Hi Sheila. Welcome! This is a very warm and helpful group. I am shocked, however, you were refused treatment at Mayo. Their reputation is stellar around the world. On another note, chronic pain is no picnic and learning to put yourself first is hard to do. Recently, I read a gem and have been trying to practice it. I'm not letting this pain define me. I'm Learning that we teach others how to treat us by not roosting on their comments, actions and/or attitudes. As well you will find many suggestions here and you just might find one or two that work for you. Best to you.

Hi @sheilgawne! I’m Karen and I,too, have fibromyalgia. The things that have made me feel better are doing research and talking to friends who do understand. This group also helps a lot! Here is evidence that you are not alone!

I soooo understand. My experience is that most doctors are still clueless about fibromyalgia and its life-altering effects. I have been told it is all in my head, or it’s just menopause, or its depression. It IS depressing to be blown off by people you count on to help you, but that does not equal depression. My husband thinks I use my fibromyalgia as an excuse to not go out and do things. He won’t read or watch anything on the disease. I now try to just cherish the rare good days, pay attention to my body and be kind to myself on the bad days. I believe it is critical to identify your personal stressors that bring on fibro attacks (getting too tired or too stressed) and guard against them the best you can. Taking 800mg of magnesium plus 2400 mg of malic acid (apple pectin) daily has made a significant improvement in my fibromyalgia symptoms.

@sheilagawne Hi Sheila, this is Ginger, and like the others, fibro is one of my diagnoses. It's real, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Please look after yourself best you can, be gentle on yourself, turn away from the naysayers, and tune in here. There are a lot of us "fibro warriors" here. In fact I just named my car to relate to being a warrior!
Ginger

Hi @sheilagawne,

Before anything else, I want to assure you that although fibromyalgia may not be easy to diagnose, it is a very real condition – it's a chronic pain syndrome that experts believe is caused by a malfunctioning nervous system.

I’m sorry to hear that you had difficulties receiving an appointment at Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, because Mayo Clinic has more requests for appointments than available openings, other factors do come into play. And, the complexity of the medical condition and, for less complex conditions, the availability of care closer to home are also factors.

I sincerely encourage you to view this Mayo Clinic article about "Fibromyalgia misconceptions: Interview with a Mayo Clinic expert" https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/in-depth/fibromyalgia/art-20048097

@sheilagawne, aside from medication have you considered trying complimentary therapies like acupuncture? Have any family members been diagnosed with fibromyalgia in the past?