Saltire, shosh,tribot - a question for fibromyalgia sufferers (and partners)

[popsycal]

As some of you know,I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia after suspecting it for a while.

I now have another symptomwhich I am unsure whether it is related or not. I will probably go to the docs to checkbut thought I would ask.

Every few weeks, I getthe feeling that I amabout to get a throat or a chest infection. Tightness in upper chest, slightly sore throat, tight feeling around my neck. It does tend to coincide with my work - I work 2 days as a teacher and it tends to come on at the end of my second day.

It stays for around 3 days then goes and never comes to anything.

Trying to stop myself googling but wondering whether it is a common part and parcel of fibro or whether I amstraining my vocal chords at work (have particularly challenging classes this year) or my immune systemis down.

It comes for a few days then goes though and never transforms into an 'illness;....

hmmmm
how are you all btw

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Hello. Sorry I missed this - I was at work. Yes you did read that correctly, I said work. I got a temporary, part time holiday job. Its 20 hours a week,and the job, although it involves a lot of standing, is ok, I'm coping quite well with it, but am shattered and in bed some nights by 8pm. The pain recently has been mostly in my neck, shoulders and arms, the feet haven't been too bad. Haven't been back to GP yet, not since she told me to get my mother to move down here to live with me and help!
Anyway, back to the OP.
this is a good site. If you click on the different options on the left it gives out some good info,especially in teh fibro symptoms section. There are some who say that Fibro can affect the immune system. It could just be the chronic fatigue part of the illness mainifesting itself in a different way

Hi,Pops, I cant say I have that, but have found that my immune system isn't what it was, and seem to get every cold that the kids bring in, but am asthmatic anyway. I would get it checked out.

I do suffer really badly with allergies tho, slightest sniff of grass and my eyes are streaming, and DH has to be really careful about deodorants, any of the Lynx ones set me off, and we burn candles (to get rid of the stinky nappy smells ) instead of any aerosols.

HI! Glad you found me!

I have had a hideaous day today.

Eventually managed to get a gp appointment for tomorrow as the throar thing has progressed to a horrible tight feeling around my neckand a weird swallowing thing and a feeling across my upper chest as though I have been doing press ups. My breathing is shallow at timestoo.

I has happened on and off for a month or so now but never this bad. I went on the fibrouk forum and looks like it could be yet another symptom - quite a few people report an identical thing. However, I ought to get it checked as my gp really enforced that should any new symptoms appear that I ought to go back to rule out other stuff. I am half suspecting that they will send me off for a barium xray. And I am also half suspecting that it will come back clear.

Have had horrendous arm pain today.

I also drove through a red light at a pedestrian crosiing (luckily after the boy had crossed) as I just wasnt with it.

grrrr
this bloody thing.

Also
I read - I think on the bupa website - that magnesium and malic acid supplements can help - do you know anything aboiut this?

I am considering asking for a sick note too (even though I don't want one and only work 2 days and only have 2 weeks before the 2 week christmas holiday) as it keeps setting me back each week...worse everytime

shosh - I hope you have a polcy in place for lighted candles, signed and read by all parents

Saltire!!! Of Course!!!

Pops have never tried the stuff you found on bupa, will be very interested if you try them how they work out.

Go and get signed off, pushing yourself will only make yours self worse.

Saltire - the link to the site you posted is great. SOunds like another symptom- costochondritis or somesuch thing. Also explain why I feel short of breath too

I amgoing to look into alternatuve treatments too - was going to give it a few months to see how things pannedout.

But I am 33 with 2 little boys and was hoping to go back to work full time in a couple of years and tbh this is really starting to get me down.

Will find the bupa link for you shosh

relaxation technique - meant to be helpful apparently

Pops I have had acupuncture as my shoulders are so bad, and it was brill really helped, and I get terrible headsches now, so am trying a indian head massage, will let you know how that does.

malic acid and magnesium

cant find the bupa link just yet

What a timely thread, my mum has just been diagnosed with this after years of going backwards and forwards to the GP.

I had a look on the NHS direct site, which says the amytriptiline and SSRIs are helpful (to do with the lower levels of serotonin I imagine), but do any of you have any advice for her as a newly diagnosed sufferer? Just some basic pointers would be really helpful. Her feet are really giving her a lot of trouble right now, she says she feels like she's walking on pebbles the whole time.

