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Rheumy question

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 4/16/2012 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, so I went back to my rheumy today and she told me she is pretty much at her limit for me, she said there is nothing more she can do as far as prescribing meds. Cymbalta did not work so today she gave me a titration pack of Salvella. I am praying this works for me. 

My question is do i need to part ways with my rheumy and seek a pain doctor at this point? Is it necessary to have a rheumatologist when you have Fibromyalgia?

On another note, I have a referral to a spine specialist. I had the full MRI back in November along with some Xrays. Hopefully they can answer some questions about the tumor (hemangioma) on one of my vertabrate. If they can fix everything wrong with my back I think I could function a heck of a lot better day to day.

Posted 4/16/2012 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
I'm fairly new to fibro, so I can't answer your question, but I just wanted to say that I hope you get the help you need for your issues.
Posted 4/16/2012 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
I don't have a rheumy. My pcp handles my fibro as well as pain management. (What can I say, I love one stop shopping :)
Posted 4/16/2012 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
I recently made the decision to change my rheumy; I had a lot of trouble getting the help I needed. I have been through about a dozen different medications--anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, Savella, Lyrica--and had bad reactions to all of them. I would caution you with the Savella; it made my heart race way too fast, and I was constantly too hot. I am normally a very cold-natured person, but on the Savella I was literally putting the top part of my body in my freezer to cool down in the middle of the night. Not a fun thing. I hope you have a better experience.

Many people dont use a rheumy. Some have pain specialists, or neurologists, or their GP takes care of them. Some have massage therapy, or acupuncture. I dont think its necessary to have a rheumy, specifically, as long as someone is helping you get the relief you need.
Posted 4/17/2012 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, FibroMyOucha (LOVE your name, by the way! tongue ) ~ and add me to the welcome wagon.  Glad you found us!

You raise a really interesting point.  I'd say 95% of my pain is back-related, which includes sciatica and Degenerative Disc Disease, (for which I recently had surgery) but it was this way long before my disc ruptured.  I mean decades before!  If it weren't for my back, I could handle everything else relatively easily.

I'm treated by my GP for just about everything, Fibro included.  You have to have a good fit, of course, and there's no one type of doctor at the present time who specializes in this "sweet condition."  He diagnosed me, too - I've never had a rheumy.

How soon can you see the spine specialist?  That tumor has got to give you pause, I'll bet.

Debbie     

 

Posted 4/17/2012 1:58 AM (GMT 0)
I saw a rhuemy once, she diagnosed me and sent me back to my GP. I do have a pain doctor that I see about every 3 months and as of late a surgeon but he works in the sama clinic as my pain doctor. My GP is who I see and although he might not be able to help with everything I am able to talk to him and I think that is the most important thing for me.
Posted 4/17/2012 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
Fibro- I don't think you really need your rheumy Dr. If you have your diagnoses and you seem to be spinning wheels with them, then see a Dr. that your comfortable with. You will need a referral for pain management though. I have tried to limit my dr's and the amt. I see them now. I actually do better seeing them less. The more natural remedies seem to be working so much better for me. Years ago I was always wanting a cure for this or that symptom. I went through more scans then you can count. I finally realized there is no cure for my illnesses and i am going to have to make the best of it. I wasn't getting better with tons of drugs and X-rays, so I tried my own remedies. It's working.
Posted 4/17/2012 11:37 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for all of the replies. I will be seeing the spine specialist within the next 2 weeks, and I try not to stress over the tumor, it may be nothing.
I have to search for a new pcp, the last one was so unsure about anything that i wasn't comfortable with her. I guess I can get a referral from the new pcp for a pain doc.
Angel, i am really leaning towards giving up these meds altogether since it seems to me that nothing I take makes the pain go away. I just need something for a good night of rest
Posted 4/17/2012 12:43 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed decades ago by my Internist and for me ibuprofen and extra strength Tylenol have helped me so much, along with other supplements.  But my pain was getting worse so my Internist said I should see a rheumy and I went for the first time a couple of months ago.  He took about 25 x-rays and 8 vials of blood and it showed that I had something else besides my fibro going on and now I'm being treated by him for that.  I'm very thankful I went because I would have just thought this was all fibro.

 

I know I have an excellent rheumy because I always do my homework when choosing a doctor.  Did your rheumy run you through a battery of tests like mine did?  If not, you might want to get a second opinion if you are having a tremendous amount of pain.  Also, the fact that you have a tumor on your spine and this rheumy is ignoring it would bother me a lot.

 

If you don't have a rheumatic illness and only have fibro, your regular doctor could handle it IF they believe fibro exists. 

 

Sherrine

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