Fibromyalgia can go undiagnosed for years! Patient complaints are:
Listed below are some websites I have found informative and supportive. These links are constantly updated.
American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association
Fibromyalgia Links
Fibromyalgia: Treatment and Prevention
An answer to Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Thank you for visiting my page at Angelfire. Since 1991 to present I have gone to more than a dozen physicians seeking answers to my aches, pains, and horrible fatigue. I have been diagnosed with TMJ, Panic Disorder, tendonitis, bursitis, and finally I got lucky and described my health in general to a female doctor who educated me. I was told I had Fibromyalgia and she sent me to see a specialist. I guess my biggest thought would be for all people suffering from some of the symptoms listed above and others in the web links on this page, pay close attention to your medical history. Keep inventory. Educating ourselves is key. Fibromyalgia can be a debilitating disease. Or you can choose to educate yourself and fight like I try to every day. Exercise, eating healthy, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and sleeping when your body demands it, are all very important factors in healing and coping with Fibromyalgia. I'd like to also add that prescription medications such as Flexeril, Soma, and Vicodin are very popular medications being prescribed by doctors in our society. Be very careful! Narcotics are addictive. Your body will eventually reach a point where the current prescribed dose is not effective and your body will need an increased dose to reach the same effect. This is exactly how addiction begins. I have seen many patients in my field suffer with Fibromyalgia and then addiction. There is no known cure for this disease and narcotics and NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aspirin, Naproxen) have all been studied and researchers state that these medications are not effective in treating FMS (Fibromyalgia or Fibrositis). Tylenol is one medication that researchers state can be helpful in alleviating FMS pain. In addition, anti-depressants such as Paxil, Prozac, Pamelor and Trazadone have been seen to help with a more restful nights sleep and with muscle spasms. It is thought that only 2% of the population has FMS so you can imagine that not much money goes towards researching this illness. In fact, on 70 cents per FMS patient goes towards researching this illness, according to the National Institutes of Health. If you are interested in having a forum or message boards placed on this web site, please email me at the below address. I would like to unite all FMS survivors and share stories, treatments, and support! Weekly, I will update this website with news and information regarding Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I hope this site will be informative and supportive. God Bless!