Question:
I am trying to put together a list of fibro symtoms so i can present a list to
our teaching/research hospital to encourage them to apply for a research
grant.Please send me a list of your symtoms..Any help i receive is very much
appreciated.
Answer:
Fibro and CFS are often thought to be two manifestation of the same syndrome. Dr. Stephen E. Straus, a leading CFS researcher at the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a branch of the National Institute of
Health, summaries the symptoms and signs reported by patients as follows:
Easy Fatigability
Difficulty Concentrating
Headaches
Sore Throat
Tender Lymph Nodes
Muscle Aches
Joint Aches
Fererishness
Difficulty Sleeping
Psychiatric Problems
Allergies
Abdominal Cramps
Weight Loss
Rash
Rapid Pulse
Weight Gain
Chest Pain
Night Sweats
Other physicians and many of the patient support groups around the country add
scores of other symptoms and signs to this list, including:
Balance disorders*
Ringing in the ear
Phobias and anxiety
Mood swings
Seeing spots
Disorientation
Memory loss
Inability to focus attention
Difficulty pronouncing or remembering words
Inability to do simple math problems
Irregular heartbeat
Frequent respiratory tract infections
Nausea
Diarrhea, constipation, or both
Frequent urinary tract or vaginal yeast infections
Prostate pain
Sensitivity to sunlight
Alcohol or caffeine intolerance
Menstrual cycle changes
Thyroid inflammation
Bleeding gums, mouth sores
Swelling of feet, face, hands
Chills or body temperature below normal
Nightmares
Awakening with a hung-over feeling, despite sufficient sleep
Back pain over the kidneys
Another reports a "creepy crawler sensation" in which she felt as though her
skin had spiders crawling all over it, again a symptom for which no medical
explanation could be found.
Many also report Candidiasis or Yeast Syndrome. Dr. John Trowbridge has this
to say in THE YEAST SYNDROME
Candidiasis can be an illness in itself, but that is rare because the immune
system usually keeps yeast in good control. Yeast infection flares when an
imbalance occurs in the immune system.
Neck injury and TMJ are also comorbid with Fibromyalgia. TMJ is most often
caused by neck injury or a blow to the jaw (less often to dental maloclusions)
so neck injury and TMJ are also comorbid with each other.
You could also add positional blood pressure instability (NMH). Well, let's see if I can remember all my symptoms:
Pain, mostly in the hand and fingers and my hips and knees. Some in the
lower and mid-back areas. Major fatigue
Headaches-cluster type
Memory loss/cognitive dysfunction
irritable bowel
irritable bladder
hair loss
dry skin/eyes
depression
allergies/chemical sensitivities
recurrent sinus infections
asthma
I didn't really think these last three were connected to the FMS until I
started recovering. Low and behold, they got better to as I recovered
from the FMS.
Pain, everywhere. arms, legs, back, neck
Major fatigue
very mild Headaches with severe nausea (sometimes projectile vomiting)
Memory loss/cognitive dysfunction
irritable bowel and spastic colon
Raynauds Syndrome (mainly hands)
minor hair loss--better after stopping work
dry skin/eyes
depression (bipolar)
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
inability to eat
