Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Good for you cyn, its wonderful when you finally have someone who believes you because you're starting to doubt yourself .... My big day.... Yesterday was the big day, I saw my rheumatologist for the first time. He spent quite a bit of time with me, I guess all of you who've been to a rheumy know the first-time drill, lol! We talked a long time before the physical, and a long time afterwards. After the physical, he came in and told me he had several things to say to me. I thought " right, I don't have FMS, so I'm going to have to suffer thru this alone " . He took both my hands and said, in a very kind voice, " I hate to have to tell you, you DO have Fibromyalgia " . I guess he expected me to be upset, but after years of doctors ragging on me about making up pain and me being a drug addict just looking for more drugs, I felt so very RELIEVED. I am allergic to hormones (when I was pregnant I lost so much weight from the nausea & vomiting that I weighed 2 lbs less the day the baby was born than I did before I got pregnant. Birth control pills and different hormone treatments had the same effect on me). I also have a " retro " effect from many different drugs, including painkillers, they have the exact opposite effect on me than they're intended to. He told me to keep on doing yoga, even when it hurts, as the stretching is good for my muscles and has probably done me a lot of good in the realm of pain management. He said then that he needed to find a painkiller I could tolerate, and ended up prescribing Fiorinal #3 for me, which is what I've been taking, in smaller doses, over the last 18 years, for migraines. He said I should be taking 4 or 5 pills a day, which is about double the dose I'd been taking. He said if that doesn't do enough for the pain, he'll consider either increasing the amount, or give me something else that will work better. I think he was very surprised by the fact I wasn't upset by the diagnosis (I guess most people don't want to have FMS...but I have been to so many doctors who just told me there was nothing wrong or I was having rebound or not getting enough exercise....) but now I have a dr. and diagnosis that I can live with. He is also a gynecologist, though he said that he had become interested in FMS in particular because he'd seen so many women suffering from it. But he DID get onto me about the fact that I haven't been having the regular tests and gyno exams I should have at my age, lol! He also said that they're testing me for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, something I never considered. I guess he wants to rule them out....I don't know if the treatment for them is any different. I am just so happy and relieved that I have a doctor who believes me when I say I'm in pain, and he doesn't just tell me to take aspirin or an NSAID and get more exercise. Other doctors throw the FDA (Federal. Drug Administration) in my face, and tell me they have to be careful or they'll lose their licenses. There have been 2 doctors in Nashville busted in the last 2 weeks for being addicted to Oxycontin, getting it through deals with their secretaries and patients. One of those doctors was one I'd actually been seeing for about 3 years, and he was always getting on to me about the FDA....now I know why he was so paranoid about it. It makes me wonder how many doctors out there are depriving their patients of quality care because they're secret drug addicts who don't want to get caught out. So now I'm feeling relieved and happy, mainly because I now know that my pain is real and I was well justified in requesting pain medication from my PCP, who refused to help me. (it makes me wonder if he's one of those addicts). I think it should send up warning flags to anyone who is seeing a doctor who refuses to give pain medication because he has to report to the FDA and doesn't want to lose his license. My doctor also said that 3 of the meds my other doctors are giving me are actually recommended for FMS patients....Neurontin, which my neurologist is giving me to help prevent migraines, Lexapro, an anti-depressant, and Seroquel, an anti-psychotic I take at bedtime (I'm Bi-Polar, with severe depression). I saw my psychiatrist later that afternoon, and he said I looked so much more relaxed and happy, and he felt I no longer needed ECT treatments, which is a real relief, because I really didn't want to have to go through that. I'm sorry, I know I'm really running off at the mouth right now, but I'm just so relieved and happy that I finally have a doctor who believes me and is trying to help me! Thank you if you've managed (and been willing) to read this far! > cyn clmerritt@... Time.....time ....time is what turns kittens into cats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 I know that feeling, for years I knew something was terribly wrong with me and everytime I went to the doctor they treated me like a drug adict. Untill one day my mother and I got onto the internet where there was a sight where you can put your symptoms in and it gives you possible diagnoses. At that point I was extremely suicidal because of the pain. Thank God we found the answer, fibromyalgia came up as the diagnoses, and then I went looking on the internet for an fms doctor, found one and he is great...only problem though is that he won't prescribe oxycontin, which I think would benefit me alot. I have been going to doctor after doctor requesting this medication for only when the pain level is at a 10, but I have been turned down every time. The highest pain medication I've been on is methodone and Duragesic, not to mention xanax, adavan, and valium. But I hear, and if you guys can help me find a doctor that can help, that oxycontin really does the trick for fms patients. To I wish you all the luck in the world, and I know what it is like when you finally find out what is wrong with you. I went through that, I knew something was wrong with me but everyone was telling me that it was in my head and they were wrong. Just goes to show you that even doctors are not perfect. Jana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 