Hi all, Newbie Here

[Guest guest]

I guess I'll start by introducing myself. I'm in Florida. I

just joined the group yesterday. I was recently diagnosed with

carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. I'm 37, married

with two teenage sons (who are driving me crazy lol!)

Anyway, I really don't know a whole lot about any of the three

disease/illnesses other than the pain I face ever day. I've been

suffering for many years with pain in my neck, migraines, shoulder

pain, deep bone aches (only way to describe it) in right arm, joint

aches in wrists, ankles, right elbow and very tender spots (almost

all the fibro spots). If you touch the bone areas directly under

any joint in say my fingers, the joints aren't necessarily tender

but the bones above and below are. I have chronic snap, crack, and

popping so loud and painful, others around me feel it. Sometimes

when I look sideways I think my neck broke. Believe it or not a

couple doctors told me this was " normal " . The Rheumy doctor

explained this as osteo boney spurs that rub together . I've been

to countless doctors who have told me everything from you just have

to learn to live with it (basically making me feel like I'm making

it up) to one doctor who wanted to give me a cervical spine fusion

(thank god I didn't do it!). I've been through 4 years of steriod

shots, nerve blocks, costersteriod injections, physical therapy,

botox injections, massage therapy, etc, etc, etc. Think you get the

idea.

History: Fractured T-7/T-8 Seventeen years ago, fell off porch,

Whiplash injury Fourteen years ago, auto accident, Whiplash injury

last november, auto accident. Daily computer work 8-12 hours per day.

Anywho, I was having a problem with my right thumb totally freezing

up on me every morning and it would take about an hour before I

could get it to move. My primary sent me to a Rheumatologist. The

appt. with the Rheumatologist was last Thursday (5 months later!).

He did the expected blood test, xrays, and poking and proding.

During the exam he said " you definetly have Fibromyalgia and you

have ostearthritis in your thumbs and cervical probably your knees

too, I'll get some xrays order for these " . He also said he doesn't

care what the Neurologist said I definetly have carpal tunnel. He

said this after he did the physical tests to see if the numbness

tingling presented, and of course it did. (I had a carpal tunnel

electrical impulse test that was negetive). I had the xrays taken

yesterday. He ordered many xrays of the neck, back, hands, knees and

hips. I also had blood drawn. I go back for my follow up the end of

Sept. Half of me expects him to say " well, I was wrong. All the

xrays and blood work show you're normal. Nothing wrong with you.

Must be in your mind " . What a cruel joke that would be. How can a

physical exam tell you one thing but the xrays and bloodwork tell

you something else? grrrr.. now I'm going to stress over this. Why

do I have to be a Type A? LOL

So, after years of suffering both physically and emotionally now I'm

anxious that I have words to go with the pain but is it just another

doctor with just another diagnosis? Will they be able to make me

feel better now? He presribed Ultram for pain, Tramdol at bedtime

to help sleep and relax (says most ppl with Fibro need to start with

sleeping better) and told me to start taking Move Free Advanced with

Joint (green box). He said it will really take about 6 months for

this to start working if its going to help but to try it. It's over

the counter. Does anyone else take this? I was surprised he

recommended an over the counter to tell you the truth!

This is turning into a novel and I'm not a very good writer so I'm

going to begin my closing LOL. I'm not sure what else to write

anyway. I have my setting on Daily Digest as I do get my emails

while at the office and didn't want to get bombarded (LOL) but I

will definetly partake in the conversation as I can. =)

I'm as open as any book, so if you have any questions please feel

free to ask. And if you can think of anything to tell me please let

me know.. cause I really am lost at sea with all three of these

diagnoses.

For now