I am finally seeing a consultant afte... - Fibromyalgia Acti...
I am finally seeing a consultant after being diagnosed 14 years ago. What questions do I ask and what help do I expect?(I am going private)
Sadly they offer no real help. If you are not on medication you can ask them to recommend some i.e. muscle relaxants, painkillers and so on.
Maybe ask how you can expect it to progress based on your progression over the past 14 years. This can be invaluable in planning home location and adaptations. So wish I'd been told in time to move before I could not use my own home or move myself. Best of luck
That's great news that you are seeing a Consultant. To give a more constructive reply, it might be helpful to know what sort of Consultant you will be seeing, so you can then ask questions according to their interest. I remember I saw a Rheumatologist when I was first diagnosed, but other Consultants may be seen for our condition. The Consultant should have to hand all your medical notes, details of your medications, operations if any and hopefully details about your present condition and problems therein. Just to play it safe though, make sure you have your GP's details, your medications to hand, dates when you first noticed symptoms, what symptoms, how it has all affected your life etc. Better to take everything than nothing at all. Normally when you see someone privately, they tell you a little about themselves, I have found this. I would imagine you would be examined, so make sure you have easy clothes that day. I remember being put into certain positions to assess my joints, flexibility and pain levels at this point. It might be a good idea to find out how many appointments the Consultant thinks you will need and whatever treatment etc., as going privately obviously is a costly venture. Your medications might be changed, you may need XRays. Do you know what sort of Consultant you will be seeing, that would make answering a bit easier. Most of all don't worry, these people are experts in their field and are there to help you. Best of luck! 
I am seeing a rheumatologist through a private health scheme as my gp said it was a waste of resources to send me as I just had to learn to live with it. I am on pain meds and that's it. I need more help to manage pain and every day living. Working is hard but I don't want to stop.
Could your GP perhaps refer you to a Pain Clinic?! This may help you. What medications do you take for your pain if you don't mind me asking you?! Have you had a firm diagnosis?! It doesn't sound like you are getting the help to manage your pain and this is so important in helping us manage the entire condition with the pain and fatigue etc.
A "waste of resources" ??? I mean really??? How is it a waste to try make someone feel better? Disgraceful - what part of the country do you live Sisterb?
I was refused when I told my doctor I had heard of people being sent to see a rheumatologist. He said that they would not be able to do anything for my condition and from others I have met since I think he was right. You say you find working is hard but you don,t want to stop. I can assure you neither did I but I was left with no choice in the matter when I couldn,t walk out of my door. Hope you do better than I have been able to do as I know Fibro. affects everybody differently so I really wish you all the best.
I am seeing an NHS Consultant at the moment and she has been a wonderful help to me. I think it's an individual thing, some are helpful, some may not be. My Consultant's field is Fibromyalgia and she is aware of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) Some Rheumatologists sadly don't seem to recognise Fibromyalgia and therein lies one of the problems we face these days.
You may have blood test as well as x rays to see if you have lupus, thats what i was told by my rumatologist, i was refered on nhs, i only got to see him ince and burst in to tears when he told me what was wrong, like you ut took them along time to send me, that was 10 years ago tho! I have since seen anither rumotologist, i got the same answers there, i have attended pain clinic, and am waiting to attend yet another one, i work p/t and its getting increding harder, but id rather work than not! And i need the money, believe me i have tried EVERYTHING! Good luck take a list of your symptoms with you as well, i typed my very long list up and handed it to him, saved me explaining abd id firger something lol x
Thank you very much for all your replies. I was diagnosed under the same private health scheme 14 years ago and have managed the condition under my gp.
I was on pregabalin but stopped when my symptons were much better. since then i went onto a new medication to help with sleep and have been told i can't now go back on it as the 2 don't mix. I was on amitriptyline for a few years but that did nothing to help the pain.
I did not specifically choose this consultant. He is the one attatched to the private hospital I am under in my area. I am ok with him, and he is the one I would have seen at my local NHS hospital anyway!
My main concern is that he will comment that I am over weight and dismiss everything else. Over the last 14 years I have been anything between a size 14 and 20, so i know weight doesn't make much difference to me.
I do suffer from trigger point pain and all sorts of other things but i have just pressumed they are all part of fms and not seperate thing. Like i have days when the tiredness makes working impossible, and times when the pain in my feet makes walking too painful. I have really heavy periods and chronic back pain. My feet burn and are red and at the same time my hands can be blue and ice cold. I have bad migraines and find sleeping hard.I also have IBS and carpel tunnel.
So all in all I am hoping and praying that they will be able to take the pain away, the tiredness I can cope with, but even slow release tramadol 24 hours a day doesn't help. The pain clinic and hydrotherapy sound good. I do use deep needle massage for myself to release trigger points and that helps but some days i feel like a pin cushion!
it's a national health scheme with one private hospital and I happen to live about 30 miles away so I have to go to their consultant first. I think I can ask for a second opinion.
Have we determined what field of expertise this particular Consultant specialises in e.g. Rheumatology, Neurology?! Usually it is possible to go into the private site online and look up the history and areas of expertise regarding all their Consultants. I know they do this for BUPA, as I have seen a private Consultant there in the past and read up all about him there.
he is a rheumatologist But I can't seem to find any information of him on their site.
FWIW you mention trigger point pain. I'm not sure whether you realise that trigger points are a part of myofascial pain. Many people with Fibro also have myofascial pain, but it is a seperate diagnosis these days and it does require different treatment.
The tender points used to diagnose Fibro are nothing special, just points where anyone would be more sensitive and so where it is easy to check for the sensitivity to pain (hyperalgesia) Fibro causes. These would only especially hurt if pressed so even if these are what you meant, you may be confusing them with myofascial trigger points.
My trigger points at times throbbed and give off a " pay attention to me , painful " . A Salonpas pain patch on trigger works well , sometimes takes several patches for me to get comfortable !
