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Fibromyalgia . . Could it be this?

tigerlily72

Well-Known Member
Messages
517
Location
South West, England UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My Dr has been prescribing gabapentin for me since about Sept/Oct last year for suspected nerve pain that's got progressively worse. It started with a burning, tingling sensation in the lower part of one of my legs. Now, I have very painful and uncomfortable stinging, tingling and burning in both legs, upper legs, buttocks/back of legs, arms and what I can only describe as twinges in other parts of my body. I have been referred to neurology now and have just got a letter with my options. I need to select a hospital and make an appointment.

I've been looking for answers for a while, if I know what it is then maybe I can take steps and measures to relieve the discomfort? I've been looking on the NHS website tonight and some of the symptoms fit and seem to "click into place" - my skin is now quite sensitive to the touch. My skin also feels cold and as someone who was always hot, I now often feel cold when it's not! My sleep is appalling and I don't know how I seem to function on so little. Due to the pain, I am often awake until 1 or 2am in the morning and am up again for work around 6.30am. Interestingly, I think, I stopped my antidepressants in the summer as I thought I could do it. I also had a very stressful year in 2016 including bereavement and life continues to throw things at me. I've read that stress could cause this?

Any help or advice would be hugely appreciated right now, pending the wait to see a neurologist.
 
I hope when you stopped your anti-depressants you did so under the supervision of a doctor? There can be some truly ghastly side-effects from the withdrawal process. There are doctors who specialise just in the right way to taper off these meds.
 
Indy51 said:
I hope when you stopped your anti-depressants you did so under the supervision of a doctor? There can be some truly ghastly side-effects from the withdrawal process. There are doctors who specialise just in the right way to taper off these meds.
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I did it gradually and sensibly by myself. When I told my Dr she asked how I'd done it and was pleased with me, and the way in which I'd done it. I just wish this pain would go away, otherwise I'm going to end up going back on them
 
This is perhaps a bit of a long shot !!!

Have you had B12 checked? Your symptoms sound as if they might be relevant. I'm assuming, being Type 2, you will be taking Metformin which is known to be a cause, in some people, of Vit B12 deficiency.

If you do some research on B12 deficiency, check out symptoms etc and see if you feel it relevant to you. Maybe ask your GP to test your B12, Folate and Ferratin levels.

A friend has Fybromyalgia and it certainly affects her badly but she also has other chronic conditions so difficult to isolate her symptoms, so that's of little help to you

Hopefully, others will be along to offer some suggestions. In the meantime, here's a [[[Hug]]]
Julie
 
Thanks for reminding me about the B12 @Energize, DOH! Another vitamin deficiency strongly linked to fibromyalgia is D3, so good idea to add that to the list of things being checked.
 
I'm diet controlled only so don't take metformin. I asked my Dr if they could check B12 at my last blood test which was in September - I was told it was normal.

But since then, the discomfort and pain (stinging, tingling etc) has intensified. I have the letter to book an appointment with a neurologist but the waiting list for appointments is around 15 weeks and there's no available appointments at the moment (I checked via their online system as you choose your own).
 
Hi, just an update . .

I've had to see a Dr twice in the last two weeks, and one of those appointments was because the pain became unbearable and I had to leave work early. I have now been prescribed with Amitriptyline to help me sleep as my lack of sleep is shocking - it's amazing I still manage to function daily! It's early days with this but it appears to be working and I'm getting more sleep, thankfully.

I then had to see a Dr only a couple of days ago due to an issue with my BP. I asked her what else could be done whilst waiting for an appointment to come through to see a neurologist. I explained how bad the pain was and I was starting to feel desperate, as well as stating I thought there might be a possibility that I may have fibromyalgia. She asked me to book a blood test where they will test me for thyroid function, inflammation and also check my blood sugar (fasting) levels as well.

So, hopefully by the end of the month I may have some answers, or have lots of new questions!
 

Amitryptaline raises my blood sugar (for up to three days after taking 10mg at night) so may be an idea to check if your averages go up.

I hope you get some answers soon (or even better that the pain goes!)
 
