A good friend of mine used to laugh about fibromyalgia, explaining that it’s a fake disease. Now that I’ve read about it, I am not only convinced that it’s fake, but that I have a severe case of it myself!
While the pharmaceutical companies have finally started advertising a drug to treat it, one of the doctors who first identified the ‘disease,’ Dr. Frederick Wolfe, now doubts its existence. He and other doctors point out that the condition actually worsens once a patient has been given the diagnosis, which causes them to “obsess over aches that other people simply tolerate.”
The FDA has approved the use of Pfizer’s “Lyrica” for fibromyalgia, and its side effects are severe weight gain and dizziness. This seems like a good plan. The fibromyalgia patient can then seek treatment for the new ailments, ad infinitum.
The fact that fibromyalgia sufferers tend to also be afflicted with other nebulous diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue, makes it very inviting. Basically, its victims feel achy all over, with pains that don’t respond to advil or even vicodin. There’s no way to prove you have fibromyalgia, or that you don’t. But if it’s recognized as a disease, you can go around complaining all the time! I love it!
Many years ago, the term neurasthenia would have covered not only fibromyalgia but Epstein Barr syndrome, chronic depression, and a host of other ailments as well. The first time I saw the word in the dictionary, I thought Bingo! I’ve got it! And to a greater or lesser degree, so do many of the people I know.
We’re tired, achy, bloated, depressed, congested, irritable, listless, itchy, anxious and short of breath. We hate to work or walk up stairs. When it’s not our stomach, it’s our head. “Lyrica!” It’s like a song to our brains from the loving musicians at Pfizer. And they’ll love us even more when we’re fat and dizzy!
FM is NOT a disease. It is a syndrome or a disorder. You cannot find any markers that show any damage to the body by Fibro. All my patients who claim to have fibro also have migraines and IBS. My peers and I call it the TRIFECTA. We then shake our heads. Come back with an illness you can prove and I will give you sympathy and therapy. BTW – don’t whine to me. I have MS and still work full-time, raise a family, publish after seeing patients all day, and keep my home up and family fed.
I guess “Dr Phil” won’t touch this topic, since it would result in a drop in his viewing audience.
Question to those in the medical community – any reason why FM can’t be dealt with directly by the Psychological community where they decide whether to provide pharmaceutical’s or not from a medical doctor ? This approach may at least weed out the fakers, since they don’t want to be classed with a Psychological disorder !
At least this might class FM where it needs to be, which on the Psychological side of health rather than the physical !!
My mother had fake o myalgia for 15 yrs, she is very irritable, seeks attention all the time, as plenty of energy when no one is around, when it comes to doing cleaning or cooking she suddenly needs to go to bed. She is very selfish, She never does anything wrong, when the boat drowns its everyone’s fault but hers. She goes outside when it rains like crazy wearing crocs, falls down on the porch’s steps. Blames it all on us for not taking care of her, dad works hard but to Her He never works hard enough, she then contradicts herself by blaming him for not being there.
She forgets everything, mostly the bad shit she does, her disability check pays for everything apparently, dad makes 3 times the money and when you hear her talk he never pays for anything lol.
She wakes up angry, spends her days yelling at us because we treat us like a normal adult that as responsibilities. If my parents have financial problems, its not only because of my dad…her too. She can’t take any critics.
She tries to make everyone around her seem crazy. ”look my son wakes up screaming at night…”
Dad left her a month ago, he never was violent, he almost killed himself because he couldn’t take her abuse anymore. She laced the cops and is now at a home for abused women lol. She called two times, She tries to manipulate me every time by distorting reality.
I don’t believe in fibromyalgia anymore!! She just wants attention, the easiest way to get it was by whining and being the victim, when she doesn’t get her dose of pity she yells like a crazed person. She wants to live like a irresponsible child while being treated as an adult, that’s bs. She really likes to remind us that we are worthless, not god to her. I told her, your going to be alone, how are you going to miss us then?
I am planning on not talking to her that much in the future, she is a parasite.
Sorry for my English, it’s not my first language.
I know quite a few people with this. They lay around all day long and do nothing. Write several posts on facebook about being in pain (for some sympathy from others of course),and whenever the word “work” is involved they have a sudden flare up and cannot do anything but sleep.
One thing I have seen with them all. They all want some sort of check or pain pills for their poor,unfortunate selves.
Ever notice how “fibromites” obsess about the “disease”. Poor me…I know people with cancer that don’t want to talk about cancer. They want to live their lives. It is absolutely a mental condition. If you are overweight and complain about body aches and pains. Get off your butt and exercise. Change your diet. Guess what? This stuff is going to suck. You are going to be sore,but lets not act like years of lazyness and bad eating didn’t lead up to this.
My mom was just like your’s Bob. Your English is good. Will you hit this right on the money.
All the women in my family, Mother, 3-sisters now in their mid 30’s are all now on disability for “fibromyalgia” and can’t work.
They have no problem going to Branson, MO. every other week, going shopping on the first of the month when the disability checks come in, etc.
