in pain and without answers

Hi all I'm new to this forum so I'll tell you a little about myself and would be grateful for any suggestions. I had my gastric bypass 4yrs ago I lost 100lbs and have kept it off only gaining weight back when I took elavil and then topamax but lost it after getting off.  I have some serious pain issues at times and also numbness at times in my legs especially when I go to the bathroom. But anyway I have been told that nothing is seriously wrong with except that I just have this plethera of long term syndrome's.  Prior to the bypass I had suspicions that I had fibro but was not diagnosed until after the surgery when I was down about 60-70lbs and all the sudden it was like I couldn't move my legs without pain. My bones and joints just hurt all the time like I was still carrying around 70+lbs.  So I was told that I had fibro and it was managed so so with elavil.  Got pregnant had a horrible end of pregnancy got severe osteoporosis in hips and was unable to move them. That cleared only to find out 6months later that it wsant transient it was the real deal all over and pretty severe.
Finally 2 years later 2 blood transfusions and 2 iron infusions later it has finally started to improve.  So the problem it would take an endless amount of time to list them. But to sum up I am in an almost constant state of pain to some degree in some part of my body all the time, mostly my lower back and now knee.  I was taking lortab for the pain which only minimally helped, tried percocet which helped more but seemed to jack with my blood sugar. Now they have swiched me to Ultram which doesnt work at all. When I went to pain doc yesterday they acted like well there cant be anything new wrong your giving me too many non related complaints. Has anyone else noticed increased flares and intensity after surgery? I just want the pain to go away. It just gets so bad that I can't even do simple housework. No one seems to understand the degree of pain that I am in.  Please help.

I had a different surgery so can't comment there, but my pain doc just put me on Cymbalta and the results have been miraculous. It doesn't work for everyone but when it does work it's amazing. I took my first dose at 9PM and the next morning woke up in no pain after 30+ years of constant horrendous pain. I've only been on it a few weeks but so far it's still working. I'm also on 15MG morphine 3x a day but am weaning off that to see just what my non drug pain level is. Even with the morphine I still had a lot of pain. So you might ask your doc about trying it. Seems if it is going to work that it'll work right away otherwise it probably isn't going to work at all. Lyrica also helped but made me gain too much weight so I dumped that. Hopefully you can find a doc that will work with you because that makes all the difference. Good luck!

To me your pain does not sound like fibro pain? Sounds like you might have a list of other problems going on though.
Your best bet is to find you a pain doc that will listen. That's the only thing that has helped me. I hurt constantly but well I am slowly learning to deal with it. I had my RNY back in July and have lost about 75 lbs. It has made no improvement on my pain level BUT it does make it easier to move around.
anyhoooooooo
If your pain doc is not listening, CHANGE DOCS......that makes the world of difference!

thanks for writing back and you are right not all of my pain is from fibro, I am not really even sure that is what it is except that I was diagnosed with fibro.  I feel like all the docs have just given up on me because they cant find anything that will fit into there mold of what is supposed to be wrong. I have had tons of tests ranging from normal to abnormal but abnormal in a way that wasnt what they were looking for.

I do know that I need to change pain docs but still I just wish that there was a cause for the pain.  I mean like my knee hurts I know because I have no cartilage left and my toes hurt because of a bunion, but my back just feels like it is caving in on me and I get these pangs in my hips when I get up to walk.  The list of problems is long and I am a nurse I know what most things are supposed to be normal or not.  I definately think that most people are not in the amount of pain that I am in the majority of the time. I also know that before the surgery I was never in this much pain.

Also I tried cymbalta before and it did absolutely nothing  for me.

A lot of Drs will use a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia if they have no other idea as to what could be going on. I would find a highly recommended pain specialist, maybe an orthopedic Dr, a Chiropractor has helped me tremendously. It could be something going on with your spine that's causing the lower back, hip and leg pain.  It couldn't hurt to see a Chiropractor or a back/spine specialist. Hopefully you can find answers. You should probably be taking something for chronic pain that's long acting, lortab is short acting and generally only helps with breakthrough pain for short periods of time. I was put on Opana Er and it's helped SO much with my pain throughout my body. 

Shannon,

After reading your post I had to respond.  First off let me start off with letting you know that I had a lap band installed in 2005.  I had very good success with it for several years until it slipped.  Now the weight issue seems to be something that again, I have to think about on a daily basis. 

Regarding, your pain management from possible fibromyalgia I wanted to introduce you to something that may be of help to you.  I have a friend who has a severe case of fibromyalgia.  Judy, has fought it for years.  I introduced her to a nutritional product that I was taking.  She started taking it.  The product is called Zrii and the main ingredient is amalaki which has been used in holistic medicine for over 5000 years. 

