# Fibro and stomach pains



## Martongirl 37

hii was diagnosed with CFS when i was 16( i am 38 now). Recently i have been not too ill and managed to return to work as long as i dont overstress myself.anyway for the past year i have been having burning pains and stomach ache behind my belly button. i have had tests and become gluten free which has helped a bit but the burning pains keep coming back and i seem to have some sort of pain every day.My doc is now saying i have Fibromyalgia, but i dont have tender points anywhere else in my body. Can this be true??He wants me to try 6weeks on nortripaline. The burning pains are horrible but they come and go and move around to different areas of my lower intestines.Any ideas??Kind RegardsxJulie x


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## Thai

It has always been my understanding that one must have at least 11 of the 18 diagnostic tender points in order to be diagnosed with FM...along with other symptoms as well.Never heard of having none and getting the diagnosis!!!I have 18...


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## M&M

Yeah, the diagnostic criteria are that you have to have 11 of the 18 to qualify. There are lots of other chronic pain syndromes that have overlapping symptoms, but don't require the presence of the tender points, so you may have something like that, or there could be something else going on in your body too.The burning pain...Could you maybe be dealing with GERD? Have you tried any kind of antacid for it? What about testing for an ulcer?


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## Martongirl 37

the burning pains are not in my stomach but lower down below my belly button. i have had an endoscopy and was told all was ok in my stomach. I do have CFS though so i think that is why my doctor is now going down the Fibro route.


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## lorilou

oh my... i am currently having burning/ tearing feeling pain in my belly btuton. I aslo am having some pain in left side once ina while and mainly in right- just went to dr. today. checking for appendicitis and adhesions. ive been wondering if its the fibromyalgia all along.... hummmm. also have ibs but dr. said the burning pain isnt ibs. thing is it comes and goes- seems to me if it were adhesions from the gallbaldder surgery wouldnt it be constant??? gonna get a ct scan scheduled monday... this is wierd but then again fibro is iwerd- everything hurts. sure hope you get answers soonlori


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## M&M

Best wishes to you too, Lori. I hope you can get your CT scan scheduled quickly, and sort out exactly what is going on. Would be nice if it's something other than your Fibro, as then perhaps they can do something to help you! Please let us know how you get on.


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## lorilou

ended up in ER with bad right side pain and vomiting- did the ct scan then and all was clear - was sent home with bentyl for ibs- have had that for 30 yrs. then when i went to gastro on tue he - out of the blue- lays this heavy duty dx on me- scleroderma... basically a death sentence- no blood work or nothing. have an upper GI on monday to see if i have diveticulsosis in the small bowel. from what i read this dx is made by a rhumatologist with blood work and other tests... now since tue i have burning in the upper ab - i think the gerd got worse due to the stress of this dr. laying this on me. i have an poointment with rhuemy in jan. she will run the proper blood tests so im trying to just remain calm and put my trust in the Lord. I personally think my issue is the ibs, fibro, and gerd. i also have sjogrens which can cause gi problems. praying for the best,lori


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## overitnow

I used to get an almost knifelike pain right behind my belly button. It was random and only hurt when touched. I never associated it with IBS until I read of others who also experienced it. It must be related for, since getting the D and GERD under control, it has never returned. Once you get this sorted out, find another GI.Mark


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## M&M

((((((((((((((((( Lori ))))))))))))))))))))))How scary that a dr told you that, and how reckless to say that with no tests or lab work done! I'm glad you are continuing to make a few appointments with other doctors. And I agree with Mark - it sounds like you just might need a new GI! It would seem to me that this symptom you're having would fit in with the current diagnoses that you have, but I know that when a dr says something like that to you it's still scary - even if it doesn't seem right. Keep us posted!Is the Bentyl helping at all?


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## lorilou

M& Myes the bentyl is helping- no more of that right side pain.


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## M&M

Good! That's a good sign it's probably "just" IBS too. I always enjoyed taking Bentyl. I would say - even if it didn't knock out my pain completely, it made me feel so loopy I didn't care if I was hurting. lol I'm really glad it's helping you.


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## lorilou

yeah- Im kinda high strung so the bentyl really chills me out- im with you, it makes me loopy so i just dont care!!! btw, wonder if upper GI can tell if i have an ulcer.????lori


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## M&M

Yes, an upper GI can tell you if you have an ulcer. If you get the xray after drinking the barium "shake", it can detect some ulcers, but not necessarily all ulcers. Here is a link with a little bit more info on the Upper GI series: http://www.medicinenet.com/upper_gi_series/article.htmHope it goes well for you!


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