They are all faking it. My oldest sister, who I really like, admited to me she is “Faking” it because she can’t find a job. She told me that she can draw $1200 a month, or work and be sent home early all the time and make $700 a month and have to pay for gas, meals, wear on the car, and day care.
She gets $1200 a month SSD, a low income apt. for $92 a month, free natural gas, reduced electric, and $800 a month in food stamps.
I’d do the same thing if I had three hungery kids to feed and a father in prision.
The bottom line is that fibromyalgia is fake. People use it as a disease to get what they want.
I told my sisters to just keep doing what she has to do to keep a roof over the kids and feed.
Fibromyalgia is fake, not real, lazy fat women who want a free living, or who have to use Fibromyalgia to support her family when her husband walks out or goes to prision.
Bob – your mom needs to get her head sorted out. What you state about her is someone who is delusional and an attention seeker.
Read these links below and let her know she needs help for her head not her body. FM is the new term for hypochondriac’s and in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s they would prescribe vallium for it. Today it is cymbalta and lyrica which is to deal with depression and axiety, same as vallium. The difference now is FM has shifted to make it “sound” like it is body pain. Same problem, just different era. Add in menopause and it is a mixed bag that still needs the same drugs. In the head…………..is where it is.
Some Research: Abstract attached: This research points at mood changes and disorders associated to fibromyalgia. Note that 74.8% have anxiety and mood disorders. Summary – treatment should focus on physical and emotional dysfunction. http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/66/6/837.full
Genetic Factors:
“Depression in fibromyalgia may be caused by specific genetic factors. It has been found that a large number of people with both depression and fibromyalgia also have a family history of depression. Therefore, many experts suspect a familial predisposition to developing depression in these individuals.”
http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_depression.html
Treatment: The first link states there are 3 drugs to treat Fibromyalgia. It is stated that antidepressants are the most USEFUL medications for fibromyalgia, because it raises the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain to manage depression, pain and fatigue.
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Fibromyalgia/default.asphttp://www.savella.com/http://www.cymbalta.com/Pages/index.aspxhttp://www.lyrica.com/Default.aspx
Seems like PhD’s still struggle with the mental aspects of the disorder.
“Fibromyalgia and chronic pain in danger of being labeled a mental disorder”
http://www.examiner.com/article/fibromyalgia-and-chronic-pain-danger-of-being-labeled-a-mental-disorder
Who says Fibromyalgia is a Fake.I am a male of 55 who still has to run a business a house a garden and I am in constant pain.I used to be a bright social person..Use to be the imperative word,since I have been diagnosed I tell you I have the stamina of a dead dog…I could sleep all day long,me?.I used to get up at 5.30 am every day of my life and these days I can’t get out of bed before 9 am !!..
I ache all over day in and out despite of being on the highest dose of Norspan patches !! nothing alleviates my pain,not even Lyrica. So if Fibro is a fake come a talk to me and I will tell you where to go..Ignorant,God willing you will never suffer from such a debilitating illness that ruins your life..I only wish I could be half of the person I used to be..Now days I can only plan things on a daily basis,simply because I have no idea how I will be the next day..
Fake to some that are “fakers” using the term FM, to manipulate situations around them for personal or financial gain.
Pain is real. FM itself is in question, since it is NOT a disease that can be diagnosed with a lab test like MS, cancer etc. For this reason, it is a disorder.
Pain is experienced in the brain – this is known. Pain is controlled in the brain, which is why when you take even Tylenol your pain is releived, depending on the degree of the pain. Morophine for the most extreme pain.
Finding the root of pain and with FM being grossly used as the term or “flavour of the decade”, it confuses defining what pain you have and why you experience it.
If you are comfortable with the label of FM – then you may never know the root of your pain.
Right now FM is used by many “fakers” and that is the stigma that is attached to it.
Chronic pain is the general class, but narrowing it down is the difficult part.
FM like ADD is too common in today’s world and language, which the pharmaceutical companies have supported such disorders and manipulate for their benefit. Could the pharmaceutical companies be the “master minds” of all fakers ?
I know I probably shouldn’t bother to try to educate some people here who seem far to removed from reality to ever understand some very basic concepts but, I am going to take a plunge anyway.
First, I have been diagnosed 2 times against my wishes with Fibromyalgia for an illness that is very much real. This came on 4 years ago and I attempted to ignore it and explain that I was having pains in my hands due to working too hard in the yard (I helped lay 12 pallets of sod in July in Florida) and this and that. I was running 5 miles bi-weekly, jogging with a double stroller with 50 lbs worth of kids bi-weekly, working bi-weekly, gardening, sewing, crafting, enfoying my extended family, keeping my home as neet as a pin and enjoying life to the fullest. I was not and am not depressed. I was not and am not lazy EVER either!! (GOOD GRIEF PEOPLE!!)
After 2 years of joint pain I went in to see my Dr for a regular checkup and mentioned this pain in my hands and he thought it may be lymes from my yard work and I was hopeful that I could get on some antibiotics and get my hands back into shape but, i came back clear for all lymes and related (ricketts &such) diseases. He then sent me for Lupus ans RA testing because I also have a Molor rash on my face and some other Lupus like symptoms that I had always lived with. All these came back negative too.
