U.K Fibromyalgia Treatment

by Jennifer
(Nottinghamshire, England. U.K)

Hi all. My name is Jennifer, I am 27 Yrs old and suffered from Fibromyalgia for 7 years now... I have been pushed from pillar to post. With this I have hundreds of symptoms which are scary enough when they come. My G.P gave me different treatment then stopped listening to me. I have had a long treatment of tramadol which took the edge of normal fibro pain but I have nothing for breakthrough pain. Now they only will supply regular codeine which makes me sick. I have tried Gabapentin and it helps but the side effects were awful. I have to have sticks to walk and a wheelchair for distance walking, I don’t go anywhere alone because I feel so ill, with no where to go and no treatment to take. One dr. said I had osteoarthritis in my knees. HOW MY JOINTS ARE AFFECTED (Fm isn't suppose to affect joints?). Another in the same practice basically laughed at me when I complained of bad hip pain, he thought I diagnosed myself with arthritis. I went because of the pain no matter what caused it. I have had physical therapy on the NHS. The therapist just pushed me which made me worse. I have regular bladder infections which I’m suppose to be seeing a specialist for can you imagine? I will just get branded a hypochondriac who no one can help. We didn't just GET ILL. So we can’t just NOT BE TREATED. Millions of people suffering, it’s becoming a pandemic. Can we all just have it in our heads: NO! The NHS needs a proper system to treat us properly otherwise we will be no better and our lives will just stop, as most have including mine. That tells you and should tell them. I know exactly what you’re all going through, a horrific nightmare and hope to wake from it one day, otherwise day in day out we would just be ridiculed. I have just been tested for M.S its negative, but I have low Vitamin D and Tested positive for the Epstein Barr virus anti-bodies which contribute to a FM diagnosis. It has started from a virus. My thoughts are with you all that are going through. I keep pushing. We know it’s not right!

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by: Anne

Ricklene, your story is so typical ! Unhappily, too many doctors carry on not knowing about fibromyalgia or even denying its existence. I was talking with a UK sufferer like you and she was telling me that you can buy Epsom Salts at Boots for bathing. It is a good advice at a reasonable price. You may try it ? And come back to us to tell us your experience with it.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Good advice after a bad GP !
by: Ricklene

I don't even know how long I have really had Fibromyalgia. I didn't understand what I was going through. My GP would write down how I was feeling but never address it. I found another GP. I started doing my own research and exactly the symptoms I was experiencing. I was watching TV one day (I had already had to stop working by then) and I heard someone say Fibromyalgia. Then the TV had all my attention. It was a Dr. treating to improve the way you feel. He is technically a Chiropractor. I made an appointment right away! I was really bad by that time! I called him and long story short, I left there after 4 months and felt a million times better! But then it was up to me. I had to cut out a lot of food! For quite a while I felt better then I started feeling bad again. He had told me I was the worst case he had ever seen. They even treated me for an extra month and didn't charge me. I would like to go back but my insurance would only cover the chiropractic part of it which wasn't a lot. I live alone except for my 2 babies (4 legged). I have no one to help me when I hurt bad which of course makes my depression worse. Thanks for letting me share.
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starstarstarstarstar 		UK Fibro advice
by: Fibrofitt

Hello Jennifer. I am a fellow Brit and agree with a lot of what you said in your blog. I have lived with chronic fatigue, IBS and fibromyalgia for 15 years but the first 5 were definitely the worst as I tried to get a diagnosis and was made to feel a real hypochondriac. Fortunately things are improving as the NHS takes this chronically growing illness seriously. Tell your GP you have Musculoskeletal pain. Ask for a Vitamin D blood test. Ask to be referred to a pain clinic and also to your local physiotherapy clinic. Check 'NHS choices' on the web for your local fibromyalgia clinic or google a consultant in fibro in your area. If your GP refuses you any of these, get a new GP. You don't need to put up with the rubbish I had 15 years ago!
Remember that fibro and long term chronic pain can cause depression. Most consultants treat fibro with muscle relaxants anti-depressives, so if you need them ask the GP for them too - I find them effective.
Good luck. We don't need to tolerate out of touch GP's or other medics in the 21st century, so don't!!

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