Fibromyalgia, WLS, multiple sclerosis

Hi,  I had my WLS in 2001 and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia  in 1992. I have had great success with losing my weight and went from 288 to 135 currently.  My issue is that a couple  years ago, I was feeling really bad and went to dr and told them about all my symptoms, which some are just like what we have for fibro, but  with the other ones the Dr said that it sounded like I had early onset of MS and that we needed to start testing for MS, this scared me because my Mom had MS and had recently passed away due to complications of the disease.   Well, they did the initial brain scan and found some signs but not enough to give a definate diagnosis of MS, so I have been now two years going on 3 yrs with the symptoms getting worse and recently had to be taken off work because of them.  I have numbness in my limbs, lose my balance, short term memory loss, nerve pain, bladder issues (very embarrassing), fatique, visual disorders, dizziness and veritg, weakness, tremors, impaired mobility, leg stiffness, chronic pain, and swallowing disorders.   The only things that I am not experiencing are depression, bowel disorders sexual dysfunction (not sure on this one as you have to participate in this to know if you are  having a dysfunction, LOL).  I am at a loss as to what to do. My Dr is referring me to a neurologist and rheumatologist. I went to the new rheumatologist and he was a waste of my time, he thinks that fibromyalgia and MS are over diagnosed and are a figment of our imaginations.  Wi**** was.  If  any one has any ideas on where I can turn for information or what I might  be able to ask my Dr any help or advise would  be appreciated.
Thank you
Nancy Godina
Nana1176
GRDS 2001
Dr Kesheshian

Nana, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom's passing. I lost my mom back in 2001, though not to MS.  I don't believe MS is a figment of our minds. I would go to someone else. I personally know 3 people all in varying stages of MS.  My MIL's neighbor is in the last stages and has been placed in a nursing facility because he can no longer care for himself and his mobility is gone. Check out Montel Williams' website (I don't have it off hand), but he also has MS.

Keep at the doctors and nice to meet you. So sorry you are going through all this. You're in my prayers.

Shauna
Mistically Imprinted on FB

Shauna,  Thank you for the response.  My Mom was diagnosed with MS back in the 80's and it is not a joke, she passed away in 2009. The Dr that I went to see was a referral from the Internist and he said to me "why do you want to figure out what you have? Cant you just live with the symptoms? I personally think Fibromyalgia and MS are over dx and too many people can fake it"  I of course, told him MS is not a  joke as my Mom had it for many years and I have had Fibro since 92' and I can attest that it is not something someone makes up.  I also told him that I was wasting my time coming to see him and that I thought he was a joke and a waste of my money.  I guess I should have known he was a fake when he took like 5 calls on his cell phone during the appointment.  I immediately went to my Dr and told her what happened. She set me up with another appt next week and we are going to find another neurologist. My only issue is that I cant work right now and I dont want to lose my job. But I just cannot function.  I hardly was able get out of bed for the last two days. Do you find that when you try to explain fibromyalgia to people that they look at you like you have grown another head?  my ex husband has convinced our son that I am faking it. Its one of the hardest diseases to have.  Thank you for letting me vent.
Nancy Godina
Nana1176

nancy i know the feeling my x allways said it was in my head i was crazy he would never let me go to the doctors or er. since i was the only one working he was worried i wouldnt be able to work and he would have no money. and my oldest girls still some times say oh mom its all in your head because they herd it so much from there dad this is real pain but how can are loves ones understand when even doctors look at us like were crazy. I know how you feel and i will never say your faking talk to me anytime i understand you completly I want to cry right along with you because i know how this feels

