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General health

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Original poster

Depression? Fibromyalgia? Something else? Or nothing?

21 replies

Allinmyhead · 01/02/2011 22:19

Right, I've had a variety of problems for the past 12 months or so and am just fed up. I think my GP thinks I am just needy and a hypochondriac but I just feel like something is not right. I know this isn't a medical site but does anyone have any idea what is wrong with me? Or are these things that everyone has?

I'm tired. All the time - I sometimes crawl up stairs to bed yet, despite tiredness, I find it hard to fall asleep.

Stiff joints, especially in morning hurts to walk, I stumble.

Aching joints (fingers, elbows, knees, hips) when very tired.

Chronic lower back pain, hips (& shoulder but stress related, I think) - am having physio for back pain

Tingling in toes, fingers and lips and down my arms, like pins and needles

Frequent spells of dizziness, nasuea, loud tinnitus - have meds for vertigo

Unbalanced ? I can?t walk straight or stand up without wobbling like a Weeble

Inability to finish sentences, constantly using wrong words because I can't find the right word.

Brain feels fuzzy - can't focus

Poor memory - don't remember conversations, where I put things, what I agreed to do

Eyes hurt - wear sunglasses all the time, when on computer in dark room

Constant annoying cough.

None of this constant and I have good days/ weeks then bad ones.

I have had major depression in the past but this doesn't feel like that. I am generally quite content with my life.

If you have managed to read this long, whiny post then thank you.

OP posts:

trumpton · 01/02/2011 22:32

May I suggest you have your Thyroid levels checked.
This all sounds familiar.

DH was told it couldn't be Thyroid as he was not overweight ...but in fact was eating very little as he felt so foul.

ajandjjmum · 01/02/2011 22:35

Have you been checked for pernicious anaemia? FIL had these symptoms and fibromyalgia was suspected, but ended up with P.A. All good now - just keeps having the jabs!

Hope you can get it sorted soon.

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 01/02/2011 22:35

They have checked that in the past and it was fine. And checked for anaemia etc. Maybe I should ask again. I am just tired of not feeling right.

Thanks for your post.

OP posts:

ajandjjmum · 01/02/2011 22:38

I was just amazed at the variety of symptoms FIL suffered from, and how ill he was.

I do hope you start feeling better soon.

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 01/02/2011 22:45

Oh, someone in my family had Pernicious Anaemia. I should look that up. Can;t remember who it was...

Thanks.

I've given up trying to work out what is wrong as its such hard work

OP posts:

Summatontoast · 01/02/2011 22:48

Suffering very similar symptoms myself, my periods have been all over the place too and gp thinks it could be hormonal and in my case premenipausal. Also suffer from periods of anxiety and lots of these symptoms linked with that. Hope you start feeling better soon.

ajandjjmum · 01/02/2011 22:50

P.A. is when your body doesn't absorb Vit. B, so you have injections - in FIL's case every 10 weeks or so.

It took ages to diagnose, and can get very dangerous if left, so worth asking about.

hobnob57 · 01/02/2011 22:50

This may sound a bit airy fairy but also look into food intolerances. I didn't believe in them until I tried to breastfeed my two sensitive DCs. When I tried excluding things I found my brain fog, debilitating tiredness and aches and pains disappeared, not to speak of a miraculous transformation in their colic

If you're interested, I couldn't recommend the complete guide to food intolerance by Prof. Brostoff & Gamlin enough - an amazingly insightful book.

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 01/02/2011 22:52

Oh yes, I have very irregular periods - anything from 28 day cycle to 90 days

I'm not sure I want to be premenopausal at 33. Hope your symptoms improve

OP posts:

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 01/02/2011 22:53

ajandjjsmum - I will bear it in mind - thank you.

I haven;t really considered food intolerances but have been dairy free in the past so am sure its not that. I really wouldn't want it to be gluten/ wheat etc

OP posts:

lazygaze · 04/02/2011 16:05

Im no expert but sounds like it could be fibromyalgia- my mum had all these symptoms and was diagnosed a couple of years ago- the medication she was put on works really well for her. Hope you feel better soon x

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 06/02/2011 20:12

Thank you.

Having had a busy weekend, I am now exhausted and can't move. Have done all my work and most of the jobs at home so I can now lie on the sofa without feeling too guilty. I shall keep track of what's going on with my body and see the GP if it doesn't get better.

OP posts:

Saltire · 06/02/2011 20:15

I ahve all the sypmotms you listed- except joint pain, it's not common in Fibromyalgia(which is what I have) however, widespread muscle pain is.
I do get a feeling of stiffness int eh morning, but it's all over as opposed to being specifically joints

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 06/02/2011 20:24

Hmm, I just don't know. I really don't know what this is, if anything but I am tired of not feeling well.

I think the exhaustion is from struggling with all the little niggles I mentioned in my OP.

My muscle pain in my back is constant but don't have it anywhere else unless very tired. My joint pain may be due to hypermobility but that was diagnosed overseas.

Thanks Saltire.

OP posts:

thebunnies · 06/02/2011 20:36

I've had similar especially the tiredness and joint /back pain for a few months. Going to the GP was a waste of time, kept saying my bloods were OK - they only do a very narrow range of tests as standard though. I finally convinced him to test me for anti-thyroid antibodies and it turned out my thyroid had stopped working post-pregnancy (DS born last April) so he referred me to a specialist. Now on thyroxine daily which does make a difference but didn't make me feel completely better. Had a load more tests privately and found out this week that I also have had glandular fever recently (without knowing) and this can show very similar symptoms to what you describe. There is a test they can do for it (called Epstein Barr Virus) so you should be able to get to the bottom of it. It's a horrible situation to be in as it's easy for the doctor to write off each of the individual symptoms as not being especially serious. Please do keep insisting until they get to the bottom of it - it's definitely not normal and you should be able to feel better. Good luck.

thebunnies · 06/02/2011 20:37

oh forgot to say that I am also low in Vit D3 (apparently lots of people are) and so I'm taking that too now, no idea if it makes any difference though.

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 06/02/2011 20:43

I have had blood tests done and apparently everything was fine. I had an ECG and that was ok too. So, apparently nothing is wrong with me

Am glad you have got to the bottom of this and hope you feel better soon.

OP posts:

WorzselMummage · 06/02/2011 20:49

I suffer with a lot of what you have listed and it is caused by Anxiety.

I have been checked for everything else listed on here, they cant find anything else wrong.

Anti depressants and not getting too tired/stressed have have helped.

Anxiety and depression can cause some absolutely astonishing physical symptoms... I have convinced myself i had multiple sclerosis!

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 06/02/2011 20:59

Yeah, when the Locum at my surgery saw me re fainting episodes/ vertigo he mentioned anxiety. But I really don't feel like I'm particularly anxious. Except about feeling crap. Maybe its a viscous cycle...

OP posts:

Pesha · 06/02/2011 21:03

I have a lot of the same or very similar symptoms. I also twitch sometimes, worse when I'm asleep apparently.

Have had blood tests including thyroid levels and all came back ok. Also had tests for carpal tunnel because of the tingly fingers and they were all normal too.

In May I was admitted to hospital as leg was almost completely dead and I could hardly walk (was like this for 3 days beore going to hospital) so had MRI when there but that was all clear. They discharged me before I'd seen a neurologist and referred me as an outpatient instead but by the time I saw him I was in a 'good phase' so very few symptoms to be seen. Have been told to wait until I get really bad again and then make sure I see neurologist in the hospital I have cut my work hours down considerably as I just couldn't keep up what I was doing.

My GP thinks its depression and so does every other gp I've seen. I've had depression and it was not like this, not to mention that actually I was the happiest I had been in years when I started to get bad and the only thing getting me down now is having to struggle through debilitating symptoms that no one will take seriously!

I have no constructive or remotely helpful advice I'm afraid but just wanted to sympathise with you.

Original poster

Allinmyhead · 06/02/2011 21:10

Interesting, Pesha. I have a stressful job but one that I love and I am happier & more settled than I have ever been which is why I strongly doubt it is depression. I feel like, because I have a history of that and because it is an easy diagnosis, that is what they go for. But I am convinced I am not depressed or anxious. Im sorry you've had no luck.

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