I can not believe my doctor!!!! What do you guys think?

[kimmie305]

I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago with Fibromyalgia; I also have DDD and scoliosis.  I am a 29 year old female and the winter is really really hard on me.  My arms hurt, my legs, my neck, back, and hands hurt; my skin burns and I get really bad migraines.  I was going to a pain managment doctor and he was extremely rude to me.  I would end up crying after every visit; he basically accused me of lying to him.  Every doctor I have spoke to in fact has told me that I am too young to have this many problems.  One of my really good friends works for the doctor I am currently seeing.  He was really great and understanding.... At first.  He told me that he could help me and that Eventually this would all "go away."  My son recently got a rash on his stomache and arms, so I called his doctor and scheduled an appointment.  I was scheduled to see my doctor on the 23rd of this month; however, he prescribed my meds on the 19th... well anyone that has medication of any kind knows that the next month my meds would be available on the 18th and then the next month on the 17th because 30 days is always one day shy of the first RX accept in months of 29 days.  My sons appointment was today so I asked if I could get into my doc today.  The nurse asked me what I was there for and I told her I had to get my refills because I didn't have anymore so that is what she wrote on my chart.  My doctor came in very aggrivated and told me that he could not "take part in this" and that I am ADDICTED to my medication.  He then told me that because I am not making an effort to go walking outside *BECAUSE THE COLD HURTS ME SEVERLY*  that I am not even making an effort to get better.  He then asked me how many pills I take a day.  I am prescribed to take 4 lortab a day and lately I have had to take  4 a day and I am not sleepin well at all.  The cold makes my whole body ache terribly.  He told me that I had to be taking more than that because I was out of pills.  I looked at him seriously confused and said NO SIR I am not out of pills I asked to see you today because My sons doctor is RIGHT UP THE STREET FROM YOU. AND I hate to drive my son in this type of weather.  It is horribly cold, snowing, and icy.  Needless to say he had me so upset I began to cry.  He then told me that He would switch me to a pain clinic and offered me THE PAIN DOCTOR I HAD JUST LEFT and another one.   ????????????????????????
I just do  not understand SERIOUSLY.  I am beginning to seriously believe that there are NO good doctors out there.  How can a doctor sit there and tell you that you don't hurt like you say you do and ACCUSE you of being addicted???!!!!???!!! WTF???  excuse my language but i am seriously soooo tired of this bulll crap.  Because they go to school for a lot of years they have the right to sit there and demean me and my feelings and my pain?????  I am seriously starting to become depressed... I am at the end of my rope.  I do not enjoy hurting, I do not enjoy taking these meds and I do not think this is funny or some game.... THIS IS MY LIFE.... If it wasn't for my son I would seriously give up and shoot myself... But I can't because he needs a mommy and he is my whole world... he is the reason I fight everyday to get up and keep going....
Do I sometimes take a extra pill a day? YEP I sure do if i am in serious pain I will take one... does this make me a addict?  am I a horrible person because I do not like to lay in agony?  I take hot baths, I use heating pads, I have a heated blanket for goodness sake... I have done everything and tried everything that they have EVER asked... and yet EVERY doctor ends up treating me the same way...
WHAT DO I DO???  What do you guys do?  Anyone who takes the time to read this THANK YOU... SINCERELY... I am just soo sick and tired of this... its not right... i shouldn't be sitting here crying right now wondering if I am losing my mind and crazy.... I do not imagine this pain it is real... and yet every doctor I go to seems to think I am a liar..... I just wanna give up

[fred466]

I've had this disease for many years now myself, and I know what you all are speaking of. My only additional comment to all of this is that I believe that the non-treatment of chronic pain is a modern holocaust. The only job of the medical profession is to reduce or eliminate pain. They do not do this as a result of pernicious laws restricting effective drugs or other treatments. This has to end, there has to be a revolution in thinking here.

