Well, I had my appointment with my 'second opinion' rheumy on Tuesday, and - after prodding me, listening to my chest front and back, and quizzing me on my pain, lifestyle, history, and bowel movements - decided that, pending some blood tests for vitamin D, antibodies, rheumatoid factor, and inflammatory markers, I probably have fibromyalgia. With that came the caveat that, whilst I probably don't have RA now, I may develop it, as the two conditions are quite closely linked. I'm waiting on the blood results before I do anything, but he did suggest that I might want to swap my citalopram for amitriptyline, try hydrotherapy, visit the pain clinic, etc.
Trouble is, I now have to try to explain to my boss that this isn't a 'nothing illness'. I already know her views on fibromyalgia; I worked with her once and commented that my next patient had it, to which she replied 'oh, that doesn't exist - it means nothing'. And, when I mentioned it to her in passing yesterday, she asked if they were putting me on steroids for it. When I said 'no - if it is that, then it's not responsive to steroids, because it's not strictly speaking inflammatory', her response was utter shock that they weren't giving me steroids anyway! I don't think she believed me when I said that they don't tend to like to throw steroids around without good cause! So my next sickness meeting with the Wicked Witch of the West Midlands should be another joy to look forward to!
I was quite positive when I left the hospital on Tuesday, but the paranoia is setting in now, and I'm wondering if he thought I was just trying it on, as I'd obviously read up on my symptoms beforehand, and knew what fibromyalgia was. But I think that's what a lot of people do now, what with the internet and all.
So, on with the waiting for a little longer, and then a launch into trying to regain a bit of pain-free existence!
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SootyB
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Sooty, fibro is not a nothing problem believe you me as i have both ra/fibro and it is not a skivers get out to get money out of the system. It is very painful and yes it does go hand in hand with ra.Don't worry too much until the bloods come back and see what they show.
You'll be ok,there are loads of us on here who can either help or cheer you up when things don't go according to plan.
I've given up worrying, Sylvi ... or at least, that's what I tell myself!
Sara xx
Seems almost everyone worries about people thinking they are swinging the lead or a hypochondriac. I know exactly how you feel about knowing the symptoms but perhaps if we didn't have to wait so long for appointments the internet wouldn't get so much use!
I've never thought of fibromyalgia as a 'nothing illness' but experiencing inflammatory arthritis pain has reinforced that very real illnesses may be invisible to everyone but the person who is suffering. And the less well known they are, the more scepticism there is about them. Should you go to your next sickness meeting armed with the best literature on the subject you can find? (I guess that might apply whatever way the diagnosis goes).
I know many people have Fibro and RA but does that really mean you should be prepared for RA if you've got Fibro? I wonder whether people here who have had RA for quite a while have heard of other Fibro sufferers being told that? Sounds a bit alarmist to me but I'm new to all this and anyway, probably have Psoriatic Arthritis. I'd almost given up hoping for a definite diagnosis but today I've resolved to pursue the matter! All this uncertainty isn't good.
Hope your pain is controlled very soon and that you get the Wicked Witch under control! All the best,
I'll probably gather together some info for her, once I've got a definite on the diagnosis, and sock it to her. With a bit of luck, it won't bounce off!
I think the rheumy was talking from his own experience, so I don't know how likely it is to occur, but I won't stress over it. If there's one thing this experience has taught me, it's that things will happen, whether you fret or not, so there's no sense in crossing bridges before you even know if you're on that road!
Good luck, and stick to your guns, Christina! Hope you get some luck with that elusive diagnosis!
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