Getting Proper Help - Fibromyalgia Message Board

HateHurting · 10-20-2003, 01:17 PM

Hi

I am new to the HealthBoard and i read soem really interesting material here from all of you on Fibro. I never realized this was such a common disease. I have no one hear to talk to about my aches and pains as no one here as really ever heard of Fibro. Boy are they lucky!!! I wish I had found this site earlier.

Hope you can help me after you hear my story.

When I was young around 6 years old...all of sudden one night I started hurting in my arms and legs. No one could touch me. If they did it felt as tho they were squeezing me as hard as they could. At that time Polio was going around and that is what they diagnosed me with. I could not walk or use my arms for about 6 months. They said I was paralyzed. One day I started getting feelings back and so they taught me to walk and use my arms again. I was in the hospital this whole time. They ended up saying I had arthritis at age of 6.

As i grew older my body hurt and ached. They said there was nothing they could give me until I was older. They would have me soak in hot water alot. At times I would hurt so bad I cried. I was determined that when i grew up I would find someone that could tell me what was wrong and why I hurt so much. It took me 20 years. All doctors I went to say they couldnt find anything wrong. No one knows why I was hurting. My PCP would give me muscle relaxers and pain pills for arthritis. He would send me to all kinds of doctors and they all found something wrong and treated me for it but never helped with the pain I was explaining to them. I couldnt understand it. Then I finally got approval through my insurance to go to Rhemuatology doctor about a year ago. He ran the test all over again. Said all my blood work was normal... I got really upset and he told me to calm down. We sat and tlaked for over an hour. He got my all my history and said he wanted to do a Bone Density Test. He found in my left leg when my fibia was disengrating. He told me after he got all test ran that I have Fibromyalgia. He gave me arthoteck and Lexapro and told me to stay on my other pills also. I couldnt take the arthotec...it always makes me real ill. The only real thing working on me now is the Lexapro. My other pills I guess I am immuned to. I hate being on all this medication but I am so sick of hurting. My problem is that I cant find a regular doctor who believes in Fibromyalgia. The ones I have talked to says that It is just something a rhuematology diagnoses when no one else can diagnose anything else. All my family and friends believe this is all in my head. Trying to find an approiate doctor to help me is hard. Last night i hit a chair and can u believe I broke all my toes and fractured my growing plate in foot. They give me crutches. My arms and other legs hurt so bad when I use them. I lose my balance on them. I called my doctor to talk to him about this and he says.."Make an appointment...I want to do an Osteoporsis test because your bones shouldnt break that easily." Now what am I looking at? I know nothing about that either. I am just really tired of hurting and tired of doctors and tests...years of frustration all rolled up and no one to talk to about it. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I am sorry I went on and on. I just finally had the chance to get it out to someone who understands. Believe it or not...it helped with the frustration.

Anxiously waiting for advice
HateHurting aka Mary

AliceBlueBelle · 10-20-2003, 09:42 PM

Mary, you have been though so much from such an early age. It is finally coming to light that those who had polio, and I really think you did, are now suffering from related problems in later years.

It is little consolation, but for those not suffering if you can't cut it out or cure it, then it doesn't exist except in one's head. At one time, that is what was believed of people with diabetes. People who are doing well just don't seem to want to deal with things that are 'hidden'. We try to educate outselves and others as much as possible. There are various support groups around the internet if you should need extra support.

-alice

HateHurting · 10-20-2003, 11:26 PM

Thank you for the response Alice. If you could give me additional information on support groups it would be great. I feel I could really use someone to talk to who relaly believes and understands. Honestly I feel alone. There is so much that I have been through that I didnt even write about but as I figured it if we gave every detail....we would all be on here forever. But anyway...again thank you fro your help and any help in future you can give me.

HateHurting....Mary