Mtngirl123
New member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2013
- Messages
- 1
- Diagnosis
- 12/2013
- Country
- US
- State
- WA
I was officially diagnosed as have fibro by a Rhuemetologist yesterday, but I'm not new to chronic pain or fatigue. I've been in pain every day, at least to some extent, since a car accident four years ago. My pain almost completely went away (stayed at a 1-3 every day) while pregnant then came back with a vengeance after having my baby a year ago. My "new normal" for the past year has been pain ranging from a 3-9, sever fatigue at times and I'm basically only living a fraction of the life I used to.
I went to my PCP a couple of months ago to see if there was something else going on that hadn't been diagnosed and specifically to figure out why I felt better during pregnancy and why I seem to never heal properly after an injury and instead it just stays with me. For example, I still feel the pain of childbirth every day in my bones.
To make a long story short, my PCP ran a bunch of tests looking for inflammation and checking things like B12 and thyroid levels and they all came out normal. He referred me to a rhuemetologist who took one look at my chart, did a quick physical exam and told me I had fibromyalgia and that it could have been caused by the car accident and that I'm also hyperflexible in my joints which for some odd reason seems to result in chronic pain in some people. She literally told me there are a "couple of good books on the subject" and to google the condition to see how to help manage my pain but that there is no known cause or treatment specifically for the disease and that I'll have it my whole life :-x. She suggested I try things to assist with the pain such as an anti-depressents, gabapentin, accupuncture, meditation, counseling, etc, ALL of which I've tried before. She then said she could give me a couple of brochures but that it probably wouldn't tell me anything I don't already know and transferred care back to my PCP. I feel as though she didn't want to deal with me because they haven't come up with a specific pill that cures the condition. I also asked her if there was a possibility I have MS (because my PCP did mention we might need to rule that out because I'm blacking out and have numb hands) but she just kind of looked at me like I had a pumpkin for a head and said she had no idea and that I would need to be referred to a neuro for that and that it's just really complicated to diagnose.
This was literally the strangest Dr. appointment I've ever had. I'm not satisfied with the diagnosis and her explanation and I wonder if this is typical. We only have 2 rheumetologists in our area (and the other one is in her office) so I have no other options without driving three hours away. Is it typical for a PCP to be the provider or should I be seeking out other alternatives for care?
I went to my PCP a couple of months ago to see if there was something else going on that hadn't been diagnosed and specifically to figure out why I felt better during pregnancy and why I seem to never heal properly after an injury and instead it just stays with me. For example, I still feel the pain of childbirth every day in my bones.
To make a long story short, my PCP ran a bunch of tests looking for inflammation and checking things like B12 and thyroid levels and they all came out normal. He referred me to a rhuemetologist who took one look at my chart, did a quick physical exam and told me I had fibromyalgia and that it could have been caused by the car accident and that I'm also hyperflexible in my joints which for some odd reason seems to result in chronic pain in some people. She literally told me there are a "couple of good books on the subject" and to google the condition to see how to help manage my pain but that there is no known cause or treatment specifically for the disease and that I'll have it my whole life :-x. She suggested I try things to assist with the pain such as an anti-depressents, gabapentin, accupuncture, meditation, counseling, etc, ALL of which I've tried before. She then said she could give me a couple of brochures but that it probably wouldn't tell me anything I don't already know and transferred care back to my PCP. I feel as though she didn't want to deal with me because they haven't come up with a specific pill that cures the condition. I also asked her if there was a possibility I have MS (because my PCP did mention we might need to rule that out because I'm blacking out and have numb hands) but she just kind of looked at me like I had a pumpkin for a head and said she had no idea and that I would need to be referred to a neuro for that and that it's just really complicated to diagnose.
This was literally the strangest Dr. appointment I've ever had. I'm not satisfied with the diagnosis and her explanation and I wonder if this is typical. We only have 2 rheumetologists in our area (and the other one is in her office) so I have no other options without driving three hours away. Is it typical for a PCP to be the provider or should I be seeking out other alternatives for care?