mutt

Hey Dean/Carlie, I,too, suffer from fibromyalgia. The single, hardest thing for me has been trying to believe I hurt. I look healthy, therefore I must be healthy. It took 4 years of going to different doctors till someone suggested that it could be either chronic myofascial pain syndrome or fibromyalgia. They are two similar conditions. Sometimes both conditions can be present at the same time. To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia by answering different questions about my symptoms and doing the 11 of 18 tender points test (in reality, it's more like 48 points). My doctor prescribed Lyrica and told me it had recently been approved for fibromyalgia. I've been on it for about a week and it has really loosened up the tightness in my shoulders and neck. It's not a cure all and some days still suck, especially when the headaches come. But it's a start and it may offer some relief. At any rate, I feel your pain(<insert pun here). I thought I was going crazy at times but I knew what my body was telling me...it hurt. Whatever route you take, I hope it leads to happiness and health. Good luck, mutt

Thanks for all the comments. I had heard that Cymbalta can make you have thoughts of suicide. Isn't that one of the very things it should prevent? Damned drugs! Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em. I will give it a try for awhile and see what happens. Mutt

Has anybody out there ever taken Cymbalta? My Doctor just ordered it for me for nerve pain that I've been dealing with for four years...I'm thinking she (and others) want me off the Percocet that I'm currently taking. For some reason there's a huge stigma associated with opiates, even if you're in constant pain. I'd just like to know if this Cymbalta works and what the side effects might be. Sometime the side effects can be worse than the original condition. Thanks all, Mutt

See? That's why this site is so great. No amount of reading regulations can make up for experience. Thanks for sharing yours. And I agree...taking out your prescription bottles in front of the doctor is a great way to visually show what he/she might otherwise miss...and it makes it more real. Great advice. Mitch

Thanks a lot. I appreciate your experience and advice. -mutt

Thank you just the same. I appreciate your reponse. I'm entirely new to this process and it can be very nebulous, confusing, and stressful. Knowing that others share your feelings and experiences is always a good thing. That's what I love about the Army...it's one big family. A perfect stranger is not really a stranger at all; just a brother or sister you haven't met before.

I just wanted to throw this thought grenade out there: When undergoing a medical examination for VA benefits, how can the doctor get an accurate picture of potential disability conditions when the Soldier is pumped full of drugs that would mask the very conditions the doctor is looking for? i.e. I've got arthritis from neck to toe, fibromyalgia, migraines, and sleep apnea...to name a few. I'm on six different medications that make life managable. My general health is better with the help of these drugs as is my range of motion and pain tolerance. I've heard other veterans say to tell the doctor about how you feel on your worst days, not what you're feeling now with the aid of drugs/therapy. I don't want the doctor to think I feel OK. Without the aid of medicine/therapy I would be miserable...and God only knows how I'll feel in ten years. Can anybody give me some advice? Thanks and God bless, Mitch

Thanks for all the information Berta. -Mitch

Thanks betrayed. That's sage advice and I hadn't thought of it. If I dont go see a JAG Officer; I may be betrayed 2. Mutt

Please help! I Cannot get a definitive answer on whether I can waive going to the MEB. I have 22 years in the Army and all I want to do is retire. I've been to an initial MMRB and was given six month's probation. This does not make sense to me because, unless I can get my spine replaced, I'm not going to be deployable. I've been told the entire MEB process could take over a year and possibly up to two. I just want to retire! Any ideas anyone? I'd appreciate any bones you can throw my way. Thanks, Mutt