Need some suggestions/advice for Dr. appt. tomorrow

[Lola_mama]

Ok so I was diagnosed with Fibro 3 years ago and boy has it been a battle!!  And, it continues to be!  Right now I am taking ibuprofen for pain and also Robaxin for the muscle pain I have been having in my neck and shoulders.  I have tried Lyrica and it didn't work well for me (made me drowsy, dopey, confused, and never really helped my pain all that much).  My latest problem that started about 4 months ago, is headaches.  I have always had problems with getting headaches often, but never like this.  I have this neck and shoulder pain that causes me to have a bad headache toward the end of each day and at least 3 days of the week I wake up with a terrible headache that nags at me all day long making it nearly impossible to get anything done!  On top of that I have my regular all over muscle pain, fatigue, rls, moodiness etc.  Migraine meds have not helped at all.  I have tried different nasal sprays, Midrin, and Fiorocet (which kinda helped but I had to take 4 a day).  I'm at my wit's end with this!  I understand I will always be in pain, but I have to find a way to get it under control and make it bearable!  

To top things off, I will be starting a new job on Monday.  I have been a realtor for the past 5 years and was always able to make my own schedule and work from home, but this economy has pushed our family into financial struggles and I have to get a job.  The job I have will be a good one and I'm excited for it, but terrified that I won't be able to hack it if I'm in constant pain and have daily nagging headaches.

So tomorrow I have a doctor appointment and I guess I'm just looking for any advice I can get!  Do any of you experience this?  If so, do you have a regimen that works for you?  Whether it be headaches or pain or both, any suggestions for medications, or tests that I should ask about would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
L.

[Lola_mama]

Thanks, it seems like everyone has such different symptoms when it comes to fibro.  That's what really makes me believe that we do not all have the same thing.  Either we have different illnesses, or some people have overlapping illnesses and do not know it.  Thoughts?

[selmaS]

u described it the way I have heard everyone else describe it....that is how they check...when they press on the tender point u need to react on so many to be considered fibro......and yes u could have days that ur arms hurt, or ur legs and it may cycle........

Good luck!!

"selma"

"selma"

[Lola_mama]

Usually the doctor himself doesn't know your insurance status unless you actually tell him.  It seems to me that doctors in general just don't do MRIs right away.  It's like they're waiting for the patient to say some magic word before the bell goes off for them to schedule an MRI.  Just ask and hopefully you shall receive!  

[Lola_mama]

That day I don't remember feeling pain when he touched me.  But I have pain every single day all over.  It's hard to describe, but a lot of people that have fibro describe it differently than how I would describe mine.  A lot of people say they feel "bruised" or their skin "burns" and that they hurt on every inch of their body.  With me, it's a little different.  One day it will be in my arms and the next day it will be in my legs.  Some days it will be in just one arm or one leg.  I can tell EXACTLY where it's coming from.  I can actually find it and put my finger on it.  It's deep down in the muscle and as I push harder, it will hurt more.  It doesn't hurt on the surface, it hurts deep inside.  I guess I would call the place where I put my finger "the tender point" or "the center of the pain" and from there, it spreads out.  When my arm hurts for instance, I will feel the center of the pain deep inside my shoulder joint and then spreads out from there, and the down on the top side of my for arm with have another "center" of pain that spreads out all the way down to my fingers.  So that's the best way I can describe my all over pain.  Then there's the tight and kinked up neck and shoulders that cause major headaches, but that's a different story!  Will everyone let me know if your pain is like mine, or if it's more like the other pain I described that I often hear about?  This might help me to figure out if maybe I may be suffering from something different.

[Kenderyl]

I was just Dx'd w/ Fibro yesterday based on my symptoms/history/tender points, and although several blood tests were done, I never had an MRI - no mention was ever made of it. Perhaps because I'm on medicaid they didn't want to "waste" their money?

[selmaS]

....hmmmmmmmmmm makes me wonder......I know u can have fibro if u have the tender points, but u need to be sure u don't have nething else as well.

I guess u have a list of questions now??

if u reacted u'd remember...u would have felt like someone was pushing hard on a very brusied part of u!!!

keep me posted!

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"

[Lola_mama]

I have often wondered the same thing!  They really haven't ruled out anything!  The first doctor I saw did blood work and said it came back normal.  Then, she sent me to a rheumatologist.  The rheumatologist diagnosed me after doing a tender point check and saying I reacted to all 18 points.  I don't remember "reacting" though.

[selmaS]

how did they dx u as fibro without the MRI?.....I was under the assumption that they must rule other conditions out such as lupus, MS,lymes, chiari...prior to saying it is deff fibro....as I understand it u can have fibro and another condition as well.

the ENT is a good idea...when having tests ask for copies.

post an update after ur visit!

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"

[Lola_mama]

Thanks so much for your help!  I did have an MRI done about a month ago.  It was only of the cervical spine.  I have been wondering about why I've never had a scan of my brain since I have been dealing with Fibro for over 3 years.  I will ask the dr. about that tomorrow and see what his reasoning is.  I have been wondering if maybe I have some sort of sinus problem.  I heard that it can cause a person to have headaches.  I've gone to the ENT quite a few times over the past few months, but never for me!  I have a 3 year old and a 1 years old who get chronic ear infections and just had tubes put in and adnoids removed.  I have a great relationship with him so maybe I should schedule an appt. to see him?  It has been over 3 years since I had any labs done so I think it's about time that was done again!  I don't even know what they tested for back when they did it and it wasn't with this doctor, so yet another question I will have for him regarding his reasoning for not testing!

Thanks for the help selmaS!

[selmaS]

I am a firm believer in getting an MRI.....I believe also that u can have fibro and other conditions..ur headaches can be stress, they can be a pinched nerve.....ask for an MRI of ur brain and cervical spine......if nething it will say yes or no to some of ur questions....have u been to an ENT and checked for an infection...inner ear ect....?
last but not least get full labs of ur vitamin and mineral levels as awell as ur thyroid levels.....

post an update after the dr visit.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"