Symptoms Of Stress And Depression, Dr says this is stress but I think it's fibro
I'm a 40yo otherwise healthy female. For the past several months, I
have increasingly had the following symptoms:
- The worst fatigue of my life (chewing makes me tired)
- Aching joints
- Muscle tightness and cramps
- Dry eyes, frequent blinking and blurry vision
- Poor sleep
- Reduced appetite
- Constipation
- Constant cold hands and fingers
- Numbness and tingling in feet and hands
- Sore spots on my body that are sometimes consistent with fibro
"points" (I have about 6 that match but about 20 that don't)
I have no fever and all the test results (mono, CBC, urinalysis,
thyroid, CT scan of abdomen and head, etc.) are normal. Now my doc
says it's stress and depression (I don't think I was depressed before
I got sick but I'm beginning to feel that way now!). She doesn't want
to check for anything else but give me 6 months to see if it changes.
My blood pressure has risen from my lifetime normal 120/80 to 154/98
(and I lost 40 pounds last year! Why is it HIGHER?) She says that's
all due to stress (or maybe *anger* at not knowing what's going on?)
She put me on antidepressants a month ago and I still feel horrible.
A friend suggested that I may have fibromyalgia and I'm wondering if
she might be onto something.
My question is, can all this be just stress and/or depression? Is
this consistent with fibro and how does one get a diagnosis? If it is
fibro, what can I do? I have two small kids that I need to care for
and don't have the energy to even cook lunch.
yes, it could be stress and/or depression. i think it's pretty common for
doctors to rule out everything else before dx-ing fibro. i was on
antidepressants for a year before i realized the pain wasn't going away. it
sucks, but it's the only way to diagnose a syndrome that you can't test for.
Your symptoms can be many different things. I would not suggest Fibro
just yet. IMO many folks who get a FMS dx are then overlooked for
consideration of other possible conditions. Also, they generally do not
give a FM dx until the symptoms have continued for awhile.
I have been reading alot about MS - you might want to check the
symptoms. But, as said, it could be many different things.
If there is anyone who can help with the kids- ask. Find a Doc who can
do more for you, at least get you sleeping more (that will help) and get
your BP under conrol.
If I could 'do it all over again' I would start vitamin, mineral, herb
supplements right away. But that is my opinion.