Fibromyalgia

somebody_else

sharon59 wrote: »

Can l be brave and ask about a rather
embarrasing symptom -anyone got leaky bladder problem with the fibro?
not that l have of course just asking for a friend !!!!

Not got fibro (but appear to have a lot of the symptoms) but I do have (apparently) an irritated bladder, which leads to all sorts of problems. One thing I did find with going on the amitrityline, is that I don't so often have to get up 3 or 4 times a night to go to the toilet.

I've also got some neuro damage which means I frequently don't get any signal that I need to go 'til my bladder is full to bursting, or conversely I can end up constantly feeling like I'm desperate to go, even though I only went 5 minutes ago.

Sorry if that's TMI.

tatty

• Hi all sorry to crash post and hope everyone is well i have just recieved my appointment for operation on back (discectomy)yesterday for the 7th of december and am really scared has anyone had this op and what was the outcome have also quit smoking yesterday so very very stressed take care claire x

Unity

bigzippy wrote: »

Is Pregabalin and Gapapentin related?
Twas me that said I've been put on Pregabalin...well, I will be when I've weaned the Amitriptyline down...:rolleyes: The GP did say that Ami "drys everything up" so I should feel less sickly and like food is stuck in my throat after I've eaten (which is really beginning to drive me mad).

Firstly 'Hi to all the newcomers' - good to see you all :T.

Secondly 'Hi to Bigzippy' - had a really rough couple of days and an exceptionally bad night last night, so I'm not going to try and catch up from where I left off - as it just won't happen :rolleyes:.

Gabapentin and pregabalin (Lyrica) are connected. Pregabalin provides the same relief from neuropathic pain, but at much lower doses, so there should be fewer 'dose related' adverse effects and has a greater 'bioavailability' - it's absorbed more quickly. The jury is still out, but it is thought that Pregabalin will become the drug of choice in the future over Gabapentin as it has also shown greater potency in pain and seizure disorders.

Finally, here's another example of the tenacious nature of us' fibromites' - I was determined to get to my photography course this morning and managed it :j. Now I know the pain clinic would have said that this was overdoing it (definitely not pacing) - because I'd had no sleep - and I know I will pay for it this afternoon and tomorrow, but you know, I really enjoyed it whilst I was there, so to my mind it was worth it .

Unity

tatty wrote: »

• Hi all sorry to crash post and hope everyone is well i have just recieved my appointment for operation on back (discectomy)yesterday for the 7th of december and am really scared has anyone had this op and what was the outcome have also quit smoking yesterday so very very stressed take care claire x

Congratulations on quitting smoking :T take it a day at a time and you'll be fine, just like any addiction. If you can reach the end of each day and say "I haven't had a cigarette today" then that is all you need to do - the days will then turn to weeks, months and years.

So far I have avoided surgery - but in my case and I stress, this is just me - there's no guarantee it would help and just as much chance of me ending up worse off. Whether this situation will change or not - no one seems to know. The pain is worsening as time goes by and there's evidence of nerve compression.

At least you don't have too long to wait, so that is something to be thankful for. I will remember and think of you on the day as it's the anniversary of when we got engaged.

Good luck,
Unity

tenacioust123

tatty wrote: »

• Hi all sorry to crash post and hope everyone is well i have just recieved my appointment for operation on back (discectomy)yesterday for the 7th of december and am really scared has anyone had this op and what was the outcome have also quit smoking yesterday so very very stressed take care claire x

Hi Tatty

I'm new on here and just having a look around. I have many back problems, although I have not had a Discectomy I had a Fusion on L4/L5 last year. Sadly it didn't work for me and has caused more problems. This is not to say your surgery will not work.

My advise to you is to be very aware of the procedure and look at the pro's and con's, to have tried all the alternatives, also to get a 2nd opinion where ever possible.

Good luck to you

littlemissmanics

sorry for just appearing with questions...but i'm confuzzled by something.

Had a letter today from the local PCT about a referral. Now, when GP told me about it, it sounded like it was a practical help course to actually provide assisstance with the physical side of fibro, and also to provide support because of the mental side (the boredom, loneliness, fibro-fog bits), but the letter and leaflet i've receieved seemed more based towards helping people with anxiety disorders and clinical depression.

I just cant see how this will help as i'd have to travel 15 miles to get to it, and car journeys kill me at the moment.

Aside from this when i was referred to a pschiatry department at the start of the year, she said "surprisingly, you're not showing any signs of depression" (I'm clinging onto that sentance a bit pathetically because it wa something solid i could say to my GP!)

