Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Lisa1966]

Hi ladies,

I have been to the drs today,my legs and arms have been painful for about 4 weeks,struggling to get up stairs and do my job,she thinks it could be fibromyalgia,so is sending me for a blood test ( ESR ),she offered me some amitrytolin,then said do you want to wait for blood results,I said I would wait,I really can't cope with having anything else,I think it maybe the mirena causing it,I have been reading about silicon toxicity,does anyone else know anything about this. Any advice much appreciated

          Lisa xx

[Dotty]

Hi I don't think fibromyalgia can be diagnosed with a blood test.

Menopausal symptoms are quite often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia. X

[AgathaC]

Lisa, hello. I think I've messaged you before as we have similar symptoms. I'm only 46 and I'm creaking at the seams. Joints, hips, you name it. It hurts! I was so desperate about a year ago I came up with fibromyalgia as a possible diagnosis. Along with MS, bursitis, etc, etc, worse things than that, etc, etc. I'm not saying you haven't got FM (although I hope you haven't, of course) but Dotty is right about menopausal symptoms. They can be so flipping awful that anyone - the sufferer and medical professional - can think they are something else. I feel like an old woman today. Hips, shoulders, elbows aching, etc xxx

[Lisa1966]

That's what I thought dotty,scary isn't it,whatever next xxxx

[Lisa1966]

Hi Agatha,
Yes we do share the same symptoms,I had mirena fitted 7 weeks ago,and have been spotting and clotting for the last 3,I'm just fed up with feeling so old,everyone I know who is my age or older,isn't suffering like this xxxx

[Hurdity]

Hi Lisa1966

My GP wanted to refer me for fibromyalgia diagnosis because of fatigue and more-than-reasonable muscle pains and exhaustion especially after exercise. It turned out mine was due to low testosterone.

There is a lot of controversy about fibromyalgia - with some saying it doesn't exist - which is absurd. It is a syndrome consisting of various very real symptoms! However the syndrome can be caused by a lot of different things - low oestrogen, low testosterone, underactive thyroid, maybe even vitamin or mineral deficiencies, post-viral, to name but a few - and some of these deficiencies are not properly tested for, so not identified - leaving the symptoms alone. I don't think one particular cause has been identified for fibromyalgia and it does remain a "syndrome" (albeit often debilitating one) rather than a disease as such. Personally - (and I have said this several times on here over the years!) I see it as a convenient catch-all (cop-out) for docs - and maybe an overstretched NHS who don't have the resources to keep on referring and testing properly for all these other conditions, so it becomes a convenient label which then stays with you for years and ends proper investigations.

It sounds like you might be affected by the Mirena - it does give out a lot of progestogen in the first few weeks/months. Do you know how your oestrogen levels are doing? I know from reading on this forum that some women have needed to increase their oestrogen dose after starting the Mirena, but the bleeding and spotting for the first 6 months are a real pain while your body acclimatises and increased oestrogen may temporarily increase this?

So sorry to hear you are suffering like this - can't remember where you are in menopause?

Hurdity x

[Lisa1966]

Hi herdity,
About a month ago my estrogen level was 310, I was on 6 pumps of gel, my consultant wants my levels to be between 600-700,to see if it alleviates symptoms,until then they won't consider testosterone,he thinks I'm not absorbing gel very well,so I'm changing to estradot patches from tomorrow,I don't actually know where I am in menopause. Where is the best place to stick the patches? Thank you for the advice,my sister has fibromyalgia and I don't want it,just hope when mirena settles,I stop hurting so much and I find some energy

          Lisa xx

[Hurdity]

I stick them on butt cheek but some put on their thigh and some on front abdomen. I tried on front but too much loose baby skin (even though not fat) so on butt cheeks they stay in place under nix - although if you wear styles like thongs or Brazilians it might be more tricky - with bikinis, high-legs or mini shorts they're fine! I have a regualr feel when I go to the loo to make sure they are still stuck down and after shower etc. . Gosh that is low for 6 pumps ( if it's pmol/l) - you might find patches work better. Make sure you wash off shower cream etc and don't put body cream on there. Good luck with them and hope they work for you.

Hurdityx

[Salad]

Hi herdity,
About a month ago my estrogen level was 310, I was on 6 pumps of gel, my consultant wants my levels to be between 600-700,to see if it alleviates symptoms,until then they won't consider testosterone,he thinks I'm not absorbing gel very well,so I'm changing to estradot patches from tomorrow,I don't actually know where I am in menopause. Where is the best place to stick the patches? Thank you for the advice,my sister has fibromyalgia and I don't want it,just hope when mirena settles,I stop hurting so much and I find some energy

          Lisa xx

Hi Lisa - My Menopause Specialist also raised my Oestrogen as a way of ruling menopause out of the equation for the symptoms I was experiencing. I was also told to get my Vitamin D and B12 levels checked-I was Vitamin D deficient.

The remaining symptoms allowed me to be referred to a Rheumatologist who ruled out CFS and/or fibromyalgia (and diagnosed an autoimmune disease).  My Menopause Specialist has now said to cut my Estradot patches to get to a dose I am comfortable with but not to go below 100 mcg. They have also recommended adding in Testosterone to help with my joint/bone health.
I hope things get sorted for you- it can take some time 

[Taz2]

Hi Lisa. As your pains are in arms and legs I would think the doc has ordered an ESR test to rule out Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR). Fibro doesn't usually show up in a blood test but it is a way of ruling out other problems.

Taz x

[Lisa1966]

Thank you ladies for your advice and help it's much appreciated xx