Hi all,
I’m new here but have been reading posts which prompted me to post my own. I’m 23 years old and in 2013, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. My Mum also has Fibro and was diagnosed back in the 90’s (both of us are not totally sure that’s actually what she has as GP’s/consultants that she seen back then wasn’t very clear on Fibro anyway).After having my Fibro diagnosis, I have been noticing symptoms even more than I ever have and it leaves me wondering whether I actually have Fibro or whether it could be MS or something else. Any advice would be greatly received on any next steps I could take.
Here are my symptoms:
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Aches and pains all over my body with it being the worst in my feet and ankles, my hands and arms and my lower back. This also includes the numbness I get in my hands and feet occasionally along with pins & needles, sharp pains and dull aches. I often feel that my upper arms feel extremely weak and sometimes I can’t lift things that I normally could. I also get random muscle spasms where it’ll make my arm jump or my hand or something and sometimes I’ll make a funny noise with it (not on purpose, it seems to be a subconscious thing).
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Terrible short-term memory and word finding issues. This has really shown to be an issue in the last year with it getting worse. It’s become a bit of a joke at home that I call certain items the wrong words all the time now but although it makes people laugh, I don’t find it funny, it worries me a little!
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Really bad trouble with my grip when I have to specifically grip my hand to hold something. This shows up the most if I’m chopping vegetables or cutting meat for dinner. When I grip the knife, I get pain and then when I’m finished, my hand has to almost be prised out of the position it was in.
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Terrible fatigue. Walking to a local corner shop and back again can leave me feeling drained for the day.
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Bladder issues with urgency, not emptying properly and frequency.
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Sore and itchy eyes which feel constantly like there’s something in them, almost like a hayfever itchy eye but all year round. I also have short sightedness which has gotten worse where certain objects are just really blurry.
For my Fibro, I’m on Gabapentin but I’ve actually had to stop taking them because they make me feel extremely sick and dizzy. I am hoping to see my GP next week but I’m nervous about bringing up that I’m not sure it is Fibro, I don’t want to feel like I’m a know it all or anything. Should I just mention that I have these symptoms and to ask whether they are related or should I approach this totally differently?
Any help would be so greatly received, thanks in advance.