Fibromyalgia

[goofycow]

The pain in my back and joints was driving me so crazy that I requested to go to a new primary care person at the Fayetteville, AR VA. Why won't VA mental health make the connection between pain & depression??? At least my clinic won't.

Now it turns out that I probably have fibromyalgia. Ain't that a hoot? The nurse practicioner even wrote down the visit was service connected because the pain was driving me crazy. Ofcourse she's no head doctor. I told her that I had gone to sick call while on active duty on several occasions to complain about lower back & joint pain. The doctors either acted like I was tryig to get out of work or that it was all in my head. go figure

At least now I realize why my Dad was always cranky when I was a kid...

[sweettator]

Hey goofy, I feel your pain. I have fibromyalgia and I know exactly how you feel. I use Fort Roots North Little Rock Mental Health Clinic. I filed for depression in 2002 related to pain from my service connected disabilities and mainly my back. Well, I got my letter yesterday for 100% P&T. It took two appeals to BVA to get it. The RO denied my claim for depression because of pain in 2002 and then I appealed and won and got 50% and I wasn't happy with it so I appealed again and received 70% in Mar 08. Combined with my other ratings now I'm 100%. Don't give up. File a claim and and appeal it if necessary. I represented myself on both of my appeals and won both. I don't give up and don't you either. Do you have some other disability that you can connect your depression too? Dr. Oakum at LR Women's Clinic doesn't believe that fibromyalgia exists even tho the VA does. Figure that! I use Dr. Trigg at Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic and she is wonderful. Without her I could not have gotten my first appeal won. She treats me for my arthritis and fibromyalgia. She sent me to a sleep clinic for sleep apnea. I have it. She say's that sleep apnea makes fibroyalgia worst. It takes about 6-8 months to get an appointment with her, but it is worth it. Good luck, Vicky