I don't know what to tell you. I just wanted to give you a hug for support and sending out prayers for you.

Hugs and Prayers.

Hopefully someone can give you some good advice.

Sounds to me as if you need to find a new doctor. This one sounds like a jerk. I don't believe in being dishonest but I wouldn't blame you for faking it. To keep from having to lie you could just do something the day before your appointment that you know will throw you into a flare. I know, that's crazy but.......
Seriously though, you deserve a doctor who will take you seriously and listen to you. Oh and one that knows a little something about fibro. Improved..HA.... sure but for how long 5 min., 5 days, 5 seconds.

Like amommy says, it's time to find a new doctor.

Please do not fake it. It is widely know that we have some good days. As far as your doctor "seemed to laughing at you" I am not sure if you meant he actually laughed at your discomfort; if he did, I would fire him! I wish you well and just wanted to let you know "I hear you."

Find a new doctor! No, don' t fake it. Find someone who deals with Fibro and has experience that listens.

I am so sorry your going through this. I know what you mean though. It's the same for me. When I was diagnosed I was working full time and falling right apart. The last week of work, it took me over 10 min. to get into my truck, because I have to kind of jump up to get in. And I just couldn't make it. It was soooo frustrating I started crying. So there I was standing in the parking lot at work throwing myself at the bottom of the door crying. What a site.

Sorry, got carried away.

OK now that I haven't work in over a year and can nap during the day and sleep for 10 hours each night, I am much better then I was, But what a sad life I live and I still do have flares after a busy time. I find it so hard to explain what it is really like for me in front of her so I went with a letter saying what I wanted to and when I gave it to her I said, I thought it would be better if I wrote out what is going on because I really get frustrated and forgetfully because of the Fibromyalgia, and handed her the letter, she said thank you, this is great and read it, then she asked me a few question, and was much more helpful. I know I felt better about what I wanted to tell her.

I live in Ontario, Canada and we have a Dr. shortage. It very hard to find a new family Dr., and I am afraid the new Dr. will be worse. I can get appointment to see specialist.

Hope you get some help.
Gentle Hugs, Sherrall

Do you all think I blew my case because I was honest that today I didn't hurt when he pressed the tender points? I wrote him a note, and complained about how I've been feeling (in pain) and showed it to him before he "examined me", and then after he said flatly, "the examination doesn't bear that out."
So has he sunk my SSDI, do you think? How can one 5 second snapshot change the whole picture?

I don't know anything about the SSDI part of your question. I have found that there are days my doc seems unable to hear me. Other days she listens and really tries to help. So, I'd say give the guy another chance. See if the next visit is as unproductive. Then change if you need to.

I have learned that you really don't have to lie. Just refuse to minimize anything. In fact when the dr touches a tender point I kind of flinch or say oooh. While I am not lying I am maybe just not saying, oh wow, that doesn't hurt all that bad today!
Too many years of being ignored because I happened to be in the office on a good day taught me this.
They basically refuse to treat what they can't find while you are there. And we all know it is there just maybe not bad enough at that moment for you to not feel stupid when you say hey I felt that! Been there Wolf and it is so hard to get over.
Please, don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for having a good day.
I do agree with the others too, that if the dr is really such a butthead find a new one.
I doubt that he has ruined your case for SSDI since it takes a while to get there anyway and if you have an atty there really should not be much of an issue.
Good luck
Hugs and stuff
Amy

It is such a shame that these in sensetive drs actually hold our fate as far as getting disability in thier hands. Just a crying shame. I hope that you can find a good dr soon. Don't fake it because it may someday come back to bite you in the a$$. You can over exaggerate a little here and there, but that would be it.

My advice is to FIND A NEW DOCTOR!!!! Seriously, I started out with a doctor that refused to listen...and now I have a great docotr who is behind me 100% and helped me get on disability through my job.

I tell you girl these docs kill me now. It is evident through research that I have done that a huge majority of Fib patients are chronic with little or no improvement at all. It is also proven that we have good and bad days and flareups.

