Have you ever been embarrassed to divulge fibro diagnosis?

The ER doctor issue is very difficult, I have found. I have only went once in recent years, for nausea, vomiting, and headache. The instant I mentioned FM, he shut down. I would say, though, that perhaps in that situation, eliminating all but the necessary information is in your own best interests. I am not talking about forgetting to mention medications, but dancing around the diagnosis of FM.

Some doctors are good, some not so much. I guess I would, in your situation, list my meds and my diagnoses in the paperwork, but refrain from mentioning FM in the consultation.

I currently have Kaiser Permanente for my insurance. One thing I really like is that every doctor I see is in their system, every med, every diagnosis, and it really does save a lot of time.

Austen, I haven't come across this but I stick with doctors that know about this illness. If I had to go to the ER, I probably would just say I suffer from chronic pain. That should be accepted anywhere. (Plus, if I did tell them I had fibro and they started to shut down, I'd tell them to contact my doctor...the one who diagnosed me or treats me.) Actually, I usually say I have chronic pain if I meet a new person and they see I'm moving slowly that day, etc. Everyone understands chronic pain but some don't understand the term fibromyalgia.

Sherrine

Ljm 2014, are you a redhead? If so, you should always tell the doctor (if you have gone gray, like I have) that you are a natural redhead. It takes more to knock us out. I woke up during the next-to-last colonoscopy/EGD that I had, and they were using fentanyl and Versed. It could also be due to long-term use of pain medicine. Make sure they know it takes more for you. I had to reschedule my colonoscopy and they used propofol (sp?) to knock me out. It worked great.

I have a lot of chronic pain diagnoses and usually list FM down on the list.

I completely understand the reluctance to mention Fibro. I really try to fight it; the principle stickler in me says it's ridiculous to not mention the umbrella condition that affects every aspect of my physical life....but there are times l don't live up to being that crusader, like when I'm with a very cold, uncaring medical person who seems to not be taking me seriously already.

Sometimes, it's just easier not to.

Debbie

Well, if I go to a doc who has something negative to say about fibromyalgia, I don't go back. That's ignorance plain and simple. They should have their license taken away. Other people, yes, I am hesitant to talk about it b/c they don't understand and say stupid stuff.

Wow! I just went to the e.r. yesterday. I was having leg pain and weakness, my knees where hurting supper awful. In fact, I had a panic attack when the knee pain started. With every step I would take, I would bend over more and more. Then I couldn't walk or stand any longer.

It really freaked me out! I still didn't want to go to the hospital though. I told my friend and fiance they wouldn't listen and blow me off when I told them I had fibromyalgia. I had been up for two days and they finally made me go.

I was right. The doctor never even touched me!! He said I needed to stay on my medicine routine and see my pain management doctor. I said but it's Saturday! He said yes but they can't do anything for me.

I was sobbing. I looked at my friend and told her I had said they wouldn't listen to me! I told the doctor I wasn't asking for pain drugs. I said at least you can x-ray my knees and give me a steroid shot.

The doctor said they don't do that in the e.r. . I asked him what I was suppose to do until Monday. He never answered and excused himself because of a phone call.

The doctor never came back.

To make a long story short, the nurse came in the cubby with an attitude. She said the doctor ordered 5mg of haldol and was discharging me. I could take it or leave it. I told her I didn't need an antipsychotic. I wasn't hallucinating or hearing things. She said it's being used in pain management now too. I haven't heard about Haldol for pain relief???

I was just in shock. I expected them to attribute it to fibro but I couldn't believe how rude and unsympathetic everybody was!

I truly wish I could go back and not mention fibromyalgia again. Heaven forbid but if there's a next time, I will not tell them in the emergency room that I have Fibromyalgia!!!

Regarding not being put to sleep well enough for colonoscopy: I had one several years ago and went out for the time they did it and recovered in post op room. I was a little groggy. The last two times I've had one I haven't gone out at all. I was awake the whole time on both of them. I was given meds but they just didn't work. I don't take any pain pills except for Naproxen and Tylenol. I take a muscle relaxer at night and can have one during the day although they don't do too much. I had the last colonoscopy done in May and it didn't come out right. Anyway the Dr. did an endoscopy right after the colonoscopy and he said he would put me to sleep and that is why I had to have it done at the hospital. So okay, I thought, as long as I'm out it won't be so bad. They started me out by putting that mouth block in and I'm looking at him and he tells them to put the scope down my throat. I'm trying to tell him he said he would put me asleep! He understood me and said," NO. We need you awake." That was pretty awful until we got it down. He looked at my lower intestines that way and stretched my throat. I had been complaining of not being able to swallow or at least feeling like it was stuck in my throat and most of that was when I took my meds. So that got done and then I had to have a barium X-ray later and that was okay.
I will come to the point: I don't go to sleep on drugs like I'm supposed to. I take something for sleep, muscle relaxers, my antidepressant, and my anti-seizure meds although I don't have seizures (anxiety meds). So I can understand why you are saying this. I told him beforehand that the meds didn't work last time, but I don't think he has an anesthesiologist and he orders the knock out drugs himself and is comfortable only giving everyone so much and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. They told me in the radiology dept that it is law at that hospital to have an anesthesiologist there now.