Looking for a Rheumatologist for Fibromyalgia in Canberra?

Most of the young adults Athritis group go to Dr Timm’s at Canberra rheumatology, She is Canberra’s only peadatrition for athritis. She also deals with Fibromyalgia. One sees another at the same practice but I can’t remember his name but he also deals with Fibromyalgia. I go to Sydney for my rheumatologist (Miranda).
There are only 4 rheumatologists in Canberra (as stated by Athritis ACT at the JIA event yesterday)

I think there is a 6 month wait for a Canberra rheumatogist). Everyone in the Athritis group seems happy with their rheumatogoist. I am happ with mine (combined Rheumatology in Sydney)
It’s worth finding a rheumatologist who you are happy with. (but I don’t have fibromyalgia)

In other news my knee is athrititic today and hurty 🙁 on the pain killers, voltaren and regular athritis drugs and no help. 🙁

Fibromyalgia has been recognized as a diagnosable disorder by the US National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology. Fibromyalgia, a central nervous system disorder, is described as a ‘central sensitization syndrome’ caused by neurobiological abnormalities which act to produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology.Despite this, some health care providers remain skeptical about fibromyalgia as a disease because of a lack of abnormalities on physical examination and the absence of objective diagnostic tests.

That being said one could totally understand why those experiencing pain which could be identified as fibromyalgia would not consider it an imaginary disorder.

DavidL said :

snoopydoc said :

Someonesmother said :

#5shirty_bear
9:36 am, 16 Nov 12
snoopydoc said :

“It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.”

You’re an idiot.

I concur you are an ignorant idiot Snoopydoc.

Great to see such well-informed and cogently argued points being made by those who can’t possibly be biased by their own, or their relative’s or friend’s, personal anecdotal experience. However, it is heartening to see the correct use of “you are” and “you’re” for a change. 🙂

When you actually have an evidence-based argument to present explaining why you think that fibromyalgia is anything more than a poorly defined collection of non-specific symptoms in a group of people disproportionately characterised by abnormal illness-related behaviour, and can demonstrate or, indeed, even propose a sensible hypothesis for, a reasonable pathophysiologic aetiology for the so-called disease…. you get right back to me and we can have an intelligent discussion about it, ok?

First, I am not connected with anyone (that I know of) with this condition. However, if I were that would not exclude me from participating in a rational discussion if I felt that I had relevant knowledge. Second, we obviously have a number of general practitioners, rheumatologists and neurologists who do believe it is a condition and they do have some professional expertise. Third, you have given no evidence of any special knowledge or expertise that justifies inflammatory comments. Therefore it appears that you have made a stupid comment in order to stir people up, let me assume for your own egotistical satisfaction of saying nothing logical about something you know nothing about. This in itself indicates that no-one could have a rational discussion with you because of your limitations and, yes, it also indicates that you are an idiot.

Firstly, there is significant debate amongst medical professionals as to whether fibromyalgia constitutes an organic disease at all. Some doctors feel strongly that it is a real disease, and some think it probably isn’t, but feel obligated to try to do what they can for such patients, anyway; we tend to be a bit altruistic that way.

Secondly, my statement was not illogical, and neither was it for any egotistical satisfaction on my part. I simply feel it is sensible to try to stem the spread of misinformation in public discourse. I might comment in a similar way, for instance, if a discussion advocating homeopathic immunisation popped up.

Thirdly, there is no logical connection between having “special knowledge or expertise” and the justification of “inflammatory comments”. As you yourself were at pains to point out, one can offer comment and opinion without being a subject matter expert. But since you brought it up, and it seems important to you (at least in the latter half of your post… as mentioned, you didn’t think it was important in the first part…) I do have qualifications in both medicine, and medical science, and have personally seen a number of patients who think they have fibromyalgia.

Getting back to the original post… the point I was making, if somewhat obliquely, is that apart from the general shortage of doctors of all types in Canberra, one of the reasons it might be difficult to find a specialist willing to take on new patients with a diagnosis of “fibromyalgia” is that many doctors feel that (a) it is not a real, organic disease, and (b) they are unlikely to be able to help the person in question.

snoopydoc said :

Someonesmother said :

#5shirty_bear
9:36 am, 16 Nov 12
snoopydoc said :

“It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.”

You’re an idiot.

I concur you are an ignorant idiot Snoopydoc.

Great to see such well-informed and cogently argued points being made by those who can’t possibly be biased by their own, or their relative’s or friend’s, personal anecdotal experience. However, it is heartening to see the correct use of “you are” and “you’re” for a change. 🙂

When you actually have an evidence-based argument to present explaining why you think that fibromyalgia is anything more than a poorly defined collection of non-specific symptoms in a group of people disproportionately characterised by abnormal illness-related behaviour, and can demonstrate or, indeed, even propose a sensible hypothesis for, a reasonable pathophysiologic aetiology for the so-called disease…. you get right back to me and we can have an intelligent discussion about it, ok?

First, I am not connected with anyone (that I know of) with this condition. However, if I were that would not exclude me from participating in a rational discussion if I felt that I had relevant knowledge. Second, we obviously have a number of general practitioners, rheumatologists and neurologists who do believe it is a condition and they do have some professional expertise. Third, you have given no evidence of any special knowledge or expertise that justifies inflammatory comments. Therefore it appears that you have made a stupid comment in order to stir people up, let me assume for your own egotistical satisfaction of saying nothing logical about something you know nothing about. This in itself indicates that no-one could have a rational discussion with you because of your limitations and, yes, it also indicates that you are an idiot.

Someonesmother said :

#5shirty_bear
9:36 am, 16 Nov 12
snoopydoc said :

“It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.”

You’re an idiot.

I concur you are an ignorant idiot Snoopydoc.

Great to see such well-informed and cogently argued points being made by those who can’t possibly be biased by their own, or their relative’s or friend’s, personal anecdotal experience. However, it is heartening to see the correct use of “you are” and “you’re” for a change. 🙂

When you actually have an evidence-based argument to present explaining why you think that fibromyalgia is anything more than a poorly defined collection of non-specific symptoms in a group of people disproportionately characterised by abnormal illness-related behaviour, and can demonstrate or, indeed, even propose a sensible hypothesis for, a reasonable pathophysiologic aetiology for the so-called disease…. you get right back to me and we can have an intelligent discussion about it, ok?

Kathy Tymms in Canberra House, Civic. She is excellent. She also has several other rheumatologists working with her but I have only seen Kathy. No hesitation in recommending her. Good luck.

#5shirty_bear
9:36 am, 16 Nov 12
snoopydoc said :

“It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.”

You’re an idiot.

I concur you are an ignorant idiot Snoopydoc.

Any of the rheumatologists at Canberra Rheumatology in Civic, although there is a pretty long wait to get in.
The ME/CFS society is also good and I recommend them.
Best of luck.

snoopydoc said :

It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.

You’re an idiot.

It can be tricky, as most honest rheumatologists and neurologists aren’t keen to treat imaginary disorders.