I am part of PA forum, but just wanted to say hello here.
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a year and a half ago. I had pain (back, joint) + anxiety and depression. My GP said roughly there was nothing to do.
Finally, I tested Lyme, it was negative, then I tested my B12 level and it was very low. I took B12 supplement and my pain is almost gone. I have less anxiety also. Now I still need to understand why I suffer from B12D
So this was just to let you know if you are suffering from fibromyalgia you can try to test B12 and Lyme to evacuate these options, just in case...
Good luck everyone!
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Marybrown06
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yes your are right but normally a doctor will ask for more than your iron levels in a blood test, the results usually come back with all vits & mineral levels.
I had the same problem with a slew of doctors.. as a result my condition worsened. But crucially, when you are told its fine and its not, you mentally cross that off and search for alternative causes. Mostly they want to take you to the route of mental health by denying the physical problems. And it does start you questioning your mental health too.
I had Lyme in 1996 (in Boston, US), back when it wasn't well-known. I was sick for a year and a half before I finally got diagnosed. I had to take 2 semesters off school, was told that it was all in my head, had an unnecessary knee arthroscopy (they thought my Lyme Arthritis was cartilege damage), and ended up with neurological Lyme - horrendous headaches, terrible back pain, and at least 3 TIAs. Not being believed for so long, and being so sick, left me severely depressed.
Luckily I went to see a rheumatologist about my mysterious arthritis, and it turned out he was also a Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases. He did a Lyme test, and I tested quasi-positive (common with that test). 6 months of antibiotics via a pic line and I was back to my old self! My knee was quite damaged, unfortunately, and my immune system seems to have been permanently weakened, but I was just so happy to be believed, and to find out there was a cure!
Lyme is no joke! If you're having repeated flu-like symptoms, with a few weeks of being OK in between, increasing fatigue, headaches, joint aches, consider Lyme. If you get a one-joint arthritis, definitely press your doc for a test!
Apparently the changing climate is resulting in more sheep ticks in the UK, so chances of catching it are higher (only 15% of ticks are infected).
The ticks like to hang out in damp areas: woodland areas, moorland, etc. If you walk in areas like this, or your back yard is like this, wear light-coloured long trousers and long sleeves, tuck your trousers into your socks and your shirt into your trousers, and check both your clothing and your body for ticks when you're done. They like the damp sweaty bits most - backs of knees, waistband areas, under bras, groin, armpits. The nymphs are tiny - head of a pin, but the adults, especially when engorged, are about 0.4-0.7cm long. Look up how to remove them online - don't just pull them out - that can result in squishing their insides into you, resulting in higher chance of infection. Keep the tick if you can.
Many people in North America go and get antibiotics whenever they find a tick, but I think the form of Lyme there is a bit worse, and the % of infected ticks is higher. Not sure what the advice is here. If you notice a bull's-eye rash where the tick was, definitely go to your GP! Be aware that the rash doesn't always show up, and when it does a lot of people don't notice it (behind their knee, on their back, or very large).
Sorry for long post - just very big on Lyme awareness after my experience!
hmm ive never been tested. on another note my hands afr frozen today
when I suffer from bad fatigue my gp does a blood test of my vit levels, usually he will inject a B12 which does help, I have to say the over the counter versions are usually only a small percent vitamin the rest is additives some of which can have side effects- best to get gp onboard checking these levels blood tests can answer a lot of problems. Not sure if you know but you can overdose on vits if you dont need them and its awful getting that right again.
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Fibro or B12 deficiency??
Fibro/ME/Lyme?
Active B12 results
Does Your Patient Really Have Fibromyalgia?
Help please ! 
