Fibromyalgia and MH - A link?

[onlyoranges]

Does anyone else have Fibromyalgia? I am wondering if mine has some of its roots within my MH and wondered if anyone else does?

Hiya

I'm in a chicken and egg situation with it as mine developed when I was a teenager and is comorbid with other health issues I have. I also have severe depression and anxiety.

Ive got as far as I can with the medical route to fix me and unfortunately am on the serious side of the psychological side of fixing me now. It's not fun. I can't accept I'm going to be in this much pain forever

Research has shown people with fibro skip the restorative phase of sleep and they have recreated fibro symptoms in sleep deprivation studies. That's why a medication with a soporific effect is recommended and fairly successful when treating the condition

Really Lunchpack? That's fascinating!

Do you know how does that align with lots of people with FM having ME/CFS (also a sleep disorder of some sort)?

They are all one and the same spectrum of disorders as far as I'm concerned. I know from research there has been successful studies where they treated patients with ME with physio and went against previous advice of getting them to rest. The theory being wear yourself out and force your body into restorative sleep.

I know from personal experience I feel better after a night sleep following a day being on my feet to a day of resting through a fibro flare

this is an interesting read

Graded exercise therapy is what you need to look into

Hi OnlyOranges,
I have been seeing a wonderful OT (via a Pain Clinic) for my Fibro. We were discussing the formulation of my Fibro yesterday and she said that it generally stems from either an emotional or physical stress - often both.

Without going into lengthy details, I have a history of emotional abuse, from my NPD mother, that started in childhood, which set the Fibro off as more of an undercurrent in my mid to late teens (I had problems with unidentified abdominal and lower back pain and depression). I then had a car accident that triggered the first major debilitating relapse. It is my understanding (with the diagram my OT drew for reference) that these factors created a stress which affected my central nervous system. The mental health problems that I have suffered from over the last two decades have largely stemmed from the emotional abuse combined with my body's inability to self-regulate neurochemicals relating to mood, sleep etc. It is a vicious circle as the more stressed the body becomes, the worse the fibro is, then in turn the MH symptoms can worsen - creating even more stress.

Have you seen an OT? Finding a way to break the cycle that perpetuates your symptoms will help enormously. I personally classify my depression as a symptom of the Fibro, rather than as a separate entity, that way I feel a little more positive about the overall outlook! CBT can be really helpful too.

That's really interesting Grand and a lot of what you say sounds familiar to me. I have an OT so will mention it. I am starting CBT soon and have a MH worker who comes to my house but she doesn't really agree with my thoughts on the subject

It really isn't helpful when you have a professional questioning thoughts and experiences. My new GP (moved to her 3 years ago after a decade with an amazing one where I used to live) was so dismissive of my previous diagnosis and treatment for Fibro that she forced me through a very lengthy process of eliminating every other possibility before conceding it might be real. Tosspot!!!
You should find CBT really helpful, I would be lost without it!!

In my experience - it's a wastebasket diagnosis by a lazy assed doctor & any MH issues were caused by the stress of a body & life falling apart as a result & disbelief by the medical professional that should be helping you.

Maybe Look into pernicious anaemia/B12 deficiency & also,Ehlers Danlos Hypermobility, with POTs as a symptom.

I know a lot, myself included who were misdiagnosed & these were the real diagnosis. There are other conditions too, but with MH, I would say start there

Good luck

rocking when, like me, you have had EVERYTHING tested. Have had more mri's and blood tests than my taxes will ever be able to pay for and they still agree the diagnosis they gave you 16 years ago of fibromyalgia with EDS is the only one that fits to me it says they're real conditions.

I now have many more comorbid issues that have overridden the fibromyalgia and eds but the original diagnosis still stand. They are diagnosis of exclusion though and, if unlike me, you've not had extensive testing then push for it.

Sorry Lunchpack

I think maybe you misunderstood/I wasn't clear

If you have EDS, then you DO have another diagnosis that explains your fibromyalgia - as DDs rheumatologist explained it when she was suggesting I was checked for EDS, FM is basically a symptom of EDS

I did struggle for years without proper testing though, as the agP I originally had, thought it was a MH disorder that basically meant you complained a lot about the usual aches & pains of getting older - she said that. I was refused a lot of testing back then, but have been tested since, though some things such as EDS where missed & I'm learning now with PA/B12 deficiency, that some testing is unreliable & relies on the GP knowing that. Thyroid testing is similar & I know people later diagnosed with that too