I'm really glad she's managed to at least get a DX for this.

Many thanks

kokeski - I am fairly recentlydiagnosed though have been suffereing since the spring if I thinkn back.

In practical terms of helping with the pain,Ifound paracetomoland nurofen to be useless.

Syndol (think saltire got meaddicted) is better and I take codeine if really bad. Get you mum LOTS of those wheat pack things which you heat inthe microwave. Mine has been invaluable as heat really helps - as does alternating between cold and heat for me - coke cans from the fridge are GREAT for the soles of the feet!!!

Oh popsycal, those are exactly the sort of tips I'm looking for! Thanks so much!

Footspas are good as well. I read somewhere - could have been on that site I linked to, that if the pain is really bad in feet and hands, then alternating between hot and cold water helps. I haven't tried it though. Hot water bottles are good as well, better if they have a cover on as the heat can be quite intense otherwise. Tell your mum to rest as much as possible. I do "pacing", so if I'm having a really bad day I will get the breakfast ready for the boys, then sit down for 10 minutes. Then do soemthing else then rest again
I take the amitryptiline 30mg every night. I came off my co-codamol though as the stupid doctor at the pain clinic decided that all my pain was in fact being caused by migraines. Which would be ok if I was actually getting any migraines. I ahve pain 95% of the time, but no migraine, so there is no logic in that diagnosis is there

Can you asked to be px'd it again saltire, that sounds horrendous? The feet thing is a relatively new symptom and she's been referred to the rheumatologist, but the waiting list here (greater glasgow) is apparently really long. Just as well for the knowledgeable folks on MN!

kokeshi - don't be surprised of she gets fobbed off. Was it her GP who give the intial DX? In my case it was, and it took several attempts over the years, then finally within a few months of our posting to Fife, got told by my GP "This is what I think it is". First rheumatologist said that iwas stressed and my neck muscles were causing all the pain. I asked for a second opinion and the rheumatologist told me first of all that it was being caused by my body "being aligned wrong". Got sent to a podiatrist who fitted insole things into my shoes. No help, they got taken out, then she said it was phantom limb something or other - which is fine if I hadlost a limb. Finally she DX in March that it was Fibro, got a lot of help and advice, the GPs where I was were great (they were all military, don't know if that had something to do with it). I feel like I've taken a 2 year step backwarsds though since I moved

aldi are doing a heat massager this weekor next I think
dh showeditto mein the catalogue wonderingif it would be any good

Saltire who did they think you were? Jake the Peg??? Phantom limb, good god!
Yes it was the GP who's given her the DX. TO be fair, she's been ill for so long with collections of symptoms and was getting fed-up with not being taken seriously. I read it was sometimes referred to as the 'Invisible Disability' or Irritable Everything Syndrome. She at least had a laugh at that.

Popsycal, will have a look for the heat massager thingy. You think it would work? I'd like to get her something useful for Xmas this year.

Popsycal - I've just clicked on this link by accident, and I'm astonished. I've got exactly the same throat/neck/chest symptoms you;ve described. Weirdly, I also apparently have many of the other symptoms of fibromyalgia (particularly TMJ and costochondritis). I'm intrigued and am going to mention this to my GP at some point.

Sp[awn - get them to check you for other things as well such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis etc. Many other illnesses can have similar symptoms to Fibromyalgia, and they need to rule everything out. hope you get on ok

spawnchorus - sorry that youare suffering too

I actually feel quite a bit bettertoday. Still going to the doctors though as this is the pattern - i work for two days and take another few daysto recover, gradually getting worse each time

Well that doctor's appt was a waste of time. Told him my symptoms and the pattern. He said the swallowing thing will probably be stressrelated to work or I may be straning my vocal chords and is sending me for a heart trace at the hospital. I tried to tell him it is not my heart, I have acid reflux, upper chest pain and a feeling of a tight band around my throat.

He didnt mention thyroid (even though I know it can be a symptom - at the time,he did not know I had been tested recently), he didn't asked abotu allergies or asthma history

He was crap
anyway - in my own mind I ampretty sure it is alllinked with fibromyalgia
He offered meanti depressant and ibuprofen (which i had already told himdont work)

Anyway
I am going to make an appoointment with my fave gp for a few weeks time as I am pretty sure this will comeback

How frustrating for you popsycal. I hope you get proper care soon, it seems to be pretty much pot luck with GPs these days.