I've asked that question soooo many times before, but I've finally narrowed it down. I think. At first I was thinking MS, which is still a small possibility, but my MRI last week didn't show any lesions on my brain or spinal cord. I did have some white matter but was told it was nothing and probably causes my migraines. Ok, so now what?
The more I've been reading, I really think I have Fibromyalgia:
I've had issues of all kinds for years - nausea and dizziness off and on, pain, numbness, fatigue, stomach problems, horrible menstrual cycles (sorry guys)... you name it, I've probably experienced it. So many tests and doctor visits...one doc even sent me to a psychiatrist to make sure it wasn't all in my head. But no real answers. The flare ups came and went every so often and I just learned to live with it. Always exhausted and hurting really sucks, but I just assumed it was part of getting older and being overweight since no one could ever figure anything out. Fast forward a few years, and my boyfriend Nathan, gets diagnosed with MS. We're dealing with that, but it makes me think more about the issues I've had for the past 7+ years. It would be weird to have two people in the same household with the same disease, but I suppose stranger things have happened. I decided to go to our doctor a couple weeks ago, and as I said, had an MRI done to rule MS out. Nothing major showed up and since I'm still in the middle of a flare-up, Dr. B is referring me to a neuro out of town. In the meantime, I've been reading a lot about Fibro and it seems to fit. How do I feel during a flare-up? Well, imagine having the worst flu...the kind with the really horrible body aches. Multiply that pain times 1000 and you may understand what Fibro pain is like. Then lay down on the floor and have a Sumo wrestler sit on you while you're trying to get up. That's what my limbs and chest feel like...very heavy. Stay up for about 4-5 days straight with no sleep and you'll feel the fatigue. Run 5 miles without stretching first, or being in great shape for that matter, then you'll know what the body stiffness feels like. Sit still and let someone put spiders or crawly-type bugs on your legs and feet. Then there's the numbness...just like when your foot falls asleep or sit on your hand til you can't feel it. Oh and don't forget the times when it feels like there's electrical currents running through your whole body. It's such fun. In my 'career', I'm a cashier...so sometimes my brain doesn't tell my hand the right messages and it takes awhile to grasp small things like coins. People look at you like you're an idiot when you're talking to your hand. Co-workers think you're lazy, people tell you all the time how tired you look...why don't you just come right out and tell me I look like crap? This week has been rough...lots of pain, a few tears, and praying for the numbness to set in so I don't hurt. I just hope it settles back down soon...I don't go to the neuro until June. <3 Peace & Blessings <3 |
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