Has anyone been on any course that sounds similar? Just can't get past in my head the pain that a car journey would make, and how upsetting it'll be if the course is of no use anyway.

I know i sound super-pessimistic and should be glad of any referral, but i hate going in the car just now

raeh

hi to everyone and hello to all the new people

as usual after reading all the posts from the last 2 days my brain has gone to mush and i cant remember who said what so i will have to try to keep referring back

sharon59 'my friend' also has a weak bladder and thought it was just due to childbirth but maybe not after reading the replies - getting up in the night, needing to go at short notice with a suddenly full bladder - these all sound very familiar

thanks also for the info on pregabalin unity and tobruk i will mention this to the gp next week as maybe that wont give me the zombie spaced out feeling i get when im taking enough to actually relive pain?
and well done unity for going to the photography course :T i understand completely as i make myself do things like going to work and out shopping or else i feel like im going mad in the house and would rather sleep the afternoon away after having a busy morning

i hope everyone has a little of the lovely bright sunshine we have here, its still cold but the sun makes it all seem so much better

Magenta

sharon59 wrote: »

yep l do magenta- and so do lots in the group l go to so your not on your own. I get horrible electric shock feelings in arms and legs which are horrible-most hated symptom is outside being freezing cold and clammy to touch but inside feel on fire.seem to cope with the pain more than this -as it makes me feel exhausted and ill

Well, thank goodness it is not only me!!
As for controlling body temperature I have sometimes have to practically strip off to my undies in a shop or in the street when it is snowing and freezing because I am burning up and the sweat is running down my face.
This is worse than the pain of Fibro. I have to walk round with spare T shirts and things in my bag for when this happens and people are looking goggle eyed at me!!!!

Magenta

sharon59 wrote: »

well lm sure l had mild symptoms for years but it surfaced big time and has stayed since l was assaulted by a patient at work-suffered injury and Post traumatic stress.At round about same time brother had massive disability after brain tumour surgery ,hubby was ill and then finally l found breast cancer and had mastectomy and chemo -sure there has to be a connection?

Sharon the doctors seem to think that my M.E etc were caused by the two years of chemo i had after having both breasts removed 2 years apart with cancer. But at the same time my husband left me because of the cancer, so it could be that, or that the bank repossed the house as I couldn't pay the mortgage on my home so was homeless, so it could be that, or my son dying of meningitis, so it could be that.
Lots of things to choose from.

bigzippy

Ok... firstly (where to start?)

Unity: thanks for the info on pregabalin etc - it makes me feel like there might be some worthwhile reason for me to be suffering during the weaning off of Amitriptyline now, so hopefully it will work! Well done on making it to the course... if I could, I wouldn't move for a week!

Raeh: welcome back and I know what you mean about the mushy brain! The "lovely bright sunshine" unfortunately did nothing for my mood today, cos the stupid insurance company rang me at the crack of dawn (my time - 9.30am to anyone else ) so it peed me off greatly that it was so bright. Esp when I got dragged round car places and the sun physically attacked my eyeballs, crawled in behind them and then tried to force them out by strategically manipulating the muscles holding the eyesballs in.... or that's what it felt like anyway

Magenta: that just sounds bloody awful, I can't even imagine! Well done for surviving any of it, never mind ALL of it! :T

Sharon59: 'my friend' doesn't have that particular problem... yet anyway!!

littlemissmaniacs: (kudos on the username btw ) Welcome :hello: and don't worry about the questions... we'll manage
Sounds like some kind of CBT spin off - I don't know how much you know about fibro and stuff (so forgive me if I'm overreaching/explaining) but it's v closely related to ME -one of the key treatments recommended for ME is CBT...which is essentially therapy that is supposed to equip you with the necessary management methods for your condition. It's pretty much the only kind of therapy that the government/NHS will push as it's the only one with any kind of measurable response. That's not to say that it's the only/best treatment.
In response to your worries about the journeying, if you really feel that you would suffer then only you know your limits and you shouldn't be ashamed of sticking to them. I know that it seems like you should gratefully accept any and every referral, but trust me - some of them do more harm than good :eek: as most of us on here have found out the hard way!
And no, you don't sound super-pessimistic!

tenacioust123: welcome

tatty: I hope everything goes ok for you. I really don't know what else to say - I have a severe aversion to hospital procedures myself...:o

tobruk: thanks for your reply

I'll come back on later and moan about my rubbish rubbish rubbish day! :rolleyes: