Last week I got the call from my doctors office, another official diagnosis to add to the list: fibromyalgia. As frustrated as I am, its nice to be able to find an answer to some of the pain and discomfort I've been feeling. It was a fellow spoonie that I met on twitter who wrote me an email after reading my blog.
"Ummm, Kate could you possibly have fibromyalgia?"
I looked at the email and re-read it a few times. Was it possible? I started to research the symptoms of fibromyalgia online. As I began to read my jaw slowly began to drop. Holy Moly Batman! I had about 90% of the symptoms listed but, I was worried to say anything. I didn't want to seem like a hypochondriac, having people believe it was all in my head (something any spoonie can truly relate too). I felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. The last time a doctor had pretty much said I was making it up and should see a psychologist, it nearly broke me. I didn't want to take that chance with my PCP or even my family. So I kept the information tucked away.
About a week later I went to see my OBGYN for my PCOS. I've been seeing her since I was 15 and trust her more than any other doctor. After she listened to everything I was experiencing she looked at me for a second and then asked,
"Kate, have you thought about talking to your primary about the possibility of having fibromyalgia?"
I was stunned. In a weeks time two people both had come to the same conclusion. I couldn't brush this off anymore. I made an appointment with my PCP for that same week. I printed out my research, highlighted all of the symptoms I was experiencing and brought it with me. I walked into the office feeling nervous, not really knowing what to expect, hoping that she would take me seriously.
I waited about 15 minutes and she came into the office asking me how I was holding up and how she could help me.
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the possibility that I could have fibromyalgia."
I handed her my highlighted papers and began to go over everything that I had been experiencing for over a year. Symptoms that I was brushing off as just a side effect of my chronic stomach illness. She listened and nodded her head, and than began to look at some information on her computer. She stayed silent as began to press on certain points on my back and arm.
"Ahhh…ow," I hissed and flinched. When she finished she had me sit back down on the chair by her computer.
"Okay, so I really think you hit the nail on the head Kate." She went on to explain that she would have to do two blood work tests to be 100% certain. One was to check my thyroid levels since they hadn't been checked in 6 months and the other was to see if it could be related to arthritis (it runs in my family). "They most likely will come back negative, but we just need to be certain. In the end, I think your right Kate, you most likely have fibromyalgia."
So I had the blood work done and waited for the results. And last Monday I got the call, "The tests came back negative Kate, I'm giving you an official diagnosis of fibromyalgia"
The next step is to try some different medications to see if they'll help me out. I'm hoping that they could at least calm down the pain I've been in. Maybe help me get more that 2 hours of sleep a night.
There are still many questions as to why my body works the way it does, but I'm happy to have another piece of the puzzle figured out. The more answers you have, the better it is. It helps you understand why your body reacts the way it does.
Does it make the pain and discomfort any better? No.
But at least you know your not going crazy.
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