loopi1ank...... arthritis. I have pain in my elbows where I cant bend them at night, they are so stiff. I have a hard time laying on my sides to sleep. The rheumatologist told me that it is fibro; but i had mri's done and they say arthritis?? I also have aching legs at night. Is that fibro in my elbows and wrist and knees ect?? The dr told me that fibro has pressure points. I believe that he doesnt tell me the truth about arthritis because I am on medical asst. Other drs told me arthritis. What is the truth??
I have fibromyalgia but I have a hard time distinquishing the difference between fibro and?
- Posted:
- 26 Oct 2009 by loopi1anker2q.com
- Topics:
- rheumatoid arthritis, pain, fibromyalgia, sleep disorders, sleep
Details:
Responses (14)
kimmie127 Oct 2009
Girl, I wish I could answer that. I would have a PHD. I had reconstructive thumb surgery in April and I broke my big toe again last Thursday. Guess which hurts more? Give up? My thumb. I wish I would have left well enough alone. My toe will heel. I hope without another surgery.. I am 54 yrs. old and feel like I am falling apart. I have a great Doctor, he just isn't a surgeon. I will have to go to the orthopedic surgeon to find out what to do with both. When it rains it pours... Arthritis is such a pain in the joints and they tell you to take anti-inflamatories. But, if you have a bad stomach from all the asprin you took before your stomach can't take to much more. As far as pressure points I absolutley agree with that. I bought a Tempurpedic Mattress and I find if I lay in one spot to long my elbows will hurt or my hips. I don't know if it is old age or what, but that mattress cost a fortune.
Anonymous 27 Oct 2009
Hi loop... I also have fibro and arthritis and have often asked the same questions that you do. I am certainly not a professional on either subject. From the info I've gathered, it seems that arthritis pain is more in the joints, where fibro is in muscles and connective tissues. Fibro definitely has pressure point pain, or at least discomfort basically all the time. You can get a lot of info on this site if you go to the search box at the top of the page. The most confusing element, is that different doctors will point in different directions depending on their specialties and knowlegde. The challange is to find a doctor whom you trust, respect, and feel you can have some faith and confidence in. I hope you are more successful than I've been over the years, keemo7
loopi1anker2q.com
27 Oct 2009
I believe that the dr that I have is a quack and gets paid to keep his mouth shut. I am on medical asst. and they do not want to fork out the money ,which is understandable. A person does have the right to know what is wrong??? I had an mri done on my hip and he didnt know that. I knew, of course ,that I had arthritis bad in all my joints. He kept telling me that it is only fibro;but I knew better. One dr. told me that I had auto immune disease .My joints arent getting any fluids in them. Rhuematoid arthritis is famous in my family. My aunts fingers are at a 90 degree angle. Awful! Your right about drs. I do need to find another arthritis dr.. I could tell the other one was lieing. thanx loopi
kimmie1
27 Oct 2009
Loop, about the camera down the throat thing, they put me to sleep to do that and the bottom thing too. It wans't painfull and I found out a wealth of information. Best of luck.. Kimmie1
30 Oct 2009
Hey Loop, on the endoscopy "known as camera down the throat thing" at least in my experience. It's not bad, don't eat for several hours like before surgery and they put you to sleep. You wake up and i can't remember for sure but i had a little sore throat for a day or two. They print you out on printer paper some amazing glossy pictures of your esophagus, stomach, etc. about six or eight pics. I still have the pics. and luckily i just had a little redness from the acid reflux but no ulcer. Ya if you have an ulcer for sure, I would definitely recommend it because they might be able to stop the bleeding or see for sure if you have more than one but as always check with doctor. I've also had the bottom one done too but I was completely asleep because I had surgery also. So that was nothing but I've heard most the time they have the person awake while they do the colonoscopy which could be a different story.