[cryan463]

I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1996...but it really wasn't that bad at that time and I just brushed it off. It did explain my fatigue and pain issues, but I was young and I was going to fight this. Well, in 2002 I was involved in a near death accident (I hit a guard rail head on at 60 mph) This was when my problems really began. I had a doctor that did treat my condition but then left the practice. I eventually found a doctor that I really liked and we really got a good doctor patinet relationship...I began seeing her in 2003 and until this year I had seen this doctor a few times a year and of course when I was in attack. This week I scheduled an appointment with her and when I arrived at the appointment they wouldnt see me they didn't take my insurance. I was willing to pay cash for the visit and they still wouldn't see me. I have GREAT insurance so I don't know what there issue was anyways. I was forced to find another doctor which is next to impossible to find a doctor that will treat fibromyaligia. I found one and I think I really like her. She has new ideas to help me which I would be so grateful for. I just had a gastric bypass surgery and have already lost 80 pounds in the past 3 months so I am more active, but that can cause me to overdo things and send me into an attack.

[Blossom2512]

I hate to say this, but welcome to our world.  I think at some time everyone has gone through this.  You need a Dr. that specializes in Fibro. Everytime I call for a new Dr. I make sure he has a lot of fibro patients and lots of knowledge on fibro.  I've been through so many dear,kimmi.  My heart goes out to you.  Killing your self is not the way to solve it.  that would bring on many more problems especially for your child.  You are wrapped up in how you are hurting physically and mentally right now, but don't forget the feelings of your family.  I thought of this many times also, my dear. "they'de be better off without me".  But, they won't. They would have guilt the rest of their lives and wonder what they should have done to save you. And on behalf of God, He doesn't want you to do this. He has a plan for you and you really don't want to mess up His plans!!!  Take something for depression and if that doen't work, try something else until you get a handle on your depression. Then you will be able to think about what you want to do about these Dr;s.  Pray for a Dr.to come into your life that will not only be knowledgabe but will be understanding and empathetic.
Good look Kimmi and many blessings to you.  You are worth it!!!!! Blossom2512

[dihde]

I just had a nasty experience w/ a first time appointment w/ a physician and she had the nerve to tell me that she doesn't believe in FM and said it just means I'm severely depressed and that I need to see a physiologist and be examined.  She told me my symptoms that I have are all in my head. However, I was being treated for my FM from a pain specialist, neurologist, rhumatologist, and going to a physical therapist until I lost my health insurance because I was no longer fit for duty and was forced to resign from my job so I have been struggling to find a doctor to help me from the wonderful free medical health program that Virgina has to offer.

[Saturnalia731]

I 100% understand where you are coming from, and most of these "doctors" and/or "neurologists" are plain and simple full of crap and have NO IDEA what they are talking about. (Not like they've ever had to suffer with this kind of pain on a daily basis..)
And if I remember correctly you mentioned something about how you're doctors weren't taking you seriously because of your age and they didn't believe someone that young could suffer that much pain - my suggestion, go online, it's easier to find but I'm sure books could work too, and find cases and information about what I believe is called Junior Fibromyaligia - or at least something similar. And that can occurr in people as young as 3 to 5. You stick the research in his face there's no way ANY doctor can argue with you.. It's the only way I got my first doctor to listen.. I hope it works for you too.

