I have been thinking about trying to find a new doctor to help me better with my journey. One that will give me better results than what I have been getting from the doc I have been seeing. I am not sure what to look for though, what questions I should be asking. I also would like to try to find a doc that might be willing to help me get some relirf without so many meds. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Yup Tina, and may I piggyback onto your comment? I too have a good PCP who researches stuff for my appointment. That's a great trait in a doctor. It shows that they actually do CARE about you and your illness.
For me, finding a doctor who is flexible is an important factor. That means that if one treatment doesn't work, he/she is open to trying something else. I hate those doctors who say, "well you don't have THIS," or "well, that's all that can be done for it." My doc tried many, many different meds before she found a good fit. She also referred me to good specialists, like pain docs.
I'd start with the doctor's office, as Tina mentions. Before you book an appointment, ask how the doctor feels about treating fibro. Is it something that he's comfortable with? Would he be open to treatment that wouldn't include prescription drugs? Does he feel that fibro is all in your head? Or from boredom or depression? You might be able to sort out the bad ones just from getting answers to these questions, if you can.
You could also try using the internet to find a doc who treats fibro. For instance, you could Google "PCP fibro yourtownandstate." (Example: PCP fibro Podunk, NY)
Then when you get a few hits, Google for "reviews" or "rating" from the doctor's patients. You can find some of the stinkers and some of the gems from this method. (Believe you me, I left some pretty strong feedback on some doctors and their so-called treatment.)
Lastly, don't accept a crapppy answer from the doctor. If he/she can't or won't do more for you, try again with another doctor. Most of us had to try several times before we found someone who knew what was going on and could treat us.
My best to you. This is surely one of the most frustrating parts of having fibro, finding competent medical people to help us.
Hug,
Pet
hi delynn. good advice and suggestions from the others.When calling docs i also like to ask them if they are familiar with and do they treat CFS and FM.. That gives me a starting point. Rheumatologist and Nuerologists treat many chronic pain disorders so they are good to have in your arsenal. I , too dont care for all the drugs but i guess some are necessary. I do employ relaxation , meditation, imagery, positive affirmation, prayer.Many docs like to tell us to relax and reduce stress but they dont tell us how so i think it is on us to research and learn those techniques. I think they are very valuable tools. You can also find some guided relaxation, meditations. many ppl say the dont know how to do these things or some people think watching tv is a relaxation technique. How we speak to ourselves also relays messages to our brain that affect our entire beings down to our very cells. I learned the value in this and do my best to think, read and write things that are most beneficial to health and well being. hey i am no expert but i do the best i can with these things.. hope my info helps you some and hope to chat with your sometime in the chatroom.. huggggggggggggggggs
Hello delynn
I see you work in a warehouse for a pharmaceutical company. That means the floor is cement. Walking on cement is certainly going to be hard on your body.
What kind of a doctor diagnosed you with fibromyalgia? Was it a rheumatologist or a regular GP? Whatever it is you need to find a doctor who believes that fibro exists and who will listen to you. When you're looking for a new doctor you need to ask him/her how they feel about fibro.
Good idea, Suzie. I think there is a whole lot to be gained from utilizing relaxation techniques. In fact, I think I'll look into it - if I don't forget!
Ooh, I never thought of doing this but how smart of you, Tina! I'm very lucky cause my doc gives me a printout of what i take and why. But in the cases where docs don't, notes are imperitive. They could be very useful for those seeking disability. Just very useful, period.
Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice. You have given me a lot of very helpful tips that I will be able to use when searching for a new doc. I will be starting my search this week. I don’t feel like my current doctor is receptive to treating my fibro the way I would like to be treated. It’s always been take these two meds and when I tell him they are not working very well he just wants to increase the dosage. I have been on the same two meds since shortly after I was initially diagnosed and from the very beginning they would work good for a very short time and then they woukd stop working. When I would tell my doc he would increase my Lyrica and again the same thing. I do like that Lyrica has almost completely got rid of the burning sensation that I get on my body but doesn’t work the best for the muscle and joint pains and I don’t like that Lyrica has made me gain a fair amount of weight. Is all of this normal?
Unfortunately weight gain is a common side effect of many of the meds prescribed for fibromyalgia. I cannot speak to Lyrica as I have never taken it. You can research your meds and discover the side effects of your meds.
Weight gain is a common complaint of people with fibromyalgia.