Fibromyalgia (1 Viewer)

[Urethra Franklin]

Does anybody have direct experience of Fibromyalgia?
What level of recognition as a real condition does it have where you live?
If you have it, just how seriously do you feel you're taken by those in health care?

And to anybody else in the medical field, what's your professional view? A valid condition to be taken seriously? Or do you subscribe to the theory that there are always psychological factors at play?

 

[Donkey1499]

Does anybody have direct experience of Fibromyalgia?
What level of recognition as a real condition does it have where you live?
If you have it, just how seriously do you feel you're taken by those in health care?

And to anybody else in the medical field, what's your professional view? A valid condition to be taken seriously? Or do you subscribe to the theory that there are always psychological factors at play?

First off, please tell us what the Hell it is.

 

[Urethra Franklin]

First off, please tell us what the Hell it is.

You mean it isn't widely known about in the US? That surprises me.

http://www.ukfibromyalgia.com/


or an excellent, concise summary for those who read French

http://www.medecine-et-sante.com/maladiesexplications/fibromyalgie.html

 

[Donkey1499]

You mean it isn't widely known about in the US? That surprises me.

http://www.ukfibromyalgia.com/


or an excellent, concise summary for those who read French

http://www.medecine-et-sante.com/maladiesexplications/fibromyalgie.html

I've never heard of it, obviously. So it's pain in the muscles? What causes it?

 

[Captain America]

I've never heard of it, obviously. So it's pain in the muscles? What causes it?

There is a particular pain in my gluteals. But I have always attributed that to my wife.

 

[Urethra Franklin]

I've never heard of it, obviously. So it's pain in the muscles? What causes it?

Nobody knows.
One theory is that it's provoked by the many pollutants present in our lives today.
Some believe that it is in the mind and that these people are all really depressed - a controvercial view, and in any case, wouldn't anybody get depressed living with constant pain?

This disease is taken very seriously by some physicians, and rubbished by others. I'm particularly interested in any personal experiences if there are any out there.

 

[Pacridge]

Nobody knows.
One theory is that it's provoked by the many pollutants present in our lives today.
Some believe that it is in the mind and that these people are all really depressed - a controvercial view, and in any case, wouldn't anybody get depressed living with constant pain?

This disease is taken very seriously by some physicians, and rubbished by others. I'm particularly interested in any personal experiences if there are any out there.

It's not well known. There's another disease, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, that has similar symptoms. Fibro affects the muscles while RSD attacks the sympathetic nervous system. The US government recognized both about 10 years ago. Bone scans and CAT scans are able to show damage to the affected area.

 

[vandree]

Is there a link between Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

 

[uNdeRdOg]

Nobody knows.
One theory is that it's provoked by the many pollutants present in our lives today.
Some believe that it is in the mind and that these people are all really depressed - a controvercial view, and in any case, wouldn't anybody get depressed living with constant pain?

This disease is taken very seriously by some physicians, and rubbished by others. I'm particularly interested in any personal experiences if there are any out there.

My wife has been diagnosed with this. Its not known what causes it, there are no medicines for it. It seems to me to be kind of a "catch all" diagnosis for some wide ranging symptoms that could fall into any number of other catagories. These being thrown out as possibilities after no response to treatment. I have a hunch that this may be more of a psychosomatic problem. I think this because she has also had bouts with depression also and I often wonder if the two could be related. Haven't seen any studies on this though.

 

[Stace]

A good friend of mine, her husband is affected by this. Regular visits to the chiropractor, as well as a balanced diet, help him a TON with the symptoms. Also, every few months, they as a family will go through a one or two week detox diet, and that helps him tremendously as well.

 

[Thorgasm]

My mother has been diagnosed with this. I also wonder about the psychosomatic issue. She has been depressed a long time. I don't know of anything that really helps her.

The funny thing about these conditions that have no empirical evidence which would warrant the diagnosis. It is a cop out by doctors who don't really know what the problem is. My guess would be that it is linked to immunizations she had as a kid or perhaps mercury in fillings from long ago. That's just my amateur guess.

 

[ngdawg]

I know two women with this-apparently more women are diagnosed with it than men.
They tire quickly, ache constantly, but that is the only thing they have in common. One is very thin, has times when she is quite active, ie; riding a bike, etc. and the other barely gets through a day and is very heavy with other health problems of the heart and arthritis nature.
Many who see people diagnosed think it's a sham catering to hypochondria- 'she's sick? yea, right...' attitudes.
Psychosomatic illness, btw, is not the same as hypochondria. Psychosomatic illnesses are generated through the mind's control of the body's functions, causing TRUE illness, but illness borne from within, not of mitigating outside forces. Like Anorexia, psychosomatics is a depression of sorts. Hypochondria is imagined illness with no actual tangible symptoms. In other words, Hypochondriacs think they need antibiotics for that stuffed up nose, but they have no infection, Psychosomatics DO need it, their sinus infection being a result of the depression and stress.
From what I've read about Fibromyalgia, it may be an immunity deficiency syndrome and the patients GET depressed, making the illness worse. The one lady goes to a physical therapist and holistic practioner, both of whom are 'experts' in the disorder. I don't know that the second woman does the same but she IS worse off.