I'm currently waiting on a diagnosis. My doctor seems sure I have either fibro or CFS, but will not diagnose me cuz that's not her field of expertise, and she said its too easy to get a false negative if you're not an expert at putting the pieces together. So, now I wait for a referral, but its hard to function normally due to the constant pain and exhaustion. I have gained ungodly amounts of weight cuz I went from being a normal, active girl to someone who can barely leave her house over the course of a year and a half. Even my skin and eyelashes hurt, I have large lumps in my lower legs that are sore, and serious digestion problems. I can't sleep most night do to the fact that even on good days, I'm horribly uncomfortable, and laying down does nothing to relieve the pain. My back hurts so badly, and it shoots down my legs. My feet constantly go numb or get super painful pins and needles tignling. My periods are even extra painful, and feel like the devil himself is chewing on my spinal cord for a full week before I even start. I haven't given myself a pedi in a year, because I just can't bend like that, I never do my hair or makeup anymore because I just don't have the energy, and I used to get dressed up daily, I LOVE pretty cloths and hair and makeup. This rules my life. My doc started me on meds to help while we wait for a specialist, and they are helping some, but the side effects also make daily functioning almost impossible. What kind of future do I have to look forward to if I do get diagnosed with one of these two? Will I EVER be able to return to full time work? I love to work, it gives me a purpose, and am worried that even on meds, I will never regain my full pep back and have it in me to work full time. Also, has anyone ever experienced a chronic pain in the upper left side of their abdomen? Its dull and throbbing, and some days hurts so bad I can barely stand, and others not so bad. It right under my bottom rib in the front, spreads around to the side, and sometimes hurts in my back too. There is concern it could be my spleen, but I have to wait for insurance before I can get an ultra sound, and it would be a relief to hear someone else feels this and its just another symptom.