How did they decide you have fibromyalgia? (new here)

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creative~d
New Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 5

Posted 11/3/2009 8:31 PM (GMT -7)

So as I sat in pain a month ago and just blood tests were run....everything came back fine they decide I have fibromyalgia.

I get some meds that I take at night only 20mg.

I take acupuncture 1 a week and I sit here still in tears and in pain.

I wonder...is this really what I have just because my blood test said nothing?

I am going back to the doctor and would like to have something under my belt

thank you so very much for your time~

Statgeek
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2008
Total Posts : 1033

Posted 11/3/2009 10:43 PM (GMT -7)

Hi creative. Welcome to the forum.
I got blood tests for RA and lupus and thyroid and celiac and a bunch of other stuff. I asked my doc about fibro and she referred me to the pain clinic. The pain doctor poked on me and diagnosed fibro. I also have three other things: arthritis, myofascial pain, and hypermobility joint syndrome. yay.

It took a long time and I had to fire my first doctor who refused to help me.
Sue

lettuce
Regular Member

Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 55

Posted 11/3/2009 10:44 PM (GMT -7)

That was a quick diagnosis. Usually it takes many doctors, many months & sometimes years to find a diagnosis. Don't give up if you aren't happy with this doctor, find another. May I suggest a reumetologist.

creative~d
New Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 5

Posted 11/3/2009 10:58 PM (GMT -7)

ok thats kinda the funny thing...the doc who ran the blood test....then went for the points....said yep I think you have FM...I am gonna send you to a Reumetologist...he read my file...talked to me for about 30 mins....pressure pionts....yep you have FM.....
I feel as if I really wasnt "looked" at you know what I mean?

getting by
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Sep 2007
Total Posts : 9726

Posted 11/3/2009 11:43 PM (GMT -7)

Basically with fibromyalgia, they have to rule other things out. What happened when they did the tenderpoint test? Did it hurt you? It did me, I almost came off of the table. That was how I was diagnosed too. After they did xrays and blood tests. Also an mri.

I am glad that you have joined the forum. If you get a chance, check out fibro101. It is the very first thread. You will learn a lot about fibromyalgia there. And continue to ask questions. Welcome!!!

Hugs, Karen

Moderator-Depression and fibromyalgia

fibromyalgia, Chronic fatigue, depression,allergies

creative~d
New Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 5

Posted 11/3/2009 11:58 PM (GMT -7)

yep they did a basic blood tests then the tenderpoints....thats it and then I felt they patted me on the head and said deal with it.

I go back tomorrow only cuz I raised heck and said this is not the way I will live not like this.

So maybe either I get answers or find out what else I can do with my insurance allows.

Thank you so much for input

Chutz
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Jan 2005
Total Posts : 7060

Posted 11/4/2009 12:10 AM (GMT -7)

Hi and Welcome to the family!

From my viewpoint I consider your diagnosis mighty lucky! It doesn't HAVE to take years and years and dozens of doctors, but often it does because they are either uneducated or unwilling to make a decision, IMHO. Yes, the rheumatologist is the one who will most likely confirm the diagnosis but my PCP diagnosed me, then sent me to a rheumy for confirmation and some other tests.

There are some things that fibro does have that are specific to just fibromyalgia...like Karen said, the tender points. If all other tests come back negative, you have bilateral pain and tender points, then it's likely you have fibro. Most good doctors can and will get you that far. At that point they should be sending you to a rheumy.

Also, most people with fibro fit some other common molds. Most all of us have some sort of 'gut' issue and other autoimmune disorders. Our mental acuity had gotten bad. You often can't remember simple things or things you heard only minutes ago. You can't remember a specific word you've known as long as you can remember. I spend more time trying to remember what word I want to say than I do grocery shopping..lol This is Fibro Fog...the feeling like your head is in a fog and you just can't think straight sometimes. Some of us jumble words either when saying them or writing them. I used to teach and when I was giving lectures each day I would always have a sentence or two come out all goofed up. I became a master of disguising them, but I'm sure I wasn't as clever as I thought. College students are mighty sharp. Even typing posts here every day, I jumble up the letters typing words at least 5-6 times in each post. It's like I can spell backwards and inside-out at the same time...lol

If you aren't comfortable with the diagnosis, then please DO get a second opinion. You are the one who has to live with it and it's your body! But ask the doctors how they came to the diagnosis and if all looks right then I would be thankful it didn't take long like most everyone here. My pain had been increasing for a long time and since I had doctor every 3 months he has noted over time how much pain I was in. But when it began to get impossible to live with the pain, that's when he started pushing on tender points, doing more blood tests and calling a rheumy for me.

