[sherichance]

Ok. This is not passing judgement. Read into the statement a little better. I completely believe that this is an illiness. My best friend was diagnosed with Epstein Barr. She had to go to parttime work instead of fulltime due to this. If she isnt well rested, she is a mess. I am not referring to everyone in this world when I say they should exercise and or just get out of the house. My fathers girlfriend has many other issues beside the fibro. She is a recovering alcoholic and drug user. There are many other past issues to. Besides sitting at home, taking all these meds and not doing anything productive, I think it is not helping her physically, mentally, emotionally and so on. I am sure there are people out there that are doing something about their illness. This woman is not. I honestly believe if she opened her curtains, went outside, took a walk, went to support group meetings she would feel better physically and mentally.
I know I am not an RN yet, but I was a hospital corpsman in the Navy stationed at a naval hospital. I have seen younger people to older people come in constantly with fatigue, muscle aches and so on. Some do something about it and some of them used this illness to get out of work, which gets you discharged if it becomes a long going issue. It just is so sad when some people seem like they give up, feel bad for themselves and not want to do anything to make life better, thats all.

[BeachNurse]

My Rheumatologist recently diagnosed me with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. I have most of the 18 tender pressure points and never get a good night's sleep. I have a very high pain tolerance and take only Bextra for my arthritis pain. I get sore muscles for no good reason-as though I had worked out for hours-muscles I know I haven't over-used.

I am not depressed or drug seeking. I had one baby with no pain meds..I am just about the cleanest person ever-rarely drink and never smoked or tried illegal drugs once in my life. Fibromyalgia is a real condition. For me the pain is mild to moderately annoying but the fatigue, insomnia, and "mental fog" is terrible and disturbing.

[SmilingBluEyes]

IF exercise and "doing something about it" FAIL US (and they do for some of us), what do you suggest then??????

Just "get over it" perhaps, right? Forget it cause it's bogus?

Whatever--- but do NOT get medical tx, cause someone might roll their eyes at such people? Just drug-seeking depressive hypochondriac types, after all, clogging up the health care system.

Puuuhleeze, depression varies in severity and so does FM. I will willingly concur, some people use their illnesses and/or afflictions for secondary gain and this is reprehensible. It only screws it up for people like me, who only go to the doctor when all other options to deal with it run out and we want to HELP OURSELVES get better.

It's not a "disease du jour" or "fashionable" to me....it SUCKS to live with and makes life miserable at times. But til you walk in my shoes, please don't judge or generalize me. I think that is fair and really should not have to even be argued on a board of supposedly caring health-care professionals.

Good day everyone!

[cbarnett2]

Originally Posted by BeachNurse

My Rheumatologist recently diagnosed me with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. I have most of the 18 tender pressure points and never get a good night's sleep. I have a very high pain tolerance and take only Bextra for my arthritis pain. I get sore muscles for no good reason-as though I had worked out for hours-muscles I know I haven't over-used.

I am not depressed or drug seeking. I had one baby with no pain meds..I am just about the cleanest person ever-rarely drink and never smoked or tried illegal drugs once in my life. Fibromyalgia is a real condition. For me the pain is mild to moderately annoying but the fatigue, insomnia, and "mental fog" is terrible and disturbing.

When you were diagnosed did you have both a positive "R" factor and symptoms of Rheumatoid or just the "R" factor?

When I was originally diagnosed with FM 9 years ago, my Rheumatologist tested me for the "R" Factor used in diagnosing Rhuematoid Arthritis. The test came back positive, so he followed me for a year to see if I was having any symptoms other than just pain. He checked the 18 pressure points for FM at each of my visits which I think I usually had 14-16 of them. He said that I only have FM even though I test positive for Rheumatiod but that I could develop it in the future. Hence my determination to stay healthy and in shape...I find it more challenging everyday I get closer to 30...