As time went on my hands and the fatigue (i think due to my body trying to cope with pain) got so bad that I could not brush my own hair or teeth for more than 30 seconds at a time. I would have mornings that I would get up to take a shower and have to lay back down because I was too tired to finish getting ready!! It got worse and worse in my hands. I had to stop jogging, running, I couldn’t open jars, I dropped everything, I couldn’t seew, craft, garden, dressing is very difficult, my house sufferred, my cooking sufferred, I couldn’t chop vegetables for the meals and was forced to buy frozen (yuck) quick and easy meals). This is not something that I am dreaming up in my mind!
Next my hips started to be affected. I have always had 1 hip that easily popped out of joint and this is the one that aggrivates the most now. It hurts wicked to drive!! My hands hurt wickly to drive. My shoulders pop and hurt to drive and driving all togetjer is a very painful and tiring event for me now. I hate this because I love to go-go!
My knees and feet crack and pop too. I cant crouch without a big pop and it is sooo hard to get back up. I am only 36 years old!! My knees feel as if they are bending backwards when I walk and I have to concentrate and be very careful too!
My wrists and elbows ache and pop and I have severe tennis elbow. My jaw is very sensitive and actually I have never been able to chew gum due to jaw pain (strange coincidence?)
I suffer intense and take me out of life migraine headaches. These can last up to 48 hours. I can have them 2 x’s a week. In addition to these migraines I also have tension headaches that start in my shoulders and neck (probably due to sore mucles) that can turn into migraines again.
I can’t remember not having a fever in the past 2 years. I get them every night 99-103 (axillary). I take my temperature and log it for my doctors. I have swollen lymph nodes at times, a sore throat often, sore muscle often (usually near the sore joints). I have lost 45 lbs since March of 2012 and I am not trying to loose weight.
I have Intersistitial cystitis which may or may not be related but lately is flaring and would be completely manageable if I had it alone but I don’t obviously so, I feel overwhelmed.
I was sent to a Neurologist due to my migraines who decided to poke me in the back and diagnose me with Fibromyalgia. I was having pain in my neck lymph nodes and asked him about that and the fevers and he got pushy and told me that I was imagining the swolllen lymph nodes and he ignored my questions about my fevers. As it turned out, he sent me down the hall to his very own paid technitian to have an ultrasound performed on my cortorid artery where the technitian exclaimed on the size of my lymph node near the artery. I also was sent to several other specialist who recorded my temperatures elevated.
I didn’t like the diagnosis for me because it did not explain all of my symptoms. I naturally wanted something that I could fix initially too. Obviously Fibromyalgia is an illness that they say is unfixable and usually gets worse. I understand that it is possible that I may have more than 1 illness but, I also don’t like to be diagnosed with an illness that seems to be a bucket that Dr’s can easily drop patients into when they can’t figure out what is wrong with a patient.
It is also scary to be diagnosed with an illness that i know people do not believe is real. My own mother doesn’t believe it is real.
What I want to explain most of all here to the nay sayers of this blog though is,whether Fibromyalgia is a real disorder or not makes no difference. The bottom line is that most people do not want to be sick! If they go to a Dr and the Dr says that they have Fibromyalgia than it means they have something. Whether or not it is “fibromyalgia” I don’t know but, I know that I don’t think that if I have it thta, it is all that I have and I know that I have been diagnosed by a neurologist and a Reumatologist and I know that am am REALLY SICK. I have good days and bad days too so, if you see prople doing something one day but, sick the other it is called fatigue. If you don’t understand it, don’t make fun, look it up. Educate yourseves in the matter.
I have actually pushed back against this diagnosis and upset both of my diagnosing Drs.
Of course, we may have someone out there who says they are sick and they are not but, let God be the judge of them. I am not here to judge and likewise niether are you. When we make broad statements about people we hurt others in the process and we look like fools doing so.
I pray that none of you nay sayers never have to feel as ill as any of the people who have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia or who are yet to be. May all who have be miraculously healed!!
Well said “sickinpainnotlookingforattentionorlazy”
Pain is real and everyone has experienced it. The degree of pain and overall symptoms that come with pain vary with individuals as to be expected.
What you have described about all your symptoms and pain has to be not only frustrating but worrying as well.
I wouldn’t settle for being labelled with FM, since that labelling evolved in Germany with the ONLY one “wild-card” test that exists, which is to press your body at 18 points at 9 locations to see if you feel pain.
The global medical community should have never adopted such German “Voo-Doo” at the expense of such a diagnosis to spin out-of-control as it has, which soon all pets will have FM and we can then buy drugs for them. Germany has Bayer the pharmaceutical giant, which everyone knows and who is more likely to have pushed the FM labelling to the forefront while all the US drug companies saw was a new opportunity to capitalize on.
My wife & I lived in Germany for the last 4 years and surprise, surprise – my wife was diagnosed in Germany with FM.
My wife`s family health history on her mother`s side has osteoporosis & arthritis and you would think that pressing the body in the same manner as FM to diagnose FM, would result in the same pain. Hmm – this is where the real diagnosis confusion would begin.
