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Thursday, February 12, 2009 Robert asks

Q: what are the symtoms of fibromyalgia ? Is their tests for it ?

what are the symtoms of fibromyalgia ? is their tests for it? I have all over pain I have stomack problems-stiff all day-the more I move thoughtout the day it gets worse.I take altram it only helps a little sometimes not at all. I also have hep-c . I can't seem to get a strait ancer from DR's . I have joint & musle pains Knees-back-hands-wrist-feet-hips. Somedays it's My knees hurt real bad the next day it could be My feet. When I take pain med's it helps stomack or I would have the runs or gas cramping. I am a 53 year old male.

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Cort, Health Guide
2/12/09 10:04pm

It does take a doctor to diagnose FM (and not all of them are really up on the disease). Unfortunately there is no one good diagnostic test for FM but your symptoms are quite similar; muscle stiffness, body-wide pain that migrates from place to place, irritable bowel problems...those are all found in FM. Some physicians use pressure-point tests to diagnose FM but others do not; in the end one doctor may diagnose FM when another would not.  The best thing to do is to find, if possible, a doctor experienced with FM to give you an examination; that, of course, is easier said than done. 

 

Some people with FM do better on Ultram but many do  not. In fact finding what works in FM is often takes quite a bit of trial and error. Be sure to push your doctors to keep trying different approaches. Lyrica, for instance, is a drug that works for some FM patients that you might want to try. 

 

Because FM is still rather controversial it's important that patients educate themselves about the different ways to treat it.  

 

Why don't you check out the FM site on Health Central; its quite good: http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/fibromyalgia.html

 

You also might want to check out FM support groups in your area to see if they can recommend a doctor.

 

http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=community_supportGroupDirectory 

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By Robert— Last Modified: 11/24/10, First Published: 02/12/09