Entire body hurts way too much

[CathyA]

I have fibromyalgia and fairly bad erosive arthritis. I was "limping along" fairly well until I had diverticulitis, then treated with Cipro/Flagyl in October. Then I got a bad oral yeast from that, and was on Fluconazole for several weeks. Actually, right after all that, I was feeling great! Then 3 weeks later I had the "recommended" colonoscopy in late November. Then in January, my fibromyalgia started getting worse and worse. Now I'm in pain all the time. I have 3 doctor visits scheduled, but I had to wait quite a while to get in. My worst pain is my aching legs. I have a bad knee, which caused my foot to have problems. I ice the knee a couple times a day, and use a heating pad on the back..........which hurts the least of everything, but it feels good.
My legs ache sooooooo bad. I can only take tylenol. I try to never take more than 2 grams of that a day, to save my liver.
I did take a muscle relaxer for it one day, and it made me drowsy, but didn't touch the pain. My circulation in both legs is fine. My arms ache a lot too.

I've been working on jigsaw puzzles a lot, and DH thinks it's how I sit (and I use a big pillow to sit on)........but my legs hurt the rest of the time too.

Anyone have similar aching? Man, it hurts. I'm so tired of it. I'll be glad to see the various doctors.

I've been reading about how toxic Cipro can be on tendons, but all that info shows up on various online places, but never by reputable medical places.
Any ideas for how to ease the pain?

About 6 weeks ago, I was switched from sertraline to Lexapro for depression/pain, but of course, no doctor would say that was a factor.
And I'm not sure I want to go on meds like Cymbalta, Lyrica, etc., without being absolutely sure it's nothing else.
I was tested for Lyme years ago, when this first started up, and it was negative. I just don't want hard-core meds thrown at me, without checking out other possibilities. I can't wait to see my rheumatologist. Hopefully, he'll have some ideas......
All my usual labs are normal........which is common for Fibro.

[Teacher Terry]

I was achy all over and my doc recommended vitamin d and it went away. I was way too low. It might not hurt to take 5,000 m a day and see if it helps. I was better in a few weeks.

[CathyA]

I've been taking about 5,000 a day for quite a while. My D level is okay. Maybe I'll increase it a bit, since it's more at the lower end of normal.
Gosh, my DD was so depressed for awhile and got so dizzy, she couldn't get out of bed. I talked her into getting her D level checked and it was something like 7!! She improved quickly after supplementing the D.
Thanks TT!

[Gardenarian]

My vitamin D level was recently 8. Vitamin D really upsets my stomach and entire digestive system. I have to take a lot of magnesium and also Vitamin K along with it.

Anyhow, sorry you're feeling so crummy.

I recently joined a gym for people over 50. The guy who runs it is a physical therapist and has created all these cool machines to help you get stronger without actually hurting yourself. It's amazing how much less sore I feel since I started going there and getting proper exercise.

[JaneV2.0]

My joints aren't my strong suit, that's for sure. I mainly just tough it out, use analgesics as little as possible. Gardenarian, your gym sounds ideal.
Magnesium does help.

[Rogar]

I have a good friend with fibromyalgia and has been on SS disability for 15 or more years. For several years he was on prescription methadone, which he claimed was one of the few medications that would help, but eventually went through some painful withdrawals. He sees a very qualified physical therapist which is one of the few things the medical system has been able to help with. He has made a little bit of a study on identifying a cause and effect of things that help or hurt. For example when his symptoms are bad he will wear pull on shirts instead of button up, avoids computer use, and sometimes even avoids shaving. He uses supportive pillows especially for the lumbar region for nearly all sitting positions. When things get really bad he becomes nearly inactive and sleeps a lot. If you think there may be some things like your sitting position that cause a flare of symptoms, it might be worth trying some different things to see if it helps.

