No doctor wants to touch me...

[SunnyHours]

Hi everyone!
I feel like shit today! I'm about to lose my job and I feel so useless. I can't even get a diagnostic on CFS/Fibro...
I've seen like 10 doctors in 3 weeks and nobody wants to help...I'm too young to be hurting is what they usually say.
I'm honestly thinking about death a lot.
Hell, I'll probably end up in the streets in a few weeks without work...
Here are the symptoms I have...I too the list from a website that lists most symptoms and modified them to fit my symptoms...A LOT of symptoms correspond...even symptoms which I didn't think were related.

I have big issues with pain, fatigue, sweating, sleeping and depression ( which is a result of being ignored by doctors and left to myself with my problems...work, finances and daily stress...).
I really don't know where to go. If anyone knows a good rheumy for a diagnostic it would be awesome. I'm in Montreal region!

Family history with Arthritis
Sweats
Unexplained weight gain or loss
Cravings for carbohydrate and chocolate
Headaches & migraines

Pain that ranges from mild to severe, and moves around the body
Morning stiffness
Muscle twitches
Diffuse swelling

Allergies
Post nasal drip
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Itchy ears
Thick secretions

Light and/or broken sleep pattern with unrefreshing sleep
Fatigue
Twitchy muscles at night
Teeth grinding (bruxism)

Bloating & nausea
Abdominal cramps
Pelvic pain
Irritable bowel syndrome (as an overlapping condition)
Urinary frequency

Difficulty speaking known words, other language impairments (dysphasia)
Directional disorientation
Paresthesias in the arms sometimes
Short-term memory impairment
Confusion
Trouble concentrating
Staring into space before brain "kicks in"

Sensitivity to pressure changes, temperature & humidity
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to noise

Panic attacks
Depression (as an overlapping condition)
Tendency to cry easily
Free-floating anxiety (not associated with situation or object)
Mood swings
Unaccountable irritability

Pain that mimics heart attack, frequently from costochondritis (as an overlapping condition)

Hemorrhoids
Nose bleeds

I also have an auto-immune disease (Hidradenitis Suppurativa)
I also get very cold very easily.

Thanks a bunch guys (and girls)!

 

[Siderea]

Would you consider seeing a Natropathic doctor in the United States, somewhat close to where you are? PM me for info on the specific doctor. I'm going to see him next week, but I've heard impossibly good reviews about him treating chronic diseases, cancer, and fibromyalgia.

You should not have to be on the streets because of an illness! Do you have family that would take you in while you take time to get a grasp on your health? It might be worth moving anywhere you have to in order to have that family support so you don't have to work for a little while.

I know how tough it is to get a diagonsis - I JUST went through all that, and it took about 6 months for my symptoms to start adding up to being fibromyalgia. I have seen at least 10 doctors too, all of who did tests that showed I'm in great physical health (except for arthritis, which I already knew about.) And I'm only 26! It came down to my internal medicine doctor doing the "tender point test" on me after ruling out everything else, and then she diagnosed me. I doubt she would have diagnosed me if all my other tests didn't come back normal, despite all the symptoms I reported to her.

I don't know how the Canadian system works, but are you able to apply for disability due to the disease you already were diagnosed with?

My suggestion right now would be to cut out all dairy, wheat and flour, sugar (including artificial sweeteners,) MSG (aka Yeast Extract,) and alcohol for 2 weeks and see if you improve. Try sticking to gluten-free and sugar-free meat (so no deli meat, and avoid tenderized meat because they add wheat, sugars, and chemicals in the tenderizing process,) veggies, beans & lentils, nuts, fruits, and minimal gluten-free grains like rice or buckwheat. There are lots of tests out there showing that MSG causes fibromyalgia pain, and in my experience dairy, flour, and sugar make my pain a lot worse (part of that is because they cause inflammation, which makes my arthritis worse.) Artificial sweeteners cause all sorts of bone decay and hormonal problems, so it's important to avoid them when doing an elimination diet like this. Alcohol is dehydrating, and you'll need to be hydrated to clean out your body during this process. Just try it for 2 weeks, then slowly add those ingredients back in little by little and see if you get worse or react to anything. Keeping a food journal helps a ton! I would be really surprised if you don't get some relief from cleaning your body out - you'll remove tons of toxins doing this, and toxins are at the root of so many pain issues. Food has a gigantic impact on health - more than anything else, in my personal experience!

Also, if you're able, try doing whatever you can to sweat a lot, and drink a ton of water. It helps clean out the muscles. I know exercise can be nearly impossible, but see if you can get into a sauna or hot tub. Maybe take an extra hot bath at home (I've been known to add boiling water to mine just to help me sweat.) It helps with the pain temporarily, and I find it a lot easier to stretch after a hot bath, which helps relieve pain too.

I hope you improve, I'm so sorry!

 

[SunnyHours]

Well I'm off to a great start then!
Haha I sweat constantly, which is kinda weird, as I'm not overweight, just stopped smoking and even though my feet are super cold, I sweat...

I'm very hard headed so asking for help is really a last resort. I have to call back at work and ask them if it would be possible to put me on a sick leave for a month hahaha
Also I suffer from a lot of anxiety. For example, just calling at work for the sick leave has me panicking...or I got a name for a Rheumy, from my grand-ma (I'm 24) and she told me to call my Aunt (dietician) so I could get a refferal to the good rheumy...I barely muster the strength to call her...

And well there's also the depression because of the pain and I also feel like there is no end in sight...

Also, I'm not sure this is Fibro or CFS, but it sure does sound like it, and mostly I feel like it is...like most doctors say, and they are right, I shouldn't feel like this at my age.

