A continuing saga

[Birgitb]

I continue to be frustrated with getting a diagnosis. Continuing pain and discomfort and fatigue. Up until this year I was working as a substitute teacher at a local girls high school. I loved working there and always felt like I was coming into a strong caring community. I have always had lots of pains in my body and fatigue quite easily. For the last few months I have been in dreadful pain. Headaches, back, neck pain and horrible pins and needles in the legs, feet, arms and hands. Together with some memory problems. I have a very good GP but she seems to have focused on the memory loss and body weakness. She sent me for a brain scan which came back fine. I have a metal plate in my head from a traumatic brain injury when I was thirteen. All blood tests came back fine, so after being sent to a specialist physician who suggested I was suffering from anxiety and hyperventilating there was nothing wrong with me. I do suffer from anxiety and work hard on my breathing exercises everyday. On returning to my GP last Monday she suggested that i was suffering from an early dementia because of my previous head injury and it was too early to see anyone about that but she was more than happy to refer me to anyone I wanted to see. I asked if the pain in my body could be fibromyalgia and she said I should focus on the glass half full and not try to search for a name to what I am feeling at the moment. Needless to say I am feeling very frustrated at the moment. I hope someone here can give me some advice. I have been thinking of going to see another GP for a second opinion.

 

[1sweed]

Birgitb, Sounds like your doctor does not believe in fibromyalgia, and that alone can cause undo stress and worry. If you were just starting out with these symptoms i would say give it time in trying to find a proper name for your symptoms, however, since this has been bothering you for quite some time I would suggest you get a second opinion. The trouble is that a lot of illnesses start with the same symptoms before they become more defined in character, thus giving doctor's a better chance to diagnosis an illness.

I do know the worry and anxiety that comes from not knowing what is wrong and trying to manage all the symptoms without freaking out. Just be careful not to get on a doctor shopping spree if the second doctor is no help. Try to manage the worse symptoms first meaning ask for help on the symptoms that bother you the most and let the harmless ones sit on the sidelines.

I say this because fibro patients get labeled really fast and if you come in with a list of symptoms a mile long and with great test results some, not all, but some doctor's will think it is all in your head. For me that was the case when I had so many weird symptoms that did not relate to any illness pattern.

I hope you will find lots of coping skills and build some online fibro friends here that can help comfort you though the bad times. Just because you had a head injury does not mean that fibro could not be a factor in your on going symptoms. I will be hoping and praying that you find a doctor who is willing to work with you to find the answers your looking for and be supportive as well.

I am glad your on this forum and hope we can help you deal with these symptoms that make your life miserable. Please continue asking questions and answering posts where ever you can add a bit of knowledge or hope.

 

[Birgitb]

Thanks you so much for your response today has been a particularly painful day and your support is wonderful. I just feel so defeated sometimes and unsure what to do.