Fibromyalgia

[MorriseysGladioli]

Would anyone be able to give a rundown on how they were diagnosed, please?

Been so run down with so many aches, pains, twitches, hair problems and just fatigue like I've never known before.

All tests have come back clear so I'm at a loss as to what it could be.

Not thyroid. Not vitamin or iron deficiency. Had a lot of tests.

Doctor is pretty unsympathetic but I know something is wrong somewhere.

Thanks; happy for other suggestions and to what it could be too.

Every consultant is different.

And go by different things,
Some consultants do diagnose through tender spots and ‘clear’ xrays and clear blood results

I was diagnosed with 'possible fibromyalgia and connective tissue disorder' by a rheumatologist after a couple of years of tests (blood tests, nerve conduction, MRI scan etc.) through my GP.

Thought the rheumy, I had blood tests, an ultrasound of my hands (they are stiff and a little sore first thing in the morning) and she pressed the tender spots too. Not all the tender points hurt, but other points on my body which aren't part of the test are sore.

I was prescribed hydroxychloroquine which I have taken for a year with no real improvement. My inflammatory markers are only slight raised, my vitamin D levels are lowish, but not rock bottom.

It seems to be a shit show and a real lottery. My GP said she could not diagnose and referred to rheumatology last May. They refused to see me without a diagnosis. If I had not chased, the referral would be in limbo between the two of them.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis Dec 2011 fairly swiftly after a sudden onset. About four years ago I had an extended period of feeling crap. GP seemed intent on persuing Menopause as the trigger. I didn't follow up as my gut feeling to me was that it was something else.This last year has been pretty tough with pain fatigue and soreness. A different GP as I had moved also jumped on the Menopause diagnosis so I didn't follow up for six months until two weeks ago. GP was still wanting to go down the Menopause diagnosis but I humoured her this time. Straight away I call my rheumatologist team who said they would have my consultant review my notes. Within a few days an appointment was made. When having My blood pressure taken initially I was crying when the cuff tightened so it was taken from the wrist instead. Like many women I have experienced My blood pressure being taken on many occasions and this had never happened to me before. My lovely rheumatologist made a swift diagnosis of FMS yesterday. I knew it was something other than age of hormones and am glad I did finally get the answer I suspected but did not want.

I don't have the tender spots by the way. They are no longer used as markers of fibro.

I was diagnosed last year due to symptoms, elimination and tender spots.

It started for me with exhaustion, couldn't walk 5 minutes without my legs screaming at me to stop, but my brain still expected my body to do more. Blood tests showed that my thyroid levels were wrong again and I had to increase my dose, also my folate level was very low so I had to take folic acid. When those levels improved, the my vitamin D level was on the floor so I had to take very high dose tablets (and normal dose forever). Throughout all of this my inflammatory markers have been raised and stayed there...everything else was resolved with medication but although I could walk a bit further, I still got tired very easily and my joints became really painful. I was referred to rheumatology and after some more tests, some questions and poking and prodding I was diagnosed with "likely fibromyalgia" took around 10 months to get the diagnosis.