@A MyFibroTeam Member ... my best doctors would applaud you. That's an enormously helpful list and viewpoint. 👍😘

I call my best doctors "medical detectives" because they comb through data, facts and use inference, deduction and draw conclusions.

Mentioned Users

A MyFibro...

Last I heard there is no test for Fibro. A blood test is to see if you have similar conditions with the purpose of deleting them from the options. Blood tests check for
•Complete blood count
•Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
•Thyroid function tests
•Vitamin D levels

The purpose of taking these tests is to see if you have...

Lyme disease
•Chronic fatigue syndrome
•Multiple sclerosis or myasthenia gravis:
•Other rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Sjogren’s Syndrome, and systemic erythematosus lupus: These conditions are very similar but also come with their own characteristic symptoms (e.g., skin issues in lupus).

A good rheumatologist will check for these things.

Gentle Hug,
Grandpa Patrick

Find every book you can find on Fibromyalgia and the symptoms. You may find that you have more symptoms than you thought. Look for the tender points. They are the most telling of all the symptoms, you could have migraines from TMJ and facial nerve tenderness. I have tender places on my head that is aggravated by my bipap mask. You may find that you have all 16 tender points. The aching with the weather changes. Pressure changes give people with Fibro a possible flare up and there are many other aches and pains that come with the changes. Sometimes the doctors don't know the answers.

Jen 99
Your "specialist is an idiot." The specialist that should tell you if you have fibromyalgia should be a rhumatologist. A diagnosis is not based on any test. There is not test that says if you have fibromyalgia or not. The way you know if you have fibromyalgia is by deduction. Sherlock Holmes said, "Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth.”

So if you don't have arthritis or Gout or Lupus or Lyme Disease- and so on- then you have fibromyalgia! Lucky you.

I have fibromyalgia too. Unfortunately it is something you just have to live with. You need to develop a Pain Management System. A Pain Management System is simply a list of things you do that help you to moderate your pain. A PMS (an unfortunate acronym) are the things that keep you from taking opiates which are not recommended by doctors because of overdose and other side effects.

A PMS can be putting ice packs on a painful area. It can be as simple as distraction- watching TV or reading a book can help with low levels of pain.

I do think opiates have a use. When your PMS fails you and you are at level 8 or 9, they can help prevent a trip to the hospital where they may treat you like a drug addict looking for a fix or someone who wants to commit suicide.

I also am a man with breast cancer! Yes men get breast cancer too. Only one out of 833 men get beast cancer. So I hit the disease lottery! I am personally setting the goal of seeing how many diseases a person can get and still be alive. I have four so far, Fibromyalgia, Sciatica, Manic Depressive and Breast Cancer! (dark humor)

I'm sure that I am a novice my short list of diseases but I am proud of them.

I now apologize for my rantings. It is just part of the manic part of my manic depression. Luckily don't seem to have the depression part of the disease.

Warm and gentle hug,
Grandpa Patrick

Thanks for the reaponses. Its not for a diagnosis of fibro, i basically want multiple OTHER medical issues looked into. Even though the specialist will tell me I have fibro and recommended treatment, they wont put it on paper. I was 15 years with severe pelvic pain before a gynecologist ever said I had ovarian cyst, even though I believe its endometriosis or PCOS or both. I have been 20 years dealing with lazy bowel and still nothing diagnosed or done despite my family dr sending me to multiple specialists. I have MULTIPLE autoimmune symptoms: cant find a dr who will investigate. I suffered with boils on my tailbone from age 13 to 29 before a surgeon would perform surgery to remove the sacs. And in my location, i will wait years before I see a rheumatologist. Im basically taking this into my own hands now and using my nursing degree to try to help me navigate legitimate scientific sites and research. So as to try to find my own answers to possibly help discover better treatment.