AboutAnne Hillebrand Expertise Can explain the 4 "Routes" to FMS / 4 "Versions" of FMS / Symptoms. How CFS and RLS are related to FMS.
The effective way to Test, Diagnose and Treat FMS.
Monitoring FMS using Saliva pH testing.
I read all Fibro, Hyaluronan, Hyaluronidase, Chronic Fatigue, Restless Leg, Pain abstracts as released on PubMed. I read Pain and Fibromyalgia articles as released on Amadeo, Arthritis Research Advance, and others. Able to explain the context and terminology associated with FMS.
Familiar with most of the common treatment methods used for FMS. Familiar with compounding and dispensing pharmacies, physicians, and patients in the US and some overseas.
Experience Developed an effective combination medical treatment method for FMS, was the first person on it, and host an all free web site for those seeking Fibromyalgia Symptom, Testing, Diagnosis and Treatment information. Personally have extremely severe, rapid-onset FMS. April, 2000 as reaction to prescription med. Low grade, undiagnosed FMS for over 25 years prior. Do not have to experience the symptoms as long as I stay on treatment.
Expert: Anne Hillebrand Date: 10/30/2007 Subject: Fibromyalgia or something different??
Question I had experienced muscle pain behind my knees for several months last years sometime (felt like discomfort after hard exercising)whenever I got up from my chair or walking a little too much. I brushed this off. Then I had pain in my elbow on the outside area (was a constant discomfort, felt worse when trying to pick something up, no swelling and I could pin point it). This pain last for a few months. Meanwhile my leg discomfort and elbow pain kind of went hand in hand. I finally went to the doctor and he gave me Prednisone to calm this down. I took this medication and it helped a little but it didn't go away. Time has passed and now I have the elbow pain on the other side and I used to workout maybe 3 times a week but stopped to make sure that this was not the problem. Now I am definetly noticing that something is wrong, I can't sleep well, I wake up at night with pain in my shoulder joint, my left hip joint and experienceing numbness (occassional) on both sides of my arms/legs lasting short periods of time. I feel achy all over, and feel it more at night when I try to sleep and when I get up from sitting.
My head has been hurting and I have been getting a little dizzy so I decided that I was going to go to the doctor and have him run blood work to get to the bottom of this.
My blood work came back normal for all except my ANA test came back positive. There were some other titers that my doctor ran that were negative. I was sent to see a Rhematologist and he did an exam and said he felt that my ANA test was not enough to say I had Lupus but thought it was Fibromyalgia. He performed the exam and pushed on several areas asking me if I had discomfort. I said yes but I was not that sore in those areas. It seems that I have more discomfort in my joints and they feel like it is in the vein or nerve because my pain is more localized rather than hurting all down my leg or arm. My discomfort seems to be in different places but for now my main areas are my shoulder joint, my hip joint, my hand index finger joint and my knees (occassionally). I am not sleeping well due the the discomfort and tired of feeling like this. Do you feel that this sounds like Fibro or should I the doctor run more test. I do have an appt with a Neurologist in November to discuss the numberness but for now this is where I am at. Should more blood work or more specific blood work be run? Is the ANA positive a sign of something?
Answer Hi, Linda - thanks for writing.
A lot of the symptoms you have named are common to FMS.
You have a little time before your appointment with the Neuro in November.
You are welcome to read the Symptoms with descriptions on www.FibroFix.com Print off anything you want to keep handy.
Testing your saliva pH is something you can do yourself, quickly and very inexpensively. If it's off, you might
be able to help yourself quickly by addressing that.
You could also try wearing an eye mask and ear plugs to get more deep, restorative sleep.
What you learn from trying these things could give you a better idea of what to discuss with the doctor.
