Re: Severe Disappointment

[Guest guest]

At 12:28 PM 08/28/2001 -0400, Darcy Stockstill wrote:

>I went to the rheumatologist this morning and left in tears. What is it

>with these doctors and not wanting to " officially " diagnose you with

>something, but they tell you they think you have it and you have all of

>the symptoms for it??

Man, Darcy, I do hear you on that. I guess it's good that my doc actually

said " You have fibromyalgia, " although his suggestions for working on it

were so sexist it was kinda disgusting. ( " You just need a

boyfriend.... " Bleah!)

Is there any chance you could call and speak with your doc? Be nice but

very firm: I need a diagnosis for financial reasons, for peace of mind --

whatever you think would work. Does she know that you are going to apply

for disability? If she can't diagnose you confidently, then you need to

see another doctor who can. I understand that FM is tough to diagnose, but

-- scuse my French -- it's time for her to shit or get off the pot, know

what I mean?

>She mentioned some exercise program she thought I ought to get involved in

>to help me. She just totally is not listening to me when I'm saying, I

>just can't do exercise, the slightest bit wipes me out. There is *no* way

>I'm capable of driving somewhere everyday, let alone exercising once I get

>there. If I could still drive somewhere everyday, and do " exercising " ,

>I'd still be working at my job.

This is the same thing I've been wondering about, myself. My theory about

exercise -- soon to be tested at the hospital gym -- is that the reason it

might help is that the muscle pain comes from lactic acidosis, and that the

only way to " clean out " this acid is to work the muscles.

Can I tell you how much I think that WON'T work? It's like one of those

things that sounds absolutely rational in theory, but in practice turns out

to be a big old waste of time. When I have major difficulties walking from

my car to the ER -- not a long walk -- it just doesn't even begin to make

sense to think that *more* exercise is going to make me *better*. I have

nothing to suggest in any way that exercise would help. As far as I can

see, it *hurts*.

Know what I really think? I think they recommend exercise because it's

safe to recommend. They recommend exercise because they don't know what

else to do -- they are in the dark even more than we are, and they dislike

that, and therefore feed us a bunch of crap that basically means they want

to foist off the responsiblity for our treatment on us. " Get exercise "

translates to " I don't know how to help you and that irritates me, so go

away from me now. "

Gee, Em, bitter much? *wan smile*

>The only thing I have going for me is a husband that firmly believes me

>and *knows* I'm not making this stuff up. I'll take him.

I'm glad you do have him -- in my case no husband, pretty much on my own,

but so far so (sorta) good.

*HUGS*

Em

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It is the tale, not he who tells it.

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