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9am: Get all excited because we have our first female Prime Minister. Realise am running late because of said excitement. Drop off 4 year old at Kindy, spend quality time
Now its 9pm and I dont feel particularly creative. Perhaps a little spacey. Even a little "My!" So I'm not doing it.
According to Dr Rheumy, Disease Most Likely is not Ankylosing Spondylitis, but Fibromyalgia. OK, its a name, but I didnt want to be told "There is nothing we can do. We just handball you back to the Pain Management Clinic." I wanted to be told "You have disease X and you take these drugs and it will get better."
Seriously, sometimes you just have to wonder who the hell you were in a previous life.
I'm kind of relieved, as fibromyalgia isn't degenerative, and you'll have some good days.
ReplyDeleteThat said, consider a second opinion. I was diagnosed (however shakily) with fibro in 1998, when I was twenty-seven. They figured it wasn't MS because I wasn't yet thirty, and don'tcha know, you HAVE to be AT LEAST thirty for them to consider such a thing. They didn't know what it was so they called it fibro, and besides, Oprah Winfrey had done a show on it so it was the disease of the week. They put me on antidepressants and I gained a ton of weight, slept all the time and lost pretty much all my symptoms. My weight has gone up and down ever since and I stopped taking the antidepressants over time. The last time I had a flare-up was in early 2005, which I remember because it was during my first pregnancy.
Looking back, I am fairly sure it was Guillain–Barré syndrome. I'd always doubted it was fibro, because my symptoms were concentrated almost exclusively in my legs and I eventually recovered completely—which doesn't happen with fibro.
If you're on antidepressants already, definitely have them take a second look, or get a second opinion if you can. You deserve answers.
Oh I'm really sorry if your Doctor is right-do get second opinions if you can. I hope your above friend is right. My Sister & my Father both have fibromyalgia (bit scary - keep wondering if it genetic & every time I feel weird wonder if it's about to "get" me too.) My Sister actually has that + Sjoergen's Syndrome + Rhuematoid Arthritis. Took over three stressful (hell-like) years & many second/third etc opinions for diagnosis. All chronic & and only the symptoms are treatable. It can be devastating & a terrible shock to be diagnosed with something that your Dr can't subscribe a cure for in this day & age! Be strong & accept help/support offered if you need it. xxxx
ReplyDeleteI've just stubled upon your blog and am amazed that your first post I read is about your diagnosis. Yikes who sent me here ;-)
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed in 1999 with CFS and FMS. Went down the orthodox path, Zanax in the morning Zoloft in the night etcetera and after I got sick to death of falling into walls I ... no time for the long story here ... short version is I slowly got off gluten, wheat, dairy, caffeine, nightshades - finsihed a degree and came out of the fog.
Hey it isn't easy but in the long run it's worth it to have your life back. My heart goes out to you. Love to talk if you need to vent. xo
Hi Cherie and welcome! I will contact you to vent and yes, perhaps the universe did guide you here!
ReplyDeleteHey Darlingheart - saw you're up to win Pip's prize - isn't that a pearler?
ReplyDeleteHey did you know Fibro is the modern term for Fibrositis that our Grannies used to all complain of!
How many points did the rheumy tell you you had? Mine was 14 out of 18.
Honestly don't become it, don't live it - I made that mistake for almost a year - became obsessed with the freaking thing instead of letting it go!!!
FMS it out the door and out of your life as soon as ya can - positive mind means positive body. The quicker you decide to "f" it off the quicker you'll beat the freaking thing.
Sorry to be back so soon but kept thinking about your quandry, then saw you on Pip's list so here I am.
Hang in there Darling. {{{{}}}} xo.