Advice please...

[Wes1991]

Hi guys. I am 27 years old, I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 5 years ago. I first completed my honours degree in Psychology and am now in med school and working for a hospital as an intern.

For the past 6 weeks I have been battling with terrible pain into my shoulders, back, head and hands. I also have a constant migraine and it’s taking its toll on my studies and work as I’m battling to keep up with the pace and always asking for extensions to my projects and assessments.

My biggest concern is that it causes “brain fog”, where I am unable to concentrate or even think... simple day to day tasks are even complicated and having conversations with anyone is even worse, it’s as if I can’t follow or comprehend what they are saying so I’ve just become very quiet and try to avoid taking to people. I do luckily have a very supportive and understanding husband.

I have seen my GP about this but they don’t want to prescribe muscle relaxants, the only medication I have is myprocam 30mg (cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride), oxynorm 20mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) and Tramadol which is also an opioid type drug.... the problem is, I don’t drink any of these drugs because they are not working and their side effects are quite severe.

This has now also triggered my anxiety sometimes I even get anxious to leave the house. I’ve been referred to a Psychiatrist in March but still haven’t heard back as to when my appointment will be and the GP practice who referred me said I can take up to 24 weeks ( 6 months) before the Psychiatrist will contact me regarding my appointment.

We are also new to the UK. We moved here at the beginning of February this year from South Africa. So I also don’t really know where to get help or what to do because the GP’s here don’t help with anything they just keep referring me.

Does anyone have any advice for me on this please? Is there anything I can do to clear this brain fog and just feel a bit better so that I can at least keep on top of my studies and work. My dream has always been to study medicine and now that I finally have the chance, it’s as if I can’t do it because of the pain, brain fog, anxiety, insomnia and depression.

[Marz]

Have you ruled out all the basic things that may cause your symptoms ? How are your levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin and VitD. B12 is good around 500 - Folate and Ferritin mid-range and VitD at 100 plus. If your Ferritin is Low then ask for a Full Iron Profile. Low Iron can cause migraine type headaches - one of my daughters has transfusions from time to time and her migraines tell her when she is low in iron. As you know iron is transported around the body in the red blood cells - and oxygen adheres to the iron for the journey - so low iron can mean low oxygen to the brain and elsewhere ... Low B12 - Folate and VitD can be the cause of depression too and I guess you could be missing the South African sun

Do you have any gut issues that could be preventing the uptake of vitamins - or an unbalanced gut microbiome. The world is hearing more and more about the connections between the gut and the brain ...

Sometimes throwing pills at various conditions can make the body more toxic and unbalance things even more .. I have Hashimotos and it was a source of a great deal of pain. I was diagnosed in 2005 and it has been a long journey to wellness - I also have Crohns that I deal with through diet as the meds made me more ill. I just rattle with supplements which I test for annually.

Hope you soon find some answers. You may wish to check out Kelly Brogan's website - she is from the US and is changing the way she treats patients with mental issues.

[Wes1991 in reply to Marz]

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate it.

[Wes1991 in reply to Marz]

I started using a product called Brainzyme, It is a multivitamin and cognitive enhancer and is 100% natural... which sometimes helps a bit with the brain fog.

I also take a normal multivitamin, cod liver oil (for the arthritis), omega oils, iron, vitamin D, glucosamine and chondroitin with MSM (also for the arthritis).

I usually eat a very healthy diet, steamed vegetables, chicken, steak, fish, bacon, eggs, pork sausages etc... I don’t eat any sugar and no carbohydrates (except for maybe once a week if I have mash with the pork sausages).... I also eat a lot of green salad (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, olives, grated carrots, strawberries and pomegranate).

I exercise almost every day.

I will definitely have a look at Kelly Brogan’s website, thank you!

[Hidden]

I don't think you can get any better advice than Marz's. Take care.

[AllthatGlitters]

Firstly congratulations on gaining your degree, that’s amazing since you suffer with Fibro and brain fog. I couldn’t study myself now, I can’t remember things!

I would suggest you change to a new GP, as you live here now I am assuming you are entitled to see medical professionals working for the NHS. Even take your husband with you and make sure you are taken seriously, it’s effecting your life and maybe your future studies.

Take care and you will get lots of support on here x

[Wes1991 in reply to AllthatGlitters]

Thank you.

In your experience with the NHS, do you find that they are completely lazy and they don’t really want to treat you, like you are just wasting their time?

I’ve seen various GP’s at the practice where I am registered and they told me to take paracetamol or ibuprofen for my fibromyalgia and arthritis in my knee and foot. I asked if they prescribe anything else for arthritis because continuously taking ibuprofen is not recommended due to it’s effect on the stomach, but I was told in the UK they treat arthritis with paracetamol and ibuprofen only.

I have now been on Amitriptyline 25mg for the last two weeks and it helps a little bit but not nearly enough.

It’s now been over 3 months since they referred me to a Psychiatrist but I haven’t heard anything back from them and when I try to follow up the GP practice tells me to just wait because they can’t phone the psychiatrist’s practice to follow up, they don’t have their contact information ???

Do you perhaps think it is just because it’s the NHS? Maybe I should try and go to a private medical practice?

What would you recommend I do because it doesn’t feel like I’m getting anywhere with the practice I’m registered at (apparently it’s a very good practice because the reviews about it are great, hence me going to this practice).

[Lizzie57]

Hi Wes

Firstly I’m sorry you have this awful condition, I take Tramadol I’m prescribed to take 1 x3 times daily it can give my foggy brain so I take it as prescribed when I don’t have any appointments, when I do I take 2at night and no more so my head is clearer,I have tried to cut them down but the pain in my shoulders,hands,legs are so bad I cannot do without them o I forgot to say I also take co-codamol.

Take the Tramadol early on in the evening so it’s worn off enough and you brain fog is not so bad the next day

Hope this makes sense

Gentle hugs

Lizzie57

[Wes1991 in reply to Lizzie57]

Hey! Thank you for your reply.

I was prescribed tramadol before too, as well as Oxycodone... my problem with these medications is that they are highly addictive and have terrible side effects so I try and stay away from them as much as possible.

I understand the feeling of wanting to leave the medication but because of the pain in feels like you can’t... I would suggest maybe seeing a GP (or a doctor you know of who is good and understands your condition) and telling them that you want to leave the opioid (tramadol, codeine, oxycodone etc.) medication and you want to try an alternative that would help for your pain... quite a few antidepressants have been known to help with fibromyalgia, but you would need to consult your doctor.

Please be careful with the tramadol, it is highly addictive and has some terrible side effects.

What dosage of tramadol do you usually take?