To feel devastated at potential diagnosis?

Where I live, the Rheumatologists won’t see patients for whom a fibromyalgia diagnosis is suspected. It all stays with the GP

Have you had any scans of any kind?

Yes I was going to say this. There are no diagnostic tests for it, it's a diagnosis of exclusion - i.e. the diagnosis they give when they've ruled out everything else.

I am very surprised that a GP thinks it's appropriate to make this diagnosis, least of all a mere week and a half after the patient first presented. That seems extremely inappropriate at best.

That was a very quick diagnosis and unusual to get diagnosed by a GP

Have you had input from the hospital? Blood tests and xrays and scans ?

Fibro is normally diagnosed when EVERYTHING else has been ruled OUT

You can ignore me all you wish, it won’t stop me telling you that your post was shitty and mean.

So sorry to hear this, and of course it's frightening - but try not to worry prematurely.

Then, forgive me, but this seems like another example of something that shouldn't be in AIBU. Would it be better in the health forum? Or even a specialized forum? There are a few, including this one:

https://www.fibromyalgiaforums.org/community/

I'm sorry that you have cancer, but it's really shitty to come on a thread where someone is struggling and say that. Cancer doesn't give you the right to dismiss others suffering.

I have it. I take Lyrica. Gabapentin is another option, as is amitriptyline. Yoga also helps. Try long, hot baths with Epsom salts and massages. A TENS unit is also helpful.
Most people with fibro live relatively normal lives. You need to find the strategies that work for you.

You haven’t yet been diagnosed either. You’re still putting the cart before the horse. It could still be a virus. Could be Covid, post-Covid syndrome, flu, or several things. Even stress. These are the low end of the spectrum things. I’m not going to blow you up with the really bad things that these things could possibly be because there are literally millions of things. I think you just have to try and relax (trust me, I know it’s not easy… I’m on the heart transplant list.) and sit it out until you have a definitive answer. Dr Google and your imagination (plus well-meaning strangers on the internet) can be very dangerous for your health.

Ah! Be kind. Well I will continue to give my view as I think best and not be silenced by this sort of nonsense.
I said nothing rude or unsupportive.
And you stated "cancer can be cured" without any further clarification.
Ignoring you in future and apologies OP that your thread was derailed by a disagreement although my original post still applies.

I second this. I have been having treatment for stage 3 ovarian cancer for over a year. Previous to this I had chronic pain (not cancer related). The point in my life when I had extreme chronic pain that was not controlled (before I took prescribed pain meds) was one of the worst in my life. I have also been shocked at the difference in how I am treated as a cancer patient (very well) and a chronic pain patient (not very well).

OP - I have been told by more than one doctor that I 'may have fibromyalgia'. It's been confirmed to me by a rheumatologist that I don't. Fibro like IBS is a 'dustbin category' and often a GP will mention this with no real knowledge of what fibromyalgia is. I wouldn't worry right now about fibromyalgia, instead push for a thorough investigation of your symptoms. Wishing you the best of luck

I didn’t say it can always be cured. Fibro currently has no cure. And you swept over my other points which are a huge part of living with fibro, the way other people view it, and this post proves my nicely.
what I’m saying is they are different things and minimising OPs concerns and upset because you believe them not to be as important as others is shitty. If you can’t say something nice and supportive and helpful, maybe don’t say anything at all.

The GP cant diagnose Fibro

It may take weeks, months or even years to get a full diagnose of Fibro

You will need to see a specialist in the hospital

In the mean time: Make a Daily symptom diary, this will hurry the diagnosis up somewhat

Personally i had bloods at drs, then was seen by afew different specialists at the hospital, many more blood tests and alot of xrays before i was diagnosed with Fibro

They basically have to rule everything else out to get a fibro diagnosis

Cancer can't always be cured as we all know. I have stage four and of course there is no stage five.
I also have advanced arthritis of my spine and hip and am housebound (often bed bound) due to this rather than the cancer. I live in constant chronic pain and can barely get across the room even with my crutches or rollator. Despite this I would always choose this over cancer. Stage 4 cancer is complete terror and I would take pain and disability over terror. That is my point.
I stand by this.

I have fibromyalgia. I have had cancer twice and I am currently in recovery from a bone marrow transplant. Fibro is painful and uncomfortable especially when it flares up but I am not confined to a wheelchair or on sticks. It is manageable and You just learn to live with it. I think the majority of cases of fibro people just cope aren't confined to wheelchairs etc.

Sorry about your diagnosis, I hope you're doing as well as possible in your current circumstance.

I find it can be better to limit your intake of this sort of post (I too thought this might be someone getting checked for cancer) or "health problem influencers" with relatively minor shit because they really can piss you off. My own sister is health anxious and tone-deaf and drives me nuts.

My husband tried to complain to me about his usual man-flu crap while I was on chemotherapy and I just about bit his damn head off lol.

Fibromyalgia is a condition cause by trauma and emotional suppression. That doesn't mean it isn't real. It means the solution is through emotional work.

Which you are entitled to do! A fibro diagnosis IS scary. It might not be that, it could be a whole host of other treatable things, but there’s no shame in being scared, especially as your only knowledge of it is a person needing a wheelchair and can be scary as hell. There are loads of great fibro/chronic illness communities on Facebook and tiktok where you can support from people who’ve been there.

This!! My scooter was LIFE CHANGING for me. I could do things again and enjoy life without wasting the little energy I had walking places. Ironically I now am a wheelchair user after a life-saving limb removal, but honestly don’t see mobility aids as a bad thing, they are to help you!

Op how well are your migraines controlled? Your GP has jumped to fibro, but I have often wondered if I also have this condition, but after consultation with neurologist it is definitely just really bad migraine (not that is really any better as it does effect my life quite significantly). But I don't think your GP can really diagnosis this. Migraines can come with a whole host of symptoms including stomach problems.

I've been really ill recently, I get head pain, neck pain, pins and needles in my are face and leg. Sickness, diarrhea, exhaustion. Brain fog, loss of words and other stuff I can't remember right now. And it's all migraines 😫.

Please make sure they give you a good workup though to get you fully checked out.

I know how you feel. @TaylorsVersion1
I had to wait for cancer tests and I googled everything I could, always lighting on the worsr case scenario. I made myself so ill with worry, I could barely function.
It turned out that I had pre-cancer cells , I was given treatment and although I still have to have another check in a few months, the actual result was nowhere near as bad as I imagined,
So, I know how easy it is to jump to the worst conclusion if you have a certain mind set but it really does not help you, If I could have those weeks back, weeks that I wasted wallowing in misery when I had no need I would.
Around this time, I read a post from someone who wrote that even if it was the worst, cherish the days you have now before you really do have to deal with it. That post helped me/
If you do have fibromyalgia, it may not be as bad as your friend's as other posters who know more have said.
So, this weekend-don't waste it. You haven't officially got anything at the moment and, even if it later discovered that you do, don't upset yourself looking at the worst scenario which may never happen.
Why live as if it already has.
Wishing you a peaceful weekend, don't run to meet trouble and stay off Google!

I have fibromyalgia, it's not constant and debts to flare up with stress. I have a pretty chilled life now so no big deal

This.