Fibromyalgia Community

More evidence that it's all in our heads?? Sorry, but reassurance doesn't relieve the pain or give me the energy to complete a days work. Of course, defensiveness like this is just what the doctor expects. What more proof is needed that it's all in my head. I am so tired of trying.

Hi Old1now---Dr. P has commented on something very similar. I think you'll find it reassuring. Here's the link:

http://forums.webmd.com/3/fibromyalgia-exchange/resource/91

Dr. P is very clear here on what Fibro is and what it isn't. Since he has it himself, I'm inclined to believe he knows what he's talking about.

Thanks Angelswife. It is so hard dealing with all the pain and hearing people minimize it or suggesting you could get rid of it if you had a better attitude. Essentially, I hear people in general and doctors in particular saying," Don't bore me with your fantasies. ". Between pain, fatigue and the fog that makes me lose words in conversation I've started isolating myself. This discussion group keeps me hopeful when I want to just quit. Thanks again to you and Dr P

Hello.....MiMi in NC....actually FM affects our head and how our brains reacts....so I have to think about this every time I see an article of the wrath of the dragon just being a head thing....which I do understand that most of those who say this do not have a clue what we, FMers, deal with each and every day of our journey....
If only those who might have doubts about how we are feeling....could walk in our shoes for a day or two....no doubt...they would then get it...and would probably never again say anything negative about this...

I have actually tried to "force" myself to do things and just ignore it....but it did not work....if only this was the case....

Hang in there and learn all you can about this mean and ugly illness.....there is hope...you just have to find out what your body needs in order to cope better with it...

Take care and good luck...


MiMi

The American Family Physician Journal....... is a pretty authoritative..... and respectful source.... Peer reviewed is important..... when assessing validity.

Since these..... articles make mention of the Vitamin D connection.....I thought that.....you may have...... found it of interest.

When my mother...... was dying of bone cancer.... that looked to me like the..... wrath of the devil himself.

Do you think....that fibromyalgia feels.....like bone.....cancer pain....?

Anon_57995:

First of all I'd like to give my condolences at the loss of your mother to bone cancer. That must have been very painful. I wasn't going to reply at all, but it seemed like you needed a little compassion about your mother's illness. Please treat us FMers with similar kindness.

By the way, my interpretation of the article (from 2000) is that people with a somatic disorder can be told by their doctor that they have fibromyalgia in order to deal with the symptoms, BUT it does not say that people with fibromyalgia have a somatic disorder.

Actually, calling Fibro the Dragon is how we laugh at it. It is one of many ways we cope...If you decide to stay here and learn about us you will see this.

Pain is a subjective experience that no two people will ever agree on. All we can describe are our own experiences of it. The challenge is that pain is usually an invisible condition, and all we have are our words. Sometimes those words can get pretty colorful, but that's okay.

It is difficult in the extreme to watch someone deal with the pain of bone cancer, especially someone so close. I have walked in those shoes and I know how draining it can be. All I can do is offer a hug. I wish better days for you.

Oh man this is interesting.

As our dear friend Angelswife states, we use the term dragon as a way of describing the power this can have over us. To put a face to the situation and describe it. It helps you push it away and be positive a bit......or use it to shut down for a day.

There are many articles and journals that prove and validate the disease we deal with. Drug companies biting at the bit for the magic pill to help us ($$$$for them) as we are millions now.

To compare us to your Mother (I am sorry for your loss) and the pain they experience with cancer. The sensation of pain can be anywhere on the spectrum....it is brain centered....a chemistry event, a compressed nerve whether a tumor on the nerve or a muscle trapping it...it is neuropathic.

We will not die from the pathophysiology of this condition. But we suffer none the less.

I wasn't able to get the whole article as it was cut in half for a sign in statement, but I got the jist of it. I have found so, in medicine that you can site a very valid study done by an institution and then discounter that with another strong finding.

For me, medicine is a science but it is also an art......."NO ONE SHOULD HEAR "ENOUGH OF YOUR FANTASIES"...that is grounds for removing the physician on your payroll. You treat the emotional state of your patient as well as the physical complaints. Validation goes a long way.

I have wonderful doctors who know my due diligence in knowledge and fortitude to fight this curse eachday. Drama is not a daily thing, but I will melt in a flare and cave in as quick as anyone. IT is something you really try to stay away from.

Please, if you do not share our issues and understand the day we have in these bodies, you must not be in the forum in which we help ourselves....support ourselves, lift eachother up and shoulder the tears we shed.

This will be tagged for assessment of removal. But I needed to just reply and say...judge and you shall be judged. This is the toughest thing I have ever dealt with, I do it with grace and pure boxing glove strength....I fight my dragon eachday.

So, this is my take on this. Nancy B

Nana B.....you summed this up well....

Some things do not deserve a reply.

I have decided that there are some people who will
never "get it"....no matter what.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts...



MiMi

I asked the BOARD to reveiw this, it is of value to the newbies to see how to posture during a challenge, but not sure it is really of benefit to keep this on here? We will let them decide.

Life is full of challenges and we have to learn defense and see that there are those who know we have chemistry issues that have gone awry and though no tests are there, we are in a mess of pain dealing with this.

So, good thread for the banter it can creates, I just don't want BAD CHEMISTRY of anger on here. That helps no one. Nancy B

First off, I am very sorry for the loss of your mother. I can see it left a big scar on you. Please seek therapy to work thru this as no one should be so bitter and hurtful. Do not put down others because of your pain. FM people are not drama queens nor fantasizing about their symptoms. It is real.

Also realize most people with FM have other health issues as well, which may be causing deterioration of their bodies.I know pain I have had R/A since HS. I had to quit sports because of it. I watch my hands change. I watch my knees and toes deform. I have to wear wider shoes not because of my shoe size but because my toes have shape have changed. I call that deformation of my body! I knew the difference though when I go FM, it is totally different from the R/A pain,

Also I have Lupus so yes my organs are deterring too! I also have Diabetes for several yrs now. The Lupus and FM are new to me. So I know pain and I am no drama queen when I complain of the FM pain. It is real and different from my other health issues. It is not in my head.When I have an FM Flare it makes all the other issues worse too, it seems it brings them into flare also.

Again I am sorry for the loss of your mother but please be respectful of others. You don't know what they have gone thru and or it they have even walked in your shoes. Please seek therapy you need to talk to someone.

With love and hugs and yes pain today.
Crystal

In response to the article, unnecessary tests and procedures that included extra expense for me and my insurance as well as risk and pain were indeed part of my history before I got the FM diagnosis. Perhaps a better understanding by my original doctor would have made diagnosis simpler. But my original doctor just dealt with one symptom at a time. One lab result at a time. One visit at a time. He got tired of me and had his PA see me. She was a smart woman and guided me to the rheumatologist. The original doctor changed his practice, so I had to change doctors. To come into a new doctors office with a dx of FM is very tricky. Peeing blood is not a symptom of FM. But I was not seen. Just sent for a lab test. Ended up in the ER. Would that have happened if I hadn't had the "questionable" dx?