Sick of being sick...

I am new here, I found this site while looking for information on Fibromyalgia. I am in my mid thirties, and have been unable to work since 2009 due to severe depression and anxiety. I am on high doses of meds (Zoloft, effexor, seriquil and clonazapam) with little improvement, the doctor says I am "medication resistant" and my body rejects most drugs... getting my meds to where they are now took over a year of slow increases.

about 2 months ago it was suggested by a friend that I look up fibromyalgia online and see what I thought, When looking at the symptoms it was like they were describing me perfectly. I have the pain in my neck, back, arms and legs (legs being the worst). I have been on meds to help me sleep for many years and I still feel tired 90% of the time. Add in the depression, anxiety, "foggy brain", severe headaches, IBS, leaky heart valve, and more and for the first time I felt like it wasn't "all in my head" (as an ER doctor tried to tell me).

I went to my family doctor and mentioned it and he said " I suspected that you had it" WOW, nice... maybe it was worth mentioning to me?!?!?!

He says he would only prescribe Cymbalta but he can't because of another medication I am on (Effexor or Zoloft) and he would rather I speak to my psychiatrist about the medications. I just got a new shrink and have met him once... I see him again next week and will discuss this with him. Other then that he had nothing else to say about the situation. I left feeling like he probably thought I was being a hypochondriac, but a lot of symptoms are things I have seen him for in the past.

In the meantime the pain is getting progressively worse... it's a chore just to do laundry. I have been "achy" like I am getting sick for years but now I am in PAIN... and can't seem to find any relief. I am SO sick of "being sick", I hate when anyone asks how I'm doing.... I already feel like a whiner. I KNOW my family doesn't understand it AT ALL. No one is being helpful and I am so frustrated!!!!

WOW, that felt good to get it out... I plan on going back to my family doctor next week after my shrink appointment and bringing my husband who can "back me up", maybe I can find some type of help....

Anyway, enough whining... back to reading more on the forums.

Welcome!

I know how you feel because I also take psych meds and there is a constant communication struggle between my psychiatrist and primary care about medication. Of course, I am always the one doing the leg work communicating with them both about which meds the other is recommending and it gets to be so tiring! You might have better luck going to a rheumatologist because they will know which medications will work better for fibro. I was taking amitriptyline for fibro pain which worked really well and was also effective with helping me sleep but it was making me too lethargic so I had to go off of it. I was taking Zoloft for anxiety, which worked great but when I started amitriptyline I had to stop the zoloft. Now that I am off both of those my anxiety has skyrocketed. I've been on cybmalta 30mg for the past few weeks and I don't feel as though it has done anything for me so I'm going to ask to go back on zoloft. People with fibro seem to have a lot of trouble with medication tolerance or sensitivity so maybe that is why you are running into trouble with it. One thing that is really unfortunate with fibro is that your really have to push doctors to listen to you because it is an invisible illness. Doctors like tangible proof that you have an illness, which fibro rarely gives so many doctors still don't buy into the diagnosis. It's even harder when you have anxiety and depression and doctors won't listen to you so you just give up and think maybe it is all in your head and you just give up trying to get help (believe me, I have been through it). I'm glad that you found the forum. I have been a member for a few months now and it has really helped. Keep fighting!

Oh Joy, you can gripe here :P

See a rheumie. Some PCPs are very helpful when it comes to FM; others are less-useful. Also, the rheumie will be more familiar with the psych meds and the interactions with the standard fibro meds.

For many, both are useful. I am currently on effexor and get my sleep meds through the psych, and the pain meds through the rheumatologist. My PCP has clearly indicated she does not feel comfortable prescribing painkillers.

Unless your Primary Care person is knowledgeable/sympathetic, you might be better off with a specialist.