For my wife – she seems to be in denial about her family health history that likely is affecting her and more towards the FM label, since that seems to be the “softer” diagnosis but not the reality, as she suffers in silence around her loved ones.
Her neck, back, hips, knees, calves and hands hurt more so when the weather changes. Her hands are looking more pronounced towards that of ongoing arthritis as she loses her grip strength. She is starting to walk (and she acknowledges this) slower with a slight hobble and she can’t keep up to others.
She doesn’t look for sympathy as she silently struggles and she doesn’t open up to me either to be truthful about her pain.
She does however lean towards having FM – which is not improving her life as I believe it is purely false for her to have FM when family history and her true symptoms are being ignored.
One thing that is true – FM and all the emotion that comes with it, which is likely not knowing what the hell you have or being misguided like my wife puts a strain on relationships.
I would suggest not settling for being labelled with FM, in the event that you miss what you truely have. FM is a deadend diagnosis whereas, finding what you have and either curing it or minimizing the effects with PROPER drugs is the solution.
The problem is understanding ALL factors of a patient and NOT forgetting that family history plays a big part in that understanding with proper tests to diagnose with. The pharmaceutical companies are too powerful and are throwing a wrench in the system.
I hope you find some relief, facts and end point to your pain. You state that you don’t accept the FM label, which is good to take that approach since eventually you will find out the cause and solution. My wife doesn’t have the same approach and to me, likes avoiding the family history aspect – or at least won’t speak openingly to me that it maybe what she has rather than FM. FM has given her an “out” both in the eyes of others around her and herself to avoid the inevitable family history that is plaguing her. This approach is not helping us remain as one.
I have to admit, I have a parent with this Chronic pain… As a teenager I thought my parent was lazy and had given up on myself and brother.
My parent kept complaining of pain and server headaches and not being able to get warm enough…so the heating bills went up and my brother and I became piles of sweat.
As the years progressed my parent structured a routine, after several fall outs and very upsetting periods of none communication. Life for my parent became more active. My parent found a pain specialist.
My parent then had a very heartbraking heart to heart with myself. They explained that they were attending a pain specialist and had been taught how to cope with… You guessed it Fibromialgia.
My parent had several tests, which caused them much worry and concern. My Grandmother has degenerative M.S. also chronns diesease to the serverity that she no longer functions normally, and has a clonostomy bag. ( apologises if spelling is shot) My parent started presenting symptoms. What a Scary time which was kept close to my parent. My parent thought they were going crazy…
The results came back clear phew!! Yet the M.R.I and C.T scan showed 3 bulging disks in the neck. After having several serious falls, which hospitalised my parent, they were finally told you have acute FIBROMIALGIA!!!
My parent also has server asthma which has on serveral occassions has neraly taken there life… Yet another thing to the list. I admit I thought it was attention seeking in the begining I truly did, and feel nothing but guilt now.
6 months ago I started suffering from a stiff collar bone, which spread to my neck and then eventually I lost complete use of my left arm. Also siatica was diagnoised. I have a very open and scarcastic sense of humour. I would kick out whilst walking then tap the other leg and say ta da to my partner. We would laugh and just get on with things.
That is, until for 4 nights running I couldn’t lay back or hold my own head and cried very quietly to myself. On the 4th night he came down and took one look and said we are going to hospital… I point blank refused, due to, to many visits to see my almost dead parent and grandmother… Anyone would want to avoid A&E at the best of times.
After a very long discussion (2 DAYS WORTH) did I mention I am head strong and o so very stubborn??? no, well I am!! te he.
I was sent for acupunture, amazing!!! for the first few sessions, then it became unbareable ouchieeeeeeeee!!! put on heavy duty painkillers and a sedative, ( why people do drugs socially is beyond me ) off the head and a dribbling fool is not the look I aspire to, come on not a fectching sight to be hold by the man of your dreams is it ladies/men..
I have since have had some nasty scares such as…We are going to rule out… CANCER, THYROID FUNCTION, TUMORS,FUSSED DISKS IN 3 PLACES OF THE SPINE… need surgery… Hospital gowns laying on front…large chested not fun! more drugs…HELL NO!! All clear phewwwwww
Then the scans and the best bit. The Lumbar Punture/ spinal Tap. Now thats fun…NOT!!
Again my gorgeous man, made me smile and laugh even though I was on my back for four hours… Ideal situ for him (wink ,wink ) if there was no risk of permanent paralisation. He fed me, took pictures and posted them on a social web site to which I found extremley funny. He was later offered a job via the nurses on my ward. Lifes to short guys you need to LAUGH!
Now my doctor wants to put me through my paces for the tender points. I am an up beat person, full of life 90% of the time. Come on I have hormones and I AM NOT AFRAID TO USE THEM 😉 I dont want to have Fibromialgia in any way, but if thats the label I am given I wouldn’t for one minute state that people are faking or making it up. This has scared me on several occassions to the point of the DOCTORS FREAKING THAT I WAS HAVING A STROKE!! I have since apologised AGAIN to my parent who now feels they have given me something terrible.
