more severe pain

[vivb53]

hi,, i would just like to know,,is anyone els suffering alot more pain than usual with this severe weather.and does anyone tend to get like,,nerve pains, all over ther body.  im finding it realy hard to cope these days,

[Piper222]

I've had the most pain the last couple of months than I've every had, all over the body.  I had spinal surgery 6 months ago and have been really bad every since.  Storms are the worst.

[geminigirl1963]

Yes, my pain definitely has increased with the cold weather and snow/rain. Sometimes I think my body is a barometer because I can always tell when the weather is going to change.

[Piper222]

Can you describe the pain your having?

[concerned621]

It's been hard. I had about 2 weeks of severe upper back, neck and shoulder pain. I live in a very rainy area. It's either very cold or raining. It's like a yo-yo effect for me. I'm either aching all over or specific areas of my body hurt so bad I can hardly walk.
Do what you can to keep moving. I go to the gym and get in warm water and walk and then sit in the dry heat sauna. It helps so much. Rest and take good care of yourself by eating right, drink a lot of water. If you don't take Vitamin D, this time of year especially is when we need it. I get B12 shots monthly that also helps.
Know that you are not alone. I walk around in tears at times from pain and so tired of feeling this way but you know it will pass and it does pass.  Pray that it does and I will pray for you.  

[likemike]

Yes! I'm with you! I've had some of the most painful days in the last couple of months I've ever had. For me, weather directly affects my pain level and intensity, muscular and neurological. It's comforting to finally talk to others who have that all over the body pain and aching I've been trying to describe to family members for the past 5 years.  And I'm with you, coping is difficult these days.

[green924]

HI *SORRY FOR THE CAPS... I HAVE FIBRO & MS AND MY EYES AREN'T WORKING RIGHT LATELY.

I HAVE THOUGHT I WAS TOTALLY INSANE FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS. DR'S FINALLY SAID/DX'D IN SEPT! THEY'VE ALL SCRATCHED THEIR HEADS AND THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY FOREVER IT SEEMS LIKE...

COLD WEATHER, ANY TIME OF YEAR WHEN IT STORMS, TEMP CHANGES DRASTIC, OR SOMETIMES JUST FOR THE H**L OF IT I HAVE HORRIBLE FLARES & MY PAIN GETS EVEN WORSE THAN IT ALREADY IS. THEY ARE ALWAYS DIFFERENT SO THEY ARE HARD TO EXPLAIN... BUT I TOTALLY KNOW WHERE ANYBODY IS COMING FROM ABOUT THIS...

HOPE THAT MADE SOME KINDA SENSE LOL

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE
MELANIE

[concerned621]

HI WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES? ARE YOU TAKING LYRICA BY ANY CHANCE?

[tanyamn]

I was diagnosed with FM in 2002 after years of having chronic widespread pain and 6 years of Phy. Therapy for multiple things.  The weather is a definite factor in the severity of pain.  Last winter was the worst!  It felt as if my legs were having 'seizures' with rapid firing here and there and here again.....very painful!  
My question now is, "Does anyone believe that the 'choking/strangulation' feeling I have been having for 2.5 years has anything to do with the FM?  I'm always pulling at my shirt around my neck, but that isn't the problem.  The choking feeling can get so bad that I have coughing fits.  It also feels like the blood flow to my head is less than normal making my head feel heavy with a dizzy feeling even though I'm not dizzy.
I have had just about every problem there is when it comes to pain.  
There are nights that I have to wrap my ankles/feel so they are in a standing position when sitting.  
I also have muscle twitching that can last for 12 hours, not painful but annoying, in arms, legs, abdominal, chest, shoulders....everywhere basically.
I developed PVC, PAC, tachy-brady, etc. 2.5 years ago....before the choking feeling began.
oh and I also have buring sensations especially in my legs.  Lately it has been in my left calf everyday off/on all day for 3 weeks now.  I sometimes get 'fire patches' on my legs.  I call them fire patches because they have the burning sensation but turn red.  You can feel the heat through clothing.
GEEZ, one more thing to mention just in case someone has the same thing or any other idea.  Last Feb 2009 I had night sweats for 4 weeks, but the extreme heat wasn't only at night, it was during the day too.
AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF.....all tests including scans are normal. (except for EKG which showed arrhythmias)
I'm thinking in addition to FM I may have an intracellular magnesium def.  Serum MG was low at one point but that would be an obvious knowing how mg levels work.
PLEASE help and give your opinions/ideas/comments!
Thanks...sorry so long but lots of problems to mention

[tanyamn]

I forgot to mention that I do have migraines and headaches often.  I've also had 'surges of electricity' in my head that last 2-3 seconds but it is more painful than giving birth.

