain

Ah yes, when I was receiving acupuncture treatments for my sleep disorder. The needles she placed in my feet were hooked up to electrodes but I never felt anything that way.

My neurologist went from thinking I had MS, and we still have a hard time figuring out if a lot of my symptoms are from the herniated disc in my neck and the 4 broken vertebrae in my back or fibromyalgia.
I've been on Cymbalta (doesn't work for me), Neurontin (nope), and other crap, but nothing helps with this pain I have or the numbness and tingling. Lyrica doesn't help as of yet...it does however make me retain water like a sponge.

Ed, how was your holiday??

Yanno Ed, I was thinking the same thing - cortisone shot into both shoulders. I had about 9 of them in my rugby days due to constant dislocations in tackles. Didn't stop me playing, but damn they hurt. Thanks, Ed. Good to see you back, mate.

Hi Hannah, nice of you to ask, but for the last couple of weeks I felt Like the inside of my pouch, and as for holidays mine start on Dec. 26 when all this crap is over, on the bright side I think the new year looks promising as I can concentrate on having some Long lasting maladies looked into now that I don't have to worry about leaking wafers anymore and as long as that lasts its going to be full steam ahead. Have a Happy Holiday, Scrooge, aka Ed.

By the way Hannah did you have any surgeries for your disc and vertebrae problems?. What I'm thinking is scar tissue which can be as bad as the original problems. Ed

Hi Gus, after reading your post I see there won't be any great surprises if you have to get more shots, the biggest problem is having both shoulders done at once, had that done once and then how the hell do you get to sleep unless you can sleep on your back, best wait until your Mrs is back up to par, by the way, how is she doing? Keep good care of her if you get both shoulders done at once. Right now I have to watch how I get dressed, gotta get the bad shoulder first when putting on a shirt, otherwise, a good deal of cursing and we know you wouldn't go there. Ed
Gotta go looking to find a joke.

Sorry to hear things are not so great.
No, I never did have surgery for either one. They wanted to do surgery for the back but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. LOL
I did have 5 shoulder surgeries for a torn rotator cuff and I tore my deltoid off the bone.
I'm too chicken for back surgery.

I had fibro and shingles last year. I tell you, that's some rough stuff. I thought I would lose my mind.

Mike, there are times when I think I am losing my mind and maybe that's why the doc thinks I may have it. LOL

If you or the doctor think you might have fibro, ask your doctor about Prednisone. Mine started me on it right away.

He has me on Lyrica and I have been on Cymbalta, Neurontin and everything else you can imagine. He hasn't made a "firm" diagnosis but hell, who knows what it is. All I know is I hurt like hell in my hip joints and legs and I'm so damn stiff in the mornings I can hardly walk.

Bangs head on desk to make sure I behave lmao

Obviously Steve has the same problem with morning stiffness that I do.

Do like the way your mind works, young Hannah and Steve for that matter!!!
Hehehehehehehehehehe!!! LOL!!! Total crackup the pair of yas be!!!

You know how my mind works?  Quick, tell me  so I can work it all out.

Oh Hannah, you are evil.

I was on those too. I feel bad for you. That is some miserable stuff.

I notice if I take the Lyrica a few days in a row, as instructed, my lower legs swell...??? Have you had that happen?

I didn't notice any swelling,

Hi there... Well, I guess your list of FM symptoms fits my list. I was diagnosed in 1999. I'm on fewer chemical meds now and finding an alkaline diet helpful as I was found to have a really acidic body.

Still... we try hard to keep our sense of humor (though 'tis hard at times.)

Hope 2010 is a better year for everyone!

....Butterfly.

I sorta missed this one first time around - I too had a herniated disc in my neck, (walking around with a hernia throwing me out of kilter did that one) when it 'went' it felt like someone had ripped the muscle in my shoulder blade in half, but the pain it created was down my left arm, and I have never felt such excruciating pain, much different to the chronic pain I have every day .... took all sorts of analgesia/gabapentin/diazepam etc. but the only relief I had was eventually through surgery to get that disc removed - I now have some sort of cage in there - it was immediate relief, wonderful! Took a little while to get the mobility back in my neck and it is now only about 80% but that could also be due to all the other crap that is going on .... fibro etc.

Hugs xxx

Yeah, I have a lot of pain daily but when it goes, "out" omg, it's horrible, I know what u mean Rachel.
I see a neurologist and he is the one who has almost diagnosed me with fibro and he deals with my broken back and neck disc issues....so I always think my numbness and tingling in my arms is from the neck. He said it is too....my leg and hip problems are from fibro he says...so basically my whole damn body hurts.
People don't understand and I feel like there's always something wrong with me. It's hard to not feel like a hypochondriac, yano?
I guess I should admit this.....about 13 yrs ago my ex and I got stationed in California. Our landlady was a very heavy woman, about 400 pounds, she was very sweet and I liked her a lot but she was the laziest person I have ever seen. She used to tell me, the more she sat around, the better, because her husband could just do everything. It was so bizarre, how she behaved. Anyway, she was on disability for fibromyalgia. To this day, that is how I worry people will see me if I say I have it!!!! I know it's irrational but why I think this way, I don't know. I don't look at others who have it in the same way I think people would look at me...so what gives???? I'm so weird. Good thing I'm going to see a shrink.

Hannah, the way you are thinking isn't irrational.

Unfortunately, fibro has that 'idleness' label - it isn't something that can be officially diagnosed as there isn't a test for it. It is also something that can't be seen - I ride about my village on a scooter, (affectionately known as Harley!), it is the only way I can manage to walk my dogs, go shopping, etc. However, I don't look disabled so to those that do not know me, it looks as though I am being lazy, as I'm a pretty heavy woman too! Less mobility = less likely to be able to do much about it, an ongoing cycle of problems. There are days when I feel not so bad, so I do too much, and there are days when I can barely do anything, feel so dizzy and sick or can't stay awake...

You cannot see fibro, diabetes, pernicious anemia, sleep apnea, a stoma, a hernia (although mine is pretty obvious, in winter with coats on, etc. it isn't!), backache, depression, etc. etc...



So, either both of us are mad, ('cause I think sort of the same way too about telling others about it), or neither of us are mad - what's the name of your shrink?

Rachel xx

Lyrica made me bloat like a freakin' toad!!!!    ...one of the reasons I said "nuff' O - this!!"

Hi there... Well, I guess your list of F.M. symptoms fits my list. I was diagnosed in 1999. I'm on fewer chemical meds now and finding an alkaline diet helpful as I was found to have a really acidic body.

Still... we try hard to keep our sense of humor (though 'tis hard at times.)

Hope 2010 is a better year for everyone!

....Butterfly.        

Hi sweet Butterfly!   I think I need to make more changes in my diet that might be helpful as well.........I also hope the New Year will bring happiness and better health to us all!!  Hugs!

Hiya Butterfly! What kind of diet is that you're on? What does it consist of?

~~Hannah~~

No cashews! LMAO

...OMG!! That's what I am eating now..(again)..LMAO good call Steve

I'm getting to know you, Hannah. LMAO