Neuropathic aspects of Fibromyagia????
 

I am wondering how many people with Fibromyalgia and all it's usual symptoms, also have neuropathic symptoms, either sensory, motor or autonomic?

Sensory neuropathy tends to be burning of the skin and other strange skin sensations (parasthaesias) like buzzing, dripping water sensation, electrical currents!

Motor neuropathy can be muscle twitches called fasciculations or more gross abnormal movements like jerks etc.

Autonomic neuropathy can be IBS, postural hypotension, anhidrosis (lack of or abnormal sweating), Cardiac issues like long QT interval, Gastroparesis (paralysed stomach) etc?

I am particularly interested in hearing of others who may have Gastroparesis and to know how prevalent this is in Fibromyalgia. In the Fibro literature I have read to date, there is not a lot mentioned about it but more about IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). However I came across this very interesting link the other day which quite clearly states that many people are mistakenly given the diagnosis of IBS when they really may have Gastroparesis. The link is: http://www.digestivedistress.com/files/pdf/ibs.pdf

I'd appreciate any feeedback on this! :)

Megan

Hello Megan !

Well, I will tell you the symptoms I have from the ones you mentioned:

Sensory neuropathy: I have burning of the skin sensation, electrical currents and, I feel like I had thousands of little nails in my fingers and toes !

Motor neuropathy: Yep, I have those too... My arms and legs can "jump" involuntarily and wake me up if sleeping !!! :eek: And when awake, my head could move from one side involuntarily too...

Autonomic neuropathy: Abonormal sweating all my life... :o plus problems with my stomach...

Plus tons of other "weird" symptoms.... Aw, I love fibro ! :mad:

Hi BlueMajo,

Have the problems with your stomach ever been diagnosed as anything specific? Have you had a Gastric Emptying Study done?

Also have you had your Vit B 12 tested and do you have a good high number? The thousands of little nails in fingers and toes can be due to B12 deficiency.

When you say you have had abnormal sweating "all your life", did that preceed all your other Fibro symptoms? It is interesting, but perhaps we do have some aspects of this condition in a mild form for years before the actual onset of the full blown symptoms. As I look back over my life I am wondering about that!

Sorry about all the questions!

Megan

Hey Megan !!!

Well, about my stomach, I used to suffer of constipation... After 25 years, when I was diagnosed with fibro and was given Lyrica and Omegas 3 and 6, my constipation problems have been solved :)
Also, I suffer of bad gasthritis since I was like 16, so... hum, my stomach hurts badly some days... :rolleyes:
I have never had the Gastric Emptying Study you mentioned... I actually doesnt know what is it about... hehe

Im taking B complex pills right now actually and they have helped A LOT with all my neuropathy matters... just my burning feet bothering these days :) My doctor never checked my B12 levels, but after listening to all my symptoms, aches, pain and complains he gave me vitamin B and Zinc immediately.

Yeah... the sweating (with the constipation) seem to be my first fibro symptoms... since I was born probably... :rolleyes: Im sure we have some minor symptoms nobody (not even us realise) since we are born and later on is when we "dicover" we have fibro...
I remember when I started reading about fibro... I was like "I have that sympton, and that one... and that one... plus that one too.. etc, etc..." LOL It was like I never realised my weird symptons were actually symptons... !!! if you know what I mean... I was used to sleep badly... waking up every 2 hours.. and never having a deep sleep, etc... and as I was so used to that, I almost thought it was normal, until I read it was part of my fibro...

:p

Megan,
Thanks for the link. Interesting. I read the info and reread it. I will also be taking it to the doctor with me. I had all but 2 of the symptoms. I also have the neuropathies in various ways. Gotta love it...Not.

That was interesting, Megan~ Thank you!

Yes, I suffer w/neurology problems as well as FM. It's hard at times to distinguish what is neurological and what the FM contributes to my sx's, and I'm somewhat bull headed when it comes to taking my pain meds to keep it at bay. I heard there is a new drug out for FM, but can't remember the name, but it wasn't Lyrica.

Take care and thanks for the link...

Upper GI problems
 

I'm glad some of you found that link pertinent, as I did.

Most of the Fibromyalgia literature puts so much emphasis on IBS by lumping everything gastrointestinal , in the one basket. The beauty of being specific if upper gastrointestinal symptoms predominate or are worrisome, is that, they are TESTABLE.

Gastroparesis is provable by a Gastric Emptying Study (GES)! This means that if Gastroparesis is proved through testing then either
1). the person does not have Fibromyalgia but has some other neurological condition or 2). some people with Fibromyalgia may be susceptible to damage to the Interstitial Cells of Cajal which can cause Gastroparesis and IBS and this is suspected to happen following a viral illness.

So essentially it means that for 'Fibro' people with upper GI symptoms (may have lower GI symptoms also) there IS a test which can be done for a specific condition related to the Fibromyalgia symptom cluster.

Obviously there are other upper GI conditions which can cause problems such as gastric reflux disease, hiatus hernias, refractory oesophagitis, gastric erosions and ulcers etc. Any upper GI symptom in anybody should be checked throughly anyway and if nothing is visibly found but symptoms persist, then perhaps it is time for a GES.

Gastroparesis symptoms more specifically are fullness after a few bites of food (early satiety), nausea, anorexia (not wanting to eat -food avoidance because of symptoms), vomiting, burping beyond usual, heaviness in stomach after eating even small amounts and probably a couple of others I can't think of at present!

So what I am essentially saying is that IF you have upper GI symptoms AND you have or are suspected of having Fibromyalgia, don't let doctors just label you as having IBS!

Thanks for the research, Megan. Very interesting.

I have mainly neuro sensations, with no known cause or dx (every test imaginable, even spinal tap). I have all the sensations you mentioned and more, all over body, randomly, every minute of the day (I take Gabapentin-900mg) I also have internal tremor and RLS. I don't have the muscle pain associated with FM though, could this be a neuro. form of FM?