Have you ever been told your symptoms are "not real" or "it is all in your head" ?

Hello members,

Unfortunately, some of the most common misconceptions about fibromyalgia, including by some in the medical community, are that the symptoms are all in the patient's head or that the condition is not real.

Many individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia say that at one time - or more - during their journey to diagnosis, they were not taken seriously by a medical provider. Many share the experience of having been told by a medical provider, after having presented themselves with the pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia, that it is in their head, that there is nothing wrong, that they should seek out psychiatrist, or something similar.

Have you ever experienced this misconception: What happened? How did you react? How did it make you feel?

Share, comment, and discuss below.

Yes. It took me multiple times to different doctors before I got this diagnosis. I was told that they could find nothing wrong with me, I was checked for RA and OA and neuropathy. I was told to see psychologist. When I finally found a doctor who diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia, I had some family members who still did not believe that I had an actual condition and some were not understanding at all when I had bad flares and need help.

I never felt that a doctor did not "believe" that I was in pain, but I did feel because there was nothing showing from studies that my general practitioner just did not know really what path to send me. 

I experienced this when at the physical therapists. I was explaining to them that I felt like I was not progressing with physical therapy and in fact, I felt like it was getting worse. I could see the disgust on the physical therapist's face... I then overheard her talking with her PT aide telling her that there was anything PT could do for people who have nothing wrong with them. Hearing that hurt my feelings and I never went back.