Is Fybro Always Psychological ??

Bones, joints and muscles
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I have been told by my doctor that Fybro  is psychological.  Due to the way the brain reacts to trauma and a trip to a  psychologist  should hopefully have be back on the mend once i work through what could becausing it..Positive thinking is key in to dealing with this..

Fair enough I can understand all that.. But if there is hope of recovery ??Why is it now seen as a disabilty if there is a cure??

If it was caused by trauma why has it taken years to now have this illness? Should mention I have an under active thyroid.. Last time I talked to him he said my Fybro was secondary due to this..

He won't give me pain medication..I asked if there was anything as I am practically house bound. Going out for long periods of time causes a lot of pain to my feet and legs.  ( You all know the rest of what its like)

 Could someone please tell me is my doctor taking this serious.. i have been ill for nearly two years now and want to know is this the way its going to be for me or am I going to get better??

 

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Hi your Doctor needs to go back to university!!! Fibromyalgia is most definitely NOT something that's in your head. As more and more studies are being done they are finding out more and more about it. Fibromyalgia is most definitely real. It's all to do with damaged nerves. If your brain is telling you something is hurting then it is. Majority of FIbro cases start after an injury or operation, with nerves that have been damaged. I have just finished a pain course with my hospital, it was run by two psychologists and three physio's. They spoke about professionals that still believe that FIbro is all in our heads and how much damage they can cause a person who has it , by not helping them. 

Im sorry to say that as far as I know there isn't a cure, we have to learn how to live with it and find ways how to keep going on.

if you can ask to see another doctor and get him or her to refer you to a pain clinic. Mine was through my physio's.

Try and keep it together, you are not on your own, we are all here for you.

Maley bear x

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It's In your head as much as any pain is, the nerves talk to the brain and the brain responds adequately by sending pain into the effected area, that is as far as what your dr is saying is true, a positive mental attitude helps a lot of things but it doesn't make it go away, sounds like you definitely need a new dr, honestly this guy is giving you archaic responses, I'm gonna take a bet and say he's age 50s or over and has been a GP for a long time.

You should have stamped on his toe and said its just psychological, think positive and it won't hurt!!

are you sure your medicated enough for your thyroid, I've read lots of folks who when not on optimal dose of thyroxin still suffer badly with fibro type symptoms.

Having a positive attitude does help, being motivated to help yourself in any way possible by eating well, excercise get if you can, avoiding stress. Dealing with any emotional issues can all have a positive affect on health and wellbeing and therefore pain levels but what he's saying is not true.

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Your doctor sounds like an idiot. For years I was told that ME was all in the head, we now know differently and that it is highly likely a viral problem.

 

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I was diagnosed fibro /CFS had the works felt I had been hit by a truck I've been shouted at called stupid there's nothing wrong it's all in my head and you're just depressed phsychological is an insult !!!!!! As it turned out years down the line I actually have hashimotos not CFS/fibro and with the correct treatment for me I have my life back . You have a thyroid problem?? Taking thyroxine?? Do you know that some people can not convert theT4to the active hormone T3 some need T4+T3 and some need NDT  . I would look further into thyroid and make sure you have the correct hormone and dosage for you!! It's possible you have autoimmune thyroiditis , have you had antithyroglobulin and peroxidase blood tests a thyroid ultrasound would be good it would show any cysts , nodules, swelling, shrinkage infection and/or inflamation.any of these would stop  your gland from doing its job and as it affects the whole body every organ nerve. Skin hair nails you could suffer a miriad of awful symptoms! I would look further into thyroid and make sure this is not the cause possibly undertreated or the wrong thyroid hormone replacement for you . 

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Thank you Maley Bear, Charlotte,Imustimust

No he is young  (leading doctor in a health centre on one of the floors)  I cannot get my head around why he keeps putting it back to trauma.. If it was based on trauma why didn't I get fybro years ago due to the amount I have been through..All my health problems started nearly two years ago when I couldnt get out of my bed for several weeks and have not been right since (didn't have an operation, injury or trauma.)..

After reading these forums I thought he would have referred to a pain clinic or even given me something for the pain.. I changed to this doctor because the other doctor wouldn't dianose me with Fybro..All my friends kept telling me I had  it..

 I am seeing a endo for my thyroid and on 100mg levothyroxine.. ..

LOL I love the stamping on the toe idea and thinking positive.

The best about it is I am a very strong person and have worked my way through a hell of a  lot of stuff.  I told him that I felt this was disabling and taking away the person I use to be..I use to go to the gym, eat healthy.  Was very active in supporting others..  I strongly believe in helping yourself and getting through things..

