Really confused and dont know where to go....please cast some of your wisdom!

Hi everyone,

im going to apologise upfront just in case this either turns out very long, very boring or very confusing! before my fibro diagnosis i had been going to the doctor who was ruling things out and saying she thought i could have cfs. All the tests came back negative so she said the final one she was waiting for was expected also to be negative, so i was on my way to getting the diagnosis. As soon as i had my diagnosis she would send the paperwork in with a referral to the cfs clinic and it wouldnt be long to wait(this was in september) shortly after, i was admitted to hospital in severe pain where i met a rhumatologist who diagnosed the fibro. he also ran bloods to check my thyroid as it was overactive the month before and has said its spontanious recovery so i could forget about it. before being discharged he said i would get a refferal to the pain clinic, an adult OT and a physio but that was in october and still up to now i havent heard anything so i got the gp's secretaries to chase it all up for me. while on the phone anyway i asked where the referral was for the cfs clinic. she got all confused because i was asking about quite a few refferals from various people and she didnt know who should be doing what. ive ended up trying to chase things, it turned out that the referals from the hospital never went through because it was signed off from a consultant from renal, even tho i didnt see any renal consultant,the rhum didnt sign it because he wasnt on the ward at the time?! anyway to cut a long story short (well shorter anyhow) i finally managed to get the hospital to dig out my notes and they saw the referrals so i think their now going to get them moving for the pain clinic and physio. The OT i ended up ring ss to find me, they finally saw me on a list that wasnt even looked at when i was dicharged so that now should be going through. now the confusing part. i am 99.9% sure that i have cfs as well as the fibro as i keep reserarching it and i fit into the condition almost perfectly. i spoke to the gp about getting that origanal refferal to the cfs clinic and was told that it hadnt even been sent as theyd already been told that i had the refferal to the pain clinic anyway and an ot for assessment. she seems to think now fibro has been diagnosed and these referrals have been sent thats all shes going to do about it but i think really i should be seen at the cfs clinic as they explained that it was like an umbrella care where they have physios, doctors, ot's, they do hydrotherapy as well as acupunture.

how do i get them to see that while theyve not seen me since november it wasnt through feeling better it was me trying my best to wait it out for these refferals and i know that fibro and cfs are very simular in a lot of ways but i think i have both!!! i had a painful and quiet christmas but been on a lot of painkillers which made me sleepy.

if youve managed to read all of this without falling asleep then i want to say thankyou xxx

Do you have a PCP? I'd go see them, and have them issue the referrals. They should stay in the loop on everything anyhow, and they should be coordinating your care. You could talk to your doc about your CFS concerns at the same time.

I don't know how your insurance works, but with mine, all referrals have to come from my PCP or insurance won't cover.

im sorry, but what is PCP? im in the UKso we dont have insurance but we pay national insurance so we dont have to pay for medical bills just the perscriptions we have x

Ah, ok. Here in the US, a PCP is your primary care physician. It seems like you should still have a primary doc, who coordinates all of your care?

Dear Sarah,

You are doing it, you are advocating for your health care, and doing the research, so you know what you're talking about when you come face to face with the medical professionals! This is such a huge part of the process, and you are doing well!

You are getting answers, Fibro, CFS, thyroid... None of us are pleased to have these, but we have to have answers, have a diagnosis in order to be treated, so you are on the way, sounds as though you will have to stay on them and watch over them to ensure things are properly handled, it will get easier, I promise.

Keep a running list, Tape it somewhere it cannot be misplaced, tape it on the bathroom mirror, the kitchen wall, and keep a pencil nearby, any problems, symptoms, write them down, take a copy to Dr for their files each time. Talk to then about vitamins, many are deficient, have them recommend what you need.

Take your husband with you as often as you possibly can so that the REALITY sinks in! It's tough for them to accept, they want us to be and stay the way we were when they fell in love with us, it is very tough to get this through their head, until it does, we are here for you. I am sure he is a wonderful man, even the wonderful ones have a hard time with this! Also print off short definitons of your diagnoses and tape them to the mirror where he shaves, change them every few days. They may read it if it is brief and to the point.

Be very sure to tell them about the dry mouth, especially if dry eyes go with this, I have these problems and it is from

Sjogren's syndrome http://www.sjogrens.org/ This can be determined through blood tests or a lip biopsy. Therapy and acupuncture are wonderful help, you are lucky to have it available!

I know it may seem like a lot, but once all is determined and the right meds and treatment is found, it will help, and speaking of that if you have people that you can rely on, ask for help if you need it! Stress will only ever make us worse!

You are doing everything right, just come to us when you need us, we'll hold you up! Stay strong and dont' give up!

Love and hugs,

SK

Ask them about supplements for adreanal support, there are some good ones on the market!

