Fibromyalgia

[confused]

How common is it to have this and celiac. Or do some people really have celiac or are labeled with fibro?

paula

[Teacher1958]

How common is it to have this and celiac. Or do some people really have celiac or are labeled with fibro?

paula

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last October. Eventually, my psychiatrist prescribed Cymbalta, an anti-depressant that contains a serotonin reuptake inhibitor and norepinephrine, which helps to address the pain of fibromyalgia. (This replaced the anti-depressant I had been taking.) It worked very well for the pain, although the fatigue remained.

Fast forward to Spring Break 2007. My family and I were on vacation in San Francisco, and toward the end of our vacation I got really sick and stayed that way for a number of days after I got back. I was showing symptoms of malabsorption, which I won't detail here, but which were very specific and unusual. I googled the symptoms and kept coming up with Celiac Disease/gluten intolerance. I decided to go off of wheat and make an appointment with my doctor. Her conclusion was the same as mine, although she couldn't prove it because I refused to go back on gluten-containing foods.

Anyhow, I have very few symptoms of fibromyalgia anymore. Occasionally, my shoulders and hands will hurt like they used to, although with less intensity. My depression is much better, but I am afraid to ask for a reduction in the dosage of the medication because I've been depressed on numerous occasions in the past. I have more energy and focus than I've ever had in my life, and my ADD symptoms and spaciness have left. I totally believe that the gluten caused the symptoms of my fibromyalgia. I just wish more people would be able to find out what I've learned.

[natalie]

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last October. Eventually, my psychiatrist prescribed Cymbalta, an anti-depressant that contains a serotonin reuptake inhibitor and norepinephrine, which helps to address the pain of fibromyalgia. (This replaced the anti-depressant I had been taking.) It worked very well for the pain, although the fatigue remained.

Fast forward to Spring Break 2007. My family and I were on vacation in San Francisco, and toward the end of our vacation I got really sick and stayed that way for a number of days after I got back. I was showing symptoms of malabsorption, which I won't detail here, but which were very specific and unusual. I googled the symptoms and kept coming up with Celiac Disease/gluten intolerance. I decided to go off of wheat and make an appointment with my doctor. Her conclusion was the same as mine, although she couldn't prove it because I refused to go back on gluten-containing foods.

Anyhow, I have very few symptoms of fibromyalgia anymore. Occasionally, my shoulders and hands will hurt like they used to, although with less intensity. My depression is much better, but I am afraid to ask for a reduction in the dosage of the medication because I've been depressed on numerous occasions in the past. I have more energy and focus than I've ever had in my life, and my ADD symptoms and spaciness have left. I totally believe that the gluten caused the symptoms of my fibromyalgia. I just wish more people would be able to find out what I've learned.

How long did it take for your symptoms to got away?

[lob6796]

How common is it to have this and celiac. Or do some people really have celiac or are labeled with fibro?

paula

I was diagnosed as fibromyalgia and a month later while running all of the exclusion tests for a "positive" diagnosis of fibro, the celiac panel came back positive. My doctor feels that after anywhere from a week to a year after I am gluten free, I may not have any lingering symptoms of the fibro. He says that if I *do* have fibromyalgia AND celiac, that once the celiac is under control, the fibro will not be such a detrimental thing - more of an annoyance. I am SO ready for the fatigue and pain and dizziness to go away!

I've heard both - that people can have both disorders, and that people are misdiagnosed as fibro when in fact they have celiac.

[natalie]

I have always wondered if I had fibro, but now I think it may just be the celiac. I have not noticed a huge improvement in my symptoms yet ( 3 weeks gluten-free.)

[happygirl]

FWIW

I was dx'ed with fibro, but I knew I didn't have it.....a few months later, was dx'ed Celiac, went gluten-free, and my symptoms went away. Never had fibro, just had the "symptoms"---that were caused by the gluten reaction.

[Generic]

I was diagnosed with celiac 19 years ago and have been gluten free since. I was diagnosed with fibro 2 years ago. I have my bad and good days, I have tried eliminating foods. Nothing helps, in mean time I eat muscle relaxers and pain pills like tic-tacs at times. Stress causes it to flare up and so does over exerting myself.

I finally got a referal to a rheumtoidologist, since supposedy they know how to "treat" it better. I would just like to figure out what is causing it, not just treat it. I heard there is a clinic that will get to the bottom of what causes fibro/chronic fatigue. But my insurance won't cover it.

[SunnyDyRain]

I was diagnosed with celiac 19 years ago and have been gluten free since. I was diagnosed with fibro 2 years ago. I have my bad and good days, I have tried eliminating foods. Nothing helps, in mean time I eat muscle relaxers and pain pills like tic-tacs at times. Stress causes it to flare up and so does over exerting myself.