We all cope in our own way, tablets, exercise, therapy, denial,abuse, attention seeking, bottling it up…. Regardless
NEVER JUDGE WHAT YOU DO NOT HAVE… AS ONE DAY IT COULD BE YOU!!
People who live in glass houses should never throw stones..etc.
15 years ago I was uneducated young and nieve, now i will not judge or critisize what I have never personally experienced
I have lost a husband and I HONESTLY thought my heart was physically broken…All I wanted was someone elses life. was that In MY HEAD…
To all in pain I wish your heart is full and love is in your lifes. To those who want to moch and judge, nothing but empathy as I WAS you. One day you will see the other side of the coin and I hope with all that I am you have loving, caring, non judge mental friends and family in your life.
I wouldn’t wish Fibromyalgia on anyone…except you narcissitic assholes out there that have no clue how bad FM REALLY is, but sit here and talk shit about me and patients like me as though we reallly want this for ourselves. I say to you people like that, GFY!!!
I have been suffering with Fibromyalgia for over 2 years. I was recently diagnosed and given drugs. My body is extremely sensitive to any narcotics and even after cutting my pills in 4 and taking a 1/4 of a pill, I get extremely drowsy and can’t stay awake. I decided to stop the meds and use natural supplements along with acupuncture and support from family. I can say my pain is very real! I do not seek a disability check, drugs or attention. I have 3 beautiful wonderful smart kids and would love to continue to participate in their sport activities and school events. At this time, my pain and extreme fatigue deprive me from such activities. We had planned a trip to Paris and had to cancel our plans because I had no energy at all. I can say I do have good days. I force my body to get up and go places, clean, cook and do activities with my kids. The problem with doing so is that it puts me in bed for up to 3 days! Life is beautiful! Only God knows what this is and when more informed, non-judge mental, uneducated information will be discovered. In the mean time, lets not discourage each other and seek hope and most of all faith. It’s unfair to be stereotyped by others because people are willing to degrade themselves with labels and call themselves what they are not. Also, don’t degrade others by making foolish comments when you are just a spectator and have no idea of what one is really going through. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”. The worst part to me about all this page is the comments and judgement coming from those in the medical field!!! Wow!!! May The Lord open your hearts and soul to add a little more care and caution to your profession. And May God bless you for the good things you do as well. To all of you in pain, don’t give up. Get up, smile, have a positive attitude as much as you can. There is hope at the end of the tunel. And may The Lord put His healing hand on all of us who are suffering. God bless you.
I am shocked to read all of these remarks.
I was recently diagnosed with FM. I have an amazing job and make good money, why would I want to leave that for a disability check? Because I have tried everything to no avail. I do not enjoy shopping or visiting family like I used to. I have no other underlying condition, nor have I ever had any mental illness. I am a very successful educator and coach. But I am in so much pain daily that I can barely function. I didn’t used to be like this. I used to have the whole world in front of me.
To “Shocked”:
The remarks within reflect the validity of FM, just like any other subject or illness that can’t be 100% defined. That is the problem with FM which should have never been introduced until it could be diagnosed with lab results.
If I was ever told I had FM, I would not accept it, nor any other disorder that doesn’t have a proper means to test for it.
If you accept you have FM, then accept the family history of depression that comes with FM as they have studied.
http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_depression.html
Research that pain is controlled in the brain through levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain to manage depression, pain and fatigue.
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/66/6/837.full
Good luck with trying to understand what you may or may not have.
For the last 3 years now my mother has been ill. We were not sure about it until 2 years ago when the doctors diagnosed it as CFS (or FM)
It’s main properties is depression and physical fatigue.
While I don’t feel good talking about my mother like this I’m hoping someone can back me up when I say that from what I have seen looking after her these last couple of years that it is fake.
While initially my mother was fatigued, she couldn’t walk properly and she was completely down all the time, over the last year I have pieced together a huge improvement in her condition which she claims its no improvement at all.
When she first felt ill she could barely move now if someone was to knock on the door or if the telephone rang she would (and still now) spring up without a moments hesitation and rush over to the phone or door. No one else in my family has noticed but when that happens she moves as if nothing was wrong with her. How can she move that we’ll when she’s doing none of her physiotherapy? (im with her everyday looking after her so i should know)
As for her depression, she first started claiming that she had no friends, that they were ignoring her. Well they clearly weren’t because they have had regular contact all the time. Also she has taken to being selfish and making demands for everybody to do things for her and then doesn’t show any appreciation whatsoever. We take her out where she wants to go and then claims that we did the wrong thing. She loves to talk about us behind our backs saying that we don’t look after her properly that we don’t care. I gave up my chance to accept my dream job of being a personal trainer because she said that if I left her then i would be leaving her in her time of need (how could I go after she said that?) now she is just so unappreciative of that fact.
Is it wrong for me to think that she’s completely faking it? I don’t want to believe it but everything i have seen points to her faking this just so she could live a life in semi-luxury with the family pampering her 24/7. But another bit of evidence (length of illness being 3 years) points to this being a serious and real illness. After reading all the comments on here I cannot be sure if it is real or fake.
