Fibromyalgia Symptoms HOME

I'm 10 weeks and so far the morning sickness has been intense. And since I decided to taper down some of my drugs, Effexor, Neurontin, I find the muscle pain and fatigue has definetly increased. So I don't know if its from the taper or the pregnancy...

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I'm only 6-weeks pregnant, and until I knew, I didn't understand why my FM symptoms were getting so bad again. A relatively uninterrupted sleep is incredibly helpful for the relief of symptoms, and luckily, my doctor has permitted the use of a muscle relaxer, cyclobenzaprine. This medication puts me out pretty quickly so I use it only at night when my symptoms are at their worst. Not all muscle relaxers are safe, so check with your doctor.

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I am 24 yrs old and 14 weeks pregnant with our first child. I have had FMS for about 5 yrs but have never been diagnosed by a doctor (the syndrome runs in my family so I'm familiar with the symptoms enough to be confident that that is the problem). Ever since about my 6th week, all my FMS symptoms have been flaring up, making my 55 hr work weeks extremely difficult. (My husband is in grad-school full-time, so my income is the only source of income at this time. It's not like I have the flexibility to just take off when I need rest.) My headaches/muscle-aches are debilitating, to the point where I could bang my head against the wall to feel some kind of slight relief. Prior to pregnancy, Excedrine (1 Excedrine Migraine and 1 Excedrine Tension, to hit the head and the neck) was the ONLY medicine that I could find relief with. Excedrine Migraine has a small amount of aspirin in it, and both the Migraine and Tension types have caffeine present, but my pain gets to the point where I'm desperate for ANYTHING to find relief. Fortunately, my doctor has approved my normal Excedrine routine during this part of the pregnancy (no amount of aspirin will not be an option by the 3rd trimester), so I've been taking it every other day, in hopes to take as little as possible to keep me going. However, the past several days the "other" day has been just as unbearable as the days I take the medicine, keeping me in bed or on the couch, inable to think straight much less do anything. My upper back (shoulders especially), my entire neck, and my head are just killing me, and I don't know what to do. Today is my "medicine day"; the meds have helped lessen the pain, but it is STILL THERE. I am afraid the pain has increased to the point where my normal meds won't help like I need them to to function. I am at a loss as to what to do now, and reading everyone else's experience with FMS during pregnancy has scared me into thinking the entire course of the pregnancy may be unbearably painful and that I may never even be the same again. I can't just live with this pain for the next 6 months, but I feel out of options... Any help/suggestions?

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when i was pregnant with my second child all i did was sleep like all day and night i was lucky my youngest was still a baby (they are 1 year and ten days apart) and was a premie so he also needed lots of sleep. At the end of my pregnancy about 2 weeks b4 i went in to labour i had to go into the hospital for being dehydrated, i also had a liver secretion problem that made my skin itch liek crazy(from baby pushing my liver) but other than that i had no other problems

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Hi everyone! This is my deal. This will be my third, well 4th - I miscarried over the summer- but 3rd addition to my family. I am so happy but I feel so terrible physically. I have almost constant headaches that I can barely stand or sleep through. Nothing works to relieve them. The MDs approved fioricet and Duradrin - no help. My whole body especially back hurts a great deal. I usually get the schiatic nerve pain for 4 months or so which is extremly painful, it has only come for a week so far. The worst thing is I don't feel comfortable telling anyone that I have FM,. I feel like people would just think you are a complainer. I was diagnosed 5 years ago and am now 28. I feel so awful when I can't do enough for my family or when my husband says what's wrong, another headache? You always have headaches. I just fel like this pitiful hypochondriac who always has a complant. I am still nautious much of the day and my boys are 2 1/2 and 4. I wouldn't change anything b/c my boys are so wonderful and I am so happy to be having another after miscarrying. But it is so hard to act like a normal person when you can't function like one and you feel like you should. Please tell me if you tell other people of your condition and how you do it. Has anyone found any help for headaches?

