Dr thinks its fibro..Im not so sure

Hi all,

I usally post in chronic pain or GERD but the last 60 days the intesity of my pain is becoming overwhelming.  I have not been diagnosed with anything as of yet but I am whatching my body deterioate at a rather alarming pace. I have been battling left side weakness/pain for about 2 in a half years. My old PCP said for sure that I had fibro but I resisted and sought a second opinion. I found another good PCP and he sent me to neurologists and GI dr's all of who cannot find anything wrong with me.

I was still able to work during all of this then the end of April I was crying on the floor at work (im a pharmacy tech) and my good friend had to pick me up and put me in a chair. She would not let me leave until I had regained compsure and told me I was either leaving by ambulance or she was driving me. She's also a nursing student and Im sort of like her gineua pig. She's told her teachers fellow students about everything I have been through and nobody can put the pieces together.

 So yesterday racked in pain I went and saw my PCP and my dad came with me for support. I practically had to beg him to check my blood and run some other tests something is just not right and I feel it!! This is serious... So he starts checking the pressure points for fibro and of course it hurts because my whole left side aches like crazy!! i have also no strength in my left arm going down to my left leg. If I lift anything over 5lbs I drop it. So he then tells me if you want to look something up on the internet why don't you look up Fibro!!! Meanwhile Im holding back tears because the poain is getting bad. He gave me a prescription for nortriptyline and I haven't had the chance to fill it yet.

 Also to add insult to injury my company put me in limbo and put me onto the Family Medical Leave Act so esentially its unpaid disability but I now no longer have insurance becasue my average hours fell below 30 and no income. I applied for state medicaid and they denied me because I still show employment!! I really don't know what to do. Im hoping by later today or tomorrow i will hear back from the dr on my test results.

 Also I have been getting weird things happening to my skin.. If I go into the shower for 5 min (no iam not exagerating I have timed it before and it's right around the 5 min mark) my hands prune up so bad they hurt that I can't even wash my hair!!! It's just my hands nowhere else. I also can't go swimming with my daughter because the same thing happens and it actually makes the pain Im in more severe. I've never taken pain medication and don't want to but last night and today I really want something for the pain. I know something is not right when I actually would like pain medication!!!! Does this seem like fibro???  Any advice would be grateful!!!!

Be sure to check out Fibro 101...the second thread on the forum.  Check out the links called Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia.  These are good starting places and you will learn a lot.  That's important because we have to be our own advocates with this illness.

I use ibuprofen with food, extra strength Tylenol, malic acid/magnesium supplements and vitamin D3 supplements to help with pain and fatigue.  In addition, I do gentle stretching exercises, gentle daily exercise (I walk and swim), gentle massages, and I do pace myself.  All of this helps me be in control of the pain.  There are links in Fibro 101 about the vitamin and supplements and how they work in the body.  They don't work for everyone because what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.  But it's worth a shot.  Talk to your doctor about them.  They can do blood work to see if you are deficient in vitamin D.  Many people are and don't realize it.  This can cause more pain.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.  Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you.  I hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine