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Hi Everyone,

Before telling you about myself, I want to apologize that this will be a long

posting. I also want to try to help others with information and a number of

things that I have found helped me.

I was diagnosed with FMS in 2003. As like most fibromites I had severe body

pain, but even worse were neck to tailbone back spasms. It didn't matter if I'd

overdone something or if I'd done nothing at all, the spasms would simply hit.

Then, I had a terrible reaction after eating Chinese food 3 days in a row. I'd

eaten Chinese food many times before this without any problem. I felt so sick

and my head felt like it was going to explode. Went to my doctor only to find

out my blood pressure was sky high. Very unusual for me. I had about 6

different symptoms during this episode. My doctor asked if I'd eaten anything

different recently. I have to mention here that he was Chinese ... how does one

say I ate Chinese food and it made me sick. LOL So, I simply blurted it out

only to have him laugh at me. I was told to go immediately and buy a blood

pressure kit, test myself each day for a week and return. If my blood pressure

didn't fall I'd be put on medication.

So I got my kit and kept precise daily records. In the meantime I was

determined to find out what was wrong with me. I knew the Chinese food was the

only thing different in my diet and I knew it usually contains MSG. So that's

what I researched and up came a list of all my symptoms.

I also came across a person who knows a lot about MSG and both he and his wife

have appeared before Congress a number of times to try to get this band from our

foods. It is used as a taste enhancer, but it also comes under hidden names. I

was sent a list of what to watch out for. I don't eat a lot of junk food, so

being told to clean out my pantry and fridge, I was shocked to see the amount of

food that I had to throw out. I did though and I went on a very careful diet.

Day by day my blood pressure fell. The day I returned to my doctor he took my

blood pressure three times and told me something must be wrong with his cuffs!

Finally I broke out laughing and told him what had caused my high blood

pressure. He couldn't believe it! So, papers in hand, I gave him information

about MSG to pass on to other patients who might be appearing in his office with

the same symptoms I had.

Then I suddenly realized that the back spasms I'd been having had stopped. MSG

can cause muscle spasms!

I then watched my diet carefully and began to feel more and more like my old

self. I would get pain with weather changes, but nothing like before. I began

taking art classes which expanded into a 3 1/2 year wonderful experience.

Just before my final art exhibit I took a fall while walking up some stairs with

dishes in both my hands. I herniated a disc. I got a steroid shot and my disc

hasn't bother me since. People with disc problems, know also that trigger

points can be more painful than herniated discs! Learn about trigger points.

Then one morning I woke up in agony. My head, neck, shoulders, arms, right leg,

swellings in my arms and at my neck. Three trips to the ER, two hospitals, 10

doctors, medication upon medication and nothing stopped the pain. Some

medications put me into shock causing yet more trips to the ER by ambulance. I

thought I'd go mad. Finally I was told " your mind is playing tricks on your

body " (this by a rheumatologist who should have known better). I was told there

was no help for me and basically abandoned by the medical profession.

Luckily for me, I have a friend who is a PhD, scientist, sports medicine

specialist etc. etc. His career has been amazing and he has helped many many

people and taught and worked with medical graduates. I called him and there is

no other way to put it, he saved my life!

I'd become hypersensitive to everything including medications. I couldn't take

anything for the pain I was suffering. I was so bad that light, sound of any

kind including voices, movement on a t.v. screen bothered me. I could barely

eat.

How did I get through the pain using moist heat! I was told to stand under a

shower as many times a day as I needed to, then to wrap myself in warm moist

towels. I know this sounds weird, but it cuts back on the sensitivity your are

feeling, the pain. It's like it takes the edge off the pain so it's bearable.

I could hardly move I was in so much pain so my husband helped me wrap. I did

this for months and eventually the worst of the pain began to let up. However,

if a slight breeze blew across my arms I'd feel nerve pain. By the end of last

summer I was totally pain free! I was taught breathing techniques etc. which I

still do which helps the body to relax.

Then this January I began having headaches, toothaches, blurry vision, stomach

pain, back pain (not spasms). Three trips to my dentist and he finally told me

there was nothing wrong with my teeth and he handed me a book and said I think

this is what is wrong. There was a head with X X X marked on the sides of the

neck trigger points.

My neck was killing me so I had an MRI and saw a neurosurgeon. My right arm and

leg were also a problem. He informed me that I do have arthritis in my neck,

but no operation was required. Then he pointed out that there was something not

right about my shoulder and arm. He examined it and told me I had a partially

frozen shoulder. I can rotate the shoulder but can't lift my arm and there was

lots of nerve pain. He told me pain makes pain and that pain will make more pain

and on and on until I find a way to break it. In the report he sent to my M.D.,

he stated he believed I have Myofascial Pain Syndrome, which is now called

Chronic Myofascial Pain.

If you have a doctor who talks about FMS trigger points, look for a new doctor!

FMS has " tender points " while CMP has " trigger points " . However, the two

commonly co-exist and people, including doctors say " your FMS is getting worse " .

Trigger points are what we call " knots " in our muscles but believe me they can

be debilitating when your body becomes full of them. Again I began researching

and have learned so much about what I have been feeling. I've been going to a

registered massage therapist and it has so improved my arm. Trigger points can

be got rid of, but the process is slow and it can be painful at times.

Trigger points can be felt as bumps or taut bands under the skin. When touched

they are painful. FMS is whole body pain; CMP is local pain, but trigger points

also refer pain to other parts of the body and it is quite unbelievable.

FMS and CMP often go together. There is a great book written by Devin Starlanyl

and ary Ellen Copeland called Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain. The last

one written was in 2001 and says Second Edition. She also has a website. Just

Google.

I found a site ... www.triggerpoints.net that will show you where trigger points

are located. The trigger point will be marked with an X and the red areas are

referred pain areas (where the trigger points send pain).

Robbie, go to this site. On the left side you'll see Upper Back, then a set of

sub-titles. Click on Upper Thoracic Back Pain. Then click on Multifidi. You

will see 3 pictures; 2 showing trigger points on the back of the body. One of

those pictures also has arrows pointing to the third picture which is the front

of the body and you will see how trigger points in your back and cause pain in

your stomach area. An internist will or should know about trigger points. I

now believe that there are a lot of doctors who know nothing about myofascia and

trigger points, or lump it all like a basket into FMS. There are different and

need to be treated separately.

For anyone who wants to try the moist heat, I cut a flannel blanket in half. I

soak it, get my husband to wring it out for me then I pop it into my microwave

for 5 minutes. It will be very hot (steamy) when you remove it so be careful. I

simply lay it on the counter for a few seconds, then I shake it for a few

seconds then I begin to wrap myself. I actually do my whole body and it helps

relief some of the pain. I do this in the morning and prior to bed at night.

Afterward moisten your body with a good moisturizing cream. Keeping skin most

for FMS/CMP is important. Also drink lots of water.

I hope that in some way I am able to help someone else who is suffering with

pain with what I have told you here. Others try to understand what we are going

through, but it is only when you have truly felt that type of pain that you can

realize what another person is feeling.

Wishing you all the best day you can have.