OK, so I am 34 years old and have not been diagnosed as actually having Fibromyalgia but I am sure I have it after searching for reasons why I feel so bad, but how to get a diagnosis?? Any advice would be appreciated!!
So I have had IBS since I was 20 and I have also suffered from anxiety and spells of dizziness and sickness. I am also ALWAYS tired, yet have trouble sleeping, sometimes can not stop needing to wee, and also have suffered from aching throughout my body (this comes and goes - when I have it it usually lasts a few hours or a night and then it goes away again for another few days till it returns) I suffered from this for about 10 years but although I have been to my GP many times about these various things they always say there is nothing wrong with me!
After constant stomach upsets I was diagnosed at 21 with IBS and am prescribed Lopermide to manage this. I also went to the GP suffering from anxiety in my mid twenties - although I am pleased to say I have not needed anything for this for the last 7 years or so (although I do go through phases still of being very anxious). I have been to my GP several times with waking up feeling dizzy and he said that was vertigo and that was that... I went about needing to wee all the time and they tested me for a bladder infection and said I didn't have one and my GP just said this "sometimes happens to women my age" (hello I'm only 34!) and I should "train" my bladder.
From my early twenties onwards I went to the doctor about 6 times complaining of crippling tiredness (which I still have in phases actually) and I was tested for a low thyroid but when the blood tests come back normal they just say there's nothing wrong and leave it at that. This has happened so many times that now when I go through what I call a "tired phase" (which can last a few days or a few weeks) I now don't even bother going to the doctors as they never take it seriously anyway. I sometimes feel like i think straight either! I don't have it all the time (although I am in a tired phase at the moment and have been for a few months which is why I am wondering again what is wrong with me!). I also get what I can only describe as an "ache" in my body. It is usually in my legs, lower back, pelvis area and it feels like.. well it feels like my bones are really aching..? I have also trouble sleeping. Even when I am feeling quite well I usually wake up twice a night. Last night the pain in my achey legs woke up and I couldn't sleep from it.
The thing is I am now sure all my symptoms must be Fibromyalgia as although I'm not what I would call really ill, I haven't felt "well" for years really & I can't understand why not- I do not work excessively hard (I work part time) and there is no reason to be this tired... For the last few years I gave up on trying to get a diagnosis as my GP has always just done a blood test and told me I'm fine but now I'm getting really fed up of it and I'd rather just get it sorted so I can enjoy life fully again!
The problem is none of the doctors I have ever seen have even suggested Fibromyalgia to me - I only know about it because it came up on the internet when I was searching my symptoms and when I read about it, it was like describing how I feel!!
How did you get your GP's to take you seriously and how did you get referred for a diagnosis? No doctor has even mentioned this to me!
I feel I want a diagnosis now so I can get some medication as I am so fed up of feeling so rubbish all the time!
Thanks.