Yesterday, I had a follow up with my chronic pain psychiatrist.
In December, my rheumatology fellow (former) changed my meds a bit. I'd been on Cymbalta for 3 years, to treat nerve pain. A result of brachial plexus trauma; actually, scar tissue around the nerves.
This doctor feels that I have secondary fibromyalgia. Which I am not going to dispute.
The Amitryptiline helped with sleep, which, in turn, helped me deal with my pain better.
Something I know about is chronic pain. I've been schooled in it, for three weeks day in, day out. I've also been living with it for 9 years, in various forms.
I know if I sleep better, I feel better. That doesn't mean it IS fibro. Doesn't mean that it isn't either.
Fact, if someone dealing with an illness that leaves then in chronic pain for an extended amount of time (no one really knows how long) and a resulting lack of sleep predisposes one to developing fibromyalgia.
Anywho. I was nearly fired from my psychiatrist because I let this doctor-in-training mess with meds that were not prescribed by her. Firstly, I know better. Secondly, she should have known better, she's the one who graduated from medical school. Not me.
Well, my psychiatrist wanted me to have these heart flutters that I have had, since starting Amitryptiline, evaluated. She firmly expressed that it has a laundry list of side effects and that she would never have put me on it.
Today, I followed up with my GP's office. CBC, TSH, etc were pulled. An ECG was run, it is normal. Auscultation was unremarkable.
I have a call in to both my rheumy and my psychiatrist regard stopping Amitryptiline.
So, word to the wise: If a doctor isn't willing to contact another of your doctors and work as a team. They aren't worth keeping on your medical team. Autoimmune cases often require multiple doctors to treat everything properly. Autoimmune patients need those doctors to, at the very least, communicate.
In December, my rheumatology fellow (former) changed my meds a bit. I'd been on Cymbalta for 3 years, to treat nerve pain. A result of brachial plexus trauma; actually, scar tissue around the nerves.
This doctor feels that I have secondary fibromyalgia. Which I am not going to dispute.
The Amitryptiline helped with sleep, which, in turn, helped me deal with my pain better.
Something I know about is chronic pain. I've been schooled in it, for three weeks day in, day out. I've also been living with it for 9 years, in various forms.
I know if I sleep better, I feel better. That doesn't mean it IS fibro. Doesn't mean that it isn't either.
Fact, if someone dealing with an illness that leaves then in chronic pain for an extended amount of time (no one really knows how long) and a resulting lack of sleep predisposes one to developing fibromyalgia.
Anywho. I was nearly fired from my psychiatrist because I let this doctor-in-training mess with meds that were not prescribed by her. Firstly, I know better. Secondly, she should have known better, she's the one who graduated from medical school. Not me.
Well, my psychiatrist wanted me to have these heart flutters that I have had, since starting Amitryptiline, evaluated. She firmly expressed that it has a laundry list of side effects and that she would never have put me on it.
Today, I followed up with my GP's office. CBC, TSH, etc were pulled. An ECG was run, it is normal. Auscultation was unremarkable.
I have a call in to both my rheumy and my psychiatrist regard stopping Amitryptiline.
So, word to the wise: If a doctor isn't willing to contact another of your doctors and work as a team. They aren't worth keeping on your medical team. Autoimmune cases often require multiple doctors to treat everything properly. Autoimmune patients need those doctors to, at the very least, communicate.
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