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I am five months pregnant and the back pain started last month with the schiatic nerve. Now i have severe headaches almost constantly. It is very hard remaining pleasant or atleast not so grumpy for my 2.5 yr old and 4 yr oldboys. Does anyone know how to relieve these headaches? I get them terribly for many months during every pregnancy. Help!! Also, how do you tell what you're dealing with or do you. Do they believe it si true. I am afraid people think it is a made up condition. I was diagnosed 5 yrs ago and only my family and a few friends know.

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Constant headaches and I am 5 months and I get them for all my pregnancies along with very painful back problems, sciatic nerve problems. It si worth it but yes vey difficult while going through it.

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Im 21 yrs old and was diagnosed 12months ago with FMS but have been suffering with symptoms since I was 12. I am now 22 weeks into my first pregnancy and things were going great and all symptoms had dissppeared until I was 19 weeks along. It started with my shoulders and hands, I can't get comfortable in any position wether laying down or standing up. It gets worse of a night and my hips feel like they want to pop out of their sockets all the time. I am not going to lie I am a big girl and I do exercise, but I am finding it hard to get support in my local area. Does anyone else have this problem?

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I was diagnosed with fibro when I was 15, I am 20 now. When I was first diagnosed the doctor told me i had arthritis, then she said I had lupus, and then she finally landed on fibro. out of the three, I think there is a mix of arthritis and the fibro which not only inflames the muscles and makes those hurt but inflames the joints and hurts those too. yay me. Im in my 34th week of pregnancy. My ankles are huge and hurt to walk on, my lower back is killing me and my siatic nerve is killing me. I've been to the chiro and it doesnt seem to really help. Ive resorted to using a cane to get around. Relieves some pressure. I have had a pretty lucky pregnancy thus far, I have to admit. Hardly any sickness, and ive only had one or really bad days until now. Now i feel like staying in bed and never leaving. If i could afford to, id stay home until my little gracie decides to arrive. of course I am also a full time student so resting is a little hard for me. My hips are starting to kill me because i dont have much time to sleep and when i do the pain from my hips wakes me up and i have to move again, which we all know, when you are this pregnant rolling over at night= not fun. question: is there any sleep medicine safe for me to take with baby? I haven't taken not one sleep medicine since i'vebeen pregnant. I used to take one once or twice a month and now I cant take any.

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I'm in my 8th month and was just posting this very question in another pregnancy forum. This pregnancy is my first - I've had Fibromyalgia for about 10-12 years (when it was eventually properly diagnosed as such). I had NO morning sickness and in fact was very hungry the first part of my pregnancy. All of a sudden I am having severe swelling, joint pain, my knees and legs are so very swollen I don't even recognize them. My joints and bones throb at night. I took Tramadol for my Fibro twice a day for several years but quit cold turkey in Nov 2006 to plan for this pregnancy (I am due Jan 2008) which was very scary. I can hardly walk some days and the pain is twice as bad as "normal" Fibro discomfort. I truly believe it is because of the pregnancy swelling that my Fibro is now acting up and additional weight is putting a large burden on already tender muscles, joints and bones. Seems everything I've read has stated most women suffer bad Fibro effects within their 3rd trimester which makes perfect sense although it really stinks. I can't take any meds for it and have to work full time. I just hope this baby hurries up and gets here!

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I'm seven months pregnant and in the last month my fibro pain has returned with a vengence. The extra weight is putting a lot of pressure on flare points and not being able to take any pain relief is pretty hard. I find yoga really helpful and try to do an hour each day. I'm also seeing an osteopath once a week who is really helping with neck and spinal pain. I also walk up and down a heated pool as often as I can, which leaves me in agony for hours afterwards, but helps in the long run. My rheumatologist has told me to breastfeed for as long as possible as this apparently stops symptoms from rushing back after birth.

