I'd like that ... come on down ... go back and read my post script on the last post.

I am so glad you all agree with me, I was doubting myself again, DH is really pis*ed at the doc!!!!!!!!!!! He lives with me and says no way am I depressed or imagining my pain, he knows the stuff I do to bring it on around here!

The doc also said people with fibro are couch potatoes that watch tv all day long and and do not have any interest to keep them busy so they think up their pain....I'm just hoppin' mad about now...ooooh maybe I will burn some calories!

Meme, according to this doc depression causes physical pain too...I have heard of that before but I'm pretty sure it is not causing my pain....maybe some folks who are hypo's...............I am not SAD my only complaint is pain...........that he cannot find a cure for therefore it isn't real!

Candice, whether you like it or not, it is time to find a new Dr. Let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, and find a Dr. who is knowledgable about FM. This Dr. of yours is an idiot. He will NEVER help you, so you need to find somebody who can. Don't just sit around and suffer with the pain. You need to get something to help you.

I am sure there are quite a few people with FM who are depressed and are couch potatoes because of it, but not everybody. I don't suffer from depression at all, thank goodness.

Drs. believe that pain causes depression and depression causes pain and it is just a vicious cycle. That is why they want you to take anti-depressants as they think it breaks the cycle. I don't know why they think everybody is depressed, but it seems if you don't have a shrink you are certainly not in the "in crowd" Personally, I think most of them are just plain nuts themselves.

Candice-I go to a rheumotologist for fibro but I was fortunate that a long time ago, my gp sent me to him. Your doc is nuts!!!!!Ps chronic pain causes depression!!!so if you have any, it might be from the pain. Actually, an anti-depressant is good for fibro at night because it helps you sleep-standard treatment. Every once in a while we seem to meet up with a doc that doesn't get it-sorry it had to be you. Half day of work today then off for a week. Hey meme-are you getting the rain? Mima

Boy am I EVER getting the rain. Talk about something that will cause you to be depressed ... get a few days of this weather!

Seriously though, I went through a mental breakdown and I don't ever want to go back there again. The Doctors give you pills for depression and a lot of the time they make you MORE depressed ... not always, but a lot of the time they make the depression worse than it was. I know ... been there - done that! I think the best thing that could happen to some of these docs is for them to get a little taste of the fibro for themselves ... just let them see what it's like! They'd change their tune in a hurry! Big babies would be in bed in a flash! The only thing saving me is I have a huge amount of inflamation in my body and cartilage loss which both shows up in Xrays and blood tests ... it can all be measured and seen. So ... the doctors all believe I'm in pain! Then I have an Asian doctor who fimly believes in fibro and so does my family doc. So I'm just lucky about that. My Rheumatologist in Nashville will give me cortisone shots in the joints anytime I ask and 100 Darvocets at a time with refills galore ... no questions. He's great. He knows I won't abuse the meds. I'm really careful because I don't want to become dependent. But, he recognizes that I'm in pain ... that's the great thing about my doctors. NONE of them act like my pain is a figment of my imanination. So - Candice - If I were you, I NEVER go back to that doctor again. Actually, I walked out on a doctor kind of like him once and told him on my way out the door that I'd never be back ... that's just the way I am. He was treating me for migraines (or pretending to) and very condescending. He kept me waiting for hours, wouldn't accept my insurance (when he used to ... but he stopped) and then he started saying I needed to see a shrink that I was depressed and something must be wrong at home that I was having the migraines yadda yadda yadda so I just told him what I thought about him and his sloppy office etc. and I told him I wouldn't be back ... got up and walked out. Best thing I ever done. I had been going to him for years, I found a new doctor who stopped my migraines with a new med. AFTER 30 YEARS OF HAVING THEM!!! It's hard to change doctors but sometimes it's worth the effort!

Candice- Mima and Meme is right.. Get another doctor!!!!I am one who is against taking any pills the Dr.'s decide to hand out just to get rid of me..They want to put us on mood swinger drugs and get rid of us. I wonder if they let their wives or daughters take them. I bet it is a different story then..I make it a practice to always look up on the net any meds I am given to take.. I want to know the side effects not just now but down the road years from now.. Believe me you can have side effects years down the road..
My Dr. called me today and set a date for surgery. I hope this is the end of my problems.. Have a good night...Joanne

I am glad you have a date Joanne-get it over with. I had the easiest time working-yesterday we went in and did an hour and a half's work and got paid for 4 , So Mary Alice and I went shopping and went back for lunch. Then I went home. It's pouring here today but it's supposed to stop-hopefully in time for Brad's church to sell Apple Crisp at their church, They have a Johnny Appleseed Festival in their city of Leominster. Candice, does you insurance cover specialists because I suggest you go to a rheumotologist. They sure know about fibro and have for years. .I had a doc that told me I had arthritis 35 years ago and I was araid I'd be crippled but it was the beginning of fibro. Course the treatment was the same-at the time, aspirin. But he didn't take blood tests. And I found out that he was an alcoholic because I met his wife in Al-anon. Funny. Bye for now. Mima