This doc in particular is one who reminds me of someone who works to get paid and doesnt show any geniune concern for patients. He cannot feel what Fib feels like and so he assumes with it you can recover or feel better. Yeah sure meds help us and we have good days but we still have bad days and pain.

I hate to say this but yes you have to exaggerate and or tell a little white lie...with Social Security disability forms and a doctor like this. If you dont then they will write you off as being well enough to work. YOu cant give them any lee way at all I did and it blew up in my face. So I decided to take a bad pain day and use that as a structure for everyday when submitting SS dis forms. Fortuantely my doc is great and very knowledgable on the fact that this illness is chronic.

It wouldnt hurt you to find a doc that was more supportive for something as important as ss dis representation. Remember that holds your financial future. Good luck and I care.

Hi sweetie. I have to say, I have never been much of a Doc shopper, but over the years, my husband's insurance has changed multiple times leaving me in the quandry of finding a new doctor. It's so aggrevating. One of my best Rhuemy's had terrible bedside manners, but he didn't make me feel like a freak. So, I could tolerate his lack of "personal touch."

But I do remember on one particular visit to his office that he make a throw off remark about "Fibro patients see at least 4-6 different doctors trying to get the attention they need." He wasn't being supportive in his statement. He was painting us as being doc shoppers. I told him I had only seen two, him and someone else. He said in a very condescending tone, "Actually, you have seen three...you forgot your primary care doc." I shot back that "of course I've seen my PCP for this! Insurance won't let me come to you WITHOUT seeing him first. Not only that, if you guys would stay with my insurance company, I wouldn't have to switch at all!" I said all of that to say this: you've got to push back. I have gone so far as to take the chart off the back of the door and flip through it while I waited on the doc to come in. Hey, it's MY chart. I have also stopped docs as they are trying to ease out the door before I can get all my questions answered.

I too have had docs tell me that I looked "great!!" according to my examination. HA. I tell them, "well, I guess I should have rescheduled my appointment so I could have been here yesterday when I felt like I was stretched out under the earth." I'm not advocating ugliness, but you have to show them that you are informed about your disease and that you know your own body. It's not easy because alot of docs just want you to take what the prescribe, no questions asked. Not me! My husband says, "Your doctors EARN every single penny they get when you walk through the door." And maybe he's right, but as far as I'm concerned, I have the right to walk right out of there and "fire" them.

I think you can be honest and not fake it and still convey how terrible your condition is. I have prefaced statements to my doc with, "As you are well aware of...." leaving the burden on them. For instance, I say, "As you are fully aware, I may have 3 consecutive good days, and then 3 consecutive bad weeks..." It kinda puts them in the position to acknowledge the accuracy of what you have said or to admit they don't know all the intricate details about the disease.

I know it's been long and rambling, but I hope it helps. Just keep pushing back, and let them know you are informed!

My rheumy was part of the reason why I was denied LTD at first....he was the one that told me that I would be disabled....I told him I need to work as I love my career....but as it became more difficult and impossible to work, it was time to throw in the towel to keep working....I was getting worse working.

then the doctor decided to not get involved in the disability claim....because of that...I was denied....now I have an attorney and the rheumy is on board...however, his initial comments are still there....so we will see.

Yes....it is difficult at times as we have good days and bad days. Don't try to rest before you go to the doctor....let him see you as you try to push yourself....

When I saw the mental health guy from SSI....he seemed to understand that I looked great on the outside and he appeared to be understanding how I feel on the inside....in fact he was talking about fibro....he seemed very up on this subject.....

You are all so kind with your replies. You have succeeded in talking me down from a really bad reaction to the rheumatologist.

Next time I will be more prepared and memorize a few statements like, "Let me show YOU where my tender points are TODAY."

I swear he didn't spend 3 seconds examining me. He just denounced what I had written about what I've been going through since the last visit.

I am going to stick my ground.

Thank you all for the moral support. I feel better.