Firstly id like to thank you for my warm welcome messages :)
So i went to the medical centre today with a letter from an osteopath saying Im suffering from widespread pain etc. which she thinks is due to fibromyalgia and a small list of symptoms im experiencing. (didnt want to go with a list of over 70 lol).
My gp (who is supposed to specialise in fibro) looked through this information and took my blood pressure which was high . She then told me i needed to have a B12 deficiency blood test done before they would consider giving the 'fibro award' lol .
So naturally I went a made an appointment straight away and luckily managed to get an appointment for a hour later , In the mean time i looked up the symptoms of B12 def and i dont think i have it but i went back for the test anyway .
Nurse asked me what i needed them for and which tests it was? Because the doctor had only put my symptoms onto the computer. She then went to speak to the doctor who denied saying i should get the blood tests done for b12 as she needed to speak to fibro specialists ( she never mentioned them) so i didnt have any bloods done.
Im still no closer to getting any treatment or a diagnosis! Iv been suffering on my own for 3 years with no pain relief and it doesnt feel like im getting anywhere! Today feels like it was a total waste of time all i managed to achieve was getting afew symptoms logged into my notes. WOW!
Time for a new GP. My GP was pretty certain that I had fibro when I first started complaining about the pain. No dancing around on her part. If your gp specializes in fibro why does he/she need to speak to another specialist? Also, what about seeing a rheumatologist? They should be able to give you a def. diagnosis.
BTW what you're experiencing is the norm. Most docs don't about this illness. But the good ones are up to speed on it. You just might need to shop around a bit.
Have to say that I have never heard of B12 levels needing to be done before a fibro dx was given, but things change, different Drs dx by different means. But reading further into your post tells me that there is much controversy involved. All I can tell you is that I would try again with this Doc, if you are still not satisfied, or not satisfied now, to move on. If it were me, I would. I really cannot tell you what to do, or give you medical advice, but I can tell you that I have been through many Drs, but did hang on to my GP and DC.
My particular problem is that all of my woes were kicked up or brought to light by a car accident that I just could not get over, so it really had them looking in the right place, in the wrong way, meaning they were looking for injury, not for disease. Even still there was evidence on the x-ray of damage, but age involved...you know, it's complicated!
Thing is you cannot give up. it is the most frustrating thing in the world, but do what you must, within reason and wisdom, for the care that you need.
Hi Nikki(I won’t call you nutty yet as I don’t know you well enough. (lol) get yourself to a different doc ASAP. B12 deficiency symptoms can mimic some of the symptoms of fibro- fatigue, etc. I myself have B12 deficiency and I think it is a pretty standard test when you have fatigue.your doc sounds like an idiot. Sorry, just my opinion. I have dealt with docs like that before and they get fired all too fast. One got fired before my initial consult was even over when she told me that she could not be my doc if I was going to cry. Huh? I left and found a new one right away. It is so difficult to find good medical care in this day and age and even harder when you have something like fibro. Where do you live?i am goingto try to find the list I found on the Internet about good fibro docs. Most are in NY, LA, DC- big cities but there may be one near you.
I defanatly agree about maybe you should find a new GP. I think I was one of the lucky ones and it didn’t take too long to get diagnosed. I think it was by accident to be honest. I wish you all the luck and hope you don’t have to deal with too much.
Gentle hugs
Becca
LOL Thanks for making me laugh I needed it after today . :D
I wish i could fire them , I live in the uk and unfortunately i dont have that kind of control you kind of get what your given take it or leave it. However i have got another appointment for the 6th Aug with a different GP so wish me luck that they'll be more open minded :S
Yeh I think I have found an amazing group Its thanks to people here that I want to fight this. Feels like a secret world Ive been accepted into :D
Im definately not dealing with that gp again for anything.
Thats exactly what i thought why doesnt she need to speak to a specialist ,If shes out of her depth of why not refer me there and then to see the specialist myself? Im in the uk and I think i have to get a referral to see anyone apart from a gp or a practise nurse , But i will look into that tomorrow.
Trouble is this is all stressing me out and is making day to day even harder.
To be honest i think the B12 thing was just her way of dealing with me as fast as she could and getting me out of the way. She didnt end up doing anything for me .
I dont know what she is expecting me to do now as before i left her office she told me to make another appointment when my blood results were back and now i havent had them done! im just going to forget about her and refuse to see her again.
Got appointment with a different doctor on the 6th Aug so im hoping that goes better than today did, Just hate having to start all over again i get so fed up and frustrated having to tell 'my life story' over and over and getting judged by them.
I dont feel strong enough to be direct or to refuse to leave without a diagnosis like ive read so many other people have had to do to get listened to and get answers.
Im trying so hard to stay strong as i was ready to give up about 2-3 weeks ago then i found this group! Really feels like a god send.
Hugs back to you and i hope your having a good day :)
Even slightly lower that normal readings can cause outstanding concerns. Are you sure those were the only tests she ran, sure that she did not check your inflamation, or your RA factors?
Not trying to make an excuse for a Doc that you feel is blowing you off, perhaps it is good she wants to see those bloods before deciding. Think of it as ruling one factor out. If you do not like her, well that is another story. Seldom are you dx the first visit with any Doctor with a disease/condition so complicated.
Perhaps at this point, you just need to type your story, put it in a folder on the computer, so that you can just update and print. It helps to take the hassle out of that part!
I have mixed feelings, but it is your body, your choice. Do check the vit B12 link though.
Oh, you are the Nutty Nikki who gave us the great fibro list! Loved the list - may I ask where you found it? I was surprised to find obscure things on it that applied to me, like not being able to tell shades of color.
Welcome to our forum! It's a great place with a lot of great people and advice.
I live in UK and had to dump my doc. Ready to dump the next one too and go to a different surgery. They are so annoying at times, but it sounds like yours wins the "crappy doctor" award for not diagnosing you for over three years. Maybe the should hold his paycheck until then. It would be surprising to see how quickly he gets of his/her a** then!
Never heard of a B12 test though, and especially not to diagnose FMS. Maybe I'm wrong or getting old lol. Also, how come you haven't been referred to rheumatology yet? Defo time to ditch the doc!! Shocking...
OoooooooOooooh, coooookies!!! Fresh baked and warm, yummmmm!
Vitamin D is also related to pain levels. A low Vitamin D level can give you muscle aches and pains. Mine is low...I'll betcha yours is too, as is probably everyone else's on here. Seems to go hand in hand with fibro.
I'm so glad the shops (sorry.. stores lol) are closed here right now other wise I will have cleared out a bakery and a couple of supermarkets lol. I just remembered where there's a 24 hour one but its too far and I look like death warmed up slightly and no energy for hair n make up lol. Sometimes its a good job I feel like crap. It keeps me out the cake shop.
Who had to mention cookies anyway!! Chocolate marshmallow milkshakes have been my thing for the last 4 or 5 months now. Could have cared less for icecream before?