What alternative, interim or tentative diagnoses did you receive on the way to getting diagnosed with Fibro?

*Labrynthitis, vertigo, and a whole slew of other random diagnoses.

*Early onset alzeimhers was what my DR first thought I had.

*Since childhood,heart Arrhythmias
Asthma, Tinnitus, Migraine, Hyper mobile Joint disorder, Painful periods, “dysmenorrhoea” Fatigue, Arthritis in all joints, Anxiety and Pain related depression
Sleep disorder, Stomach and bowel eating disorder ( still under investigation)
Acute Fibromyalgia.

*Bone spurs, rotator cuff damage,carpal tunnel, stress, depression, I am the least depressed person I know, frustrated definitely, depressed definitely not!

*Thought it was psoriatic arthritis at one point but other than that I was told it was depression and all in my mind.

*Tennis elbow !

*Growing pains!

*One doctor told me I was washed out!

* umm, put like that, nothing really, each daft symptom was treated as it arose. However, neither has anything else other than thyroid been excluded (and that not fully) not absolutely sure that FMS is actually what I have, though it fits like a glove - but so do other things too. I'm hoping my hospital visit for something else may throw up a definitive answer, but not holding my breath!

*I didn't have any other names for my fibro was just told I have by the looks of your x-ray you might have a condition that is called Fibromyaligia. It also looks as if you have a second condition with it too called hypermobility syndrome, as they do both go together in some sufferers.

*I have hypothyroid, I get migraines, Had a lump in knee, have carpal tunnel, been told maybe celiac disease, GERD, I could keep going. Chiropractor thinks Adrenal fatigue might set in next.

*Bi polar here too.

*Arthritus, fiberitus and painful, frequent full periods when I was 14, 40yrs ago.

*If somebody told you that by the looks of an x-ray you have Fibro, they are nuts. Fibro does not show up, not one symptom of it, on a lab test. The only way to diagnose is through the diagnostic criteria approved by the American Rheumatological Association, the trigger point exam.
And I am so sorry some of you were told you bi-polar! If you guys don't see women doctors, I strongly encourage you to do so. Not all women doctors are sympathetic, but they will be more likely to not just throw a diagnosis at you.
If more men than women had Fibro, there would be more research being done.

*Bowel Cancer due to ibs and cancer of brain due to migraine! Now work that one out!

*Depression, a wonky sided body, a congenital spine problem, age, lack of fitness. Even my fibro diagnosis was done without any examination.

*You're depressed, you're a drug seeker, you're a hormonal psychotic female, it's all in your head, and by the way, screw the alternative holistic crap, it doesn't work.
We aren't depressed, WE ARE IN PAIN. Two separate things you moronic doctors!
Diagnosed with "Fibromyalgia" in 1979, officially diagnosed by a highly respected well known Neurologist in 1992.

*Depressed, work related back injury & elbow, overworked muscles, MS possible, Lupus possible & side effect from Chantix.

*I was diagnosed with Arthritis 30 years ago when I was 12, but when I got worse about 12 years ago. All kinds of testing was done to 'rule out' other diseases, all test negative. Was told to seek out psychiatric care, in 2007 saw a Rheumotologist and he diagnosed Fibro & CFS, what a long road.

*My favorite quite was "I don't know what is wrong with you and I can't help you". No one at Fort Hood figured out the problem. When we were stationed in San Antonio, they figured it out in the first visit.

*Bone idleness, depression, hypochondria, anxiety, arthritis, over active imagination, apathy, and then thankfully I switched GP'S, who made an immediate referral to rheumatology after telling me he was pretty sure it was FMS but wanted a specialist to confirm it.

*Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Mononucleosis. I think I really did have the CMV mono as the blood tests were positive. However, my symptoms were probably due to the initial onset of the fibro.

*Growing pains/rheumatism/rheumatoid arthritis/osteoarthritis/clicky hips/possible gallstones/possible thyroid dysfunction/tested for lupus and told that I had lupus antibodies but not lupus.
I don't understand that one either-thought you had to have a disease or have suffered from it in the past to have antibodies to it,but obviously not!/nothing wrong with me,"it's all in your head".
I also have endometriosis,IBS,Raynaud's/poor circulation,carpal tunnel,sciatica/lower back problems,depression,severe PMS,have suffered from chronic sinusitis since the first time my nose was broken,and had severe migraines all my life. Oh, and not to forget the hay fever and anxiety/panic attacks! Just shoot me now and be done with it! If I was an animal,they'd put me down!

*As a child I think is when the symptoms started and they were called growing pains and as a teen endometriosis

*Hormone imbalance,depression, over work, perimenopausal, arthritis, costco, gallstones,carpul tunnel, all the individual symptoms of fm one at at time, IBS, irritable bladder, degenerative disc disease,migraine, on and on and on.

*suppose it takes a while to build up a bigger picture.

*Checked SED rate multiple times (nothing), bursitis, tendonitis, migraine, fatigue, stress, depression, carpal tunnel (pregnancy induced), ibs, hypothyroid (Hashimoto's), anxiety - last time the dr. said it was life (nice?!) (she has cancer and inflammation herself so, not so incredibly sympathetic) oh, well, keep on moving.

*I just got told that I needed to go shopping to get my mind off myself. Needless to say I changed doctors.

*Fat and stressed. I also have changed doctors.

*I struggled for years so issues like muscle strains and overtired due to looking after children and a job came my away even arthritis unspecified and not tested for!

*Definitely a drug seeker, even when I turned down some of the things doctors have offered!

