I have had cervical spine neck and shoulder pain for the past 10 years from past auto whiplash, bone spurring and degen. arthritis. I was dx'd with fibromyalgia officially in 2004, pawning if off as the "hypocondriac disease"...I knew I hurt in all those places, felt like all my nerves were on the outside of my body, but I still second guessed myself..I was injured in a head on collision with an intoxicated driver on Nov. 21, 2006.  Clear MRI's and CT's, but fascial tissue and ligament damage to back, deviated septum from airbag (I am short, and sit very close to steering wheel...bad  idea). I was sent to spine specialist. He tried all the Tens units, epidurals, facet joint injections. I had tried those with my cervical spine to no avail. On Dec. 15, 06 after the accident my right foot and knee swelled and were red and hot. My left was somewhat swollen , but not significantly. I was sent by my GP for an ultrasound to check for DVT, since I had just had an auto injury 3 wks prior. It was not a DVT (good!!), But the edema had to be caused by something. I don't swell on a regular basis. I weigh 108 pounds, and never retained fluid...before. She sent me to a rheumatologist. ANA was positive twice. I had alot of Lupus symptoms, but he said not enough criteria for that diagnosis. My last 2 ANA's have been normal. I have the flu like symptoms and fatigue and the malar rash, but I think the ANA has to be positive for Lupus. So he DX'd the MCTD. I have lately been having the horrific pain and sensitivity in my feet, ankles (primarily right). I have to make a "tent" at night, so my toes, feet, ankles don't touch the bed linens. I can't even cross my feet in bed. Nights are long. My feet start the tingling, itching aching (lots of pain on instep)my great toe on right foot is numb. then as the night goes on, the pain goes up my leg to my knees to my hip behind my knee and I can't lay my leg down straight. Just keep rubbing it. I used to walk three miles a day, do 100 crunches and leg lifts, ran up and down stairs, was in a performing arts group where I put the 20 and 30 year old people to shame with my jumping around and boundless energy. Now I can't sit, walk, or stand more than an HOUR without feeling like either my back is snapping in half, I am dragging one foot or a combo of all the other crap. If I didn't know I really have all this stuff going on, I wouldn't believe it myself. As I read this over...I am thinking, this girl has way too much time on her hands to think about her health..she needs to suck it up and just have a "positive attitude" or it's "mind over Matter". I mean I don't normally look ill, and I have a wicked, wry, devil may care sense of humor, so I may be in excruciating pain and I'm not going to let people know it. I have 5 doctors working on me and none of them have the same course of action and if I took everything they all prescribed, I would be taking 3 times as many drugs as I already take. Why do you even give them a list? I have not seen a neurologist yet....I have been to so many doctors in the 14 months since my accident and I don't know if it's worth going through testing to find out I need to take lyrica anyway. I marked Lyrica with a question mark, because I have been RX'd it by my spine Dr., but I really don't want to take it, unless I find out more about other people's effects. I take meds for Bipolar disorder and have for over 10 years. I have been doing well, despite all these other health issues and I have heard Lyrica has the potential to chemically depress as well as treating the nerves that relate to the fibro and neuropathy . I went from running up and down the stairs 14 months ago, to holding onto the bannister and holding onto the bed when I get up in the morning, as it takes me an hour to walk and move my joints enough to grip a coffee cup without dropping it. My joint pain started on that Dec. 15 day when I awoke with the swelling in my foot. It was like I had symmetrical arthritis overnight. Wrists, elbows, fingers, thumbs, knees, ankles, hips.  I know this is extremely long and I promise if you run this I won't go on and on, but to start, I feel to know me, you need to know what I was , and what I have become. I am 48, a relatively young grandmama (Mee Mee), and I can't even pick my two year old Lily up onto my lap or hold her 12 pound little sister in my arm without searing pain in my back, down my arm, my arm gets as if it is too heavy and that's when it starts tingling in my arm and fingers, down my leg. A little 12 pound baby!!! I'm sick of feeling like an invalid!! Besides that the woman that was drunk and hit me hasn't settled yet and I have 20,000 dollars in medical bills. OK, I'm done whining. Thank you for listening. I am sure many of you suffer much much more than I.           take care, Jeananne