hohDougRN
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Here is some short simplified information regarding Fibromyalgia (FMS) as per requisitioned by another AD member. Any in depth questions or request to elaborate further on any topics discussed herein can be PM'd to me or just in reply by post.
Fibromyalgia or FMS is a difficult diagnosis to make and is often done so by way of exclusionary process ruling out many other diseases which share the same overlapping chronic symptoms. Often diagnosis doesn't occur until months or even years after symptoms begin because doctors have excluded other diseases from physical exams, lab tests and radiologic proceedures. There are no real effective diagnostic exams or blood tests than can diagnose FMS. There is no generally accepted objective test for FMS.
Prevelance: FMS is significantly more common in women than men.
Symptoms you may be experiencing:
Chronic pain, headaches, extreme fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome type symptoms, jaw pain, depression with anxiety, and sleep disorders are some of the most common symptoms in individuals diagnosed with FMS.
Problem is these symptoms mimic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, mutiple sclerosis, mononucleosis, and hypothyroidism among others.
When you have some symptoms listed above which may eventually lead to a diagnosis of FMS, a doctor will be performing a number of lab tests or radiological tests, not to diagnose FMS, but to first rule out other disease states mentioned above. Also these tests are done to confirm or rule out the following problems as well:
-Hormone imbalance
-Anemia
-Infections
-Muscle, nerve, bone, or joint disease (tests to help determine these would also include Electrical Nerve and Muscle testing, and Nerve conduction Velocity)
-Cancer
-Polymyalgia Rheumatica
-Other thyroid disease states
If your symptoms continue for a number of months and other disease states that have the same symptoms manifested have been ruled out, your physician may conclude a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. Please understand that it often a significant amount of time before the diagnosis is made and sometimes misdiagnoses occur with fibromyalgia. Many patients end up seeing a number of physicians because answers and proper diagnoses have not been made. It is quite alright to change to a physician who is more educated with fibromyalgia or simply understands better your suffering and symptoms. Dont change a doctor thought just to obtain a diagnosis of your satisfaction and expectations. Also if you change or are referred to a specialist, make sure you have complete medical files on all the previous tests and exam findings to provide to the new physician. It will help prevent repeat tests and save significant time and even money in getting an appropriate diagnosis made.
These symptoms of FMS are shared with possibly very serious disease states and it is very important for the physician to be thorough and rule out these other possibilities first. Rheumatologists are usually a good specialist to see as they are very skilled clinicians with diagnosis of FMS and related diseases.
There are newer criterion coming out with physical examination in aiding with diagnosis of FMS. This physical exam is essentially a pressure sensitivity test where a number of points are tested symmetrically in different areas of the body including but not limited to: neck, chest, areas of the back and spine, hip, and lower extremities. This exam is not 100% effective with diagnosis, but when combined with other subjective signs and symptoms and length of time experiencing these, it can be an effective tool in making a proper diagnosis.
Treatments
Fibromyalgia is still an evolving disease and some care providers still consider it an ambiguous disease. There are a number of classes of pharmacologic drugs used to treat symptoms as well as other alternative therapies, but there is no cure for Fibromyalgia.
At this point I won't go further with medication regimens to treat FMS, but if you are very interested I can and will provide some insights. But please note it is always more appropriate to discuss this with your doctor who has complete insight to your medical history and current medications which may have possible interactions.
Risk factors and possible causes of FMS are all currently only theory still and are purely speculative. If anybody desires to know any of theses being researched and studied currently I will be happy to elaborate and provide further references.
Fibromyalgia or FMS is a difficult diagnosis to make and is often done so by way of exclusionary process ruling out many other diseases which share the same overlapping chronic symptoms. Often diagnosis doesn't occur until months or even years after symptoms begin because doctors have excluded other diseases from physical exams, lab tests and radiologic proceedures. There are no real effective diagnostic exams or blood tests than can diagnose FMS. There is no generally accepted objective test for FMS.
Prevelance: FMS is significantly more common in women than men.
Symptoms you may be experiencing:
Chronic pain, headaches, extreme fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome type symptoms, jaw pain, depression with anxiety, and sleep disorders are some of the most common symptoms in individuals diagnosed with FMS.
Problem is these symptoms mimic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, mutiple sclerosis, mononucleosis, and hypothyroidism among others.
When you have some symptoms listed above which may eventually lead to a diagnosis of FMS, a doctor will be performing a number of lab tests or radiological tests, not to diagnose FMS, but to first rule out other disease states mentioned above. Also these tests are done to confirm or rule out the following problems as well:
-Hormone imbalance
-Anemia
-Infections
-Muscle, nerve, bone, or joint disease (tests to help determine these would also include Electrical Nerve and Muscle testing, and Nerve conduction Velocity)
-Cancer
-Polymyalgia Rheumatica
-Other thyroid disease states
If your symptoms continue for a number of months and other disease states that have the same symptoms manifested have been ruled out, your physician may conclude a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. Please understand that it often a significant amount of time before the diagnosis is made and sometimes misdiagnoses occur with fibromyalgia. Many patients end up seeing a number of physicians because answers and proper diagnoses have not been made. It is quite alright to change to a physician who is more educated with fibromyalgia or simply understands better your suffering and symptoms. Dont change a doctor thought just to obtain a diagnosis of your satisfaction and expectations. Also if you change or are referred to a specialist, make sure you have complete medical files on all the previous tests and exam findings to provide to the new physician. It will help prevent repeat tests and save significant time and even money in getting an appropriate diagnosis made.
These symptoms of FMS are shared with possibly very serious disease states and it is very important for the physician to be thorough and rule out these other possibilities first. Rheumatologists are usually a good specialist to see as they are very skilled clinicians with diagnosis of FMS and related diseases.
There are newer criterion coming out with physical examination in aiding with diagnosis of FMS. This physical exam is essentially a pressure sensitivity test where a number of points are tested symmetrically in different areas of the body including but not limited to: neck, chest, areas of the back and spine, hip, and lower extremities. This exam is not 100% effective with diagnosis, but when combined with other subjective signs and symptoms and length of time experiencing these, it can be an effective tool in making a proper diagnosis.
Treatments
Fibromyalgia is still an evolving disease and some care providers still consider it an ambiguous disease. There are a number of classes of pharmacologic drugs used to treat symptoms as well as other alternative therapies, but there is no cure for Fibromyalgia.
At this point I won't go further with medication regimens to treat FMS, but if you are very interested I can and will provide some insights. But please note it is always more appropriate to discuss this with your doctor who has complete insight to your medical history and current medications which may have possible interactions.
Risk factors and possible causes of FMS are all currently only theory still and are purely speculative. If anybody desires to know any of theses being researched and studied currently I will be happy to elaborate and provide further references.
Hope it doesn't get too bad.