We all have different experiences and by sharing them here it helps everyone.
Chutzie

The three grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for. — Alexander Chalmers

(\o/)Co-Moderator Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Forums
(/|\)
Fibromyalgia, PTSD, UC, Diabetic on insulin, collapsed disk, arthritis scattered around and a few other delights.

creative~d
New Member

Date Joined Nov 2009
Total Posts : 5

Posted 11/4/2009 12:35 AM (GMT -7)

I had been reading yalls forum for awhile and yes I am glad that I didnt wait and wait for them to say something ((soft hugs to yall)) I just felt well...then now what? I am not getting anytype of relief none and sitting at the computer and my chair crying all day is not what I want to be my life sentence so to speak.

I do hope that tomorrow I will get some answers or at the very least pointed in the right direction of something.

thanks so much again! I look forward to more reading here!

Sherrine
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Apr 2005
Total Posts : 5740

Posted 11/4/2009 5:48 AM (GMT -7)

Hi, Creative, and welcome! I was diagnosed much like you have been. My Internist diagnosed me after ruling out other illnesses. Actually, many with fibro have to see several doctors because they haven't found a doctor that believes in fibro! There are still doctors out there that think it's all in your head! But, seeing the rheumatologist will take that question mark out of your mind.

I think part of the problem is you don't know what to do next so you really are having problems handling this diagnosis. I could be wrong but I thought that after you said he patted you on the head and sent you home. You see, the problem is that doctors don't know what causes this illnesses and there is no set medication that helps everyone. It's a case of trial and error to see what works best for us. If you read back posts, you will see that there is a large variety of medications that people are taking on the forum. You just have to find what works best for you.

I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements, and vitamin D3 for my pain and fatigue.

Be sure to check out the Fibro 101 thread...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there that can help you. There are links about malic acid/magnesium supplements and vitamin D in Fibro 101. Also, read back posts. There is a world of information in them.

You do need to keep moving. Sitting and laying too much will make you stiff as a board and cause more pain. Gentle stretching and gentle exercises are great. There are some stretching exercises in Fibro 101 that really do help. I walk as my gentle exercise and I always feel better and have more energy when I get back from a walk. If you have access to a pool, swimming is a good exercise for you, too.

Hot baths and showers feel great! You can get a Bed Buddy from Walgreens or other places that gives off moist heat. You can make your own, too, by taking a tube sock, filling it 2/3's full of long grained rice, and tying a knot at the end. Pop it in the microwave and it gives off moist heat that feels wonderful on those achy muscles.

Lastly, attitude plays a big part in fibro. I keep a positive outlook on life and look forward to each new day with anticipation. I can do that because fibro waxes and wanes when it comes to pain so I will have good days along with the bad days. If I'm having a bad day, I dig into my hobby...genealogy. That takes my mind off the pain and it fades in the background.

I'm so glad you found us and joined in! Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you soon.

Sherrine

Forum Moderator/ Fibromyalgia

***********************

Fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease, Ostomy, Diabetes, Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease, Osteoporosis

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

crazykitty
Veteran Member

Date Joined Jul 2009
Total Posts : 605

Posted 11/4/2009 8:33 AM (GMT -7)

Hi Creative, welcome to our fibro family! You were lucky to get a dx in such a short time.
Some of us have to see more than one doc and wait months or years before someone
figures it out.

Blood tests are usually done to rule out autoimmune connective tissue diseases like,
Lupus, Scleroderma, Polymyositis, Myositis and RA. Fibromyalgia symptoms mimic some
of the symptoms of the connnective tissue diseases.

Fibromyalgia dxs can be made if you have the allover pain and have tender points on
designated places on your body. You can have pain other places too, but there are 18
points that they use for classification.

I am an oddball, I have fibro along with Scleroderma,Lupus and RA. My dx of Fibro

and MCTD took a very long time along with a few rheumys, a dermatologist,

neurologist and a hematologist.

If you haven't all ready be sure to checkout fibro 101, lots of good information.
Excercise is great, it will help relieve stress and wonderful for the achiness. I agree with
Sherrine about positive attitude. It does go along way in helping you deal with things.

Keep posting!

Robin

^{MCTD, Fibromyalgia, Raynauds, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Degenerative}

^{Disc Disease, Hypertension, Migraines and Pseudothrombocytopenia}^{MEDS: Methotrexate, Savella,Flexeril,Diltiazem, Boniva, Vitamins}

Post Edited (crazykitty) : 11/4/2009 9:26:14 AM (GMT-7)

WhiteChocChip
Regular Member

Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 336

Posted 11/4/2009 10:35 AM (GMT -7)

took me the better part of 2 yrs to get a diagnosis.
At first they passed it off like I was lazy and didn't want to work.
Then they ruled everything else out.
Finally they decided I have Fibro

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