Help

[Spottaraozzy]

Hi I feel I suffer with fibromyalgia every time I tell my doctor she is not interested anyone help me how I can make her understand my pain

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer]

`Morning welcoming you to the forum which I hope you will find helpful , yes I had the same problem every time I went to a certain doctor I would go out of the door wondering why I had the appointment with him in the 1st place this went on for a few years, then at the same surgery I saw the practice nurse she was really understanding and got me with another doctor at the surgery , he was brilliant and after a few months he diagnosed my fibro and also cfs. He seemed more in tune and clued up on fibro wish I could read this more often as so many thousands suffer with this condition and does not get very well regonised in some areas or surgeries. I would try another doc differently if you still struggle seriously think about changing till you get the help you need. Wishing you the best of luck. Here’s a helpful link as well healthunlocked.com/fibromya... take care xx

[Spottaraozzy in reply to YASMINTINA]

Thankyou so much glad to know I wasn’t on my own glad you got the help

[Midori]

If you are not already diagnosed it can be hard. Fibro can be a difficult thing to diagnose, as it mimics other conditions, and has a huge overlap with conditions such a ME/CFS and MS. Fatigue and pain, often following injury or illness, which continues for months, is a possible sign.

Blood tests are usually the first stage of diagnosis, the doc will be looking for things like Vitamin levels, full blood cell counts and Rheumatoid markers to decide whether a Specialist needs to see you. It is most often a Rheumatologist who makes the diagnosis, but even afterwards there is not a course of treatment, as it is treated symptomatically, and you will be shunted back to your GP.

Some GPs, especially older ones are dinosaurs, often saying there is no such thing as Fibro. IF you have one of those, your only recourse is change your GP.

It took around 20 years for me to be diagnosed.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Midori

[Spottaraozzy in reply to Midori]

Thankyou so much for your help

[Sg1474 in reply to Spottaraozzy]

Hi there, unfortunately it is quite common for us fybro sufferers to be mis diagnosed for years sometimes, what’s good is you recognise what’s wrong with you. Did you know you can easily change doctor and I really recommend it if you feel this doc is no help, if you are up to it I would start to write down your different symptoms,(the list may get quite long) as when u get to docs it’s easy to forget somethings and let them know how hard life is with all these symptoms. I was sent to a rheumatologist for 3 years and medicated for rheumatoid arthritis, it made me so poorly they realised I didn’t have that and am now diagnosed with osteoarthritis and fybromyalgia and take and antidepressant ( commonly used for pain relief) venlofaxine and gabapentin for pain too and the two are working quite well for me. Once you find an understanding doctor it does make you feel better for the future, it really helps.

Sending love and hugs, let us know how you get on. Sarah x

[25rosclare]

Stop trying - I have been there and it wasn't worth the effort and frustration over a period of a few years. I researched the doctors in my area and found John, who obtained an honours degree in Pharmacology before he trained as a doctor. He has changed all of my medication and although, I am in the zombie phase of building up the right level of gabapentin for me, I am feeling better than I have for years.

We have the rest of our lives to live with Fibro so lets work at making it better and not suffer people who won't understand.

Good Luck