Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
For months now I have felt really horrible. I run fevers and have horrible joint pain throughout my body, most especially in my spine. It even hurts to breathe! My weight bearing joints will even "give out" resulting in me almost falling several times. Right as I was looking for a new GP, mine retired and the practice was taken over by a local hospital group. I went to the new doc, who is male and I typically don't go to male docs, and was impressed.
He doesn't think I have fibro. He says my medical records are really blank for the last 5 years and that there is no evidence any significant testing was done to rule out other conditions. And the testing that was done? Most of them he can see no significant reason to run as they are considered "non diagnostic". So I have spent a lot of money and gotten squat. He wants me to see ortho for the joints and infectious disease because "fibro doesn't cause fevers". Also he sent me to physical therapy and they said my records say I have had surgeries that I have never had and why am I not on synthroid? Well, because I have a functioning thyroid! No, according to my medical records I haven't had one of those in 20 years? WTH!
To top it off my job is getting very demanding because a coworker is calling out frequently. When she is at work she is constantly complaining about some medical issue. Before you all get mad, most of these are self-caused, like the time she ate a family size bag of coconut cookies for lunch and then had to leave work because of "stomach troubles". Or when she had talked all morning about drinking an entire bottle of vodka the night before and then had to leave for a "migraine". I thought this would resolve when she ran out of sick time, but everyone feels so bad for her she is being allowed to call out as much as she wants and then work OT on the weekends to "make up" time. So she is getting roughly 3 days off during the middle of the week and still getting OT pay. Then bragging about how much she is getting in her paycheck.
Suggestions on how to cope? I am already looking for a new job, but have no patience left for anything. I just really want to be in my bed on my heating pad cuddling with my dogs and husband . . .
He doesn't think I have fibro. He says my medical records are really blank for the last 5 years and that there is no evidence any significant testing was done to rule out other conditions. And the testing that was done? Most of them he can see no significant reason to run as they are considered "non diagnostic". So I have spent a lot of money and gotten squat. He wants me to see ortho for the joints and infectious disease because "fibro doesn't cause fevers". Also he sent me to physical therapy and they said my records say I have had surgeries that I have never had and why am I not on synthroid? Well, because I have a functioning thyroid! No, according to my medical records I haven't had one of those in 20 years? WTH!
To top it off my job is getting very demanding because a coworker is calling out frequently. When she is at work she is constantly complaining about some medical issue. Before you all get mad, most of these are self-caused, like the time she ate a family size bag of coconut cookies for lunch and then had to leave work because of "stomach troubles". Or when she had talked all morning about drinking an entire bottle of vodka the night before and then had to leave for a "migraine". I thought this would resolve when she ran out of sick time, but everyone feels so bad for her she is being allowed to call out as much as she wants and then work OT on the weekends to "make up" time. So she is getting roughly 3 days off during the middle of the week and still getting OT pay. Then bragging about how much she is getting in her paycheck.
Suggestions on how to cope? I am already looking for a new job, but have no patience left for anything. I just really want to be in my bed on my heating pad cuddling with my dogs and husband . . .
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Never trust "we'll talk" in a relationship. Life lesson learned. The other person talks. You are TOLD.***I'm exhausted, ill, and quite done with being strong. So, today's advice:Screw 'em.Like that shower curtain? Buy it. It's your damn view when you clean that bathroom, right?Want that book? Get it. Books good.Need that extra serving? Eat it. Sometimes we've expended a ton of energy and we do...
OK, first of all, most tests in medicine are non-diagnostic---in th ssense that they rule things out, rather than definitively say "Eureka! We got it!"
Example: C-reactive proteins being elevated indicates inflammatory issues---but doesn't say, as clearly as an X-ray would say, "Hey, a broken bone!" Most tests are just indicators that can help rule out or narrow down what is going on. Been through them all more than once for more than one issue, and my GP *still* checks me for autoimmune marker elevations (which don't necessarily mean autoimmune disease but can mean you need to look closer at *other* things)....
Don't let the co-worker's drama stress you out. Such people will receive the rewards of Karma. You focus on resting, findin ga new doc (neuros and rheumys are better at fibro than GPs as a rule) and take care, okay?
Keep us updated.
For work, I'd recommend having a talk with your boss or HR. If your boss is sympathetic to your issues, bring it up and let them know that you cannot maintain doing your own work and someone else's work. If they cannot get this girl to show up to work, then they can find another way to compensate for her absence. If your boss isn't sympathetic, then go to HR and voice your full concerns.
I hope you get some relief and and answers soon!
I should add that I have spoken to my boss, who says that time and attendance are not her issue. And it is HR that is approving all the OT, so I don't see that as a road to go down. It has gotten to be such a joke that other departments are saying, "Oh, she called out? Well she doesn't work on Wednesdays . . Or Tuesdays. . Or Thursdays."
This has been going on for about a year and I have tried to avoid the drama as much as possible. I do believe that I am noticing it more now because I am having a bad "flare". I am also noticing it because her call outs are resulting in me being called in to work 3 or more hours early, called in to work on my day off at 5 AM, and having to work 16 hour days to cover her shifts. Not my first 16 hour days, but boy does this horrible flare make a huge difference.