I have done everything my mental health nurse has asked me to. I got depression because of ongoing health problems.. Even she would agree my physical health is the main factor..

I get the fact that you have to stay on top of things,look after yourself and be positive. But my health problems have been one thing after another I got a day, a week and thougt oh great I am on the mend and things got worse again. The Fybro has been  so debilitating, with soo many symptoms that can be long term, which wears you down.. You get a break for a while and then you have to start fighting again to get your happy self back even when your still in pain..

This doctor was recommended to me by someone else who has fybro but she is able to go to the gym and work.. I cannot go into town for more than an hour and have to get a taxi everywhere I go..

I done the research and seen there was no cure.. Because I do believe positve thinking is a great healer.. Of course you want to believe your doctor is right in hopiing I will get better..

The whole point of going to see him today was ask if this is as good as its going to get for me so i could come to terms with it and start to educate myself on what makes it worse,  hang in there when things get really bad, what might help itpain etc etc.

That's two doctors from my surgery I am getting no further on and a another two in the same surgery I know would be unless..

What I think I will do is go back to this doctor when I am due in a few weeks and ask him how he thinks trauma could causing this when that was years ago.. Why is he putting that first when my Hypothyrodism and everything else started two years ago..

Thanks for replying.. 

 

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Hi Sylvia

Thank for responding you might have a point..

I am waiting to see my Endo for my T3 results..He said I might need T3.. My TSH is normal and the test I get at the doctors is normal..But if they are normal why does the Endo keep increasing my Levothyroxine tablet?? He knows I have still got all they symptoms I started with..

Interesting that autoimmune thyroiditis has all the symptoms Fybro and Hypothyroidism has..

I did get a MRI of my pituary gland due to my health but that showed an anuerysm thankfully small

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Laura I think you  may be one of the lucky ones when it comes to endos , he knows your TSH blood tests are normal but he also knows you still have all the same symptoms you started with . He is actually going against TSH blood tests it looks like he knows in some cases blood tests will come back normal . This is quite rare most doctors and endos will not go against normal bloods as they are taught TSH bloods are the gold standard for diagnosing thyroid disease.normally a doctor will prescribe thyroxine until your TSH is normal then stop at that dose no matter you still feel ill with all the same symptoms. They will tell you well your bloods say you are fine so your symptoms must be caused by some thing else and the usual diagnosis is CFS/  Fibro . I know from personal experience and a lot of research thyroid bloods can be normal ( as mine were) if you have autoimmune thyroiditis , until your thyroid gland is so damaged or completely destroyed ! I would stick with him /her seems more knowledgeable than some I have seen . For him to say you may need T3 and prepared to prescribe it is very unusual .I would go along with what he thinks is best for you at least he is willing to give you a trial to see if it relieves your symptoms many will not . It is the same with natural dessicated thyroid most doctors will not prescribe it I myself was denied T3 and NDT the only hormone I was "allowed " was thyroxine which at first was amazing after years of struggling with the most dibillitating symptoms the relief when the foggy brain went and the lack of concentration the pins and needles numbness etc and I had more energy . I still had some symptoms and flare ups which would make me feel really poorly for a few days but I could live with that it was just as the years went on I wanted the extra30% back so I now take NDT and this is the best I have felt since I first became ill. Hope this helps sy

 

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Sylvia thanks for that feeback as now I know my Endo is being thorough.   I did ask him what if it is not T3 he said he would do more tests.. He said that 100 mg levothyroxine should help and it is very rare if it doesn't.. It will be interesting to see what he says next appoinment as it is not helping..

Your reply has been very helpful and given me some peace of mind that someone is acknowledging my symptoms are causing problems..

Like yourself I could come to terms with what ever the outcome is is someone would let me know what exactly is going on..

I had read that Endo's were not acknowledging T3 but I thought those posts where from a long time ago..So yes I am very very lucky to have a good Endo..

Yesterday I was able to clear out some stuff in my home.. Now that is a very good day to me.. Can hardly walk and in pain all over this morning but happy to have been able to have done that much as its been nearly year and half since I have had the energy..

How are you now Sylvia?

Are you able to have a normal day with a few bad ones?