To “I Respect says” – If you are close to anyone you will eventually realize fact from fiction.
No one here can walk in your shoes but yourself and you have every right to question her and the validity of FM – when it directly affects you and your life.
I would pursue your dreams and there has to be a compromise with your mother to allow you to fulfil your dreams and at the same time still look out for her but not 24/7 – she is not in a wheel chair or needing such physical care. She sounds like she is needing emotional care and the recommendation for that is a phycologist to help her in general.
Hope this helps.
I lost a leg and half an arm while deployed in Iraq. I would take Fibromyalgia any day of the week even though it is a made up disease for people that don’t want to work anymore.
I remember having a friend of friend diagnosed with Fibromyalgia years ago, the few times I was around her she was *always* whining and complaining or talking about it… from what I hear now she is in a wheelchair. She couldn’t have been more than 25 when I met her, and her boyfriend took care of her like she was a little kid. It was pathetic… my intuition is that there was and is nothing wrong with her besides being selfish and having mental problems.
On the other hand I have a friend that I have had for a few years now who when the subject is brought up only talks very logically about her experience with FM and CFS – I don’t believe she is making it up at all, she also works a full time technical job, DJs, promotes clubs, and gets maybe 4 hours of sleep a night. I don’t think she is taking anything, and she is not a complainer, but she’ll hesitantly talk about it if asked. So I don’t think FM is necessarily “not real” – it’s just something people take advantage of as it’s vague and the term is kind of a placeholder until physiological causes are discovered. The symptoms do exist, but people who embrace it like a lifestyle are doing people who do suffer a disservice.
I have PTSD from being drugged, held hostage, stalked and raped. I’ve had times I could barely function and was almost homeless, but I never sought out any kind of government assistance because I don’t believe in it, and rarely talked about it for a long time because I didn’t want to bother people – didn’t even seek therapy until I had a nervous breakdown. There is the same kind of “you’re just looking for attention” stigma attached, or was for me. I tend to hate people who fake shit in general, because it makes those who actually go through it more likely to be treated like attention whores. Some things are not as obvious on the outsides like missing limbs, but identifying yourself with a disorder like the first person I talked about is repulsive to me… certainly there was more to this person than that, but nobody ever saw it. I don’t identify myself by what happened to me, I do acknowledge how it affected my life and I do get angry, but all you can do is just keep moving forward – regardless if fm, cancer, ptsd, whatever. Life doesn’t stop just because something happens to you… you deal the best you can with things that come up and keep moving forward.
Trust me, I’ve known narcissistic people who cry me a river because their boyfriend dumped them and it’s the end of the world and they want to die – I tend to promptly tell them I think they are codependent, selfish and I don’t give a flying fuck. I should have done that with person A when I was 19… I would never tolerate that kind of BS now.
Ah, I’m finally getting it! Just because a factitious disordered in-law of mine has triumphed at last by being declared a Sufferer of Fibromyalgia, including Disability checks, does not mean fibromyalgia itself is fake. It might be real. It might not be real. Nobody can prove it isn’t real: THAT’S the point of the discussion I’ve been having with myself about my in-law (since no one else will listen). Fibro has been co-opted by the Munchausen’s crowd. Shouldn’t THAT infuriate true sufferers? Where’s the outrage?
I remember my younger days. I was having one baby after another and getting sicker and sicker, on the inside. I slept all the time. I crept around and mumbled, cried, and collapsed with lengthy migraines. One day I heard about HYPOGLYCEMIA. Soon after, it became the rage. Books like SUGAR BLUES solds gazillions of copies. And I had a reason to live at long, long last: “Hubby-honey, I’m not willfully weak. I’m not inferior. I have hypoglycemia! Looks, it’s in this book.”
He didn’t buy it, didn’t think it accounted for my lacking ways, wouldn’t even glance at the book. That might be why I’m so much better nowadays.
Now, if only my in-law would come clean about her Fibro, so she’d quit spending nearly $200 a month on meds not fully covered by her medicaid, so her husband, my son, could afford to take time off from work to see his doctor about his eyes, to follow up on the surgery he had to have, for which I paid $1000 toward the deductible on his insurance, further enabling his spouse as much as helping him. He’s going blind. It’s too late to save her kids from her, but if only I could save him.
Fibromyalgia is a real condition. You should have read the statistics on the awful and life changing side effects of severe allergies of Lyrica have had on patients. The effects of Fibromyalgia are little in comparison to a severe psychotic and adverse reaction to the drug. A patient is very lucky if this psychosis ever ends and they can return to real life of depression, anxiety, constant pain and hopelessness. Think before you speak. Think of the people without shoes and then think of those without feet.
