Lots of questions

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I sent my intro yesterday. Today, I have some specific questions.

Until recently, I did not have pain all of the time, it would come

and go. As of a few weeks ago, it is constant—mainly in my neck,

shoulders blades, upper arm, lower back, behind my ears, and ear

ringing. The worst is my right side, that is also where I have TMJ

in my jaw. But, again, the TMJ only happens when the pain is there.

Is it normal (whatever normal is , to have flare ups?

I also have redness on my neck on both sides-looks like a patch about

1/2 inch high and about 2 " long-where it is painful. If I push on

them at all, my neck and ears. Does anyone else get this?

When I flare up like this, the Tinnitus gets 5000 times worse and I

also get a little puffy in my face. Does anyone else get this?

Also, when the pain is real bad and the Tinnitus and TMJ are real

bad, I get redness on my neck – live a V you would get from getting

sun burn from the exposed area of a shirt. Does anyone else get this?

I have little lumps on my collar bone-one on each side. If I push on

them at all-even a little, it is painful in my ear and shoulder. The

right side again is worse. Does anyone else get this?

I can be in bed at night sleeping and my knees start to ache

horribly. Same for both legs. It cannot be my arthritis, osteo or

RA, because the left knee is a knee replacement—yet the pain is the

same. Does anyone else get this?

All of this started in 1999 when I was very sick with a cold, cough,

flu. Prior to that time, none of these things occurred.

I am asking all of these questions because I am so frustrated. When

my Rheumatologist's PA gave me a prescription for Lyrica yesterday, I

asked her flat out if I could have Fibromyalgia. I told her the pain

is very different from RA pain and osteo pain. She said " we do not

like to talk about it because the patient then thinks they have it "

I said, wait a minute, I am the one who brought it up to you. She

then proceeded to say again they do not like to talk about it. Does

this happen to others? I am not a faker. I know that a diagnosis

may not be necessary for some, but I have had this type of pain for

9+ years and no one listens to me.

Thanks for all your help,