 

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Yes Laura thousands of people with under active thyroid. Take levothyroxine and their symptoms go , some on a low dose some on a very high dose , not everyone is the same and this is wonderful for them but in many cases people will never become well if they are not converting the thyroxine(T4) to the triiodothyronine (T3) it is no good just floating around in the blood it needs to convert to the T3 and the T3 needs to enter the cells to do its job. There is a lot of research going on and and a lot of controversy over the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.your endo sounds willing to add T3 to your T4 and give it a trial may have to tweek it up and down its not as simple as just giving you another pill it can be complicated in some cases the best results are from natural dessicated thyroid and I am sure this endo would do that if the T4+T3 does not relieve your symptoms . wow ! It is so unusual here in the uk there is talk of banning the use of T3 , the powers that be say it will damage your heart and your bones will disintegrate which has been proved not to be true many say it is the cost as it is very expensive compared to thyroxine which is the opposite and cheap to prescribe . You never know from one day to the next how you are going to feel as you say had a good day clearing out but suffer the next day . I hope this helps . I will keep an eye on this site to see how you come on . Sy 

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Wow that suprises me that he is young and a leading dr, that's scary and dangerous.

Guess he must just be an arse!!

I think trauma can run your body down and make you susceptible to pain and Illness but I don't think a trauma from years earlier can suddenly cause fibro.

My mum had the same thing with Drs in the sense that she was depressed because she was so ill but they told her she was ill because she was depressed, when we moved house a few years later and she got a new GP she asked him to see her without reading her notes first which he ignored and read them anyway, he came to the same conclusion that she was depressed so she went bananas in the surgery, her shouting attracted the practise partner at the time who took her in a room and did a reevaluation and took some blood, turned out she had an under active thyroid, pernicious anemia so she couldn't process b12, was iron deficient and had raised blood levels of inflammation, had she just accepted the first surgery and the first dr at the new surgeries diagnosis she would have got to a critical point and ended up in hospital or dead. She ended up having a heart attack In her 30s/40s so god knows what those years without treatment did to her.

I find having good days although they are lovely raise my hopes so much that this horrible stuff can just disappear as it appeared that I get a few down days when the pain returns, it's silly but every time I think it's gone even though I know it hasn't and can't help but get my hopes up. I still believe if we can have a good pain free day then it can be cured, the Drs just need to figure out what's happening or not happening on the good days but perhaps that's just me being a bit deluded!!

The best I've been is when i quit all pain meds, ate really well, no junk, lots of fruit and veg and no overeating and do some light excercise, I have a Pilates reformer and you can lay down and do most of the excerices laying down with really light resistance which you can build up when you feel like it. I still get awful days especially prior to menses but a lot better than before, if I over do it on the junk food front for too long then my pain increases again.

Good luck, hopefully your endo will adjust your thyroid meds and you get the result Sylvia did x

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Thank you Charlotte

I so understand the good days and living in false hope that Iam geting better.. BOY does that have a knock on affect on your mood and they have the cheek to put it all down to depression and all in your head..I bumped into a friend of minE today who is being told her depression is the cause of her fatigue and aches and pains..

I am beginning to hate the fact they use anxiety and depression as part of every bloomin illness we have..Might as well get a large sticker on my head saying:  DON'T BOTHER DIAGNOSING ME DEPRESSION IS THE ANSWER

I don't think you are being deluded but feel that IT would be an important part of research into why is there good and bad days. You have already spoke about excercise, healthy diet etc .. i am sure they are covering all areas.

Had to google menses lol..

Sorry to hear about your mum having to suffer so long makes me realise how fortunate I am getting a good Endo.. Thanks to Sylvia I know that now..

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Hi Sylvia I read about the expense of natural thyroid.. I was so ill, depressed, frustrated and couldn;t understand why i had been like this for such a long time I done some research.. I couldnt beleive how I went from having an active life to being confined to my bed and home and having pills thrown at me left right and center and not getting better..

I knew that so many were still suffering and couldnt believe they were not being helped and to be told that I am is so unfair to so many who are probably even worse than me..I wouldnt be surprised if it was all to do with money and governments not wanting to spend..

I will post what happens at next appoinment with Endo and where Iam at,, Especially if it will help someone else..

Once again thank you for taking the time to post and share your knowledge,,Very much appreciated

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Hi, I fractured my L2 over a year ago & have all symptoms of Fibromyalgia but the neurologist my GP sent me to says I am depressed & this is causing my symptoms so my GP says she agrees. They are both in their late 30's. I went initially because I'm extremely tired even taking a shower & drying my hair I need to rest for 2 hours after, I have pain everywhere ( feel like I've been kicked) like I have flu, my legs, calves & feet kill me, I have electric shocks in 11 places feel nauseous, dizziness, out of it & when driving my son to school can't remember how I go there or have gone through red lights I didn't see. Is it really in my head ?