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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 8/2/2014 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
I will try my best to keep this short :-) Been dealing with my symptoms for almost two years. Nerve pain in back and hip. Allover body stiffness. Migrating pins and needles spots all over my body, very noticeable on head and face. Legs will suddenly go weak and occasional tremors in my left hand. Tired almost all of the time. Have had x rays of back and hip. Turned out fine. MRI of lower back fine. My GP diagnosed fibromyalgia just by the way I walk. Keeps pushing meds at me, even though nothing has helped. I have asked for blood tests to rule out other possible problems. He doesn't seem to think this is necessary. What would you do?
Posted 8/2/2014 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, mlilymom, and welcome! I would find another doctor! Watching how you walk isn't how fibro is diagnosed. You need to see a board certified rheumatologist and have tests run to rule out other illnesses that have many of the same symptoms as fibro...illnesses like lupus, Lyme disease, and MS. There is no good test for fibro so they rule these out first. Also, the treatment is somewhat different for these illnesses.

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there. Good starting links for you would be Symptoms, What Else Could It Be, and A Thorough Explanation of Fibromyalgia. You just might see yourself there. All of Fibro 101 is good so do read it.

I want to let you know that if you have fibro, once you get in control of the pain, you can live a full and enjoyable life in spite of this illness. Also, what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another so it's a trial and error type thing.

I chose to try a more natural approach and it works for me. I use ibuprofen with food, Tylenol when needed, magnesium malate, vitamin D3, and a prescription muscle relaxer called Robaxin that made a significant difference in my pain. There are links in Fibro 101 about the supplement and vitamin I just mentioned. I also walk daily as a gentle forum of exercises. Swimming and yoga are a couple of other ones that are good for fibro. I pace myself when doing things, too. It all gets done but in a different time frame.

I'm sure others will come on with their suggestions. 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
Posted 8/2/2014 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Sherrine! I feel like I need to find a new doctor, also. Just feel that there are many things to be ruled out before a diagnosis is made:)
Posted 8/4/2014 4:49 AM (GMT 0)
I would do as Sherrine suggested. Your symptoms can fall under fibro, but you always want them to look for other things too. It took me a long time to accept the fibro diagnoses myself. I couldn't imagine how fibro could cause so many symptoms. I still have some weakness of my legs and I occasionally have hand tremors. It's amazing how fibro effects so much of your body organs and systems.

I found out that once I started educating myself the fear and the unknown about fibro started decreasing. The books I bought were on line. It really started making since after all these years I was suffering from all these symptoms. It was like finding the missing puzzle. So much found here and the books are hardly shared by your Dr's.

I hope you don't have any extra diagnoses. Fibro is enough to carry. Once you learn how to manage it, life can be better.
Posted 8/5/2014 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you ak angel! Definitely would like to at least have some simple blood work done just to rule out other possibilities, but my doctor didn't even want to do that! I know that everyone's symptoms may be a little different, but I do not have any trigger points on my body. I thought that was a fairly common fibromyalgia symptom. I was on abstention, which did nothing for my problems.......it just turned me into a zombie:) When I spoke to my doc, what did he do? Increased the dosage so I could be more of a zombie:)) One way or another, I will get some answers:):):)
Posted 8/5/2014 5:42 PM (GMT 0)
Auto correct!!!!! Gabapentin:):)
Posted 8/5/2014 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately, I don't think you will get the answers from your current doctor. Gabapentin works for some but not all with fibro. Just the fact that they won't rule out other illnesses sends up a gigantic red flag.

Tender points are not needed for a diagnosis of fibro. Some people have a lot, some don't. And, if you are taking anything for pain, that affects a tender point test, too. Here is what the American College of Rheumatology has to say. They mention tenderpoints at the beginning and also towards the end in this link. The link is very good so do read it.

https://www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/Diseases_And_Conditions/Fibromyalgia/

Sherrine
Posted 8/5/2014 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
Mlilymama,

Hi and another welcome!

Sorry you're getting the runaround from your doctor. That's the pits...

Did you mean you don't have trigger points or tender points? Tender points hurt where you press them, trigger points cause referred pain - (it hurts somewhere else.) I don't think trigger points are necessarily associated with Fibro, though of course they always can be.

Hope you find a better doctor soon!

Debbie
Posted 8/8/2014 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Debbie! Thank you! I have no points on my body that hurt to the touch (or with pressure applied.) Mostly just really bad nerve pain, deep in the hip and back. Pin prick sensations on most of my body (except stomach,) but really bad on head and face. I have allover stiffness, and I feel as if I am wearing concrete boots.....my legs are weak and heavy! Hopefully will find answers soon:)
Posted 8/8/2014 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
I'm very familiar with nerve pain in hip and back (way too familiar!) Not fun.

Well, the best of luck! Let us know how it goes.

Debbie
Posted 8/8/2014 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I definitely would recommend going to a different doctor. Have you gone to a pain specialist? or a rheumatologist? most GPs aren't versed in chronic illnesses, they focus more on the general health so the GP might not be the best person to take that advice from. Call around to pain drs or rheumatologists and see if they treat other fibro patients. Personally I went to 2 different rheumatologists and 3 pain drs before I finally got diagnosed properly so just keep searching until you find the right one. It's exhausting but definitely worth it.
Posted 8/9/2014 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Stephanie:)
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