Has anyone noticed a link to symptoms getting worse or new symptoms when poorly or when you’ve got a virus.? I tend to find that when I’m low or poorly my symptoms increase. Today I woke with pins and needles and numbness in my feet, usually a night of rest with feet out of the covers is enough to calm pain. It’s not usually until I’ve got up and been rushing around to get ready that they start. Does anybody else find this…?
I also notice my EM gets much worse when stressed, and that is hard to avoid in my job plus personal life. I was just wondering if anybody else suffers more when dealing with stress…??
I find that with any illness or trama (operation, medical procedure, med change, flu, etc) can make my symptoms worse and I also gear myself up to deal with that. If I can not keep my medication down due to nausea, I see my dr to get help because I can’t handle a flare up and the flu at the same time.
Thanks… I also had a car accident a year ago and suffered damage to my back, I’ve had nerve pain in my neck shoulders and back ever since… I am starting to wonder if EM has anything to do with it as I was told by my gp that EM causes the Central nervous system to mis fire pain signals along the nerves…? Maybe some link here too even tho its not in my extremities…? I guess its something we may not fully understand in our lifetime due to lack of medical studies and understanding of the condition by most medical professionals…!
I noticed when I was in college my systpoms where worse under stress. But I have also noticed and for some reason I get nausated with my meds and the pain has calm down. But the redness like a bad habit has comeback again. But when I get a cold it gets much worse.
Ahhh it all becomes clearer, I have just ben diagnosed with shingles, no wonder I felt so poorly and run down last week…!! My EM is not great at the mo, fingers crossed it will ease a bit once I’ve recovered from this virus…! Thanks for the replies
Thanks guys… I’m now on week 3 of being poorly and finding that I’m waking with really tingly swollen legs and they’re lasting most of the day, thankfully the intense burning has been kept at bay…!
The link to stress is well enough known that my consultant used to schedule my Iloprost treatments to give me maximum effect at exam time. That was almost 20 years ago! I find that my EM also gets worse when I'm sick, I imagine that the general effects of an infection, bacterial or viral, cause increased bloodflow anyway and our hypersensitive systems go a little crazy. I used to get a type of infection in my leg called a cellulitis, when I got that, the EM would go off the scale and I would need very, very strong pain relief. Don't worry, it's not your imagination!
The medical physicist who diagnosed me as a child did tests that showed the very powerful effects of emotion on my bloodflow, and therefore my pain. Basically, any negitive emotion (anger, sadness, stress, feeling depressed) will increase the pain. I've had doctors say that I could possibly be in as much pain as I say I am, because I am not crying and screaming. However, if I was, in addition to increasing my pain, those same doctors would say that I'm hysterical. You just can't win.
thank goodness someone else suffers like i do it has been worst since i have been in plaster with a broken right ankle, i find nite times in bed the worst especially as it gets towards summer here in nz.
I fell and fractured my elbow in July and i had terrible flare with burning/pain.. And for the past 2 mths have been feeling horrible with chest/breathing pains.... just diagnosed with Pericarditis, usually caused by a virus.... hands feet just tingling, and red blotches but now burning as it is colder here in Canada..... Anyone else had chest problems? this condition is extremely painful, and they say it can last for mths till the virus runs its course, lovely, eh?
Laura, I had shingles last year as well, did they get you on the pills right away? thank goodness we caught it, and i only had a few spots, hope you did too..... before i broke out i had burning on my ankles and legs, different from this pain.... and then i realized after diagnosed with shingles, what was going on in my body.... hope you get well soon!
