Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

[applemartinis]

After being in pain for ages, last week I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
GP undertook various tests and attempted to refer me to rheumatology, (initially believing it was ME/CFS), a request which was refused.
I phoned my GP surgery to ask why I was refused, they said the rheumatology dept told them 'it sounded like fibromyalgia and 'they don't deal with it' (Which is confusing in itself as I know someone with fibromyalgia who is under the care of the same rheumatology dept).
GP told me on the phone that there are no other consultants or departments that deal with it, didn't prescribe or discuss any medication with me and instead gave me two website links to write down and basically told me to get on with it.
Is this the norm? I'm in so much pain I can barely walk or roll over in bed

I was referred to rheumatology, they agreed with my GP that it sounded like fibromyalgia then discharged me. Rheumatologists don’t do anything for fibro in our area, then again the GP doesn’t do much, but does at least prescribe gabapentin. What does rheumatology do for the person you know?
Can you speak to a different GP? So sorry, hope you get somewhere soon

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist in 2009

@Hardertobreathe

I was referred to rheumatology, they agreed with my GP that it sounded like fibromyalgia then discharged me. Rheumatologists don’t do anything for fibro in our area, then again the GP doesn’t do much, but does at least prescribe gabapentin. What does rheumatology do for the person you know? Can you speak to a different GP? So sorry, hope you get somewhere soon

Thanks so much for the reply I'm not sure what rheumatology do for them, just that they are under their care so I'll have to bring it up next time I see them and find out! Do you find that gabapentin works? I've read about it before as a possible migraine treatment too so maybe it could kill two birds with one stone. I'll definitely try and speak to a different GP, I spoke to one a while ago who was fantastic and she was the one who requested the remainder of the blood tests and who did the referral in the first place so hopefully, I can ask to speak to her.

@applemartinis

Sorry to hear about your fibromyalgia, as a fellow sufferer I know how dreadful it can be at times. Not being 'hospital-diagnosed' makes things harder, since even though the best you can probably hope for is an initial 'one-stop' clinic appointment and perhaps the very occasional follow-up from Rheumatology (I don't get those) at least you have a diagnosis on paper from a specialist, should you ever need to use that for any reason, eg. PIP or similar.

Call the surgery on Monday and ask them to give you your preferred GP's next available appointment. Even if you have to wait a while for that (rather than have an 'urgent' appointment with whoever they throw you at) then at least you know before too long you'll be able to have the conversation you need with a symapthetic doctor. That can make a huge difference

@applemartinis I was reluctant to take it initially as I googled and some people have awful side effects and others end up taking more and more then find they have awful withdrawal side effects if they want to stop. I had the prescription for around 6 months before I finally tried a tablet one night before bed.
It was the first time in years I didn’t spend the whole night rolling from one side of the bed to the other in agony. I still don’t take the full dose, mostly put up with what I can during the day, but I have to take it at night just to enable me to actually get some rest. I hope another GP is more helpful.