Cyn, Id love a massage just about any moment of any day !!! Really Im so happy for you that you have a sense of relief. I remember well once I was diagnosed just being relieved it was not in my head! Have a wonderful weekend! Bless you Deb --- Merritt wrote: --------------------------------- Thank you Deb! It took me several years, and several doctors, but I can tell Dr. Harmuth is a great doctor, with a great deal of empathy. While I was waiting for my appointment, I saw a man leaving with a TENS unit. (he didn't have it when he came in) I don't know if the Center has them for rent, or if he ordered one, and I didn't think to ask the Dr. about it. There was also a section devoted to physical therapy, with a pool, exercise machines, and a massage room (I'd love a good massage!) Bless YOU too, cyn ===== My personal photos, free to view or use http://photos.yahoo.com/lilacskyz Deb ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 I'd love a massage too! Or some ultra sound with Arnica gel. Dillion > Cyn, Id love a massage just about any moment of any day !!! > Really Im so happy for you that you have a sense of relief. I remember > well once I was diagnosed just being relieved it was not in my head! > Have a wonderful weekend! > Bless you > Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2004 Report Share Posted May 29, 2004 I read with interest your repr? drugs.... I get the opposite effect intended from many drugs so am afriad to take any. dash My big day.... Yesterday was the big day, I saw my rheumatologist for the first time. He spent quite a bit of time with me, I guess all of you who've been to a rheumy know the first-time drill, lol! We talked a long time before the physical, and a long time afterwards. After the physical, he came in and told me he had several things to say to me. I thought " right, I don't have FMS, so I'm going to have to suffer thru this alone " . He took both my hands and said, in a very kind voice, " I hate to have to tell you, you DO have Fibromyalgia " . I guess he expected me to be upset, but after years of doctors ragging on me about making up pain and me being a drug addict just looking for more drugs, I felt so very RELIEVED. I am allergic to hormones (when I was pregnant I lost so much weight from the nausea & vomiting that I weighed 2 lbs less the day the baby was born than I did before I got pregnant. Birth control pills and different hormone treatments had the same effect on me). I also have a " retro " effect from many different drugs, including painkillers, they have the exact opposite effect on me than they're intended to. He told me to keep on doing yoga, even when it hurts, as the stretching is good for my muscles and has probably done me a lot of good in the realm of pain management. He said then that he needed to find a painkiller I could tolerate, and ended up prescribing Fiorinal #3 for me, which is what I've been taking, in smaller doses, over the last 18 years, for migraines. He said I should be taking 4 or 5 pills a day, which is about double the dose I'd been taking. He said if that doesn't do enough for the pain, he'll consider either increasing the amount, or give me something else that will work better. I think he was very surprised by the fact I wasn't upset by the diagnosis (I guess most people don't want to have FMS...but I have been to so many doctors who just told me there was nothing wrong or I was having rebound or not getting enough exercise....) but now I have a dr. and diagnosis that I can live with. He is also a gynecologist, though he said that he had become interested in FMS in particular because he'd seen so many women suffering from it. But he DID get onto me about the fact that I haven't been having the regular tests and gyno exams I should have at my age, lol! He also said that they're testing me for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, something I never considered. I guess he wants to rule them out....I don't know if the treatment for them is any different. I am just so happy and relieved that I have a doctor who believes me when I say I'm in pain, and he doesn't just tell me to take aspirin or an NSAID and get more exercise. Other doctors throw the FDA (Federal. Drug Administration) in my face, and tell me they have to be careful or they'll lose their licenses. There have been 2 doctors in Nashville busted in the last 2 weeks for being addicted to Oxycontin, getting it through deals with their secretaries and patients. One of those doctors was one I'd actually been seeing for about 3 years, and he was always getting on to me about the FDA....now I know why he was so paranoid about it. It makes me wonder how many doctors out there are depriving their patients of quality care because they're secret drug addicts who don't want to get caught out. So now I'm feeling relieved and happy, mainly because I now know that my pain is real and I was well justified in requesting pain medication from my PCP, who refused to help me. (it makes me wonder if he's one of those addicts). I think it should send up warning flags to anyone who is seeing a doctor who refuses to give pain medication because he has to report to the FDA and doesn't want to lose his license. My doctor also said that 3 of the meds my other doctors are giving me are actually recommended for FMS patients....Neurontin, which my neurologist is giving me to help prevent migraines, Lexapro, an anti-depressant, and Seroquel, an anti-psychotic I take at bedtime (I'm Bi-Polar, with severe depression). I saw my psychiatrist later that afternoon, and he said I looked so much more relaxed and happy, and he felt I no longer needed ECT treatments, which is a real relief, because I really didn't want to have to go through that. I'm sorry, I know I'm really running off at the mouth right now, but I'm just so relieved and happy that I finally have a doctor who believes me and is trying to help me! Thank you if you've managed (and been willing) to read this far! > cyn clmerritt@... Time.....time ....time is what turns kittens into cats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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