Thanks Elaine… I also had a broken bone in my foot about 7 yrs ago (before much EM diagnosis) the pain went on for almost a yr even tho the broken bone had healed) they diagonal used something called reflex sympathy dystrophy RSD but NOT sure if that was connected in any way. I did get anti virus drugs the day the shingle spots first arrived so luckily didn’t get too bad. I’m currently sitting in doctors surgery tho waiting to see him as I’ve had chest pains for weeks but they’ve got really bad over last 2 days… All this has played havoc with my EM and i’ve had to up the dose of Gabapentin… Again
Oh no I hope your chest pains aren’t too serious but glad u r getting it checked out. I left mine too long before getting a proper diagnosis. What r your pains like? I felt like I had walking pneumonia or something. Couldn’t get my breath and finally went to the er. They checked outeverytjing. Chest xrays EKG even cat scan to check for pulmonary embolism. And all clear. Not heart problems Then I had a stress test done and all ok till the cardiologist checked the echogram. And noticed fluid in the sac around the heart: pericarditis. It also can come fr virus but also autoimmune. So with you having shingles I hope they check you for that. I have been 2 mths already with constant chest / sternum pain. Now on mega doses of anti- infl
lauraflora1 said:
Thanks Elaine… I also had a broken bone in my foot about 7 yrs ago (before much EM diagnosis) the pain went on for almost a yr even tho the broken bone had healed) they diagonal used something called reflex sympathy dystrophy RSD but NOT sure if that was connected in any way. I did get anti virus drugs the day the shingle spots first arrived so luckily didn’t get too bad. I’m currently sitting in doctors surgery tho waiting to see him as I’ve had chest pains for weeks but they’ve got really bad over last 2 days… All this has played havoc with my EM and i’ve had to up the dose of Gabapentin… Again
My pains only came on after coughing horrendously for 2 weeks, I’ve been poorly for over 6 weeks now and just can’t shake this off… Doctor initially thought maybe pluerasy (not sure on spelling but after exam said it’s prob bad chest infection so on antibiotics…! The Dr also said that I need to be referred back to hospital because he suspects primary auto immune system disease might be the reason I’m constantly getting poorly… So heres to loads more tests…! Hope you’re feeling much better soon x
Pains getting worse and after 5 days of double dose antibiotics doctors decided to send me for chest xray to check for pleurisy, infection in my liver or broken ribs… I could actually cry the pains so bad…! I’ve got to wait until next week tho for the results…! My feet and legs are on fire to top all this off…!
I am so sorry to hear that you are not feeling better..... as if you need anything more on top of the burning, shingles, and chest pain, wow, i hope you are able to rest ALOT!! Its rather weird that these things seem to go together, i had the shingles too last year, with a bad flare, and now this fall this chest thing...... which can be caused by autoimmune or virus.
If all checks out clear with the xrays etc. maybe it would be good to ask about pericarditis..... i know it got overlooked when i was in the hospital, they were looking more for heart attack.... What are your pains like? where are they in your chest? does it hurt or is it hard to get a deep breath? are your fatigued? It also can be around the lining of your lungs, pleuro,
Just hope you get relief and some answers. I know how it wears you down emotionally and physically....i share with you in your pain, stay strong, they will figure this out!!! xx00
Thanks for the support, I’ve managed to rest LOADS this week. Spent most of it in bed after popping my rib/socket but now feel as on the slow road to recovery. I’ve managed to have a couple of steam this week which has helped clear my chest a bit. Doctors diagnosed bronchitis and prescribed Codiene for chest pain. How’s you doing this week…? X x
I have multiple Dx of which EM is one. I have FMS/CFS and serious disk issues both cervical and lumbar. I also have frequent and severe infections. I find I am on anti biotics every few months for staph. I live in a viscous cycle where I make progress for a number of weeks, become so sick I am house bound and by the time recover from the "illness"' my pain has flared and I have to exert everything I have to "get back to my normal routine." by this time I am facing depression/anxiety. Once I begin to function again I get sick and it begins all over. So, I can certainly say, illness is a huge contributing factor to my pain and ability to achieve the highest level of recovery I can. I also have a variant of the Herpes virus and I image like most serious sleep issues.
Wow, you have lots going on also.... i am very interested in your connection with the disk issues..... i have recently after a miserable hot summer and painful hands/feet burning, had pain in my chest, but more specific the upper spine.... it seems, and several dr.s have said its from a virus that also attacked my pericardium, and lining around the lungs..... then my spine. When you said that you had a varient herpes virus, which was it? i suffered from shingles last year and am wondering if it also had something to do with my flare ups and/or with my spine problems. My naturopath didnt call it CFS but says its a virus, get lots of rest, and it will have to run its course..... thats the story of my life. So there must be a connection i feel. And boy does it get depressing especially when you are dealing with different conditions and with their pain all at the same time!!!!!
See I’m the opposite, I have a body infection u I get reeeeeal bad EM, like super bad, but when I have a bug, flu or anything my EM doesn’t bother me at all, when it does I know I’m getting better!
