Fibromyalgia and Doctors

I understand that doctors get frustrated with overly-pushy patients, particularly those who come in with a diagnosis already in mind.

However, that's not the same as being well-informed about your own medical situation.  If you have no major ailments, and only occasionally see a doc, it's not terribly applicable.  However, when you see docs as often as I do, and you have something like fibromyalgia (FMS), not only do I find it helpful to keep myself informed, but doctors are now saying the same thing.

Twice this week I've been complemented by doctors for bringing it up.  In both cases I've been asked about pain related to current ailments.  While I answered to the best of my ability, both times I added "I've got fibromyalgia, so all questions regarding pain are loaded questions."  I presume it's because doctors are better understanding FMS.  Because I suffer chronic pain, I suspect my brain largely ignores certain pains.  Unless I want to curl up in a ball from pain, I don't think of myself as being in pain. 

I've also been through doctor offices enough that I can with some authority declare what does and doesn't work for me for a variety of conditions.  After all, at 35 I can recall more medications than most people will ingest in their lifetimes (Ceclor, pennicilin, ammoxicilin, codiene, darvocet, percoset, effexor, flexiril, wellbutrin, elavil, prozac, zithromax, predisone, solbid, ventolin, alupent, anaprox, celebrex, erythomicin, ultram, ambien, lexapro, ritalin, donatal, dicyclomine...and that's just the stuff I remember.  In retrospect, I clearly should have started making a list long ago.)