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Recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia and struggling

I have just joined in the hope I can get some advice about fibromyalgia. I'm recently diagnosed and struggling
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I'm struggling to work out what is normal for me for example I had to see Dr yesterday as I am getting stabbing pain in outer thighs and knees when trying to walk, I asked is this a fibromyalgia flare he said I don't know, gave me a prescription for co codamol and sent me for a xray. All i got was if its no better you will have to come back. I'm in so much pain today I could cry and I know I have to stay active so have got crutches out.
I am in the same boat and just joined. I also have just been diagnosed with Fibro and awaiting an appointment for pain management. Has your GP put you on anything in the mean time? ive been given 20mg of amitriptaline but it doesnt seem to be doing any good.
x
Someone I know had it so bad, she said it even hurt in her ears to hear sounds sometimes.
Do you think it is sometimes given as a diagnosis when they don't know what else to look for?
Is there a single test for it?
Sending all of you a very gentle hug (((((((((hug))))))))
Pollsxxxx
There's no single test for fibromyalgia. Before the diagnose is they have to rule out other things and a diagnosis can take a long time.
Surely if you tell the GP what the symptoms are they are able to prescribe medication to attempt to reduce the effect of those symptoms?
If I have a headache I reach for the paracetamol to ease it. I don't go the GP to have a diagnosis of why I have it.
I wish you well x
As others have mentioned, fibromyalgia is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, and so other tests are carried out first to determine whether there is anything else going on. This is because its symptoms overlap with many other conditions. If there is nothing else going on then a doctor may diagnose the patient with fibromyalgia and then give appropriate advice and treatment.
I hope this helps.
Han
All I can say is that if I actually wrote down every issue I have be it mental or physical health and took it to the GP I would be there nearly every day of the week.
Surely it's up to the patient to decide if they think the symptoms etc are worth investigating? Would a diagnosis really solve what is happening? For me I think that people today are too frightened of their own body and have a compulsive need to know what the problem is. I have a bladder issue which is well known as being an old man's problem. Do I really need to know what the medical term is? These sort of things you have to accept as part of growing old.
I don't know much about Fibromyalgia other than I hear that it appears as constant nerve pain across the body. Is it that you just need stronger pain relief to reduce the impact? Would having 7 years of tests actually resolve the symptoms? Would it reduce the discomfort by knowing what medical term for it is?
What I was also trying to get over was that treating the symptoms is far more important than knowing the medical term attached to it. I have many things wrong with me one of which is having difficulty with walking and pain in the right hip area. I have no idea what causes it. Personally having someone tell me what is causing it is immaterial. My GP is happy to treat the symptoms with medication, painkillers, but has not pushed me to find out why it is there. Knowing why is less important than helping me walk better.
I suppose it's each to their own. Some want a label attached to the symptoms.