[ljr3000]

WOW!! I really think most everyone here needs to do some research on Fibromyalgia. I'm sure you wouldn't feel the way you do if you were the one suffering from it! This is very discouraging that our healthcare workers feel this way. I have never went to the Emergency room due to my Fibromyalgia and didn't realize that people do. It's just something that I have to deal with on an everyday basis and people like most of you; including my husband don't understand. It's hard to know how someone feels especially when they look fine on the outside. I can understand that if people are coming to the ER for treatment of this then "yes" there are abusers; but please remember that this disorder is real and not everyone abuses this diagnosis.

For those of you who suffer from Fibromyalgia I Feel for you because I DO know what you're going through!!

Just keep your chin up and keep going!!

[teeituptom]

Some people may truly have it
others just want to have it

Now from what Ive read here is the only test for FM is the 18 pain points
Now let me poke you 18 times and you will tell me that hurts also.

You find me a good definitive blood test or something equivalent and I will be much more accepting

In the meantime
they roll into ER with their Dramatics
I roll my eyes

Like everyone has ADD or ADHD now

Of course it really doesnt matter to me
anyone coming to er with pain
I dont care the source
real or imagined

I support giving them whatever they want.

[BeachNurse]

Nice sarcasm...sounds like you know nothing about this condition. The physician doesnt "poke" you..he applies mild pressure to certain areas. It should not be painful normally.

I would never think to go to the ER for any FM symptoms I experience either. I just deal with it day to day..I work full time and have 3 active kids. No one would choose to have this problem..other than drug-seeking people who are making things up.

[BeachNurse]

To CBarnett, I have a negative R factor, however I have had painful joints in both hands, fingers, wrists, knees, elbows, feet, ankles, toes and occaisonally ribs for the past several months (since last summer). My ANA is positive and other tests are positive for inflammation. One of the docs I work with doesn't believe in FM and thinks everything is due to my arthritis. I do have unexplained muscle pain. My mother has severe RA and had both knees and hips replaced before the age of 50 and her mother died of scleroderma.

I don't know about what you can do to prevent RA..I have always been a healthy person and it came on suddenly. Just because I don't have red, swollen joints and a + RF my doctor won't treat me with DMARDs..I am seeking another Rheumatologist who is more aggressive because I don't want to be crippled in 10 years..I have 2 boys and a 1 yr old baby girl to raise..

[veetach]

Originally Posted by teeituptom

Some people may truly have it
others just want to have it

Now from what Ive read here is the only test for FM is the 18 pain points
Now let me poke you 18 times and you will tell me that hurts also.

You find me a good definitive blood test or something equivalent and I will be much more accepting

In the meantime
they roll into ER with their Dramatics
I roll my eyes

Like everyone has ADD or ADHD now

Of course it really doesnt matter to me
anyone coming to er with pain
I dont care the source
real or imagined

I support giving them whatever they want.

Tom, I admire your wisdom. I wish I worked with you, I think you are my type of nurse . I think the vagueness of FM is what really gets under my skin. There is no real way of diagnosing it, as Tom said if you poke anyone 18 times they will feel pain. I feel pain in more than 18 places after a busy 12 hour shift, believe me! Show me a definitive diagnostic test for FM and I will lend it more credence.

People get tired, the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome fad of the 80's made itself available for many people to hop on the bandwagon so to speak and spend countless dollars trying to treat CFS, how often do we see this diagnosis now? Back in the late 80's I worked for a dr who swore I had CFS, did a blood test (Epstein Barr and CMV) he tried to diagnose me with CFS, but I wouldnt buy it. I have had mono before and I have and will always test positive for CMV.... By the way, I was so tired because I didnt know I was pregnant at the time. its amazing 34 weeks later my symptoms resolved and I had a bouncing baby girl to boot! LOL

[RNCENCCRNNREMTP]

Originally Posted by veetach

People get tired, the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome fad of the 80's made itself available for many people to hop on the bandwagon

I remember an article about chronic fatigue syndrome from the late 80's. This one man "had to quit medical school" because CFS just made it impossible to keep up. But he could go on to take flying lessons.

Seems to me like another excuse to not be responsible grown-ups. "I don't want to do that, it's no fun".