Ideas for a doctor visit? Am I being a hypochondriac?

Hi everyone. I was hoping some people could give me some advice about how to approach my doctor. I've been having sleep problems (diagnosed as insomnia, but it's more like my body just isn't "good" at sleep). My doc has been prescribing lots of different things to try, so it's been me going back over and over "Nope, didn't help. Helped, but for like 2 nights and then I was resistant. This one helped for 2 months then it stopped helping. etc etc"

I've come to realize that I need to rethink my strategy because going and asking for random medicines is just a shot in the dark and probably won't help me. After researching, I think I may have fibromyalgia or else something that mimics the symptoms. I'd really appreciate it if someone could give me some ideas to approach my doctor without seeming like a hypochondriac, and even some ideas for a new prescription to try.

I'm a male, mid 20s, and with a family history of thyroid disorders, migraines, fibromyalgia, diabetes, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia O_o

Lucky for me, I'm quite sure I'm sane but I haven't been without other issues that I think I've inherited. Here is my current state of affairs:
- Low thyroid (Hashimoto's). I take both liothyronine and levothyroxine.
- Insomnia. I've tried: Ambien, melatonin, amitriptyline, hydroxyzine, and currently temazapam (none work well)
- Generalized anxiety
- Mild psoriasis (or at least these red patches that resemble it)
- Body aches (kinda like the flu)
- Accidentally fall asleep at my desk at work often (luckily no one has noticed or said anything...ninja naps FTW!)\
- Constant migraines (right side of my forehead always hurts a little about 90% of the time, luckily not disabling type of migraine)

My thyroid levels are good now. Before getting that taken care of, my sleep problems were becoming horrendous, I never had an appetite, brain fog, I was irritable and had an explosive temper, and I had body aches like I had the flu all the time. Now, at least I have an appetite and am much more patient and less irritable (my wife is so relieved that I'm not a random ****** now and so am I, it made me feel so guilty to have dumb pointless outbursts).

Amitriptyline was the most useful out of all the meds I've tried. I actually didn't know I had migraines until taking it for the first time and realizing that it made my head comfy as if surrounded by cold pillows :3 It also made my whole body feel comfy. The amitriptyline even made me sleep the best I had in years, but after 2 months the sleep inducing effects wore off and only the side effects like dry mouth and nightmares remained (FFFFFUUUU) so it became not worth it.

The main problems that have remained after getting my thyroid in order are sleep issues, psoriasis, body aches, and the constant headache. Improving my sleep is top priority, if I could do that then I could live with the other stuff. Two questions for everyone: 1) Does it sound like I might have fibromyalgia or anything else? 2) What kind of recommendations would you have for me to ask my doctor about to improve my sleep?

Edit: Forgot to add that I always randomly become constipated despite if I've eaten lots of fiber recently. I also often can't think of words I want to say or I mix my words up (feels like I compress like 5 thoughts into one).

Post Edited (Zmc) : 4/18/2012 3:20:38 PM (GMT-6)

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum, and do I have a good thread for you to read. It is the second thread on the forum and it is titled "fibro101". It has so much information and symptoms on it. I know it would help you.

It is always sad when a young person such as yourself gets fibro. I didn't get it until I was in my 40's. Not saying that you have it, but not saying that you don't. It is just that to be so young and know you have something that is going to be with you forever really is a bummer. But none the less, it can be lived with. You can get your symptoms managable and live a full life. It is not a death sentence.

The best thing you can do it try to keep moving around. Even if it is just walks. You got to keep moving or you will become stiff and hurt more. So while you can still do it, start moving around and being physically active. I walk daily and it helps me mentally and physically. I always feel better after a walk.

A lot of different types of depression cause pain. So I imagine the only way they can determine is to do a tenderpoint test. There really isn't any other test for fibro, other than ruling everything else out. The reumy suggestion is a good one. I would make a list of all your symptoms as you did in your post, and carry it along and read it to them.

I really hope that you don't have fibromyalgia, but know if you do, there are many people here who understand. We don't think you are a hyprochondriac (sp)...

Keep posting...

reread your post.  Thought that you said you had depression, but now I see it was family history...

 

Thanks, Smurfy, getting by, and Sherrine, that is all great advice.

I will set up a new appointment soon and ask for a referral to a rheumatologist. It feels embarrassing to keep setting up appointments over and over, I always get the feeling she thinks I'm a hypochondriac or fishing for drugs, of which I'm pretty sure neither are true -_-

I use to be a very active athlete. Big time wrestler in high school (ranked in state) and in college was a member of a weightlifting team and qualified for nationals in my weight class. I'm not trying to brag, there are countless people who could kick my ass :) but I'm just pointing out the contrast that happened between when I was a teenager and these days.

Teammates use to jokingly call me "Model #2000" because I could do conditioning much longer than most of them, but all of a sudden a few years ago it's as if I'm suddenly crumbling down and feel like I have the athletic endurance of someone twice my weight and twice my age.

Thanks for the encouragement, I will set up a new appointment soon.

Sorry to hear about your issues especially at such a young age.

I'm glad you're planning on seeing a rhematologist. Unfortunately a rheumatologist can't do much but possibly diagnose you with fibromyalgia and prescribe meds. My rheumy told me that many people with fibro are medication sensitive so I've been doing all that I can these last years to help myself through a healthy diet, trying to stay away from passive cigarette smoke, dust, mold and pets, performing my twice a day stretches to bring some relief to my tightness, taking my very good supplements, walking twice a day, and trying to keep any stress to a minimum.

Doctors wonder why people with fibro act depressed. Yes, some are but I find the more pain I'm in the sadder I am and my amount of pain also makes my brain fog worse. So I always try to help myself. For sleep I take sleep supplements like melatonin and l-theanine, sleep meds didn't help me and they caused me side effects. For pain I take Advil and Alieve quite often though I try not to. And I also try to stay active though that's minimal because if I overdo I pay for it.

Concerning the fiber issue, make sure you're drinking enough water.

Good luck to you.