18 Nov 2009
I have been diagnoised with fibro and after a long journey to find out answers found that arthritis and fibro can go hand in hand along with several other conditions. After quite a bit of research on the subject many doctors are mystified by the condition and can't really provide helpful answers or treatment. Although many fibro patients find they can get help from rheumatoligists who treat arthritis. Many of the folks I have read about in my research had to try several doctors before getting one who would take their condition seriously and could actually find a treatment that works for them. It is in many ways a very vague condition which can take alot of testing and trial and error before coming up with a treatment that works. The number of trigger points with tenderness seems to be the main way of identifying fibro as but some of those same points can be spots where one could also experience the pain of arthritis.
roo6520 Nov 2009
your case sounds similar to mine, I also have fibro and arthritis, pain in my elbows,knees, feet, and the legs are the worst, sometimes the pressure on my thighs just from sitting on a chair is terrible.the best way I have found to sleep is in a reclining possition on my back with lots and lots of pillows under my arms knees etc. Im no princess, but I sure can relate to to the princess and the pea story! any little rumple under my body when I sleep feels like a rock! I've tried Lyrica, which helps some, mobic helped for a couple weeks ,now trying tramodol with lyrica Find a dr. that takes U seriously, and keep trying dif meds till U get relief,its true every case is diff, good luck, and may God help U find help in your situ, dont give up!
29 Jan 2010
Me two, or three, or four, or . . . . . Kimmi - you should go get a PHD. Heaven knows if we collected all our stories and findings one of of us could pass the tests without the actuall years of education!
I too have major arthritis issues and Advanced FM. It is so hard to tell the difference that you may never be able be seperate the two completely (according to my Rheumatologist the FM mimics the same type of pain).
I have been refused treatment for my arthritis several times until we found a pain center that was willing to do the nerve blocks on the arthritic areas (where the nerves are being pinched), and trigger point injections for FM (which are not fun at all!) and any other available alternative treatment that may be out there (IMS for one).
harleyhon...29 Jan 2010
i know waht you mean i hurt so much i dont know how the drs can say this pain is fibro this one is ra this one is all in your head lol i get that alot from family lol . girl im 39 going to be 29 in aug lol i think i statred down hill at 32 . reading your commets made me lol sometimes that is hard to do . and i get tired of my family telling me to get over it . if they could walk a mile in my shoes one day i would , my luck it would be one of my good days .
charlyecc17 Mar 2010
I would bet money if your doc says Fibro not arthritis that you DO have fibro. Unless you have a Unicorn for a doctor( meaning its a myth you've heard of or its a once in a lifetime encounter) in my experience Fibro is the LAST diagnosis a doctor is going to claim. It took me 7years to finally get a doc to actually say Yes you have Fibromyalgia versus "its all in your head, your a drug addict" or any numerous other excuses to DENY fibro even existed. once it was confirmed by 3 different rheumotologists(spelling?) I then had to suffer thru 23 other doctors that on the first visit learned I DO have fibro (on top of herniated discs and hyperflexia) would tell me they wouldn't see me again because either A) they still refused to believe or admit fibro is REAL B) they didn't want the hassel or to do what was needed to give me a livable quality of life.
SacosamAnonymous 19 Mar 2010
I think that one may go hand and hand with the other. I was referred to an arthritis doctor by my neuro doctor. I have neuropathy in both legs but he also thought I could be dealing with fibro. That doctor told me I had no business wasting his time. Needless to say I was pissed. I walked out through the lobby crying so hard but I was able to say (loudly) I wouldn't bring my dog to this place. All he did was use his little pressure point threory also. My medical doctor is the one that diagnosed my arthritis. By this time I have lost 50% of my left knee joint so I go and get the shots in my knee. I also have carpul tunnel so I wear wrist braces especially at night. If I don't ,I wake up with this horrible pain shooting from my elbow down and my hands are so numb. The wrist spints help with that. I am on Relphen for the arthritis but some days that don't help either. I have started to have knots come up on my fingers and thumbs.
23 Jul 2010
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia as well as Sjorgren's syndrome, Spinal Stenosis, very little jaw joints left (already have had one surgery 5 years ago). After I began injections and methotrexate (mild chemo drug) to aggressively treat the RA and we got everything under control, I then began having the pressure point, muscle type pain. My rhuematologist explained to me that very often fibro comes to the surface, when the RA has been brought under control. I find that either one or the other will flare, but bear in mind RA is an autoimmune disease and it presents and has symptoms very different than Osteoarthritis even though OA is definitely painful too. RA can affect many organs and if the joint has deteriorated (about to have 4th surgery on my fused toe) must sometimes be replaced. It also generally presents on both sides of the joints, ie: both knees, wrists, ankles, jaws.