My friend, Judy has been taking Zrii since right around Christmas.  She was on SEVERAL medications and or pain killers for various health issues ranging from pain management, depression, joint pain, insomnia, diabetes, cholesterol, high blood pressure and hormones.  After about 3 1/2  months of taking this product she is off almost all of her prescription drugs that she was taking.

Judy felt so strongly about the product that she wrote in a testimony.  Here is the page with her testimony.  If you would be interested in speaking with her I'm sure she would be happy to explain more to you.  http://www.rejuven8ingdrink.com/testimonials.html  her testimony is the last one on this page.  Feel free to contact me if you would like to speak with her.

I hope this helps!

Dana
Vancouver, WA

I would be VERY careful about taking any non prescription supplements without talking to your WLS doc first.  When you've had RNY, you don't react to things the way a normal person would.

I know that the last thing you want to hear is that you need to exercise.  Bu****er aerobics or an arthritis class in WARM water would really help ease the pain.  You said that you developed osteoporsis and couldn't move your hips.  Did you mean osteoarthritis?  I have osteoporsis and it is generally painless unless you break something or have a compression fracture.

Many doctors, once you have the diagnosis of fibro, attribute everything to fibro.  If you don't think so, then you need to keep searching for someone who will actually tell you why or why not you do or don't have something else. 

I also have many, many different issues.  I have found that if I do exercise, I sleep better and my fibro is better.  For me, the key is sleep. 

Another thing you might try is osteopathic manipulation.  It is very different from chiropractic.  OM is a very gentle re-alignment of joints.  I would say that I improved about 80% with that.

I hope you find some relief.  Remember, you have to be your own advocate.  Keep searching.

Yes it was & is osteoporosis. I first became aware of it in the later part of my pregnancy.  The pain was absolutely horendous.  Two weeks after I delivered and the pain had not even minimally subsided but in fact had become worse, I had an MRI and it showed 2 things that it was either avascular nercrosis or transient osteoporosis in that hip.  It was so bad that I could barely move that joint at all.  3wks later when I was able to get in to see the osteo doctor the pain had started to subside some and he said more than likely would clear up completely within a couple of weeks and it did so that is what we trumped it up to. Only to learn later that now I really do have severe osteoporosis.

I agree that I usally feel better after gentle exercise, it's finding the time and facilities to get the exercise.  Would love some water areobics but very few pools around here and even fewer classes that aren't during daytime working hours.  I have a multitude of other ailments to which I am unable to walk (knee's), Bike ( butt bone) so the only good option is some kind of water exercise. Thanks for the info about the osteopathic manipulation will have to look into that.

Well welcome to the board first of all. pain every where and any place is Fibro for me. Sounds like you have had more than your share of problems.
I was diagnoised i***** I feel like I had it as a teen ager. I have never found anything to completely get rid of the pain.I also have severe arthritis too, but it is the fibro that HURTS more.
I am not sure if I have more flares after surgery, but I think since I can move better I do not tolerate the pain and flares as much. I want to be healthier thus why I had the surgery.
Please keep advocating with doc's for your self. they will just keep putting you off as really they do not know what causes Fibro and really how to treat it.
And hereon the board we do UNDERSTAND your pain becuase we all try to live with it.
Gentle hugs your way,
Pam

Hi Shannon,
I am new to the Fibro website but not new to WLS.  I had RNY in 06 and lost 90lbs.  Think about this for a minute.  When we are heavy we carry our bodies a certain way.  Not really aware of pain.  We lose weight, our frames shift for us to carry the new us.  So that causes pain. You find pain where you didn't have it before.  Fibro can come on by any event in your life being stress, lose of a loved one, or it can actually be a physical trauma.  I couldn't get relief for over a year, but I didn't know what was wrong.  Finally, we got it.  I have Fibro.  Ok, so now what?  Long story short.  Here is what I do for my pain management.  In the morning I take one 30mg Cymbalta (it won't really work by itself), then I put on a new Duragesic Fentanyl patch 25mcg and use Norco for a break through med if I am still having pain.  I gotta tell you that the patch is the next best thing.  We don't have to worry about malabsorbtion, since it is transdermal.  I also go to physical therapy.  A lot of my pain is controlled finally.  I was in bed for 3-4 months feeling like I had the flu.  I couldn't move my arms they hurt so bad, my hips well, forget it.  They didn't want to move except at the pace of a 90 year old.  The pain you are experiencing, honey, I do understand.The problem with Fibro is our spouse or family members don't understand it, and doctors don't want to deal with it.  I was so happy to get a good pain management clinic.  I told the dr what I wanted to try as far as meds go, and they were fine with it.  If you can, try the pain patch.  The Cymbalta helps with depression too, but remember to try to breath.  Breathing excercises relieves stress and improves a lot of stuff.  Take breakes when possible, don't over do it.  Set a minute timer to remember to rest.  Best Wishes to you.  I hope you really give this a try.  You'll be amazed.