Hi Sarah - you are getting a lot of advice already, here on this Website. I would just be repeating what everyone has to say to you. My heart goes out to you and I am sorry your Christmas was so painful. Never apologize for whatever you want to post on this website. We are all here to help you in any way we can. Gentle hugs! Laurie

Sarah, can you get the name of the rheumy that you saw in the hospital, he seemed right on in your diagnosis, I would go see him, im sure he would get you that referral, if not sit down with your dr. and like SK said keep a list and take it with you, i would not give up teying to get the referral to the CFS clinic, that seems to be what you are most concerned about. Your doing a great job, I know it’s frustrating… Some days I just say ok today I’m not thinking about dr. And dx, and or treatment … Having fibro is a full time job, and sometimes we just need a day off. ( that is after you make your apt) lol
Hugs & blessings
dee

My PCP won’t even talk to me about cfs. She says I’m on too much meds. I’m seeing another PCP on the 21st.

HELLO STRANGER, IT IS ME MICHELE AND SERVICE DOG RUSH!!!LOL HAHAHA!!!!

I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE HIDDEN PROBLEMS THAT ONLY WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN PEOPLE SAY"""""YOU LOOK SO GOOD HOW CAN YOU BE SO SICK'''''''''''''''''! I HATE THAT BECAUSE I HAVE IT ALL! I AM SO LUCKY SACASTICLY FROM NJ. HUMOR!!!! IT IS JUST LIKE PEOPLE HAVE A FALSE POSITIVE SEXUAL DISEASE OF SIFALIS. (MIS SPELLED) SO, THEIR HUSBANDS SERIOUSLY THINK THE WIFE IS CHEATING ON HIM. IT IS A CRAZY WORLD SO, WE HAVE OUR OWN WORLD IN THE ROOMS FOR SUPPORT AND FOR RECOMENDATIONS NEED BE. I GO TO A PAIN MGR,. DOCTOR AND HE IS AM AUSI. LOL.

HE HATES WHEN PEOPLE SAY ARE YOU FROM ENGLAND. HE SAYS NO I AM FROM DOWN UNDER. I TOLD HIM HE BETTER WATCH WHAT HE SAYS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE NUTS AND WOULD TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY. JUST TELL THEM YOU HAVE SHRIMP ON THE BARBI. HAHAHA.

REMEMBER ONE THING, IF DID NOT LAUGH AT TIMES I WOULD CRY. LUPUS, MS, FIBRO, BROKEN BACK.I WANT TO SCREAM SOMETIMES THE PAIN IS SO BAD. I HAVE BEEN LOWERING MY STOMACH PUMP AND NOW HAVE THE WORSE PAIN I FORGOT I HAD. IT COVERS PAIN WELL SO, WELL THAT YOU PROBABLY LIKE MYSELF HAVE TO STAY WITH THE PAIN PUMP FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. BUT, THAT IS NOT BAD AT ALL UNLESS YOU WANT CHILDREN. THAN I REALLY THINK YOU ARE NUTS, LOL HAHAHAHA!! I HAVE ONE WHO IS GROWN AND I HAVE NOT SEEN HIM FOR 9 YEARS BECAUSE HE IS ON HEAVY DUTY STREET DRUGS,. I TOLD HIM DO NOT COME HOME UNLESS YOU ARE STRAIGHT AND READY TO BE A CHRISTIAN!!!SO, DEAR FRIEND I AM HERE FOR YOU AND SO IS MY SERVICE DOG RUSH LICK LICK.

DO NOT GET DEPRESSED OK MY EMAIL IS ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

LOVE AND BLESSINGS MICHELE AND RUSH

Hi Sarah, doctors and specialists can be very frustrating at times they can make you feel un heard some times it feels they don’t know what their talking about, if your really concerned and feel you have cfs then keep pestering for tests. My eye popped out like a golf ball last yr and it was really itchy I went to the doctors and he said my fibro was playing up gave me antibiotics I let it run its course still going to work looking like the elephant woman it just wouldn’t go down so I went to the hospital and the doc there asked if I had lupus I said know I have FMS, doctors and specialists don’t know enough about it that’s the problem, I wish you all the best and hope you get to the bottom of it
Kind Regards Melissa

Yeah, unfortunately some docs think fibro and cfs are like colds. They diagnose you, give you a prescription and send you on your way...out of sight, out of mind, you are done. Clap hands together! Chronic illness is so hard to live with and to find help for doc-wise. Some of them are such lamebrains and they went to medical school for crying out loud sometimes beyond for specialties!!!! Sometimes I wonder with some docs, where in their class they graduated in. Was it last?? LOL

If you feel your docs aren't helping you, you can fire them!!!! You are allowed, they work for you! As an OT, you should know that. Keep us updated!

Hey everyone,

got some good news and some pretty stupid news that admittedly, i am now kinda laughing about. the referrals are all now in place it seems there was some major cock up at the hospital and nobody wants to admit that they didnt put the referrals in place when they should have. (but at least now their moving forward)

now for the stupid news.... i took a big two page list in to the doctors today to prove to her that i really should be treated for cfs/m.e like she was originally going to do, sat their arguing that i needed the diagnosis if thats what she thinks it is so it could go in my disability claim, only to learn that it had been picked up when i was in hospital and i have been diagnosed with it as well as fibro on my discharge form that id sent in already to disabilty...bloody fibro fog!!!

Hey Sarah,

At least you know for sure! They know they have to go over some things with us, don't let it worry you. They understand, we understand. Might as well just have a laugh over it!

We have all done much worse! Believe me! Glad this is all getting sorted out for you! Glad they got in the right gear!

Smile, and keep looking UP,

SK