What to do next when doctors can't find anything wrong

Question - do any Fibro related symptoms show up on an MRI or brain scan or is this illness/disease just invisible to all tests?

A little background - I've been experiencing most all the symptoms of Fibromyalgia for about 2 years now but haven't been diagnosed. I'm currently seeing a Rheumatologist but it's a long process. I've also had Hypothyroidism for 20+ years which has a lot of the same symptoms and I think that's hindering the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. I've never been a sick or complaining person until now but it seems like I'm in a different doctor's office every week.

I'm having this sort of pain in the back right side of my neck up in to my head that feels like a very dull headache that affects only the right side of my entire head. This sounds neurological to me but the neurologist cannot find anything to explain it. Ironically enough I'm also having vision trouble with only my right eye and my optometrist cannot find anything wrong with my eye either.

I also have this crazy itching on my upper arms that mostly happens at night. There's absolutely no reason for the itch. By that I mean there's no rash, I haven't changed any shampoos, soaps, laundry detergent, lotions, etc. When this started about a year and a half ago I bought every kind of OTC cream, lotion, etc. and nothing helped. The only thing that would help was to put ice packs on my arms. I literally slept with ice packs on both arms for months. After about 6 months I finally broke down and went to a dermatologist. He said it was neuropathy and prescribed gabapentin (up to 1800MG a day). This has been a godsend. I still get a slight itch every now and then but nothing like it was. Although he says it's neuropathy not one of the doctors that I've seen can explain what's causing the neuropathy. The x-rays, MRI's, brain scan, nerve conduction tests all show nothing and no, I'm not diabetic.

In addition to the Rheumy, the Neurologist, the Dermatologist, and the Optometrist that I've already mentioned, there's also my GP, Endocrinologist, and Orthopedic, all for Fibromyalgia related symptoms. My patience is wearing thin!

I have a good friend who has Fibromyalgia so she's been a great help. A lot of things that were happening to me I didn't even realize were Fibro related until I talked to her. Some of them I thought were just all in my head because there's been some very weird stuff going on. When up to 7 doctors can't explain something then it's weird to me.

I must say that I've found a lot of good helpful information on this forum. Thanks to all! Sorry this was such a long post but I'm new here, just looking for support and to vent.

There is no test for fibro. It's diagnosed once everything else is ruled out.

Did your Rhuemy run an ANA test to rule out autoimmune diseases?

To ak angel: yes, I too have done a lot of research online and reading in forums to come to my own conclusion that it is Fibro based on the fact that none of the doctors that I've seen can tell me what's wrong. The Rheumatologist that I've been seeing is board certified and has done all kinds of tests and everything has come back normal. He told me on my first visit about a year ago that he didn't think I had Fibro and even after all the normal tests he's still refusing to say it's Fibro but cannot say what it is. Maybe it is time to find a new Rheumatologist.

To couchtater: yes, the Rheumy did the ANA test.

I'm not dealing with all this very well because other than the controlled Hypothyroidism that I've had for over 20 years I've never been a sick person. I've been to the doctor more in the last 2 years than I've been in the entire rest of my life and I'm 47 years old. Something is not right and I know I'm not imagining all these symptoms.

Thanks to all for the support!

For months the rheumy blamed it on the Hypothyroidism which happened to be out of whack at the time. But at my last visit my thyroid tests had been normal for the last 6 months but there was no change in my symptoms so I asked him what he thought it could be and he said he had no idea. He run another bloodtest to check for cancer signs (I can't remember what he called it) and they called a week or so later to say that it was normal. What a shocker, huh........another normal bloodtest? I see him again in a couple of weeks to discuss the results.

I understand fully about the learning to 'deal with it'. I am learning what to do and not to do. I have a good friend who has had Fibro for about 10 years so she helps a lot with tips on how to cope.