You know gals the really funny thing is that DH and I see a psychiatrist on a 2-4 times a year schedule to deal with his nutty family and all the stress that goes along with it...he is the only one that will treat my fibro, I just take my reasearch stuff in on Fibro and if there are any new treatments, meds or some kind of thearapy that needs a dr. recomendation he usually does it for me. He does believe in Fibro but needs me to give him the lastest research on it so I do but I know I really need another doc to take charge, was hoping my son could do when he gets through with med school in several years!
the doc (shrink as you all call them)we see, has health problems though and sometimes falls asleep during our conversation! (he is old but I like him). My family doc is only used for things that might need an antibiotic like and infection, but he thinks he can solve all my pain by telling me it is depression....If I am so depressed why does my psychiatist not think so!!!!!!!!!!!!! DH did call the counseling place to see if insurance will pay and they siad 60% and it's 200 a visit with a 2 times a month min. Dh and I thought maybe it might be good for both of us and help us with his family, but he says we cannot afford it while we are helping our kids. So you see I have nothing against counsleing or thearapist or psychiatrists...just cocky know it all docs! All my records are there for the past 20 years and they will not transfer them unless you pay a big fee, there are other docs in his office but only one is nice. I just want to prove him wrong and then go back in say I told you so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a glutton for punishment.................I guess....I am still ticked off just need to get it out of my system and then I will drop it.

There is a new antidepressent just out to treat pain and has been used in Fibro successfully, supposed to be not many side effects but I wonder....I might give it a try this visit.........it is called Duloxtine. Also pregablelin has been approved too but it cause serious weight gain for sure............... I try to just keep busy and work through my pain as you all know and do too. I am at 13,000 steps and did 40 minutes of strength training today, some yard work and made fudge (lot of arm work) for my sister who is having surgery next week. Now do I sound like a depressd person or a couch potato????????????? What really upsets me is that I have had no sleep this week due to our painters and that makes me very emotional and he upset me so much that I was in tears which he thought confirmed my depression.............I always cry when I don't get enough sleep, but I know that is normal for me. I just do not know how you find a good doc to treat fibro...I am told there are no good ones in our area by our support group leader that are taking new patients. Okay I'm done whining now!

Oh.. the rhume I used to see just wanted to give me antinflamatory meds and always said he has all the pain I have and we were the same age so learn to live with it. He was compassionate though...just couldn't do much for me since I can't take those types of meds. He used to give me trigger point injections too but they didn't help. I just don't like to see doctors........................................... ..................too many bad experinces

I wrote a book....sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that you guys are having a good weekend.. I am still cleaning up my yard after Frances. I got most of the front done. The back is a disaster area.. We now have a huge oak tree that has to be taken out. I guess I may have the front to do over...Yuk!!My hubby is yelling that I am going to end up in the hospital .Heck, I am going there anyhow the first week of Oct.I'll get a few days of rest!!!
Bye...Joanne

joanne...why isn't hubby out there helping? he sounds to much like mine! Did I miss the post about your surgery? what are you having done.... My sis is having a hysterectomy and gallbladder this week so I made some stuff to send to her, fudge , cookies and got a bottle of wine to mail to her....she loves her choc and wine!

Good morning-well Ivan's rain just stopped and they couldn't have the Apple Festival but the wedding we are going to today will be ok. Supposed to sign on the condo tomorrow and also send us money from Brad's house. It's a new day for us with no mortgages. Listen to this-my daughter has a bad cold and her boyfriend brought her flowers and the Red Sox hat she wanted and then went out for pizza. Even though she told him she didn't want to give him her cold. they are doing so much better now-gotta save some condo money for the wedding.Ha!!!!!!I would be happy to have him for a son-in-law and he comes from a very nice family. Now gotta get someone for those 2 boys of ours. Have a good weekend. Mima

Joanne, hope all goes smoothly on the surgery. And that it will be the end of your pain (in that area anyway). DD gets this pain too from ovarian cysts and there's always a lot of medical confusion because apparently hers come and go.

Woke up to some rain in basement and no power yesterday morning but all cleared up by late morning and I did some "me" shopping and went to a little street festival in the afternoon.

Had great b.d. DS was up last weekend from Sat-Mon. Did some computer work for me and some outside chores as well. Then went to DD's on Wednesday - she took us to dinner, girls had no school on Thursday (off for Rosh Hashanah in their area) so spent good time with them. Worked out well for DD as well as her dh was travelling from Mon-Friday so she had a bit of time to get out and choose things for their basement which is being finished off. Mtg. sister for lunch today after Mass. Her dh and their three sons met up in Pittsburgh for a Pitt football game and a Pirates baseball game - a tradition they've been doing since the two older boys moved to the P. area (one has since moved to DC area and the youngest lives near Philly so it's more effort but I'm sure worth it).