Turns out when I was 14 or 15 a friend had picked me up ran around the gymnasium at school with me (It was someone I fully trusted so I thought nothing of it.) and as we were 3 steps away from the 'finish line' he threw me up to try to get a better catch on me and ACCIDENTALLY missed. Needless to say I came crashing down on the wooden floor, was knocked unconscious, and bruised several bones. And of course anyone that knows anything about Fibro most likely knows that it's usually started because of a traumatic/ physical event. Now of course I'd never had even a hint of it before (Although my mother, who also has it along with several of her sisters, had been keeping track of a book of my symptoms and the more she read and recorded the more she didn't like what she found. Later to find out that I'm practically her exact medical replica in most cases.) however, after the accident in the gym the Fibro slowly started to ruin my life as I'm sure it has others. I barely even graduated High School because I was out so many days simply because I just couldn't get out of bed 'cause I was in SOOO much pain. Granted the pain had lessened for a little while, I am now 21, turning 22 in a couple months, an am now without ANY help from any doctor at all because the last one that was REALLY, REALLY good at  helping me let his secretary get away with not doing her job fully and discriminating against me. (She made up several excuses so that the doctor would refuse to see me again..) GRR. And to make matters worse, they dropped me two weeks before the holidays, making it IMPOSSIBLE to find a new doctor to help me then! Not to mention him/ them telling me that they were ripping me off my narcotics  was a whole other big problem.
I'd even gotten desperate enough to try the doctor that my [now] ex-boyfriend had recommended. I don't know what he told that doctor (Most likely he gave him all MY symptoms, among other horrible untrue comments - jerk.) Cause once when I went in there, I'd even brought my mother in with me to validate everything I said also in case I forgot something that she didn't, as well as at least a 20-35 pg. packet of all the lists of meds I've been on, who prescribed 'em and when they were given, making it very simple for him - this doctor, who's ranked #8 in the state (How - I'll *NEVER* understand. Especially after telling me it was all in my head, lying to my face about what kinds of meds he prescribes, and how he thought me seeing a therapist would cure it all. Yea, he couldn't even bother to GLANCE at the list. Well gee, I'm sorry, but if it's all in our heads, than why on earth would we have to see a rheumatologist to get the final diagnosis?? A call that I was told that any other doctor requires him (or her) to make..  I don't know about you guys but it certainly doesn't make much sense to me, lol.) He assumed my crying my eyes out in agony was just pure depression or something a lot like it. B.S.!! Of course the rain and the cold makes it worse!
[He just wanted to keep putting me on the same meds that had already landed me in the ER a few nights before due to bad reactions to the new medications. Not that he could be bothered to listen.]

Since then I've absolutely refused to go back and deal with that -  [In an effort to be polite..] quack; that jerk; that damn phony.
Months later I've been through just about every neurologist in the Middlesex book, but finding a doctor that will take a 21/ 22 yr old seriously in my condition and *HOPEFULLY* give me my meds back so I can get on with my life before it's too late...
I don't know.. Any suggestions?? Any help would be appreciated..

Hell, after all, is it really such a bad thing to want to be constantly treated like a guinea pig; tried on drug after drug, taking test after test - last I checked that's nowhere near living...

Regardless - best wishes to all and I hope things pan out well for each of you.

P.S. Sooo sorry to get off topic..

[SiouxSioux]

Goodness :( I can completely empathize with you. Right down to the "THIS IS MY LIFE.... If it wasn't for my son I would seriously give up and shoot myself... But I can't because he needs a mommy and he is my whole world... he is the reason I fight everyday to get up and keep going.... " comment.  I was diagnosed when I was 22 with Fibro and was prescribed over 25 pills a day. I took them for about 3 or 4 months and didn't get any relief so I took myself off all meds and gave up. I convinced myself I didn't have Fibro and if I did the meds would've helped.  I went  literally for years until I was 34 to go to a doctor again for the pain becaue it had gotten so much worse. Now I have so many problems it's insane. Now I get to deal with feeling like doctors don't believe I'm in the pain I'm in and doctors who just don't get it. I have been told so many times this or that is in my head and I need to see a Psychiatrist. Of sourse I've also been able to prove those doctors wrong everytime with tests. More randon symptoms found, lesions, bone degeneration, severe deficiencies, etc... Not that that makes them do anything about it other than tell me I should still go to a psychiatrist for my depression and anxiety. They just have to accept that maybe I do feel pain in those areas. I have so many stomach problems that the last thing I want is more meds so I started going to a therapist to help me deal with how hard life has gotten. As everyone here knows, you lose so much it's almost impossible to deal with and understand by yourself.  So my therapist recently ordered a sleep study for me and I am going to the neurosurgeon today with proof I am in pain even when I sleep. Otherwise the leg that I've been complaining about since the get go would not of moved 90 times. It was also discovered that I am only getting about half the stage 3/4 sleep I should be getting which is the restorative stage for your body. No wonder is the way I look at it. If my body isn't healing at night from the damage I did to the day prior and this has been going on for years then I'm hoping it will be very obvious to my neurosurgeon something needs to be done. So just a suggestion but if you can get a sleep study done then you may have proof you need the doctors can't ignore. After all, we don't consciously control our bodies when we sleep.