Well, those symptoms I had sure enough cleared up after a day. I nearly didn't make it through work I felt so sick. This happens a lot, and this time I marked my calendar.

One other thing I discovered recently, speaking of ear problems. For years now I have been going to my GP, whom I adore, when my ear would start hurting. Along with the ear pain my neck would hurt. I'd go to him thinking I have a horrible ear infection, and usually he'd tell me, basically...well, it must be an inner ear problem because the ear canal looks fine, .... but he'd put me on an antibiotic and a sinus medicine. Eventually it would get better.

This time, about a month ago...I went to him and complained about how much my neck hurt...not my throat, my neck and my ear pain was excruciating. He touched my neck and I bout went through the ceiling. THIS time he was concerned that I had something wrong with my carotid. (Heart disease runs on my dad's side.)

So he had me go for an ultrasound. Well the ultrasound lady did both sides of my neck.

Next thing I know my doctor calls and wants me to come in, says the radiologist is concerned about my lymph glands. So blood tests and an appt made with and ENT.

I now love this ENT. First he had me get an CT scan of my neck. Then he assured me that there was no evidence of lymphoma. (My blood count was high and indicated infection, so my GP was worried about that.) The ENT did a lot of checking and some tests and the one that told him all was when he held my face in a certain place and asked me to open my mouth.

OUCH OWIE OUCH! I near went thru the ceiling.

He just said, "Uh huh, I'll be right back," and he walked out with his asst trainee doc whatever they call them, and I could hear them jabbering. He came back with a pamphlet and said, "My dear lady, the good news is you don't have lymphoma or a blocked carotid, but the kinda bad news is that you have TMJ."

Huh? And I sat there for a minute and it was a flash show in my mind of all these things that now made sense.

TMJ is listed as one of the more common complaints with fibro. As is colitis - I have ulcerative colitis since I was 26. Migraines...had them since my early 20s. Abdominal pain, had those since my early 20s. Sore throats. A million of em. Flu like symptoms... Well I am now going to 'calendar' those to see how often they happen cause I know it's often.

I've been a fibro mate for a few years now....??? And I still find myself making discoveries with it and noticing patterns.

A lot of stuff that has been happening in the last month has led me to my annual fun fall flare.



I'm running the whole gamut. The climate here right now is temperate, but last night I had a couple of blankets wrapped around my knees and ankles and feet. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow...they hurt so bad. And both elbows, both wrist, both hands, both feet and ankles, both knees, both thighs.



Now I've heard of TMJ before but never gave it much thought til now. It sucks.

I'd like to try anything and everything for relief. Acupuncture, A good chiro, massage, warm aquatic therapy, but hello? Money?

Yeah, my particular insurance will cover chiropractic, but I've been in numerous car accidents with pretty nasty whiplash and spine damage. Every chiro I've seen, I come out hurting worse than when I went in.

Anyway, this stuff sure is interesting.