Fibromyalgia Skeptics

One of the first things fibromyalgia patients discover is that almost no one understands their illness--not even their own families or doctors. Instead of receiving compassion and support, people with fibromyalgia are often treated with scorn, snide remarks and ridicule.

Below is a list of articles on my site that can help "normal" people understand people with fibromyalgia. I also have LOTS of medical and research articles at www.fms-help.com which prove FMS/CFIDS is a REAL illness. These can be useful in educating skeptics and "mockers." It's sad that this situation has to be addressed, but unfortunately misunderstanding is the "norm" with FMS/CFIDS.

Interestingly, the first-ever large population-based analysis of U.S. Fibromyalgia incidence was released last week and indicated an occurrence rate of about 4.2 percent (wow....that's millions of people!), so awareness will be growing.

I hope the links below are helpful. Don't let the "turkeys" get you down!

Dominie

AWARENESS - letter I wrote to Congress about fibromyalgia

IMAGINE (what it's like having fibromyalgia) - for those who don't have FMS

INTERVIEW WITH DOMINIE (BellaOnline, the Voice of Women) - I talk very personally about my fibromyalgia experience

LETTER TO THE HEALTHY WORLD FROM THE LAND OF CHRONIC PAIN & FATIGUE - well stated

LOSSES WE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS ILLNESS - here is one woman's poignant (yet typical) FMS/CFIDS story called "I Have Been Robbed"

MISERY INDEX - "CFS has one of the highest morbidity rates (degrees of suffering) of any illness, rivaling the physical misery of advanced cardiac disease and cancer"

MY NAME IS FIBROMYALGIA - an easy way to explain FMS to friends and family

NEUROENDOCRINEIMMUNE DISORDERS - tremendous description of what it's like to live with a neuro-endocrine-immune illness

POEMS ABOUT FIBROMYALGIA - contributed by creative readers of my site

SPOON THEORY - helps explain chronic illness to healthy people

STIGMA OF HAVING FIBROMYALGIA - negative perceptions our society has about fibromyalgia sufferers and how we can create more awareness

THIEF OF MANY LIVES - great article by Kathleen Houghton

TRYING HARDER (and why it doesn't work for CFS) - a compassionate article

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor. I am a fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome survivor. The purpose of this website is not to diagnose or cure any disease or malady, but is presented as food for thought. This information cannot take the place of professional medical advice. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should come under the direction of a physician. No guarantees are made regarding any of the information in this website.