Exercise: A Catch 22

I saw my neuromuscular doctor this week and told him my concern about increasing weakness, peripheral nerve pain, and dropping things. He told me the following:

• You know, Fibromyalgia is a "wastebasket" diagnosis.
• You have all the symptoms of small fiber neuropathy but since your tests were negative for that and everything else I checked last year, I don't know what to tell you. 
• You are not getting weaker, you're just fatigued from lack of exercise. 
• You are deconditioned and need to exercise. 
• Dropping things is the most non symptom symptom I hear about on a regular basis. It doesn't mean anything.

So I left there very discouraged. He does think of me as an interesting puzzle and wants to keep track of me so I'll go back in nine months to hear all of his non belief rhetoric again.

I believe that in addition to the fibromyalgia and myofacial pain syndrome I may also be in the early stages of Parkinson's or some type of myositis. I'm also probably about five years out from one of those diagnosis. So I'll keep seeing this guy every 9 months or so until he doesn't want to see me any more or until he diagnoses me.

In the mean time, I'm going to see a doctor who specializes in integrative women's care. He concentrates on hormone levels, thyroid levels, systemic inflammatory conditions, etc.  His practice also offers acupuncture, massage, natural hormone replacement, and supplements based on actual personal needs.

I need to mention that this is not covered by insurance so it will cost me to do this but I feel that traditional medicine has failed me and this is my last chance at feeling better.

Now, back to the exercise thing. ANY exertion causes me extreme widespread pain. Weakness causes pain. I can't feel better until I get more conditioned but the process of getting conditioned will kill me. Ugh.  There's my catch 22. I'm going to try going to our community fitness center and take a senior fitness class and see if I can handle it. I'll try walking (other than walking the dogs). I hope I can handle it. I'll keep you posted.