Fibro Specialist local to Sheffield UK??

[Glenys]

After over 20 years of generic tests, and diagnoses of the components of Fibro, I was finally diagnosed at the age of 38, four years ago with the full blown syndrome. Tests were standard THS, Liver, blood count and Thyroid type things, nothing too fancy.

What did surprise me was that in the whole of the many GP practices I have been through over those years (around 5), only one doctor took me serious enough to refer me to a specialist that I had found MYSELF through my local support group. He was equally as pleased to find this consultant and was actually familiar with him as a rheumatologist, but didn't even know he diagnosed Fibro.

The consultant asked me a few questions (and must have looked at some GP notes?) and then prodded me with the tender point test. I didn't experience great pain but he said he could tell I had reacted sufficiently, and said that I had the big "F". And that was it…nothing else….

Is this what other people have experienced? Does a Neurologist do the same, and if not how do I find a consultant in my area, please? The original consultant I saw has dropped out of diagnosis on the NHS as fibro was becoming more associated with Neuro rather than Rheumatology.

Glenys

Sheffield UK

[Amanda39]

I have been diagosed three times (once by a neurologist and twice by a Rhemutiolgist ) and each time was given the diagosses and that was it. They looked at my file and seen that I was attending Pain Clinic, OT, Physio and said that there was nothing else they could do for me! I to joined a local support group and this was the best thing for my Fibro. I had friends who now understood, access to hydrotherapy, clubs, outings and meetings to attend that got me out of the house and gave me something to look forward too. Unfortunately in the last couple of years my problems got worse and new symtons that didn't come under Fibro appeared. I wasn't able to attend the group as much as I would have liked but still manage to see them when possible. After many appointments and no answers to my new symtons, the Pyhsio who took us for hydrotherapy wrote a letter to my GP with a diagosess she wanted looked into. Six months later I recieved a further diagosess ( not connected to Fibro) based on her findings. If I hadn't have joined the support group I would never have been diagossed with the connective tissue disorder that was geneic from birth x

[moss]

is fibro a neurological condition ? i ask as some people are referred to neurologists

[Glenys]

Specialists are finding out that there are more neourological components to this condition than previously thought. For example, the amplified pain perception, is due to a chemical called Substance P (which very unhelpfully sounds like something out of a James Bond Movie), which FMS sufferers appear to have excess amounts of. Although the pain suggests damage to joints and muscles (leading one to think it could be rheumatic), in some people there is sometimes little damage to show. People can have additional deseases which can confuse and cloud the overall diagnosis, but gradually these are being weeded out and have become conditions in their own right, like Myofacial pain sydrome, and arthritic damage is now not part of the FMS equation. There is a difference between Neurological cause and symptoms and the resultant Psychological symptoms.

[Glenys]

So, does anyone know of a Neurologist close to Sheffield, who will check my diagnosis out in accordance to new findings? ??