Still having problems w/stomach, seeing GI on Tuesday. Going back for 6 mo recheck of recheck on right breast. Say a prayer, please. I've had cysts removed from the area in question maybe 8 times in the last 35 years, including one in the last six months. I'm hoping that last one will have cleared up the question (this has also occurred in the past). But with all that history, one of these days I just may run out of luck. So yet another busy week.

Candice, I've run into at least two horrible doctors that I could put in the category of yours easily. I too thought if you can just hang on until your son finishes medical shcool, you'll have good help. DDILs bro is a doctor and he monitors the health care for his family. Gives you a lot of reassurance. DS talked to him when doctors said DHs kidney problems are something the kids have a 50/50 chance of getting. And I feel better that he'll be sort of guiding him. DD has seen doctors, had tests, etc. and seems to have been cleared (which means granddaughters will be ok too) but son's "family" doctor says there's no indication he needs to even do that. I think you're right though that your current psych. would have picked up on any depression. Plus, I think we all have some of that when we're hurting physically. I had talked to my dr. about that last year when dh was so bad and my mother had just died, etc. He said he'd give me something when/if I wanted it but he thought I'd be allright w/o it which turned out to be on target. I think there are things and times when we're more normal if we have a bit of anger or depression than if we try to pretend nothing's going on. Of course, I've been going to him a long time too and I think he's seen my reactions to pain and a lot of other stuff. Sometimes I really do think I have fibro as well because so many things sound the same but I know he tests trigger points fairly regularly (though he never mentions it) and there's no reaction.

Must admit I'm concerned about this headache/stroke thing though. Which is why I'm still taking the Plavix though it's upsetting my stomach so badly. I feel better able to deal w/stomach problems than a stroke for sure.

What a great day to look forward to, Mima. Hope all goes well for you tomorrow.

Wish I were still asleep........

Candice ..I have a mass on my L ovary. The ca125 came back neg. so I am not too concerned ,but it has to come out. They will take both ovaries out Oct. 7
My hubby had heart bipass surgery almost 10 years ago. He can't take the heat and doesn't seem to be able to work outside as much anymore. We(family) are trying to make him understand we need to get a yardman now. He is being difficult..He thinks no one else can do it..
Mima..Good that your daughter found a good one..My son seems to have done the same.. We are all waiting for them to get married..
Anagram.. I think I have a good Dr.I am not worried . The pain comes and goes for me too. The one bad one put me in ER. That is when they found the mass. They have been telling me it was IBS. I probably do have IBS ,but, All pain isn't that. Now maybe they will stop telling me I have to learn to live with it.. Since when do we have to learn to live with pain?I guess when you get my age the medical Dr's feels we are going to die anyway ,so why bother.I guess when you are young and weigh 125 they pay more attention..
Hello Meme,Happy...Joanne

Good morning-we do have our share of medical problems, don't we. Figured out that I had at least 12 medical problems, none fatal. Course I aggravated one yesterday with what I ate at the wedding-was really nice. It was ourtdoors and it was absolutely freezing -windy -but the reception was inside, Beautiful!!!I got the centerpiece. The bride is a florist so the flowers were exceptional. Met Brad's cousins. Then we went to his sister's house and talked for a long time with other cousins who were staying at their house, Anagram, sure hope everything turns out fine. prayers for you too. No matter when I go to bed, I wake up early so I am tired and someone is coming over to see how to get airline tickets online. Then I'll have to get another nap. Bye for now Mima

Joanne, good luck with your surgery, do they have to make and incision for that these days? You will be good and sore if they do! Hope it helps with all the pain you are having. We need a yard person too but DH refuses to hire one, jsut can't let go of the money for taht when he thinks we can do it....he had to mow himself the last two times cause with my pelvic pain I could not sit on a bumpy mower. I just refused to do it. He is still whinning about doing it himself! I used to do it all take care of the kids, teach, keep house, cook, yard stuff and volunteer work...that was pre Fibro days!!!!!!!!!!!

My fibro support group leads says I need to learn to pace myself....I just can't stop once I get going, if I sit down it is too hard to get back up..I would never get anything done....I do not think you all pace yourself either..........it is in our nature to be overachievers most of the time.

Anna.....I'm not sure what kind of doc my son will be when it comes to treating to "chronic problems"...he does not like working on me now for pratcie because I frustrate him...too many aches and pains...at school they practice on young healthy people! I tell him I am the real patient! I was glad to hear that you have seen several docs( well yo know waht I mean don't you?), and have had tests run too and similar results as I have had. Makes me feel better hearing it from others.

Mima....that boyfriend sounds like a real keeper! My 2 boys need a wife too but I want a really nice one I get along with!

We are checking into counselours that no about FM and maybe if I find one they will know of a good doctor to change to. Since I have "nothing" wrong with me but Fibro they cannot justify the pain I guess. I do have some arthritis but do not take anything for it. i used to ge massage and Chriro treatments all the time but DH said it was costing us too much so I quit!