Need Support- Going to MD today!

Well it is time to visit with the doc today and go over all my lab work and also my goal plan for my health. I have been keeping track of my symptoms for the last 2 weeks as well as writing up a plan of action to try and help with the pain aspect of the Fibro.

My question to all of you is what would you ask your doctor to do for you if you were in my situation. For example would you ask for medicane, if so what kind? I am not on any pain medicane as we were waiting to find out if I had any other conditions besides Fibro. I heard that Lyrca (sp?) helps but it puts weight on you which I cannot afford. What about neurotin (sp?) does that put on weight? What other meds have helped you all out besides pain killers?

Additionally, do you believe I should ask for a referral to a Rheumatologist? I looked up my insurance and there is a great doctor, recommended by several people just like you and I who say this doctor is compassionate and also knows Fibromyalgia is a painful disease. I am wondering if I should just tell my doctor I need a referral??? Also, does anyone do pain management without drugs and what do you do? I have done accupuncture in the past and it helped temp but it got to be too expensive after awhile....

Well I would love to hear from you all, you have been my support system for the last few weeks and any advice you could offer would be appreciated! I just need to explain to my doctor again how bad I feel and have him understand me!

Thanks,

Ali

From your post it sounds like you really do want to go to this Rheumatologist. If several people recommended him I would ask for a referral, you should probably start now as sometimes with these doctors it takes a couple of months to get an appointment. I also hope all your lab work is ok. Let us know how you make out.

the Neurontin. And also try Tramadol it works for the daily pains. It seems to work for alot of us. And for the really bad days, I take my Darvocets. And unfortunately because we live with pain we don't sleep to well. So you will have to get meds for the depression that usually accompanies this evil illness.

But only your Doctor can tell you what you can take and what you can't. Good Luck.

foggy

Chronic Pain Notebook:

* Been a horrible weekend, after exercising pretty vigourously on Thursday 2/21/08 I had a huge flare up. Every tender point in my body was flaring, to the point it was hard to walk, concentrate, or be a functioning person. After doing some searching as to why I was having such a bad flair, I believe the "Adipex" (Phentermine) I had been taking just a day before the pain is what caused a majority of the pain. I decided to try and take the medicane a little later than usual, come that following Monday. In the morning I was still feeling bad, but after I took the pill around 2pm that day, the pain was quite severe. I was unable to find any type of relief, including codeine pills. I was extremely anxious to the point of a panic attack. The following day I stopped taking the medicane and have felt much better.

*Tuesday- 2/26/07 at 1am in the morning

Had a breakdown, crying, felt completely like I have lost hope in being able to control pain. I described to my husband that it feels as though someone else has taken over my body. That this disease (whatever it is) eats aways at me, my cells and tissues. Everytime I think I can control the pain, it shows up somewhere else, in another form. Daily duties are done with anticipation of the worse, as when cooking my wrists and hands hurt, pulling down my pants to use the bathroom hurts, moving my body from one position to another when sitting hurts, holding my children or doing laundry hurts. This disease NEVER goes away and not finding a pain relief leaves me very pesimestic of the future which gets me down.

I hate being in my body and having NO control

I feel I am getting more depressed knowing I have no relief right now, other than being diagnosed with Fibro, it is frustrating to not know if I have another disease that is causing the pain. I am only 37 years old and feel like I am 60+ I am too young and feel I have too much left in me to let this pain take over my life, but right now it is. I want to do everything in my power to help myself. I know I need to lose weight, so exercising (even though it hurts and makes me have flares) is still a top priority. Eating healthy, low carb diet I will continue, taking hot baths for pain relief, trying to remain as stress free as possible I am still working on, finding out as much information as possible to control pain in my body through literature I am still doing. I am also wanting to find local support groups and am an active member on at least 4 chronic pain forums. The last words I said to my husband before I took my pain relief bath last night was, " I feel as though I am losing my mind"

Wednesday- 2/27/07- Lots of pain in my elbows, mainly left side, back of my neck and inbetween my shoulder blades, also on top of shoulders. Hands are hurting, hard to type and write. Leg pains in both legs and calves. Went to doctor today for 2 hour glucose test, MA had a hard time (as usual) drawing blood, she took about 13 times to draw my blood, in which it should have only been 4 times at the most. OUCH.

Monday- 3/04/08- Lots of pain in my left elbow, and right hip where it is connected to my pelvis. Wrists, hands and feet hurt and are swollen very bad. Left foot just went numb from me sitting straight at the computer for about 5 minutes. Hurts to type tonight. Will be going to bed shortly.

Friday- 3/07/08- Unbearable pain, crying and needing someone to rub out my arms and legs, Took 2 300mg Ibro, had someone massage. Reasons why so severe, little sleep, and tons of stress, plus being outside for too long and cold tolerance.

Sunday- 3/09/08- Horrible pain again, in arms, neck, shoulders, left elbow, left knee and both legs. Managed pain with super hot bath, and 2 codeines to get me to sleep.

Tuesday- 3/11/08- Again very painful day, especially hands, wrists, knuckles and left and right elbows, tons of tension in shoulders and also in neck. Wrists and fingers are extremely weak today, could not hold 40lb baby for more than a second without tears in my eyes.

Wednesday- 3/12/18- Bottom of feet hurt, keep getting loss of feeling and tingling sensation with pressure on the feet. Very sick with flu/virus that is going around. Sore throat, loss of appetite, lose bowels, and sinus pressure in face, headaches and right ear ache.

I took in all my materials like I mentioned and he read through it all. He is very understanding and takes all the time in the world to hear out his patients! Anyways, he asked if I had seen a Rheum. in the last year or so, I said, about 2 or 3 years ago. She is the one who originally diagnosed me with Fibro. He said I should see someone else. I said GREAT! I did my homework and had already found a Rheum. in my area that specializes in Fibro and comes with many recommendations. I asked him if he knew of him and he said Yes and wrote the Referral!!!! Yeah! Finally!!!!

So needless to say I was happy about that. He also put me on Tramadol and Lyrica. We are going to try these two meds out and see if I have any complications along the way or if they help with the pain. So that was it, I have alot to think about now and have regained some new found hope in my life as I believe we are at least headed in the right direction.

Thank you to everyone for the support (as always

Take care

Ali