Just a question

Morning I was sent too rheumatology, with suspected RA and after some blood tests,x rays and a bone scan I was diagnosed in about 3 months

Hi, The gp sent me to the rheumatologist straight away when I was complaining with stiff joints etc. It was the rheumy that diagnosed my fibro. My gp is quite good but he hasnt done much else since my diagnosis two years ago. It was me who had to ask for a blood test recently as I was feeling really tired. It showed low vitamin B12 so now Im having injections. I think it is left up to us to find what works for our own needs. If you want to see a rheumatologist then maybe you should ask the gp.

Take care

David

My dad was crippled with rhumatoid arthritis but havent sent me although have very similar illnesses my dad had including copd ive got all sorts of thoughts in my head thanks for replying and good morning

Thanks david might just do that

Ther isent any reason too send you too a rheumatologist, if you have your diagnosis. People who are diagnosed by a rhuemy are then sent back too there Gp for it too be "managed" by them

No worries i just thought i would ask the question as everyone seemed to be diagnosed by rheumatology rather than family gp

Morning1 After my GP diagnosed me I wanted to have my condition confirmed, Confirmed I have it full on.

Take a long time for an appointment from them, there really good, they ask how they can help, I broke down and said , I couldn't cope with manual work, tears streaming ,Horrific pain,,,, I to have slipped discs, Osteoarthritis ,

To find out what was happening on my spine.I was then sent for MRI scan, it confirmed I have one disc out off three slipped discs that's really bad, and I have arthritis from the neck to the base off my spine

Wish you well, and good luck,, xxx

Its not much.but heres a ((((hug)))) for both of you.you've both been thru so much.I just don't know what too say😑xx

We are still here fighting lol x thanks

You are an I take my hat off too you both☺ x

Do you know if this had been when i was first diagnosed i will admit i was ready to throw the towel in but after talking to people on this site i actually feel normal and its a great wee forum for support knowing your not weird, a physco or banging your head off a brick wall people talk back and understandbthat no two days are the same so thank you x

Diagnosed by rheumatology. Then back to a disgruntled GP who then didn't believe in fibromyalgia. Seriously he just groaned as though I was being enabled by someone who ought to know better! It is the GP that holds the budget for referring to OT etc and who manages your day to day meds.

I had my diagnosis from rheumatology after various tests by a locum GP who finally took me seriously!

I believe rheumatology referrals are one of the most costly & with the highest waiting lists. Despite having obvious rheumatoid problems, inflammation in the knees, calling for fillers & steroid injections & drainage of infected blood from my balloon like elbows on several occasions.

All these procedures have been carried out by my GP. I have never been under a rheumatologist since my diagnosis , by a previous GP 22 years ago.

Many people were & are still given a fibromyalgia diagnosis purely because there's no apparent cause of symptoms or pain the diagnosis became one that basically meant "Hysterical Pain" , I think many DRS still believe that the diagnosis is an easy opt out. If you have fibromyalgia then x-ray & the involvement of a rheumatologist become unnecessary Unless there's physical symptoms.

I don't think it's uncommon to be bypassed by the rheumatology department considering these points.

Hopefully now high profile sufferers are coming out of the wood work more research money will go towards understanding the disease, because all the Tests done in the last decade point to it being a disease of the central nervous system, sufferers have up to 99 specific genetic mutations in common with each other.

Until the medical establishment begins to be more responsible & more thorough than simple history & diagnosis via a points of pain chart, more people will suffer either the purgatory that is living with fibromyalgia & a health professional Who's experience & expertise fall far short of the necessary to aid them or worse still misdiagnosis. At a time when we are giving gabapentin & other drugs to "sufferers" drugs that were not designed for Fibromyalgia but to control epilepsy & the medical professionals admit they don't know why or how these substances benefit fibromyalgia sufferers , but what the hell let's mess with their brain chemistry anyway... It's a sad & disgusting state of affairs.

Many true sufferers only way of coping is with medications of some form. This seems to often be a situation where analgesia is the backbone of treatment getting stronger as the patient suffers more. I've spoken to sufferers in the USA who are prescribed so much strong pain relief that they have to take a form of prescription amphetamine to be sufficiently conscious at her work etc.

It seems strange a rheumatologist isn't the first point of call after seeing a patient you "suspect" of having fibromyalgia. When did it become usual for a GP to make a diagnosis? Why is that diagnosis not revised & explored, even when a patient shows symptoms that are not usual fibro symptoms or when the symptoms continue to develop or worsen? It all seems strange to me , which leads me to my belief in my first point "Money Money Money Money" & an idiotic idea fibromyalgia sufferers are usually hysterical women.

Well I can testify I'm neither & I pity all those out there with this horrible illness, it stole my life. I hope some of you are lucky enough for new ideas to abound & old stereotypes to be popped in the surgical waste forever.

Love & Peace

I was diagnosed by. a rheumatologist who I went to see privately because of the long waiting list

Rheumatologist After years back and forward to hospitals and GPS.

I was diagnosed with fibro at the Rheumatoid Clinic many years ago and have since been diagnosed with PMR and also have various issues with degenerative spine and slipped discs. Pain wise I can sympathise but since being diagnosed with PMR and receiving treatment for that I have been able to stop other meds and mostly manage the fibro flares, with diet, additional rest when needed and lots of patience to ride out the flare... I know not easy! Its taken me a long time to work out that ignoring fibro does not work, it just makes it worse. Just wish there were better treatments out there that worked and fixed everyone.