I finally got a referal to a rheumtoidologist, since supposedy they know how to "treat" it better. I would just like to figure out what is causing it, not just treat it. I heard there is a clinic that will get to the bottom of what causes fibro/chronic fatigue. But my insurance won't cover it.

My mom has fibro, she read a book, sorry i don't know the name of it, but it tells of food that have anti-infalmatory properties that as you eat them it works with the body to reduce inflamation and help her move better. The more active she stays, the better she feels. I know turkey is one of those things that helps her. She also like the 3 day pain patch, it's the only pain meds that really work.

[Judyin Philly]

I WAS DX'D WITH FIBRO 12 YEARS AGO.

STARTED TAKING ONLY 25 MG OF ZOLOFT FOR THE PAIN (A SERITONIN SSRI) ...AND DAILY SWIMMING ..THE PAIN LESSENED.

DX'D WITH CELIAC 2 YEARS AGO

ONCE I WENT GLUTEN FREE THE FIBRO SYMPTOMS GREATLY IMPROVED.

THEN 6 MONTHS DELETED SOY AND THEN 5 MONTHS AGO DELETED DAIRY, LACTOSE AND CASEIN.

FRIDAY JUNE 15TH WAS MY 2 YEAR gluten-free ANNIV.

I MUST SAY I FORGET WHAT THE FIBRO WAS LIKE UNLES........I GET AN ACCIDENTAL GLUTENING OR SOY OR DAIRY BY CC.

SOME FOLKS SAY FIBRO ISN'T A REAL DX. THEY SAY IT'S A 'JUNK' DX AND COVERING UP OTHER UN DX'D MEDICAL ISSUES. THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL HISTORY.

3 WEEKS REALLY ISN'T ENOUGH TIME FOR IT TO BE A VALID JUDGEMENT OF IT NOT WORKING BUT EACH PERSON IS DIFFERENT AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE OTHER ISSUES...ONLY YOU CAN JUDGE HOW YOUR FEELING OR IF IT'S HELPING..THIS IS JUST MY OPINION.

GOOD LUCK..IT'S SURE WORTH A TRY AND IT MIGHT HELP YOU.

I SURE KNOW GLUTEN, SOY AND DAIRY DO NOT LIKE ME ...

[Teacher1958]

How long did it take for your symptoms to got away?

It probably took about 4-6 weeks, I would say. I think most of it was the gluten-free diet, but I can't discount the Cymbalta either. Lots of doctors are using it to treat fibromyalgia.

[lob6796]

It probably took about 4-6 weeks, I would say. I think most of it was the gluten-free diet, but I can't discount the Cymbalta either. Lots of doctors are using it to treat fibromyalgia.

Yes, I post on a fibro board and all of us there who are being actually treated for fibro are on some sort of drug like cymbalta, amitriptyline, etc. They have good sleeping and pain reducing side effects. My doc is continuing my fibro treatment until the symptoms disappear (if they disappear).

[lcbannon]

I was dx'd with fibro 18 years ago. Seems about every 4-5 years I have to change the meds. 1st of this year I started having symptoms of what I searched and found to be Gluten Intolerance. Had food allergy blood work done and enterolab, Tests came back positive, However just had surgery because bladder was fused to colon so that might have helped it along too. I have been totally gluten-free for about 3 months now. A lot of the symtoms since 1st of year are much decreased but not a huge diff on fibro issues - YET- I am hopeful.

[little d]

What are the symptoms of fibro

donna

[confused]

thank you for all your replies. I was just wodering cause i found out my brother has this disease, i use to think i got celiac from my moms side of the family, but I am now wondering if it came from my biologicals fathers side.

paula

[loraleena]

Sometimes fibro is caused by celiac, but it can be caused by other things as well, such as candida overgrowth. Also, some people get fibro symptoms from nightshade veggies. These include eggplant,potatoes, tomatoes, peppers. I feel better not eating these and gluten. I still have flare ups from time to time though.

[sixtytwo]

Almost the same song and dance...........got diagnosed with fibro in December one year and then celiac in the summer of the next year. The fibro is much better due to the fact that I take Mobic and a lot of magnesium with malic acid and probably because I do not eat gluten. I still have flare-ups (pain and weariness) occasonally due to overwork or stress, but it isn't anything like it was in the beginning. The rhumatologist and my general doctor just don't get the connection between the two. Barbara

[sixtytwo]

Almost the same song and dance...........got diagnosed with fibro in December one year and then celiac in the summer of the next year. The fibro is much better due to the fact that I take Mobic and a lot of magnesium with malic acid and probably because I do not eat gluten. I still have flare-ups (pain and weariness) occasonally due to overwork or stress, but it isn't anything like it was in the beginning. The rhumatologist and my general doctor just don't get the connection between the two. Barbara

[confused]

Do you think the drs might just diagnose him with fibro cause he is in the military and know that if it turns out to be celiac then he could be discharged.

paula