[WOLVES63]

Yes, to the increased pain with the weather. Rain and cold weather are bound to make your pain worse. We usually have osteoarthritis coupled with fms. according to the arthritis  foundation. and I do have it. I feel that we need more research on fms because it affects so many people and it increases every year. My daughter is always saying other people don't have it as bad as you. Then i read an article saying there are different levels of fms.
When I was diagnosed in 1995 finally after three years of suffering the dr. said I had it in all 18 pressure points. I believe I have a severe case. So there are different levels. I think my daughter is just scared because she doesn't want me to be sick. She remembers me the old way, full of life and able to tackle anything.
I to wish I was not sick.
k.

[TrudieC]

I have the nerve pains all over my body.  I am hoping to get my family doctor to put me on Neurotin to help.  It is keeping me up at night and sometimes I feel like I'm going to lose my mind with it.  I've been taking benadryl (hardly helps except for the sleepiness) and putting on the blue ice gel to try and numb it.

[dustybrown]

In relation to the weather I think people with Primary Fibromyalgia are most sensitive to changes in the atmospheric pressure. I have the most trouble at the point when the weather changes, or when the pressure changes. I don't necessarily mind if it's cold as long as it stays that way for a while. If the weather changes though it puts me in a flare. Even if it's warm front or a high pressure change- that too can place me into a flare.  

I also have trouble with humidity I think because I suffer from a fairly bad case of osteoarthritis along with Fibromyalgia. I live near the Great Lakes, which makes things even worse for me. It's like a double whammy. If a sudden warm front flies in during the summer over Lake Michigan, I am in BIG trouble!!!! Talk about humidity!!!!

Lately I've been all messed up because the weather can't make up it's mind- does it want to be cold or mild, foggy or rainy or snowy or what??? My muscles are sore and painful, my bones are creaking, popping, cracking and snapping (my husband says like the cereal). What the heck??? I see my rheumy this week. Hopefully she can save me! ;)
-Dusty

[vivb53]

hi, im so sorry for    the delay  gettin back to u all,,to thanx u for all ur replies, if been in and out of hospital with severe pain, in my chest,,now im in agony with sharp pain round my ribs and upper back, i can t stick on my feet,and living alone,im just crying all the time,,so lonely,,no one to talk it over with,i just feel i cant take much more,,iv been getiin more severe pain than usual for the past few months, but thanx again for caring.

[Cascarb]

Hey - I also noticed that the recent weather has caused my pain to get worse.  Also started talking lycra a couple of months ago and getting used to that one (my dr put my on 300mg twice a day so getting major side effects)

Vivb53 your not alone and you always have us to talk to about how your feeling.  If you ever want a 1-2-1 chat just pm me and we can have a chat xxx

[vivb53]

hi cas,,thanx ever so much for ur post,its realy lifted me, i know we are all here for each other,but u actualy saying it,,just giv me such a lift,,thanx again,,i must admit i am feeling very down at moment,,it just seems never ending,,pls dont think im soft,,im not.realy,i can stand alot of pain,,but this is worse than ever,,and being alone so much doesnt help.roll on spring hey,,    viv xx      im not sure how to have a 1 2 1  chat on here.

[Piper222]

It's extremely hard being in so much pain when you are alone.  I am married but got so bad with the pain I didn't want my husband to leave the house.  This site has helped when  I can't distract with anything else.  I have been feeling extremely down for 3 months now.  Sounds like you've been trying to keep active, distraction works best.  I'm only getting in the middle of this conversation, are you on anything for the pain or the depression which sounds like your starting to have.

[Piper222]

My GP put me on Magnesium to help boost my sleep.  You try one tablet first depending on your bowels *sorry for being descript and increase as long as you don't end up running to the bathroom.  Worked for me, finally getting better sleep.   Waking up is always a shock and brings on the helplessness.  My pain is bad enough I can't get out for swims now and walking is difficult.  Unfortunately for me my anxiety increases my pain and until I can get that under control it won't get better.   When I'm anxious with the pain my spine tightens up and compresses deteriorating discs and causes a lot more nerve pain, burning and prickly.  My son is getting married this summer as so concerned about what my condition will be by then.  Am going to start seeing a psychologist this week.  Wish me luck.

[Piper222]

Can anyone help me with the morning anxiety that comes from waking up every morning from a good sleep to stand up to the excruciating pain that is a shock to the system .

[geminigirl1963]

Can you take whatever pain meds you're on before you get out of bed?  Keep some water beside your bed and take them when you wake up and then give yourself about 1/2 hour to relax in bed while they start working - it might help to at least cut down on that initial shock of pain.