Truth is, all of the so called “doctors” and “nurses” and”PA’s” and “health care providers” are probably not really any of those things. You see, I am a United States Senator. Only the NSA knows if indeed I am telling the truth or not, right? This is the internet. If they are all that they say they are then they should catch up on the leading research. Personally, I would never patron a doctor that questions the Mayo Clinic, Stanford, the leading UC medical schools, etc… That just makes them seem, ignorant. And also like con artists. Sounds more like a bunch of people jealous of other peoples pain. Really? Who would be jealous of that? These nay-sayers are extremely worried someone might be scamming social security. Maybe they should consider a career change to Social Security, that way they can personally run out and catch all the big fakers! Indeed, they should target “fat”, “lazy”, “old”, “middle-aged”, “nasty” women. Might be more gratifying then feeling bitter at home trolling support groups to pick on. I am quit sure that after a long day at work my doctor can be found picking on people on the interwebs. Totally see that. I feel outraged by their behavior because like most Americans I know, I cannot stand a know-it-all bully who probably is just a pimply faced middle schooler pretending to be something they aren’t, hurting others while they do so. Where is the proof they have anything to do with the medical field? I want proof!! You demand proof of fibromyalgia, discounting all of the leading research, I demand proof you are a doctor.
It does not matter if I have fibromyalgia or I don’t have fibromyalgia. It does not matter if pain is “just in your head” or real. Pain is subjective. Maybe I personally had my children naturally, in a tub of water, and experienced little to no pain. Maybe you needed a needle in your spin. That is your business and your decision based on your own pain. If a medical doctor treats someone because of their pain, that is between them and their doctor…not some pretend “doctor” over the internet. Certainly, there is no room to judge others on their own experience which you have never experienced or felt. Judge by the measure you wish to be judged by.
My heart goes out to all the suffering people with any painful illness, both men and women, of various sizes, careers, and experiences on this thread. My heart goes out to the pretend “doctors”, “nurses”, “physicians assistants”, “health care provider” as you obviously have a great deal of issues to deal with. My heart goes out to all the nay-sayers who hate their in-laws and judge the appearances of their roommates. My heart goes out to all the women who are objectifying other women. My heart goes out to the men that lack understanding. All of you, I feel sad for.
Please remember ladies and gentlemen, it was not long ago when people thought mental illness was caused by the Devil. It was not long ago women and men were burnt at the stake because other’s did not understand their ailments. These people are the same people that would have cheered on the lighting of that fire. Send them your nicest thoughts, and refuse to think of them again.
Listen to this…. I met my husband a few years ago & he constantly talked about having fibro . He made it sound so bad & he always had to take pills & couldn’t get outta bed. That’s when he lived with his mom. Who is a big hypochondriac / & is overweight. After the first year being together he walked with a cane when his back hurt – I caught him numerous times when he thought I wasn’t looking – he would walk normal and then back to limping . His mom tells everyone about fibro but he takes like 15 pills a day. I think that until its fully explained & diagnosed & true doctors should stop telling patients their condition is fibro. But she sits in a chair almost all day except to pee & get food. Her house is nasty … Obviously when u sit or hours in a chair & are overweight your body is going to ache & hurt . I don’t how to deal with her . But my husband hasn’t talked about it his so called fibro for over a year since I confronted him about his fake limping .
I was diagnosed with FM 20 years ago and I WISH it wasn’t real. I was a fit, active 30 year old with a happy life – decent job, loving husband, two healthy kids. I had never heard of FM until the day I was diagnosed. The comments from the doubters have me puzzled. What in the heck are they even doing on this site? Who spends time looking up FM if they or a loved one don’t have it and then leaves mean-spirited comments? I seriously don’t get it.
I have no idea if fibromyalgia is real or fake.
I am 48 years old. My wife is 42. We have 2 boys 12, 9.
About 4 years ago my wife’s parents and her only sibling was killed in an RV carbon monoxide accident while camping.
Shortly after the accident my wife was told by her employer to take all the time she needed. After 6 months my wife said she’d go back to work next week. Weeks turned into months and finally the employer had to take her out of the system. By this time my wife had went from 170lbs to 300 lbs.and was sleeping all day and doing Facebook and video games all night.
Now she is on disability for depression/fibromyalgia. I am so sick of how she can’t even help raise the kids. She can’t cook or even get the kids up to catch the bus. I am working two jobs now because now we have lost about $1500 a month with the difference between what she did make and her $890 social security disability.
My wife is depressed and faking her inability to get out of bed. I have done everything in the world for her and she is very comfortable in her newly created lifestyle.
Honestly if her family was still alive, I’d bet my life that she would still be working and happy.
All this from a stupid bird that built a nest in an exhaust pipe for the generator and killed her family.
She won’t even pluck her facial hair out and she only showers like once a month.
She yells out all the time how she hates fibromyalgia and how her life was stolen by the FM. She even says that she wishes that she was in the RV that night. This is really tearing my kids up and I don’t know what to do and I have no help.
Please pray for my family and send a miracle our way.
Frustrated – I am so sorry to hear about your wife and what your family is going through. I think that your wife is suffering from “complicated grief,” a form of grief that becomes an intractable depression. The fact that she talks about dying with her parents suggests that this diagnosis is correct.
Whether or not fibromyalgia is real, or whether it was triggered by emotional trauma, your wife might be helped by anti-depressants. I have seen them perform miracles! Anti-depressants changed my own life, although they seem to help only 7 out of 10 people.
