Is this pain normal, or indicative of a condition?

I am in pain more often than anyone I know, of any age, but especially of people my age.





I'm an 18 year old female. I'm not in the best shape, but I'm not obese. I don't think I have any vitamin deficiencies, except maybe potassium, because I get occasional charlie horses. I have had problems with my female parts (e.g. ovarian cysts, frequent periods, etc) for years. I've also had depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. I don't think it is depression pain though, because I've been on Cymbalta for a couple years. I am particularly sore after a day of physical activities such as shoveling snow or having sex. Mostly I chalk this up to me not being in shape, but often I notice that the pain seems to be a little too deep-seated for that; it starts to feel like my joints are creaking, like I'm some old person and that I should walk gingerly so that nothing hurts. Many times, I develop pain for no reason at all. One day I'll just have an ache in my neck, or my calf, or my stomach. With the exception of abdominal pain (also common, probably because I don't eat enough fiber), all the pain feels very deep. Most often it feels like it's in a joint or a bone, less commonly in a muscle. Sometimes I get pain like growing pains used to feel: severe, coursing. But I haven't grown in years. I also get totally random stabs of pain, most commonly in my breasts or hands. Just a quick stab, sometimes a few in succession, but then it's gone.


The longer pains usually persist for at least a day, up to three or four. Usually I'd rate the pain at a 6. Certainly not unbearable, sometimes not even enough to make me take an aspirin, but enough to be distracting as I go about my business, and, when it persists longer, to even make me depressed, from not knowing what is wrong with me. The pain most often appears in my arms. It doesn't feel like it would a day after lifting weights, but more how it would feel if I repeated a motion so often that it wore down my joints (apart from typing, I can't think of anything I do that would cause this). I have a very tender spot on my upper arms; even someone pressing on it or poking it feels like they are poking a bruise, though there is never any outward signs of one. My wrists and elbows pop a lot.


I don't smoke or do recreational drugs, I don't drink often or a lot, I don't even have caffeine on a regular basis.





I don't know if I want to risk sounding crazy to a doctor. I have so many other things wrong with me, none of which should cause chronic pain, that they might think I'm becoming a hypochondriac. Only a few of my problems are really diagnosable. I'm even wondering if I'm becoming a hypochondriac. But after my mom saying a million times when I tell her about some new pain, ';You're ALWAYS in pain';, I'm beginning to think she might be right. Maybe I am in pain more than is normal. Does this sound like fibromyalgia, or rheumatoid arthritis, or something else? Will the doctors listen to me if I go to them with this problem?Is this pain normal, or indicative of a condition?
It sounds like it could be from fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis or endometriosis that can be in any part of your body.


Have you lowered your dose of Cymbalta recently? It could be withdrawal symptoms. Speak to your psychiatrist about that %26amp; about fibromyalgia.


You may need an increase in your Cymbalta to 120 mg/day. It is FDA approved to treat Fibromyalgia. You can also try Aleve or get prescription for Naproxen 500mg. 2X/day.





When you go to your MD ask them if they believe in fibromyalgia.


You can try a rheumatologist who deals with fibromyalgia.





Try to do gentle stretching %26amp; walking.





Google: mayo clinic%26gt;%26gt;diseases%26gt;%26gt;fibromyalgia


%26gt;%26gt;arthritis, rheumatoid


%26gt;%26gt;endometriosis





I was told I had rheumatoid arthritis a long time ago ';before they knew about fibromyalgia';. I had similar symptoms (including swelling bilaterally in my hands in the AM...but only a high sed. rate as an objective lab finding).





I also take a very good quality, high potency multi-vitamin/mineral.


Magnesium 400-600mg


Boswellia


Malic Acid (they are all good for pain).





MDs won't think you're nuts, if they do, they're the wrong MD.





Good luck.Is this pain normal, or indicative of a condition?
It does sound like there is something like FM or RA going on and it would be worth getting bloods done
an acupuncturist might be able to help you get rid of some of the pain. you could certainly go to the doctor for it, but usually they don't have a whole lot to offer when it comes to pain relief.