Ultramum said:
Amitryptaline raises my blood sugar (for up to three days after taking 10mg at night) so may be an idea to check if your averages go up.

I hope you get some answers soon (or even better that the pain goes!)
Click to expand...

That may explain why she wants to check my blood sugars when they do the blood test then! Although my last HbA1c was ok, it had crept up a little based on the one before it. But then again, my eating habits and diet was bad so not surprising really. I'll have to be extra good to try and keep good control.
 
Hi I totally understand what you are going through everything you described is what I went through just over 2 months ago. The pain became unbearable for me and I went straight to hospital, where I was diagnosed to have diabetic Neuropathy. It was very painful and I was signed off work for 6 weeks. At first the doctors put me on Gabapentin 3 times a day this helped slightly but wasn't enough when I returned to work. I reached the highest does of Gabapentin that was aloud so the doctor has now put me on 300mg of Pregabalin in the morning and at night and 50mg of Amitriptyline at night to help me sleep through the night. This mix has definitely helped me the pain has become bareable and some days I don't feel pain at all. Unfortunately there is no way to get rid of Neuropathy only pain management and to stop progression.

Hope this helps you.
 
I know pain does wear me down and can alienate you from daily living that is just normal to most people.
Tiredness seems to come with it.
Pain can be very negative when not managed properly. GPs are fulling aware of it's distruction.
I hope you get your pain management in place asap or at least from now on have it covering your distress and disruption appropriately.
 
Hi I suffer from a condition that sounds awfully like what you are describing did u break anything or have an op???
 
I was put on Gabapentin for Fibromyalgia a few years before I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and it seems to help with neuropathy from the Diabetes as well, so when I get my BS sorted again, I hope to feel better and with less pain too.
 
I have something called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome from a break which cause alll those problems u listed on here
 
Hi I am a Type 2, 54 year old(diagnosed 10years ago) also suffering from R.A. (Rheumatoid Arthritis 8years ago) & recently (1year ago) Fibromyalgia and diverticulitis.
I have actually been suffering from the R.A. for much longer as I have had the symptoms for about 20 years.
I greatly sympathise!
I am on such a cocktail of drugs including biologic injectables, & methotrexate pen, for all 3, sometimes I don't know what to do or which is playing me up?
I have never eaten a bad diet & eat as clean as I can, using low carb, decaf, no additves, no sweeteners. Sweeteners are terrible for Fibromyalgia have never really enjoyed carbs naturally so they haven't been missed.
Since the purge on "sugar" in our diet by the government & manufacturers, it has made it harder to find plain foods that haven't got artificial sweetners have been in our food & drinks.
I do feel my Diabetes has been brought on by the R.A.
I never felt any symptoms of diabetes until I was put on medication for it.
So living/moving is a daily struggle for me.
 
I realise I've been absent on this site for a while and thought I'd update this as to where I am at the moment.

My neurology appointment has come through but isn't until August!!! I've had various blood tests to check a variety of things including anaemia, low iron levels, thyroid function etc. They all came back as normal and satisfactory. I've also been checked to see if I'm going through the menopause - I'm not!

I ended up so poorly a couple of months ago that I was signed off work. I felt absolutely awful - no energy, exhausted, periods of night sweats but mostly feeling cold. I am still not right. I still feel cold - my arms often hurt and ache, in particular my left one from around the elbow region. I have "cold spots" on various parts of my body and tingling in various areas - usually upper legs (to the front) and buttock area as well as shoulders and the back of my neck. I thought my GP would diagnose me with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue when I saw her last week. She has told me there are no more tests they can do but I have to wait until I've seen the neurologist which is weeks and weeks away. I'm so fed up and feel really down. I just want a diagnosis so I can try to treat and self manage somehow.

I've also been told I need to lose weight - I had been doing fairly well as I'd lost some but due to feeling so rubbish I haven't had the energy or willpower just lately to eat really sensibly. My blood pressure isn't great and she has said she may need to prescribe another additional medication to lower it.

I feel like giving up!
 
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