Just Asking..What tests did you have to be diagnosed with the fibromyalgia?

[Kerry29]

Hi,

I had the 18 point tenderness thingy and a trip to the ultra sound for my hands and knees and feet and countless blood tests. This took 2 years. How long did yours take and how does it affect you in your daily life?

[C_M_B]

I've been looking for answers since I was about 8...so about 10 years for me. I've had numerous blood tests (over 20 in a 5 year time span), 2 ultra sounds, a cat scan, and quite a few surgeries. All before winding up on my rheumatologist's doorstep. (Yeah, my health has never been the best at all.) He did the pressure test with me as well as made me take some blood tests to make sure I didn't have rheumatoid arthritis, which was initially suspected. Those came back negative and now I'm waiting to for a call from the Arthritis Society because they are, ironically enough, the leading experts on fibro in my area.

I don't know about you, but mine can be absolutely debilitating at times. Between the pain and the exhaustion, I can barely drag myself up out of bed to go to school...on a GOOD day. My fibromyalgia affects my daily life immensely. I can't do as much as I'd like to and some days it's impossible. But I've learned to enjoy the little things, it makes life enjoyable when my body is doing everything in its power to make me feel the opposite.

I'm not sure if I answered your questions the way you wanted....but I hope this helps!!

*Gentle hugs*

[wednesday_focker]

oh after being unwell each winter with fatigue, and never showing anything in bloods, i finally fell really ill , was sent from pillar to post consultant wise to find what it was, finally paid privately to see a rheumy who diagnosed me, however he did say it was linked to being sexually abused as a child and i had to sor tthat out, was mind over matter, really angry i was, i was not abused as a child, and its not mind over blooming matter

xx

[Ebony]

perhaps I was one of the luck ones if you can be lucky having FMS, my first GP said the symptosn were probably because I was overwieght, I went back and she was on holiday so I saw another GP and straight away after i had told him how I felt said that most likely I had FMS, I waited about 3 months to see a Rheumatologist who confirmed with the tender point test that I had Fibromylagia.

[Kerry29]

Ok

[Kerry29]

Hi,

I understand to some extent what you were going through. I also have a son who goes to the hospitals up in London. So the stress of that isn't helping.

[Ermintrude75]

I had about 18 vials of blood taken in a space of 7 months (3 of these were for my diabetes. 2 x rays of my hands and 1 of my feet and all the pressure points on my body checked. Before I was diagnosed. The fact is I had the costochondritis (my chest would crack loudly) and the doctor said if I get anything else to go back. The pain and fatigue hit big time (Id always get sore muscles but put it down to doing to much etc) If I didnt have the costochondritis Id still be none the wiser and wouldnt have the explanation of why I had painful heavy periods, the sore head or was tired specially in the winter time.