25 Jul 2011
i know where you're coming from, i too have fibro and arthritis on both sides of my body. fibro has 18pressure points which is an all over worked muscle pain, where arthristis is an inflammation of the joints, so you could have both too. i seem to know when its gonna rain as my legs start acking usually hrs before it rains and continues for at least 2 days. fibro makes it hard to sleep because the all over pain is so bad you cant sleep or stay asleep.ive had both for at least 5yrs and i learn new things about fibro from my friend i use to work with as she has it worse than me. with fibro it can affect every part of your body, sleep, stomach issues, stress, aniexity(spelling sorry),my asthma, allergies, ibs,you name it it can affect all. i deal with the pain as best as i can, i take for my fibro:cymbalta..arthritis: tylenol arthritis tabs..muscle spasms: flexaril. hope you are well, i know how much it can hurt as im dealing with both right now.
15 Mar 2012
i hear u, i was told that theres no way to b sure if its fibro xcept for the pressure points which usually r on one side. fibro is all over pain which comes from the muscles. i had an mri, xrays, ct scan and they only can see arthritis as it is in the joints. arthritis hits the joints on every side of ur body i know, as my knees have it i can tell when its gonna rain or snow.having fibro sux i know im dealing right now with the pain on my R side which is fibro as my specialist said it was. i think drs really dont know to much of this as only women usually get it and they say its all in our heads.there r times when i can barley get out of bed as im so stiff which is fibro sign also. athritis makes ur joints swell so if ure swollen then its arthritis which hits any part of the body which has joints connecting. hope u get the help u need. let me know if this helped any, i with u.good luck.
Mary632009
15 Mar 2012
My hubby has it too. We are llike twins for petes sake!
Eve54
15 Mar 2012
i was just told that fibro is on both sides from friends on here, when my dr told me its usually on one side of the body, drs dont know anything i think they need to go back to college and relearn new diagnoses b4 tell ppl stupid crap as theyve been telling me for yrs.
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Instead of buying an expensive bed; I got a 4 inch egg crate from a medical supply company. The ins. company will pay for it too. It feels like your sleeping in a cloud. I cannot sleep in any bed or couch. Its tooo painful. The egg crate does wonders. My stomach has a bad ulcer! I have been procrastinating on the camera down the throat gig. I am so sick of drs and dentists! At least the dentist project is over.! Actually my pain meds that I am on now help with every painful nic and cranny there is. I am 45 and my body started breaking down at the age 39. It happened in one day! I swear!! loopi
kimmie, hi girl! I havent been around. i have been going through a lot. I know what you are talking about broken fingers and toes. You sound like you have been through alot like me. I have never been an aspirin person. i try to avoid those pills. I am sorry about your toe. trust me I know about those things. I broke so many fingers and toes and cut my toe off being stupid on a lawn mower. I like my 4 inch mattress it does me good. I am 45 and live in mn. The weather here has been extremely warm for nov. I have a bad thumb that grows so big compared to my other one. Thats the one I use the most. I guess we have to live to learn with our problems. It is great to be able to talk to someone and I really enjoy your personality. Friends are hard to come by. loopi Its is not all in your head!!!
Try to go to a Hand Surgeon. That is all they do is hands. and if you need therapy make sure it is a hand specialist. I found that out the hard way and it is now 27 surgeries for me on my wrist that I shattered 5 years ago. Good Luck. I am your age and know the feeling is it normal for our age or not. I have fibromyalgia as well as RSD/CRPS and I get all the same feelings at centain pressure points. I bought a sleep number bed. It is not in your head have you tried a rheumatologist or have they done blood work for arthtitis? Kimme I know how you feel about your thumb. Every time I have surgery it hurts more. Good Luck
Hi Everyone, I am Mary from Texas. Loopi, I was misdiagnosed with Fibro for many years. Three doctors thought I had Arthritis because of my symptoms.But said no because my ANA was normal. I literally lucked out. My Internist went back to school to specialize.She came back home as a Rheumy. All of a sudden I was struck down with severe joint pain. I went to her of course. There is a fairly new test they run. She ran 15 lab tests at once on me. She told me during my exam that I did not have Fibro. Loopi I suggest you find you a good Rheumy and get yourself checked out or go back for tx from the doctor who agrees about Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis causes joint damage is why it is so important for you to be on the correct medications. They no longer give aspirin and few Nsaids for Arthritis these days.
All we need is love... All I need is for my so called husband over 14yrs, is to be supportive. He is as cold as a fish in the dead of winter. I am always here. I may not answer quickly. but I can relate to all of your needs... God Bless us all.