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I'm 29 and was diagnosed with FMS 10 yrs ago. Now I'm considering the possibility of becoming pregnant. I have to admit my biggest fear is passing fms to my child. I would like to hear from parents w fms, who have children that developed fms, I would like to know if passing it onot children is as high of rate as doctors say please help

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I heard the FMS gets really bad around 7-8months during the first pregnancy. I heard it can worse earlier on subsequent pregnancies. There are some studies that show women feel better because during pregnancy they release a hormone called relaxin.

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ok im not sure if someone answered this question but im very curious. im 18 years old and i was just diagnoses with fibro two days ago and im worried that im not going to be able to handle having children i've read alot about how to deal with the pain and that but i have not heard or read anything about what i should do before trying to have a child. so i was wondering if there is anything i should take or do such as buying what i need now or vitamins i should take. and im also wondering if i should quit smoking. i mean obviously you wanna quit when pregnant but i was wondering if i quit if it would lower the severity of my symptoms.???

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For me the actual pregnancies were pretty typical. A lot of throwing up and significant back aches and fatigue, but I think most people experience that. I found that B6/B12 sublingual supplements (got them at Trader Joe's)helped a lot with my stomach irritation and fatigue. Rest is always key. Post-pregnancy would always bring on flares, though. You can check out my blog post on this @ http://happyfibrofamily.today.
com/2008/06/06/hormonal-flares
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There's a link on that page about dr. recommendations during pregnancy for fibromites, as well. Good luck. I've been pregnant a lot and it's a lot of work, especially with fibro. You're to be admired. Keep smiling,
Jen

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I noticed that i was starting to feel better and eventually did a pregnancy test. It was fantastic news and i started to feel like the old me before fibromyagia. Before i was pregnant i had constant excruiating pain and tiredness. It was like hell on earth. During pregnancy i had some relief, well untill now i five weeks to go and its hitting me hard again although there is still some relief - but very little. Pregnancy has been great for me i wanted another child and i didnt want fibromyalgia from stopping me. I kept thinking nothing can be worse than what i was going through before i was pregnant and that has been true. Regarding the birth it has been discussed that i have a section because of the extreme tiredness, unable to carry on with any normal daily routine etc that i have a section. I am a bit nervous but more concerned about having the fibromyagia back 24/7. Molly

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Well, here I am. Diagnosed at 27 during my first pregnancy, eight months in. I've spent the last 7 months near bed ridden in excruciating pain that no one could seem to help me with. I've had Fibro for about 6 years now since an acute lower back strain that was a severe trama to my body when it shouldn't have been. Since then I've dealt with things and what I thought was my still healing muscles for years. We got pregnant and I felt great for the first month, experienced the usual nausia for a while but I knew that would happen. What I didn't expect was my life to be completely turned upside down, physically, emotionally and financially. I tried hard to continue to work, but couldn't anymore from the spine, muslce pain, and back spasms at around 8 weeks along. Since then it hit my neck, shoulders and arms so hard that I lost all strength in my arms. I couldn't carry a cup of coffee or raise them long enough to put on eye liner. I began the series of treatments that I'm sure you've all tried... chiropractor, accupunture, massage, physical theropy, muscle relaxers, tens units... all made things worse. My first OB office wouldn't take me seriously and told me this was normal pregnancy back pain and to take tylenol. All I could do at that point was take 14 extra strength tylenol a day and it would do NOTHING. It finally took me throwing up bloody clumps of my esophogus that landed me in the ER, for a compassionate doctor to perscribe me percocet. That was the first thing that helped calm things at all, for a while that is. my New OB has since kept me on it, I have to take 4 a day. About 2 or 3 months after dealing with that constantly, the pain decided to morph and migrate south, taking on horendous nerve attributes in my tailbone, hips, legs, feet buttox and arms. Along with arthritis type pain in my knees and feet not to mention the fatigue, heart racing/breathing attacks and electric shocks everywhere. I know exactly what you mean up there about having to flip constantly throughout the night because of your hips. I haven't slept more than an hour at a time in months because of it. About 4 hours combined a night. The nerve pain in my legs is the worst. Absolutely any kind of slight pressure, blankets, pillows... causes the nerves to build in that area until it's unbarable. Feels like someone stripped my legs of all everything, threw it in a meat grinder and then somehow reshapped it into legs. Alot of the time I can't walk. Sitting puts pressure under my butt that amplifies everything and then works its way up my spine. I haven't quite come across anyone who has dealt with this for such an extended period of time. I'm 34 weeks along and have been dealing with this constantly for 7 months. My doc recently perscribed me Zoloft along with the percocet and I'm so grateful for the level of nerve relief it's provided. But since I've gained a tolorance to the percocet I'm worried I will to the zoloft too. I've scheduled a C-section for 39 weeks. I also have Nevous System Sensitization which has amplified things. Have any of you had problems after a c-section? Another question I have is since I've been unable to work (I was the main bread winner) in 7 months, how do I go about getting disability for this time? Thanks guys!

