I was diagnosed with fibro but I don't have tender points. Am confused.
 

As the title says. Neurologist diagnosed based on my other symptoms--dull aches, tiredness, brain fog, small fiber neuropathy, depression.

I am confused because I just read the Oxford Press Fibromyalgia Clinician's Guide from 2009 and it says that 100% of fibro sufferers have tender points. But on the Mayo Clinic fibro page, it says that doctors no longer use tender points as a criteria. It says that tender points can come and go so they are not a good criteria. This implies that they are still a main feature of the disease and that fibro patients will have them at some point, but maybe not all the time.

But what about if you never have tender points like me?

Some years back , it came out that the tender points are not a solid /reliable indicator.
There is a post or thread about that here.

If you use the search tool - http://www.neurotalk.org/search.php
and tender points as keyword , it should find it ..

I have attended 2 chronic pain medical seminars in the past 5 yrs, that lasted a whole day. Fibro was included in both.

Dr. Clauw, MD is a national expert on the subject and I learned much from his presentations.

Here is a link to a Q & A interview with him. In it is an explanation as to his opinion that tender points are not really very significant clinically.

This Month’s Expert: Daniel J. Clauw, M.D. Diagnosis and Non-Drug Management of Fibromyalgia | Psych Central Professional

I suggest you read the whole article. I was very impressed with him...he is an empathetic doctor and brilliant as well IMO. You can also Google him, and find more information. He is a very generous man and gives lots of interviews and shares newest research.

Dr. Clauw mentioned in our seminar that normal people who don't have fibro also have tender points. Because of this he suggested that this criteria be discontinued as necessary for a fibro diagnosis.

Thank you I will search for it.

Thank you for clarifying. That confirms the diagnosis.

It's funny because earlier today I came across one of Dr Clauw's talks on youtube while on a major google binge. Chronic Pain - Is it All in Their Head

I haven't watched it yet but will. Thank you for the article. His statement that "exercise is the best drug for fibro" is so true for me. It has a huge effect on the way I feel.

Don't know if OP is around but I was given the Fibro dx in 1999 while searching for thyroid support and NOT getting it from endo and internal med docs...but my gut was telling me sluggish thyroid. Thyroid dsyfunction is huge and MANY are not getting help or NOT getting the best support.

I didn't have the tender points and then one MD I got to know, said everyone has tender spots on their bodies. He said he did. Some doctors don't know what to do with patients, so hand out the Fibro dx. It's many things go wrong in the body, I believe. Headed into my 79th year, I have a lot of aches and pains, but bodywide OA too.

I never took the hardcore drugs for this fibro dx.