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FAQ's
How do I explain how I feel to my doctor without having him think I am crazy?
Write it down! Writting down how you are feeling now will not only help you see how you have progressed, worsend or if new symptoms are developing, but your doctor will be able to better track, treat and predict on comming changes based on the list of symptoms you continue to give him.
How do I know if changes in how I feel are a result of my CPD (Chronic Pain Disorder)?
Don't take for granted that you have access to just as much vital information as your doctor does. The web is your best weapon. Be sure that you are gathering your symptom information from a trusted site. When you do web searches, try not to gather symptoms, diagnosis and prognosis information from blog sites (like this one), but rather from medical organizations, CPD organizations and health professionals. Check thier list of sypmtoms and compare them to yours. Make sure you check multiple sites for consistency.
So I do a web search and I find alot of personal sites....like this one~ how is this beneficial to me?
Personal sites or blog sites are great for coping support. If you want professional information, you visit a medical or professional site. There are many mornings how ever when I know I personally wake up and say, " I can't do this anymore". That is when I know I can go to a blog site and read about people who are just like me. Blog sites range in content. There is actually a blog site listed above for chrons that details her finding on chrons in everyday english!! Tho she is not a medical professional, her interpretations are similar to many interpretations of other patients with chrons because she herself has it. This site is dedicated to patients mainly who have fibromyalgia but my approach is different. My coping mechanism is in my faith and that is how I choose to build this site. Blog sites reassure us that we are not alone. They idenify with us from a real and more personal stand point not just a professional one.
I really think that I have a CPD, my family doctor doesn't seem to agree. He sent me to a nuerologist who agreed with him. Neither one however can tell me what is wrong! I am not imagining this. Where do I go from here?
Don't give up. I know and others reading this know that this is not all in your head (which is probably why he sent you to a neurologist because most CPD's are neo-neurotic). If you really want a firm prognosis, write down your syptoms, take it back to your family doctor and insist that he run a series of tests. If he hasn't he will need to at least send you for x-rays of the areas in question a MRI and a test for MS if it is in your family pool. Then INSIST, dont ask, but insist that he send you to see a RHUMETOLOGIST! They are the ones who can track down the pain in most cases. Because it is so hard to diagnose, keep an open mind into possibly finding a new physician. Not all family physicians can properly diagnose CPD's.