Fibro what?

So I was told last September that I have fibromyalgia by my rheumatologist. I had been referred to her by my pain management doctor who had been treating me for my back pain from degenerating disks. I also had pain in lots of other places that was getting worse over the years as opposed to better. His diagnosis to my rheumatologist was myofascial pain or fibromyalgia with possible rheumatoid arthritis.

Well the rheumatologist confirmed within ten minutes of meeting me that I had fibromyalgia. My pain doctor had put me on Savella, Lyrica, and Cymbalta at different times in the past to treat my pain. Those are the only medications approved to treat fibromyalgia. They are also used to treat other things which is why he tried them. None of them really worked for me.

Now there is a study done (because we needed another study) that Savella and Cymbalta don't really work for fibromyalgia and if they do the side effects can be pretty bad. And they don't do much for improving fatigue and quality of life. That is so helpful. Back to the drawing board to all you fibro medication researchers!

So what is fibromyalgia? In my none medical school terms, nerve pain is amplified and it makes you tired and cranky. Officially the symptoms are these:

1. "In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) listed two primary criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. 1) A history of widespread pain involving all four quadrants of the body (right side, left side, above waist, below waist) for a period of at least 3 months.
2. The second criteria from the ACR which points to fibromyalgia is, upon physical examination, the presence of pain in at least 11 of 18 tender points when touched or pressed with force amounting to the equivalent of 4 kg. or 9 lbs.
3. More recent data indicates that there may be an increased sensitivity to pain throughout the body, pain may be migratory (move around) or may exist as chronic regional pain. Most experts are said to believe fibromyalgia results from abnormal central nervous system function. Response to stress and psychobehavioral factors may also contribute to fibromyalgia.
4. Fibromyalgia primarily occurs in women of childbearing age. Children, the elderly, and men can also be affected. Besides the defining symptoms of pain and tenderness, there are many nondefining symptoms associated with fibromyalgia including:
• Fatigue, night sweats and sleep disturbances.
• Memory difficulties and cognitive difficulties.
• Tension or migraine headaches, temporomandibular joint syndrome, rib cage pain (noncardiac chest pain), chronic pelvic pain, plantar or heel pain.
• Fluctuations in weight, heat or cold intolerance, subjective feeling of weakness.
• Ear-nose-throat complaints, multiple chemical sensitivities and a wide array of allergic symptoms.
• Hearing, vision, and vestibular (balance) abnormalities.
• Heartburn, palpitations and irritable bowel syndrome.
• Evidence on echocardiogram of mitral valve prolapse, esophageal dysmotility (muscles of esophagus not working properly), neurologic conditions causing hypotension (low blood pressure) and syncope (fainting).
• Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety occur more commonly in people who have fibromyalgia. "

Of these I can say yes to 1, 2, 3, and 8 of the 9 bullets in number 4. I don't think I have the cardio issues.

But otherwise I am a very healthy person.