New here

Hi everyone, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia last week after a year of various testing. My GP suspected MS due to family history combined with my symptom set. A MRI ruled that out and I was sent to a rheumatologist since I had been diagnosed with juvenile RA as a child. The rheumatologist did a tender points exam and asked a few questions then shocked me by telling me I have fibro.

I have been doing a lot of research since my diagnosis and I appreciate the work you have put into the fibro 101 thread. I have found many symptoms that I have experienced and I never would have attributed them to fibro such as the lupus-like butterfly rash. I had that for a few weeks last year and had attributed it to an allergy.

I go see my GP next week to come up with a plan. Any advice?

Be honest with the rheumy. Tell him all your symptoms, including the butterfly rash like lupus. Educate yourself, I just torture my rheumy with education. Anything a doctor gives you, look it up before you take it. Cross check it with all your meds. A wonderful interaction checker is www.drugs.com it has an interaction checker, you can check all your medications against each other. Doctors are human too, they do make mistakes, rare, but happens. My doctor once put me on a medication that a diabetic shouldnt take. I'm a diabetic. I called him and said "are you sure you would like me to take _(name of meds)_ due to my diabetes?" he said "don't take it! will do this now. thanks for the catch"
I was a CNA in a nursing home. Anyhow so many patients there fell through the cracks, medications weren't the correct dosage, nurses not communicating, patients missing a dose due to paperwork errors, so on. I developed a pet peeve, communication after that. I have 8 doctors on my team, and I make sure each and every one of them knows "hey I am on this" "this doctor said I got this". I actually have my own private nurse, which I pay for, to make sure I don't get over medicated, given the wrong meds, keeping a current list of emergency contacts, meds, allergies, advanced directive, will, power of attorney.
Write down your symptoms. Write down any questions, and take it with you to your appt.

Hi, sleepyheadmom, and welcome!  I'm so glad you found us and joined the family!  You have already gotten some great advice.  The only thing I can add is, in Fibro 101, you will find a link to a journal and also pain charts.  Start writing down things you do and then how much pain it causes.  The charts really help with that.  This will give your doctor a much better idea as to how you are really feeling.

 

Be sure to let us know how your appointment goes!  I hope it's really successful.

 

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

 

Sherrine