X...X-Rays, CAT Scans, and Blood Work--Oh, My!

Since I had a weaker immune system as a child, I have had plenty of experience with being sick and needing medical care. On top of that, I was a very active child and wound up with quite a few injuries that brought me to the ER. Still, nothing truly prepared me for the magnitude of the tests and procedures that were necessary before I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It didn’t take long before I started feeling like I was a lab rat or an alien specimen!

I’ve had EKG’s, x-rays, CAT scans, MRI’s, and more blood work than I ever care to remember. I endured a horrible spinal tap that required multiple tries. And I have been poked, prodded, and violated in more ways than I ever thought was possible. Fibromyalgia can look like so many other conditions and there isn’t a test yet for fibro, so I know that these were all necessary to help me get to the truth. Still, I long for the days when needles and doctors didn’t give me the chills.

If you suspect you have fibromyalgia and are just starting your journey to diagnosis, I wish you the best of luck. I know that this all seems so endless and uncomfortable now, but one day, it will become just a memory. No, you may never look at medical instruments or personnel the same again, but most of the negative emotions and procedures will fade. Most people with fibromyalgia have endured this long diagnosis process, so you aren’t alone. Just try to stay focused on the need for answers and remember that eventually this part of fibromyalgia DOES get better.

Some day, you will look back on all this as a necessary evil that helped you start the journey to reclaiming your life. Knowing your enemy is a large part of the battle. Once you know exactly what you are facing, you have a much better chance to find ways to cope and to improve your symptoms. What you endure today will help you create a better tomorrow, so stay strong, my fibro warriors! This shall pass before you know it.