*"was in pain. I started in 1999. ( I did have to see about 12 Dr's) A lot of tests were run & we found several things wrong that were corrected. One was ovaries that I was not supposed to have that were class 3 cancer.
Caught so early, they were removed & that took care of that! I was quickly diagnosed with depression, of course, so med's were started , even though we had to change them around until we found the right one for me.
MRI's done so we found many spinal issues that were NOT in my head & I was NOT just being lazy. I was recommended to a Rheumetologist, which is the one that discovered the FM. All this took about 4 years.
It wasn't until about 2 years ago that my Dr set me up with the Cymbalta, which helped with the depression & FM pain. Just yesterday was told about more magnesium for the muscle cramping, I was getting shots in my back at the time.
Each year it seems I learn something new. I have not found anything to help with the chronic fatigue or take me completely out of pain. I still search & until a cure is found, I am grateful that we have other FM/CFS and chronic pain, friends for support.
I think it would be really great, if we, as a support group, found the cure or at least the best med's to deal with these things."

*Thanks to that doctor, I have lost all faith in western medicine. Had to seek holistic treatment to get REAL help.

*As I had palpitations, but then Rhumi Dr did tests and I actually have Mitral Valve, ME and Fibro - that's enough eh.

*I first went to the doc's at 14 now I'm 38 now, first they done test and said its not arthritis, so get on with it, and over the years, still in pain. So I go on with my life but kept going back and back etc, to the docs, then 8 years ago and YES it was fibro, I could of told them that how many years before.

*That depression was the cause of my pain, and that it was all in my head, I was making it up.

*"Looking back now I have a confirmed diagnosis they just seemed to write things off very quickly and when your young you do believe what the dr's tell you.
I had to have electric shock therapy on my ankles and knees as they said I had weak muscles and that would help.
I was told that the pain was down to being a busy mum and I was depressed due to having a busy life?
That I should go on a diet, put the kids into childcare to give myself some time alone. NO they are my children they are not causing me this pain I am feeling so please look further than the end of you pen and help me.
A change of dr's and within 3 months had seen rheumy, confirmed FM after MRI, blood tests etc ruled out anything else.
The pressure points thing was awful I was in floods of tears.
Now it is just a case of getting my med's sorted and I want to get off the morphine and have just started on lyrica to go with my other med's so really hoping this will help.
Sorry for the huge message and thank you if anyone actually got to the bottom of this letter."

*Depression! Yeah right! not me, only fed up with pain!

*Depression, attention seeking, the flu, stress related depression, sinus infection.

*I was sent to 2 Specialists before being sent to the Rheumatologist. They were looking for problems with my liver, pancreas, stomach and kidneys as I had widespread pain. Eventually got referred to Rheumatologist who diagnosed FM. I had a camera down into my stomach and a CT scan. All came back normal apart from finding I had a hiatus hernia.

*Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Ugh. And a vague "diagnosis" of "back problems."

*Inner ear infection, vertigo, osteohondrosis, depression, acute bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome. Everything was so wrong.It was Fibro for almost 15 years.

* I was misdiagnosed for years. Chronic pain, RSD, Arthritis, I was in a serious car accident hit by drunk driver inside a store. My injuries were severe. I suffered severe pain from that time. After numerous surgeries etc. Was finally diagnosed with fibro in Feb 2009.

*Was blood tested for everything imaginable and when they all came back normal, one doctor put it down to "anxiety" it appears to me that once they decide you are not dying of anything they just leave you to it (unless of course you get a lot worse)

*RSI from playing my violin. Over my whole body, doc? Really? I think not. I was told to take ibuprofen continuously and do some yoga. Lost all faith in the medical profession until I could take it now more and HAD to get it sorted. Only took 6 years to get diagnosed!

*Oh, forgot to mention carpul tunnel syndrome in both wrists, which is apparently connected to FM!

*Rheumatoid Arthritis, heart defect, liver problem and much more besides. However, ESR and CRP were raised and continue to be consistently raised.
A consultant at our local hospital told me my ESR/CRP are raised because I have Fibro. Err I don't think so! Anyway, as far as people can tell, I don't have RA, heart defect, liver problems etc. I have Fibro.

*Multiple Sclerosis.

*Menapause, after a five minutes visit with a male doctor, must have had hormonal psycho etched across my forehead and didn't know. Yes, found another doctor.

*"Multiple myalgias and arthralgias". Also migraines. I think I actually got FMLA for both. And if course, the ever -popular depression. I lost track of the number of times I tried to tell my doctor that it was miserable, sick exhaustion that kept me in bed, unable to do the things I badly wanted to do, NOT depression, which would have destroyed my will to do anything at all!
At least, not until the illness led to such depression. But, NOT the other way around. He's never, to this day, indicated he believes that.

*My diagnosis for fibro is actually still in a tentative stage. I specifically requested the trigger point test because my mom has fibro and all my symptoms were EXACTLY the same as hers. I had every single trigger point.
I haven't been able to afford blood tests to rule other things out, though, as I don't have insurance. That, and I need to find a new doctor. My doctor said "it LOOKS like you have Fibromyalgia, but I don't believe it even exists." I was like "okay this is the last time I'll see you, bye bye."

*My very first diagnosis was when I was 13, they said I had osteoporosis with severe wear in my hip. since then I've been told I'm an attention seeker, hypochondriac and depressed.
I was told in 2004 that I had FM by a specialist, and ME by a locum GP, then menopause. after moving house my new GP put it down to an ear infection and referred me to a psychologist! got to laugh at that one eh.

*First sent me to a shrink.

*Tension stress.

*For decades thought all symptoms down to anxiety/panic attacks/phobias - they are horrible anyway.