 

[Siderea]

I'm 26, and I've missed close to a month of work (in and out) due to my recent diagnosis. I totally get that. And the depression has been bad in the past year, and I've never really experienced anxiety to the degree I have been in the past year. You're not alone. I have both CFS and Fibro, and I can't always tell where the "fibro fog" ends and the depression begins, and I know CFS is just making everything worse. But, I've had days where I don't feel too tired to accomplish something and my brain seems to work with me on those days. It's confusing!

I totally get that it's hard to ask for help too. I tried to avoid talking about my health with my boss for the longest time, but eventually my health was so bad that I ended up in the ER, and that's when my boss had the talk with me and forced me to stay home for a while. She wouldn't replace me, but she wouldn't let me come in until I was much better. She keeps saying she'll work with me, and I keep telling her I'll do my best to work despite my health, but I honestly don't know how long she can put up with me only working half my hours, if I come in at all. I've just come to accept our agreement, because it's awesome she's putting up with me, even though I'm embarrassed I can barely make it to work. I hate looking unprepared, unprofessional, or lazy. I hate looking less than capable, and I know that's how I look. But, I can't change the situation, so it's best to work with it.

You'll find a way to manage the pain and work if your boss is willing to work with you, but I agree, it's tough.

 

[Trfielder]

Fellow Canadian ...I know it's seem s overwhelming right now..but these are the hoops you have to jump through in order to get a diagnosis. Yes it sucks and yes it takes a toll on you. Try to get your Dr to run as many tests as possible to rule out anything else.. You can ask your Dr to send you to a rhumetoligist .. I know I had to ..if it gets so bad that you do lose your job we have social assistance up here to help you get through..yes I know no one wants to go there but if you need it use.there are lots that don't need it and use it anyway
You need to let your family know what is going on. They will be your support through this.. Ask your aunt about diet modification ..use the resources available to you.
Keep going back to see your Dr.. Or if its real bad go to emerg..we are lucky to have our health care system( even though its not perfect)

 

[SunnyHours]

Today I'm actually gonna have the talk with my supervisor, I'll be asking him to extend my sick time by a month (I know it's a long shot)...Hopefully he'll understand.

I feel better today depression and motivation wise, but I have these bone pains in my right leg that feels like "bad growing pains". That's the thing with me, there's always something going on, whether it'd be mentally or physically. Therefore it's hard to go on everyday and not thinking you are crazy and making up the pain, depression and anxiety.

I'm standing here almost paralyzed when I try to call to work, and every time I get the courage to call, he's unavailable. So every time I have to gather my courage and try to call him...
It gets really hard time after time and I already feel bad physically and mentally on top of feeling like crap for deceiving coworkers and my supervisors... I had bad experiences with jobs in the past due to "Suicide Migraines" and fatigue, so I was absent/late a lot. This job was supposed to be the job where I would prove myself worthy. But I guess I'll keep that for the next job

I'm presently living with my mother so I'm covered on that front, but we are not rich so I don't know how long I can stay without a job. Social Assistance will really be a last resort, especially if I have to go there every month.

I haven't done any physical activity since like a week so today I have to force myself to go skating (while I still can) and go for a walk with the dog...

And to be honest, I'm done with this clinic...I've seen all the doctors there and I feel like they are playing some kind of sick game. I've seen them all, 1 different doctor per day, and they all told me the same thing, making me feel like I'm making it up or there is no basis for my presence there. As if they planned on me coming back and just getting another doctor to tell me the same thing and send me on my way. I don't feel like they should make any more money from me, coming in day after day after day just to be told the same thing over and over again.

To make matters worse, every time I call my boss, he's not there. Each time it makes me more anxious than the last call I made...

I guess I'll just go and relax with a green tea and an Ettan Snus

 

[SunnyHours]

Well I just talked to my supervisor, and he told me I have to bring a Medical Absence paper tomorrow or I'll be fired. So tomorrow I have to go to that same clinic and try to convince the doctor to give me an absence paper for at least a month, and after that I have to go In Person and give it to the boss. :shock:

I can already see that tomorrow will suck! I have to wake up early to get an appointment ( and pay 15$ for the paper) and then head to the office (another 20$ of bus/subway...)
All this so I don't get fired...but I'm still not getting paid

 

[kmpisces]

I am sorry to hear of what you are going through. Hopefully your doctor will give you the papers you need to stay out of work a little longer. That would at least give you a few more weeks to try to get a doctor who will be able to truly help you.

 

[mariposa]

:-( I'm so sorry to hear that you're having to go through this. Out of those 10 doctors, did not one of them mention fibro or make an effort to rule it out?

That list is one you got from a diagnosis site and not a full list of your own symptoms, right? I ask because it says "unexplained weight gain or loss" and if it's your own symptoms, you would have mentioned whether you gained or lost so I got a little confused.. which of those symptoms from the list are you experiencing? And have you given that list to your doctors?

Your mother would really let you end up on the streets? :-( I hope you will soon get your diagnosis... keep us posted.

 

[Trellum]

I'm so sorry to hear you are going tru this and feeling the way you feel. Are you a male or female? I've heard males have a really hard time trying to get diagnosed, a lot doctors don't even believe fibro even exists and those who do often assume this is a disease that affects women only. I suffer from fibro, and arthritis (right knee) and I have experienced most of the symptoms you listed. I know you are feeling desperate, but I stronlgy believe you have been seeing the wrong doctors. I just don't know why they can't diagnose you, because is quite obvious you have a problem!

Have you tried talking about this with your family and friends? They might be a great source of support and hope during this tough moments. Best of luck and please let us know how it goes!