Please tell me i'm not imagining it - Newbie

General
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Hi, I joined your site a couple of months ago, but this is my first post. I'm still awaiting my diagnosis (i see a rheumatologist in May) but my doctor suggested that all the symptoms I have point to Fibro. Trouble is, I actually feel like a hypochondriac.....there doesn't seem to be a day goes by where i'm not either in pain (elbows, knees, back, shoulders), feeling dizzy and nauseous, or suffering with chronic constipation and bloating stomach. I hate complaining to people, so I always keep how I'm feeling to myself. I keep calling the hospital to see if they have any cancellations, but never any luck! My doctor advised that he could only prescribe co-dydramol tablets for the pain, until I am diagnosed, but they don't help at all.....and make the constipation worse!!

Did anyone else feel like perhaps it was all in their head before getting a diagnosis?

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Hi Curly Lou!

What a cute little boy! I'm the kid lover here, could only have one of my own, and love him dearly, am so glad to have 4 grand kids to love and spoil, they all love to come and stay, it's a kid friendly, fun friendly home always open to them, especially the 2 boys who are still little. I'm glad somebody still thinks I'm cool! ha! Give that little guy a hug for me!

No, No, NO, you are not a hypochondriac, not at all, though we have ALL wondered the same thing, I'm sure. It makes you question everything!

I am so very pleased that you are going to see a Rheumatologist, I feel they are our best hope of feeling the best we possibly can.

I take morphine for autoimmune arthritis, so I have experience with the constipation. Probiotics are a great place to start. LOTS of water, stool softeners on a regular basis, even digestive enzymes help to break down food and move it through your body, stopping the bloating, pain and discomfort. Taking them with a HOT drink will also help. Oat bran caps from the health food store. Fresh veggies and fruits, organic if you can, well washed in the plant based dish soaps. And the best thing when all else fails that will not give you cramps is Phillips milk of magnesia. Doctor recommended.

I have always taken probiotics, the Spectrazyme for digestion was given me by my Chiropractor.

Please check with a Dr or Pharmacist , Chemist in the UK, to make sure they will not interfere with meds.

If I can think of anything else, I'll be sure to let you know, and I'll get you a link for the Spectrazyme.

Big hugs,

SK

http://www.amazon.com/Metagenics-SP002-spectrazyme-60-tablet-bottle-by-metagenics/dp/B004GLEUW8

Larger bottles are also available, all of their products are good, pharmaceutical grade. Hope you are also on a good multi-vitamin!

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I like that lovett, that last sentence is so very true!

It's all of the great people like you that make this group so outstanding! Always good to hear from you!

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Hi Curly Lu and welcome! You ask an extremely good question and one that many of us can relate to. Fibro seems to be a very complex illness, from what I can see. Although it's supposedly just too many pain signals being sent out to our body, many different things seem to happen to us that seem unrelated to pain signals. Like low levels of Vitamin D and hypothyroidism. And other odd things occur, like terrible pain in our elbow one day that mysteriously vanishes the next, only to be replaced by horrid pain in the knees. Migraines. Jaw pain. Toothaches. Swollen fingers. The list goes on and on and on.

So, in answer to your question, YES, it's very, very easy to feel like it's all in your head, at times, because the stupid illness is so bloody unbelievable in the first place. But please don't doubt yourself...it's the illness.

I know that there are days (or used to be days) where I'm not in as much pain and feel like I can't really be sick if I'm not in terrible pain (like i said, it used to be like this, but now I'm always in bad pain.) So I'd think that it must be in my head....until it'd come right down on me again.

Denial is a HUGE part of this illness. We like to deny it away, because we think that it can't really be an illness that's this bad, and surely we'll get better soon...Again, that's the illness talking. We ARE sick and we ARE in pain. You AREN'T imagining what's happening to you, no matter what anyone else might say to you. It's really,.

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Curly Lou, I thought it was all in my head for eight years because my doctor didn’t agree with the diagnosis made by a Doctor in a walkin clinic. She kept on telling me it couldn’t be fibromyalgia, it really didn’t exist. It wasn’t until I moved and got another doctor that I was diagnosed with fibro and it was confirmed by a rheumatologist.



So it’s okay, as we are often reassuring each other, we’re not nuts. I’d check to see if you were on a waiting/replacement list in case there is a cancellation or see if there is another rheumatologist to whom you could be referred at an earlier date. We can wait for months to get into specialists here as well.



I use a fairly mild laxative recommended by my doctor called “dulcolax - Bisocodyl tablets 5 mg” when I need them. I also find a change in diet to include a lot of vegetables, along with some exercise makes a difference. I realize that exercise probably isn’t something you want to consider at this time, and if you’re nauseous, vegetables made not be appealing either. It’s something to keep in mind when you feel better.



Heating pads, water bottles, heated throws (blankets), or warm showers (if you’re not dizzy) keep you warm and may give you some comfort. I prefer the heated throw because it covers all of me at one time. There are some over the counter meds that might help with your pain but you should check with your doctor before using



I’m glad you joined this forum, there are a lot of members here who understand, care, are supportive and knowledgeable about fibro,



I hope you get some relief soon. Gentle hugs