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I am 29 years of age and was recently diagnosed with fibro. I am in my 18 week of my second pregnancy. The first trimester was extremely difficult with severe fatigue and morning(all day) sickness. My symptoms lightened up greatly after the 14 week mark. Since 10 weeks into the pregnancy I have been having nighttime hip, shoulder and neck pain. I have tried different pregnancy pillows without luck. I continue to rotate during the night from one side to the other to minimize pain. I have found Tylenol arthritis to be helpful and B6 for hand/feet/lower arm pain. I have been working on headaches with different jaw exercises suggested by a physiotherapist. I suggest that you really fish for a good physio and it will be worth every second spent. I have also been up to the washroom 6-8 times a night. I significantly reduced the amount of citric acid in my diet and now only go 2-3 times a night or less. My next battle is sleep. I find my symptoms are ever changing throughout this pregnancy but the best I can do for my body with food and exercise is the best possible thing I can do for my baby. Good luck to everyone and keep on truckin!

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HI Cyndi,

I realize your post is very old. Could you or anyone else elaborate on the possible use of flexeril during pregnancy? it is listed as a category B drug, putting it in the safe category for pregnancy. Also, my doctor has ok'd lidocaine patches which is also a cat. B. If Anyone could comment on their experiences with these or any other safe meds, I'd appreciate it. Thank you

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Beth,
I know that this post thread was years ago, but I'm 18 and I've just recently been diagnosed with Fibro after countless doctor appointments, specialist referrals, blood test, x rays, and hospital visits over the past five years. I've since been put on 8 different medications (none of which have had any positive effect, only the negative side affects), been to three radically different chiropractors, and undergone 6 months of excruciating physical therapy. I have symptoms almost exactly like what you mentioned:

"Now it seems like every other week, something attacks me. This week it is bowel syptoms--abdominal pains, terrible gas/bloating, etc. A couple months ago, I went to the emergency room because I was having chest symptoms--not pain, but a sort of fluttery, twitchy feeling."

Unfortunately, these symptoms are not only on an every other week basis, they're on a daily basis. Every day a different body system/function pains me greatly, in addition to all the normal pain. My rheumatologist says I have a very severe case. Now I'm not looking to have a baby anytime soon, but I've been doing a lot of research to see what other ladies such as yourself have gone through. If I'm already at this stage in my condition, is it completely idiotic of me to still want to have a baby? Is it even doable? I know my husband will do everything in his power to help me, and my parents will be around to help too. I'm just scared.

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I am pregnany for the first time in week 31 and we are discussing c-section vs. vagingal delivery with fibro. We are concerned that the labor is going to make my symptoms worse and that low back/hip pain is going to be too much during the labor process. Any suggestions?

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I gave birth Sept 2009. My fibro symptoms were gone through most the pregnancy, they slowly began coming back late in my 3rd trimester. I have to say it was a nice vacation :)
I had a vaginal birth and my only compliant has been back pain from the epi I received. To me a c-section was out of the questions, it seems like it would be harder to recover from a major surgery like that.
Baby is 4 wks old now and all my symptoms are back full force.

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