What I dont understand about  my Ex, is that when we were married, I was diagnosised with fibromyalgia and he was so understanding and helpful. But, now that we are divorced and he is with his "new" girlfriend, he says that I am faking it and need to get a life. His GF says that I am using my illness as a way to get him back.  I am so not doing that, I left him in 2002 because he has fidelity issues, so why would I want him  back now that I might have MS. But what ****** me off more than anything, is that she has convinced  my Ex that I am faking and now my son is telling me that he doesnt  believe that i am as sick as I am. He says that no one can be in as much pain as I say that I am in nor can anyone have a bad day everyday. I dont care what the Ex and his GF think but my son is another thing. How can I convince my son that its the truth? he sees me lay here and cry because I hurt so bad, but still doesnt believe.  I have taken him with me to the Dr but he believes his dad.  UGHHH men, they make me so mad.  fibromyalgia and MS are two things that I would never wish on anybody ever. 

i can relate to your pain even though my second doctor said no ms my brain is showing a progressive ms and it scares the he  out of me. i to sometimes have trouble seeing allways have leg pain and numbness and my hands go numb all the time until now i was thinking this was normal fibro stuff. I need a good damn doctor for sure. Any way i to fall i use to think it was clumsy ness but just some times cant even feel my legs. I do have stomach problems to some times cant leave the house because it gets so bad. I say get to a good neoroligist i cant seem to get a straight answer from any doctor but you need to know because they have meds that can help slow down the progression. After being on hear i did some research about lumbar puncters and they dont always show ms now i scared again should i be on meds because the activity is showing progresseve ms in my brain I will have a big earfull for my f////// doctor when i go see him next month

I needed to have answers to my symptoms and the Dr that I was seeing was oh well, lets just take a wait and see attitude was not good enough for me, so I started seeing other dr and finally I found the Dr I am seeing now, she listens to me, doesnt think I am exarating and she is also very frustrated at the other Dr attitude and now her hands are being tied by the insurance company.  I had a brain scan over a yr ago and she wants to do another one but they keep refusing to authorize it.  I know that it can take time to determine what is going on but damn some of the attitudes of these dr  is just keep coming to see me and pay me more and  more money. I feel that they only want my money but I cant afford it.  The Dr I am seeing now, is awesome, she saw me at the grocery store and could tell that I wasnt doing so great and had me go to her office and refused to take money for the call.  With her by myside, i know that we will finally figure it out.    I really hate when I lose my balance or forget what  I am doing or going.  Walked into Walmart the othere day and couldnt remember why I was there. I had to call my daughter to ask her if she knew why I was going to Walmart. I kind of just stood there in the pet aisle trying to remember what it was. Found out from my daughter that I had gone there to get toilet paper, why I was in pet section I have no idea.   I also misplace things and cant find it for a long time, very frustrating. 

What do you do to lesson the attacks of the MS? can they be prevented if you are not on the medication for MS?

If you have ms when your having a bad attack the doctor can give you steroids pills or iv treatments the iv treatments are a pain you have to go home with a stent in for a few days but they help. If your having frequent attacks the pills will help keep it down talk with your doctor i was told this is the only thing that can help a flair. and write down everything i post everything on my frig and i allways forget things its awfull and i have forgot how to spell and forget my words alot some times i feel dumb good thing i dont work any more because in my proffession sound dumb wasnt an opption its like i knew what i was talking about but when it came out it sounded unproffesional

I am going to talk to my Dr next week about giving something for the flare ups, because even though all the test are borderline or inconclusive, I think that they should start treating me so tht I dont advance more.  I too will forget what I am saying right in the middle of the conversation. It is so embarrassing because I work for large insurance company and have to deal with Doctors, members and businesses so professionalism is a must, you must have perfect speach, writing etc and I forget how to speak or when it comes out of my mouth it was not what I was thinking, its almost like I am speaking a foreign language.  my words get jumbled or I forget all together the topic.  I'm a mess right now but I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  I just need to figure out what damn tunnel I need to go down. LOL

i think the word stummble is the worst for me i to just can forget my train of thought in mid sentence its awfull i feel dumb so i know i must look dumb.as for your son if they do start some kind of steroid treatment not only will you notice the diffrence in as little as a day but if your son see the iv maybe hell relize my mom is not faking i go though the same with my girls.