[Simplemind]

I have been enduring a fibro flare since my surgery in January. I've been miserable as well as everybody around me :0)

[awakenedsoul]

Hi CathyA, I'm sorry to hear that you are in so much pain. I struggled with aching legs and hips before having my hips replaced. It's made a huge difference, and I am now completely pain free. I hope you find a solution. It's really sad that you are going through this...I feel for you.

[freshstart]

fibro pain is the worst, it's so under-treated IMHO. I was taught 4 gms of tylenol a day is safe if you don't drink or have liver problems, does the tylenol help?

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone. Simplemind......may I ask what kind of surgery you had? When I had a meniscus repair....it took me very long to stop hurting, when it takes most people a week or so. I think you're having a colonoscopy soon, right? Let me know how that goes for you.

Rogar........it's pretty unusual for men to get this. When they do, I always wonder if it's something else, like Lyme disease. Was he tested for that?

Freshstart......I was diagnosed about 25 years ago......but it's never been this bad before. No wonder people keep searching for answers. I know we must look like hypochondriacs, but it's just so hard to believe that you can have so much unrelenting pain, without a real "cause". Surely seems like more research should be being done.
I think it used to be 4g for the Tylenol, but now it's 3g. I think too many people were having liver problems from the higher dose. I try not to take too much of the Tylenol, and save it for the worst times. I can't take NSAIDS and the muscle relaxer didn't seem to help. Tylenol has always helped until recently, and now it doesn't seem to do much.

I just feel miserable........and very sad that I can't do things that are so important for my mental health. I see my sleep doc tomorrow, then the next week the GI doc, then the next week the rheumatologist. DH is ordering me a lower spine MRI, in case this horrible aching in my legs is a lower spine problem. It just never ends. I want so badly to rise above it all, and get on with life.......but it's nearly impossible with this body breaking down.

Thanks everyone.

[JaneV2.0]

A friend of mine uses a topical cannabis rub they make at home in a crock pot. They say the pain relief lasts at least three hours.

[freshstart]

My mom has it and we certainly need more research. Her own docs are good about pain but new ones or in the hospital she gets treated like a drug seeker. That lyrica commercial ticks me off, I have never seen anyone respond that well to it. I wish you luck, I'm glad you have a rheumatologist

[CathyA]

Sometimes I wonder if more men had it, more research would be done??

[henrysmom]

I don't know how old you are but for me the worst symptoms of menopause were serious joint and muscle pains. Even my elbows hurt. I went on hormones and felt better within days. Tried weaning off for a few months but pain came back with a vengeance. My doc says that In his practice women complain more of joint pains than hot flashes. I've tried massage, exercise, acupuncture, vitamin d but without hormones I can hardly walk :(

[pinkytoe]

Have your ever heard of Dr Sarno? He believes that pain has a very strong emotional component. I had some serious knee pain several years back, stumbled onto his books and found them very helpful to get past it.

[TxZen]

I've been taking about 5,000 a day for quite a while. My D level is okay. Maybe I'll increase it a bit, since it's more at the lower end of normal.
Gosh, my DD was so depressed for awhile and got so dizzy, she couldn't get out of bed. I talked her into getting her D level checked and it was something like 7!! She improved quickly after supplementing the D.
Thanks TT!

I was at an 8!!! I am slowing working towards 25 but new evidence suggest our Vitamin D levels should be in the mid 30's. It's such a tricky little vitamin.

[Gardenarian]

Pinkytoe - I have found Dr. Sarno's books helpful. I do believe there is a mental/emotional aspect to all pain - though I have not had the instant results he writes about (understanding that your pain is simply where you hide your stress, and it goes away.) But great books, and a different way to think about pain.

[CathyA]

I'll check out that book too. I think that it's entirely possible that in the very early part of life (first year), if certain things are done to us, it sort of "sets" the nervous system. (Like if you're mistreated/abusedneglected early). I know that's one theory of fibromyalgia. I know I have always been acutely aware of everything.......inside me and what's going on around me. It's sort of the chicken or the egg thing. I think I tend to believe the "Substance P" levels theory. Who knows. I think viruses can do funky things to us too.