[Piper222]

I'm only on Lyrica and Cymbalta for pain - doesn't help much.  Is anyone else taking Lyrica and getting a bad rash?  My anxiety makes the pain worse I know but I wouldn't be anxious if I didn't have so much pain.  My circumstance is a rather long drawn out story.  I started with neck and shoulder pain a year and a half ago.  They told me it was just fibro.  I couldn't take the pain any longer and checked myself into the hospital for anxiety and they did an MRI.  Next thing I knew they took me off my anxiety and pain meds and I was to major hospital for disc fusion on my neck.  If I had waited for my neurologist apt. he said I would have been paralyzed as my spine was swollen from C3 - C7.  Now I get anxious for no reason, it's automatic when the pain hits or I can't distract myself (which is more often now with the pain)  I went through some nasty reactions to drugs for about 4 months including withdrawals.  One medication almost killed me as the pharmacy gave me an overdose.  Am just starting to come back from all this but it made the fibro 10 times worse.  I am going out regardless so I don't get depressed any further but my walk is wonky, like the floors and walls in a fun house and have a constant ringing in my ears.  Am also on Remeron for sleep.  Dr. says it's Lyrica for the rash but that may be because he was the one that prescribed the Remeron. I have severe tinnitus so loud places like the casino I tried to go to yesterday make the pain a lot worse and I think I tighten up all my muscles so squish the discs in my neck.  Long story - sorry.

[SoSoSugar]

Just read your post, i dont really have a choking feeling, but i cant have anything around my neck at all or it make me feel sick. But all your other symptoms i can relate to. I was diagnosed with fibro a few years ago, and one thing im concerned about are my night sweats, they are pretty bad. i wake up drenchd in sweat. At night im cold but having these night sweats! i hate it! My legs ache alot and burn. I can feel the heat coming off of them alot. And just this last month ive noticed ive been getting dizzy. ugh just one thing after another!  I have other medical problems, too long to list :P back problems,hip,one leg is longer are the more seriousones.but i can def relate to your issues. It seems there would be some sort of medication to help night sweats...they come and go but they are a problem. Def not my biggest problem but very annoying.

[susie599]

hi all  yes i find this cold weather makes me worse with the pain i have had to use a walking stick  ( i hate it ) but needs must  i aslo find i lose consontration and memory loss i find myself in a shop a carnt think what i went in for   i must look really gormless s..

[fibrocentric]

I definately notice an increase in pain during the winter. I also get bad when the weather changes or the humidity rises. I wish I could convince my boyfriend to move to the dessert. :(

[Weesy68]

If you have not yet seen the movie Under Our Skin, you need to see it.  Both fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue can be caused by Lyme disease.  Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria, Borrelia Burgdorferi and is transmitted by a tick.  There is also controversy over whether it can be sexually transmitted.  Before I was diagnosed my muscles were hurting me so badly.  I would cross my legs and feel pain from one knee pressing on the muscle of the other leg.  I couldn't sit cross-legged.  I felt bruised under my skin even though there were no bruises.

I went snorkeling which I had done 5 years earlier and had spams so bad in my calf muscles that I thought I had DVT.  It wasn't DVT.  It was Lyme disease.  It was getting worse as I went undiagnosed and I feel sure I would not be walking at this point if I had not been properly diagnosed.  Lyme disease affects people differently because it can invade any organ, including the central nervous system and brain.  
Since starting treatment for Lyme disease which is long-term antibiotics in my case, my muscle cramping has improved 75%.  I don't hurt to the touch as much as I used to.  I am not done with treatment as it may take up to two years, but if successful this can be cured, unlike fibromyalgia which you have to live with for the rest of your life until they figure out exactly what is causing it.  

One way you might be able to tell if you may actually have Lyme disease that is causing your fibro or CFS is that when you first take antibiotics, specifically the penicillins, you will get a worsening of your symptoms.  The joint pains and muscle pains will get worse.  You may get brain fog, ringing in your ears, depression, etc.  This is normal in the treatment and it is medically documented and occurs in the treatment of Lyme, Syphillis and parasite infections.

It's called a jarisch-herxheimer reaction.  Next time you are on antibiotics pay attention.  If your symptoms get worse, you need to be tested for Lyme disease.  ILADS.org can provide you with information on symptoms and treatment for Lyme disease.  I never knew what it meant when I heard they made fibromyalgia blankets.  I always thought that was the strangest thing and didn't understand the concept.  I do now.  I still don't know why they work but I can tell you that when my muscles were so bad, there was a quilt an in-law made for me that helped soothe those muscles, not entirely, but it definitely helped.  Why that works, I do not know, but it does.  Sorry to be so long, but there has been no cause yet found for fibromyalgia so it is not impossible to think that it may be an undiagnosed bacterial infection that is causing your fibro.  Know that I am not saying that fibro exists.  I absolutely believe fibromyalgia is real.  What I am saying is that the fibromyalgia is triggered by something and in some cases that may be Lyme disease.