Can I ask a favour please....

[Rach1977]

I am going through the process of trying to get pensioned out of my job through ill health, not purely on the medical grounds of FM, but quite bad whiplash also. I have suffered with pain in my neck for 13 years now.....and that pain will never go away!!!!!

Can I kindly ask that if any of you come across research papers relating to FM or whiplash and they state that there is no cure as of yet for FM as they do not know what the cause is etc etc) or ANYTHING to do with whiplash would you be send me the link.

Thank you, I need to build up as much evidence as poss!! xx

[Hidden]

A teeny bit off topic but my cousin had very bad whiplash and terrible pain (only for 2 years in her case) and they put her on morphine and now she's addicted to it. She worked in a hospital pharmacy and can't work because the GP is trying to get her off the morphine by reducing her dose and she's having withdrawal symptoms like she's on heroin. It's sooo scary. She's only 26 and Mum to a 7 year old.

I was wondering if she had a case. Probably not but I wonder if she will end up with fibro.......

Hope that makes sense to at least one person, not sure it does to me lol x

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

Sue, that really is no good at all, poor lady. Has the pain in her neck completely gone now or is the fact she is still on morphine masking the pain??

That is a very hard situation to be in isn't it. How awful that her consumption wasn't monitored a little better and she might not have been in this position now.

Who knows whether she will develop FM.....hope not, wouldn't wish that on anyone.

BTW, it does make sense!!! xxx

[lyn-elliott in reply to Hidden]

she should have a case a pain clinic in norfolk tried to give me morphine at a high dose at my 1st appt there i was lucky in that i know peadiatric physio through my son he has right sided hemi and she told me not to take it and see my gp but its scary how its just handed out now but sunny side did she have trouble claiming dla cos ppl who choose to be smack heads and addicted to substances through choice seem to get dla so easily and genuinly disabled ppl like me have to fight for it

no disrespect to your cousin im sure she wasnt aware of the consiquences but go to cab see what there solisitor advises sorry brain fog today says about it but the consiquence of compensation from the hospital means the drs are then very weary of treating the person afterwards so think very carefully before doing anything i no that through personal exeperiance with my god daughter take care love and hugs xx

[Hidden in reply to lyn-elliott]

Sorry Rach, didn't mean to take over your thread.

When I have a chat with her next time Lyn I will ask her what's happening. She's sued her neighbour for driving into her and causing all this but it's a nightmare getting anything. I'm very surprised at her taking it in the first place as she works in the hospital pharmacy and is a very lovely, sensible girl.

She isn't getting any benefits, her work are paying her half salary for the time being. She's got a solicitor but they keep passing the buck.

hugs xx

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

Don't worry about the thread!!!...Just pay me back by finding me some research!!!!!!! hehehe...!!!!!

[Rach1977]

Thanks Lynn, I will look at his cases.Ii was thinking about getting in touch with him actually. I think he works along side a female solicitor too now??

Thanks for sending me some studies, i just feel so bogged down by it all!!!!!!

If my case goes to appeal I will need to take a Dr with me to help me out.....OMG where do I get one of those from???

Anyway positive thinking and I might get the ill health like I deserve!!xx

[Hidden]

She still has terrible pain Rach, she was sitting in her car and her neighbour shot into her. She's had injections in her neck and 2 operations, I doubt the pain will ever go, like yours.

She hasn't worked since it happened and she has a 7 year old and if she doesn't take enough morphine, she has these withdrawal symptoms and she just sleeps and shakes and is sick.

She already has arthritis as she did a lot of gym when she was at school so I wuoldn't be surprised if she got fibro actually.

I am glad it made sense lol. xxx

[Rach1977]

Ah Sue, I feel for her. Poor girl esp having a daughter to look after aswelll. Are the Drs being supportive in managing her withdrawal?

I've had injections too, but they didn't work for me. What Ops did she have?

No I wouldn't be surprised if she had it, does she feel like she has the symptoms. xx

[Hidden in reply to Rach1977]

I don't know tbh Rach, I know she had one ages ago and she was due another about now. I'll have to ask her, I probably know but have forgotten lol.

I don't think the injections have worked for her which is why they put her on the morphine.

She has bad knees but she says that's arthritis from her gym days but she's only 26 but I guess you can have arthritis at that age. She lives a long way from me and I don't see her very often, poor girl can only stand going on fb every now and again which is where I usually chat with her. xxx

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

26 is not a good age at all, esp to have probs with her knees from sport!!

I hope she can feel better one day x

[Hidden in reply to Rach1977]

Thanks hun, I feel so sorry for her cos she is a lovely girl. xx

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

I have to say that when you have so much pain in your neck and head you will do anything to try and get rid of it and if it means taking morphine you would do it. I have been close to that point, but instead try to avoid it due to addiction problems. I am sure she probably thought she would never get addicted, but you just don't know how drugs are going to effect you. Going cold Turkey is awful, I've done it on gabapentine, however Morphine that is totally different!!! Sending her hope to get better xx

[Rach1977]

Hi, Thanks Jules, look forward to hearing from you! x

[Hidden]

Brian Barr is quite good and quick to respond i e mailed him a few weeks ago ref accident at work in 2007 that damaged my lower back and now got fibro but because it was over 3 years ago i cannot claim for that but just put in google brian barr and he will come up e mail him brief history and i got lovely e mail back within 5 days so worth a go he may be able to reccommend another route to go down. take care and good luck love to you Diddle x

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Diddle....Thanks for your advice re Brian. I have already emailed him after reading his success stories.

Do you mean that the original accident had to be within the last 3 years, even though you may have developed FM in the last 3 years?? Oh please not.....my accident was more than 3 years ago...... I feel like I just keep hitting my head against a brick wall. Grrrr xxx

[Hidden in reply to Rach1977]

Yes sorry to tell you but the original accident had to be within 3 years of it happening i have asked several other solicitors too in last couple of years and the answer is always the samre 3 years but please ask and ask others just because they told me that i would hate to think you jus gave up there maybe different circumstances for you and i dont want to pry into your buiness so always check it out and give them all your details as you never know good luck with it love to you xDiddle x

[Rach1977 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks sweetie xx

[Kizzie]

Rach I am in exactly the same position as you!

Phillip Cohen, solicitor with Brian Barr is now acting for me but this is just very recent so he is still gathering up information.

However a very useful book to read is Breaking Thru th Fibro Fog Scientific Proof Fibromyalgia is Real by Kevin White.

I also have a research article somewhere on whiplash and FM, I will try to find it and see if I can find a link to it online.

Kizzie

[Rach1977 in reply to Kizzie]

Hi,

Wow that is interesting that you already have him on board with your case. I hope you get success. Keep us all updated as it would be good to hear a positive story.

I will get those books as they sound interesting. Shame the library is closed otherwise I would go now!!!!

Thanks for trying to find that link xx

[Kizzie]

Another book to read if you can get it is From Whiplash To Fibromyalgia, A Painful Beginning that Doesn't End by Mark Pellegrino.

or this article by him

prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/...

If you send me a PM with your email address I can email it to you.

[rubywhiplash]

Ah Rach you could be talking about me I had a whiplash accident in 97 and still suffering from it today, and from the accident came the fibro 2 weeks after accident slipped disc, I wish you well in finding some answers I have heard good things about Brian Barr I remember the Air hostess case well the trouble is they are capping the payout for whiplash injury's now but where we stand re the fibro I honestly don't know, I do have some hospital notes somewhere shall have to dig them out there is something in there I am sure that may be of use to you. x

[Rach1977 in reply to rubywhiplash]

Hi, love your HU name!!!!! Sorry to hear about your horrible whiplash too. It really is a pain in the neck isn't it, literally!!!

Brian looks like he has had some great success with cases, one person got 1.2 million!!! WOW!!! I am not doing this to be a money grabber, you could give me all the money in the world, but I would rather be pain free!!! What is money if you are unhappy!!!???

I guess I will just have to wait to see what Brian says!!! xx

[circuitrunner]

Silly question from me but have you had an x-ray done?

[Rach1977]

Hi, yeah xrays and MRI's!!! x

[lynnie2010]

fibro can be caused thro trauma so the accident you had could have caused ya fibro to start.... or did you already have fibro before the accident??? x

[circuitrunner]

The thing is the trauma does not mean it had only happened last month or last year -

[Rach1977]

Hi No I didn't have fibro before the RTC, it came years after. I have had other trauma too, more emotional so I believe it's a combination of everything!!! x

[Oceandeep]

Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here. But sadly not new to FM. I broke my neck ( see profile) and this in turn caused my Fybro. Last Summer, while in France, hubs and I were looking into buying a little holiday home. I ( stupidly ) went with the lady estate agent in her car - something I never do) She drove like a loony. Doing over 60mph in a 30 zone and on single lane roads. Needless to say, we came around a corner and there was an oncoming car! She braked HARD and I was thrown forward. I cried out and although me missed the car...I was in agony. I asked her to slow down as I was a disabled person (because of the broken neck) and that I also suffer with Fybro. She just said, "Well at least we didn't hit the car".....!! Upon getting back to the agency. ( no she didn't really slow down) I was in tears..all the stupid women said was " you look terrible, can I lend you a neck brace?" Hubs wanted me to go to the doctors. But as I had all my meds with me..said I'd wait until the morning. The next day..I felt okay-ish. and didn't bother with the docs. Then 3 day's later I woke in complete and utter agony. Asked hubs to just take me home. Upon getting home, went straight to the doc's. Sever whiplash and a sprained ankle. ( because I also braked hard)...It is now almost a year..and still have the whiplash. I'm suing the woman, who, can you believe, is denying ever meeting me and hubs. ( and my other friend who was also in the car) I've had 16 weeks of physio and hydro therapy..but then got discharged from that - as on the NHS, you only get 'so' long. My case is on-going ( as it's through French law) and so, after that long winded little story. - All I can offer is that it's THE very worst thing that could have happened to me. I had a lovely little job. 9 hours a week with a car dealership. had been there for 4 years. Yet, after over 6 months on the sick, I was gently asked...to leave..more or less anyway. besides, I've been in one of my worst flare-ups in years...so wasn't feeling fit enough to even do my 9 hours. The actions of that women.....well, I find it hard to talk about really, because I not only get so very angry...I just cry. Been in agony for over a year..and see no end in sight. *sigh*

[Tiggerooo]

Hi Rach, having read your blog there are two sites I would point you to, one which has loads of info and I have been a member and found them a great help, and may be worth a search on it for the things you are looking for, and that one is:- benefitsandwork.co.uk

The other one I have just found following a search after reading your blog, is:-

fibromyalgia-support.net/cl...

Again you may find information on that site in relation to what you are wanting confirmation for.

I know these URLs are pointing to claiming of benefits but if your doctor has signed you off as unfit to work due to the Fibro and/or neck pain rendering you disabled, and you are claiming disability benefits, it would be worth your while seeing if one of those sites could be a help in that department. I do think from my years of one chronic illness and another...greedy me now up to 5 chronic illness 8( ....that if your GP either has/or if not you could ask them to write you a letter confirming you are considered disabled and unfit to work, then that would be a great start towards the claim; plus if you are on any benefits in relation to disability I reckon that would also be worth putting together with a GP's letter-the more proof you can give the less hassle it will be.

There is also one other site, in relation to disability, but I have never been on it so unclear of its content other than in the URLs suggestion, that you might also want to have a skim through, is:-

disabilitysecrets.com

Anyway, I really hope one or two of all of these may provide some sort of help to you in your circumstance; and certainly I have found in my experiences that it always helps if you have a proof 'letter' from your GP regarding confirming your disability and pain situation, and any other proof you can provide, e.g. in the way of disability payments allocation; and do let me know how you get on, as Im keen to hear how others fare in the world of benefits and tribunals etc... it is a bit of a minefield 8-/

If you dont have a GP letter then I would be tempted to ask him/her if they could write you one and advise them what it is you are needing it for.

I really hope you find the answers and get it sorted and would love to hear back. Take care of you, and all the very best. Tiggerooo X

[Rach1977 in reply to Tiggerooo]

Hi, Thanks Tiggerooo, I will take a look at those sites, thank you so so much, I appreciate any advice/help anyone can give me.

I will keep you updated xx

[Tiggerooo]

Hi Rach, I hope this finds you doing ok, and any of the information I had posted on the site helpful to you. Do let me know how you get on, and it would be great to hear how you are going. I am sorry I havent replied before now as have just gone through a very rough spell, with chest infections and loads-of antibiotics which always knock me completely off my feet, but thankfully at last that has sorted. The FM has been giving me a lot of pain too, as you generally find (am sure you'll know) that if your body's strength is totally zapped it means that the pain you feel tends to feel higher than usual as your body isnt able to fight it the same as if you were feeling a bit stronger, so I feel bad I havent been on here for a while.

I do hope you are doing ok, and do drop a note when you feel up to it, as it would be great to hear how you are doing.

For chronic pain, its worth finding out where your nearest 'Pain Clinic' is - mine is held at the local hospital, and they can be helpful in assisting with advising ways and supporting you through the best ways to aide you in coping with the pain. I am very lucky in having the support of the Clinical Psychologist attached to the Pain Clinic(at the moment) locally, who is helping me cope with the body's fighting with my 5 chronic conditions and resultant high pain levels, and she is so passionate in learning and the knowledge she already has about ME & FM so is extremely helpful in advising me and a wonderful support.

Hope to hear how your doing Rach. Meantime take good care of yourself, and if you need a chat, a moan, a scream, or any other questions, I would be very happy to help (best I'm able), lend my ears, and be nice to hear from you. Sending all good wishes your way.

Tiggs xx