Could I have FM ?

[samjam1992]

I've wondered this for a long time but my doctor always says it's my anxiety but I've been researching for a while and I'm pretty sure I have fibromyalgia. More because of how tender most parts of mt body are to touch and the pain I get in places for no reason what so ever. I could sleep for hours and I still wake up totally exhausted, i find it really hard to concentrate at times. Was at my doctor today due review my anxiety and menti9ned to him about the right side pain I have from my full rib cage, upper arm down to my hand and also calf and hamstring pain and tingling. He said it sounded like muscularskelatal or something to that effect and prescribed me moloxicam (not sure on spelling). But when tje doctor was touching the parts of my upper body i was in so much pain and he made a commenr about my muscles spasmed everytime he touched them. when I got home the doctors recepti9nisg called me to say I've been booked in on 21st September to get a blood test done but couldn't tell me what the blood test is for so I need to wait till I go to get it done to find out. Was just wondering if anyone else has similar or the same types of things and has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia ?

[uggycat]

hi sam I hope you find some answers soon, I think a rumatologist is the person that diagnoses the fibro. that's how I got diagnosed x

[samjam1992 in reply to uggycat]

Would I need my own doctor to refer me to them or can I self refer ? I'm in the UK if that makes any difference x

[uggycat in reply to samjam1992]

My doctor referred me, I think you have to go through doctor, you could check.

[samjam1992 in reply to uggycat]

Thank you. I'm back seeing my doctor again on 4th October so will mention it to him again about FM and see if he can refer me.

[uggycat in reply to samjam1992]

ok let me know how you get on

[Dizzytwo Moderator]

Hi there samjam1992 sorry your in so much pain. I would definitely talk to your doctor again and if it helps write it down so you don't forget anything. You have to be referred by your doctor unless you can afford to pay and go for a private visit. But I think you still have to talk to your GP about that too so they can recommend the right person. Good luck with the blood test xx

Mo

[samjam1992 in reply to Dizzytwo]

Thank you. Yeah I realised today after I left the doctors that I had forgot to mention some things so have decided from now on to keep a little diary of any pains/symptoms or questions that I have so i can go through it when I next see him. I just wish painkillers would help in the meantime. I have paracetamol, moloxicam and codeine phosphate and it still hurts in most parts of my body but more my full right side (ribs/back/arm/calf/hamstring).

[tigerlily72]

Hi

Sorry you're feeling like this. Some of your symptoms are similar to mine and my GP and another GP I've seen recently, suspect chronic fatigue syndrome and probably fibromyalgia.

Unfortunately, there isn't a blood test to test for fibromyalgia. It can be a very long process of elimination which is what I've been going through since the beginning of the year.

Your blood test may be to test for inflammation as the neurologist I saw in August wanted to test me for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis - my test for this was negative.

It can be worrying when you aren't sure what you're being tested for. Perhaps you could ask the nurse or whoever takes the blood when you go for the blood test? I hope you get some answers soon. x

[samjam1992 in reply to tigerlily72]

Thank you. I plan to ask the nurse when I go for the blood test what I'm being tested for. Not knowing doesn't help my anxiety and is stressingme out as well xxx

[DanielleGemma]

Hey samjam1992

I hope you are well? I know that it can be really difficult when you don't get the answers that you are looking for! I know for a lot of us it took a long time for us to get diagnosed; for me it took three years and endless appointments, specialists etc to get anywhere with my diagnosis! Blood tests can be a good start as they could be ruling out other illnesses which is normally how you end up being diagnosed! I would speak to your GP when you go there; explain how you feeling and that you think you have Fibro and ask what you can do between you to get a diagnosis xxx

[samjam1992 in reply to DanielleGemma]

Thank you. I've been suffering severe anxiety since I was 14, I'm now 25 but since March 2016 it's became debilitating but the extreme exhaustion and pain appeared then, sometimes I can go a few weeks feeling good, still really tired but I can function and do things with my children but when it gets bad I struggle to get out of bed because of the tiredness and pain. I never used to take any pain killers not even paracetamol but now I'm on a combination of painkillers and it only takes the edge off for am hour or so or doesn't help at all. The doctors always say it's anxiety and once my anxiety calms down so will the tiredness and pain but I was anxiety free for about 6 months but still had pain in most parts of my body and extreme tiredness. I'm defo going to be asking the nurse what I'm being tested for and then try and get a phone call consultation with the doctor after that because waiting till 4th October when I've to go see him again will just make me even more anxious.

[DanielleGemma in reply to samjam1992]

I am really sorry that you seem to be having such a hard time. As an anxiety sufferer myself; I think that it's such a vicious circle; the pain makes me not want to leave the house which makes my anxiety worse etc. Have you tried ringing 111? They can actually get you an appointment with your GP or a consultant to help you potentially resolve these issues? Xx

[samjam1992 in reply to DanielleGemma]

I've tried them a few times but they always tell me to go to a&e then when I get to the hospital and tell them they just check my heart with the ecg and send me home saying it's anxiety symptoms. It feels like as soon as they see on my records that I have anxiety that's all they see.

[DanielleGemma in reply to samjam1992]

Have you tried maybe going to see a new GP? X

[samjam1992 in reply to DanielleGemma]

I have but my gp surgery is a nightmare to get an appointment with a nurse never mind a new gp. I seen a different gp last 2 weeks ago but he wouldn't discuss anything and said to see my own gp.regarding the on going problems. Xx

[DanielleGemma in reply to samjam1992]

I'm really sorry that you seem to be having such a hard time! I hope you get the answers that you need! xx