Do yourself a favor, @change25..... take some deep, cleansing breaths, blowing out your mouth slowly. Do this several times. Allow your muscles to relax in your face and head and neck, then shoulder, and go down the muscles in your body. Do this and other relaxation, mindfulness exercises. Listen to calming, enjoyable music. Do some good things for yourself. Ck out the What's outside your picture window..... and, ck out the various groups discussions to see if there is something you might find interesting, helpful, fun. I think you've done an excellent job doing research with Connect and met some folks who can really help with your questions. But, I think you have a plan now and the best for you to do is relax a bit, change your focus from fighting for answers, to learning to deal with my body as it is. Not to say it won't get better! It may well get a lot better as you travel along this path, but it's important you us to learn to deal differently as we go into the chronic illness part of life or at least a different lifestyle.

I found a youtube video by the psychologist in charge of the Mayo Florida Pain Rehab Clinic. They work with patients to help them learn various techniques for pain control and to help get your life and mind and body in sync. They guide you to understand what part your brain plays in all the different areas of your body that are declaring war. Ck out cognitive behavior, central senstization videos from dr. Sltetten. @rwinney, another patient, attended the clinic and posted some interesting comments.

I'm not suggesting you need to attend the clinic, although it may prove helpful in the future, but more than that we all need to look for ways to improve our thinking about our illnesses, our bodies and the way we are right now. Acceptance of ourselves with these changes is very important to begin the healing process. You can't be at war with yourself and expect to be calm, at peace, in healing mode or acceptance if you're fighting all the time....I've been in the fight/flight mode most of my life, trying to make this body behave! Well, that isn't how it's done, so I've been fighting and making my body worse and certainly making my attitude and thinking less productive.

So, maybe it's time to take a step back, think quietly about these issues and move gently forward to find what right and best for you. Then, soon, you'll have the bloodwork tests back. you and your doctor will sit down and chat and you'll get his input and opinions. Then, next step, is dependent on what he says. I suggest he may well refer you to a rheumatologist as you requested, or a neurologist, depending on the test results.

If you take these days to begin to learn how to work on your thoughts and brain to improve your health, you're begiing the healing process before seeing the doctor who will work to help you heal!

Get going and change yourself for the better, begin healing and get on your way. @colleenyoung and @rwinney and @ becsbuddy, @gingerw, @sueinmn and so many others are here to help guide you to the place of dealing with your life well, of healing..... You will find answers from the upcoming bloodwork and this doctor, and from whomever he refers you to see, and from all the folks on these sites. Now you are learning how to live and heal. Blessings on this journey...elizabeth