Hi, not posted on here for a long time but feel I need to rant to people that understand and have probably been in same circumstances. Had appointment this morning with gp, not my regular but needed review of gabapentin, walked in to his office with walking stick as been suffering with left knee and hip, he asked what was the stick for so obviously answered with cause of the fibro. First words out of his mouth was u dnt need that, your just disabling yourself. He pulled up on his screen my diagnosis letter from rheumatologist and read "no abnormalities with blood tests and no signs of arthritis from ultrasound" and he basically told me there's nothing wrong with me, to go and get a job, give up smoking and exercise more. He wanted to take me off gabapentin cause he said I don't need it as I'm not epileptic and that fibromyalgia is not a disability or an organic condition hence why blood tests, xrays and ultrasounds show nothing, it's not a disease and just means I have a low pain threshold. He reluctantly put gabapentin on repeat for me but he wants me to drop my dose to 600mg 3 times a day whereas I'm taking 900mg in morning and night and 600mg in afternoon which has helped a lot.
Anyways rant over, made appointment with my regular gp who has been there for the past painful 13 months on 10th of Feb.
Hope everyone here is doing as well they can and sorry for the long post
Hmmm.... if you go to fmauk.org you will find a link to have a fibro information pack sent anonymously to your surgery. Sounds like someone needs educating!.
Most definitely, apart from my regular gp I have seen another who was very much in the know how regarding fibro and she was the one who suggested increasing my meds to find a dose that's helpful. This guy is from the stone age so that's why he's in denial that fibro exsist and that part of it is neurological so nothing would show in every day tests. But hey ho a complaint will be made and he's 1 so called doctor I will never see again
Unfortunately more and more doctors are looking at Fibro in the same way through the same eyes. I know I am in a wheelchair in pain daily and house bound for many years because of fibro . But I can understand why they feel the way they do. They are doctors if they can't see it they can't fix it yet we keep asking them to do just that !!
But that does not excuse their rudeness to anyone no matter what their own personal opinion is about fibromyalgia.
I also think they are under fire to stop prescribing drugs they feel are been prescribed for illnesses that show no results after testing. This is also a way save surgery and NHS money.
We all know the pain we feel but it just can not be seen or felt by anyone else. I also think the doctors are now becoming so over run with people turning up at the surgery after a day with doctor google saying they have Fibro !!
The Scroungers in the UK looking for health reasons to get handouts are making it bad for those of us who are really suffering and we are now feeling the brunt of it when we go to see a doctor. Not nice to read I know but i'm sure there is plenty of facts and truths in there.
Under no circumstances should your GP stop this medication, it would be highly dangerous to do so, as for nothing showing up in tests well that is the essence of fibromyalgia, you should be treated with respect and as has been suggested get the info pack sent to this ignorant GP as soon as possible you deserve better than this xxxx
WOW! I am so genuinely sorry to read that you got such a poor doctor for a consultation. I would not go back and see that one again. I once had a GP like this and after I finished saying what I wanted to say I walked out of the consultation and was not welcome back to see her again.
I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck my friend, and please take care of yourself.
I've just had a medicine review and I'm on gabapentin. I've got increased pain in my leg and the best I could be offered was an x ray. I explained that my condition doesn't show up on x ray and it would be a waste of resources and money. I left with some cream for the shingles on my foot and a bemused GP. It's the first time he's seen me and said I can come again. I told him he would only see me if I really needed him.
It sounds like you need to consider asking to see another doctor in the practice. Refusing to acknowledge that your medication is helping and ignoring your condition won't make it go away or reduce his medication bill. I make sure I avoid one particular GP at my practice as she laughs and jokes but misses things. My nurse's spidey senses tingle if I have to see her. I trust her to look at my foot but that's the limit. One doctor's opinion isn't the end of it. Find one that you can trust and will look at the whole picture of how you live, not one that's closed minded and penny pinching.
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