Is fibromyalgia difficult to diagnose or do doctors not take it serious?

[HetHeru]

Why do some doctors have a hard time diagnosing fibromyalgia even when a patient has all the symptoms? My RA doctor was out and i had too see a different doctor that came to our city once a week too help out. I told him my symptoms and he knew immediately that i was suffering from fibro. 4 other doctors thought i had arthritis. Is this common?

[snowyday2020]

Yes. Some doctors, I believe , do not have the training for fybromyalgia. See if you can find a fybromyalgia dr.

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

It is a difficult condition to diagnose for doctors and depends on not only their experience and training but also on the informations they are presented with by you and your body and your patient history.

Some are reluctant to diagnose fibro until they have ruled everything else out. The absence of an easy blood test does not help but the diagnostic criteria has evolved over the last 30 years to make it a bit easier.

[Midori]

It is hard to diagnose, as it mimics other conditions. Doctors need to take an extensive history from you with especial reference to life changing events, both physical and mental, along with blood and other tests to rule out other diseases, before they can accurately diagnose Fibro. It's what I call a chameleon condition.

Cheers, Midori

[Cardmaker60]

I’ve been told that Fibro is only diagnosed after ruling out other conditions as with so many symptoms I suppose it’s very confusing for the poor doctors (huh). It would help if they sounded as though they knew more about the condition instead of the “ah well, we can’t find out what is actually wrong so we’ll just diagnose Fibro!!”

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer]

healthunlocked.com/fibromya..., hello there, reading desquinn and Mindor this does seem to sum up what people go through until a lot of other medical conditions are ruled out, as Midori has said fibromyalgia mimics other conditions, I was trying to get my diagnosis for Cfs and found out I had fibromyalgia as well. I have now got a great doctor but for many the journey takes awhile.