I can understand what a tremendous burden this is for you. Can you google “social services” plus your city? There will be free mental health-care for your entire family. The kids will benefit from learning about your wife’s condition.
Please appeal to your wife on behalf of the kids. Remind her that they love her and need her and that their grandparents would want her to be ‘present’ for them.
Please write again so I won’t worry about you! Things can get better with the right help. If you tell me your city and zipcode, I will do some research for you.
Hang in there. xo
Every single person i’ve ever met with this ‘disease’ is a hypochondriac. All of them ‘suffer’ from IBS, Chronic Fatigue (laziness), and typically a laundry list of other crap they self diagnose or convince a dr they have. My mother was diagnosed, then her sister, her mom, her friends, etc, etc. It’s like a plague of excuses they acquire to keep them from having to do anything. Every single one i’ve known are middle aged, overweight, hypochondriac, women. Rather then complain why don’t you try getting off your ass and try doing something. I had ‘chronic fatigue’ too but I started getting active in sports and WAAAALAAA the fatigue goes away. Your body needs activity and these people use it as an excuse to not do anything which causes a constant downward spiral effect. If anything it’s a psychosomatic disorder that no one will ever find a real cause for. Anyone who disagrees is either trying to convince themselves they’re not a lazy hypochondriac or trying to sell something (dr, writer, etc.). Sorry girls i’m too honest. Get active and the pain goes away eventually seriously. Your body is trying to tell you the same thing but you’re doing the opposite which is why it’s getting worse.
Funny how many of the people defending the existence of this “disease” often state the tasks they complete “all day” with this “pain”. It seems to me more like complaining about having to do them in the first place. Pains of life type crap. No one wants to work all day and have to clean up when they get home. If this shit can get a diagnosis, then people who do these tasks without complaining should be considered “mentally ill” and get meds and to complain about it all day. People should except that the scientific community cant always be correct and mess up on diseases from time to time.
Here is what is required to have fibromyalgia. Middle age woman, overweight, with previous mental issues.
My sister claims to have fibromyalgia. I find it to be ridiculous. She seems fine to go out with her friends, bake her self cookies, or go for a drive to smoke. However, when someone asks her to get up off her ass to help mom with the dishes or pick up a brother from football practice, she’s just so sick and can barely move.
She used to have a job, and worked like a normal person. Her ex-boyfriend put it in her head that she’s to sick to work so she is now trying to get disability checks. She was never really even diagnosed, someone told her about it and now all of this sudden she has it, and its taking over her life. Since she has been “diagnosed” she fakes this illness even more. There is nothing wrong my sister except that she is a lazy bum.
I developed fibromyalgia after three C-Sections. It’s not a created, unhappy, depressed woman disease.. I had everything going for me.. I had just remarried and had two wonderful boys. It rained one day and I thought I was going to die!!!!! Chest pain that isn’t a heart attack, severe sensations of glass cutting my feet when there isn’t anything there, and some days I can’t move my arms to put on a bra. It makes me so angry that I finally had my boys and I can’t leave the house is the weather changes… my kids suffer so much from this condition!!! My husband deals with mood swings that I can’t even see coming until it hits.. much like M.S. I take pain pills when it become intolerable and use stretching or light exercise on other days to ease the pain. I think that a lot of people may abuse the system but it doesn’t change the fact that I do have an issue…it has ruined most of my life, and there isn’t much I can do about it…
I started reading the first posts and all I have to say to every single idiot who posted here claiming Fibro is fake is FUCK YOU! You have no clue!
Some who’ve posted their stories here I applaud you. I am also a person DX’d with FMS and Lyme and I am NOT a whiner and I’m NOT a drug seeker. When i have a flare up so bad that i need to go to the ER I ask for non-narcotics. I’m also not an addict. A few of my family members are addicts and they call me a normie because I just don’t get what they go through.
I was an athletic person into skateboarding, skiing, biking, competitive swimming and weight lifting. I was also a talented visual artist and musician (and yes, I did make money at it). My life was filled with kids, attending school, full-time teaching and weekend gigs. I would much rather be drawing, playing my guitar and making money from a job! My grown children beg me not to play because they have seen what it does. I want to be able to work and buy gadgets, pay bills. Instead I have to fight the government for the right to social security that I paid into my whole life since I was 16 because I’m now virtually bed ridden. I DO miss concerts and events I’ve looked forward to for months, but can’t do because my body does not comply with my wishes. I don’t care what it’s called I just want it to go away!
I hate to talk about or bring up any of my health stuff because I don’t want to complain about it. I have other DXs, mostly stuff caused from an auto crash caused by a drunk driver who ran a red light and plowed into the driver’s side door of my car. People don’t get it. That’s fine. But if you are so stupid as to not research about a medical condition you know nothing about then shut the hell up! And why do you even care enough to post crap about it!
I’m searching the web to find out more info not read a bunch of Neanderthal crap from spewing idiots. To the one person who said comparing FMS to cancer was insane guess what? FMS does kill people. I would agree the two diseases are not comparable, however, many who suffer from the painful symptoms of FMS kill themselves to escape that pain. Research exists linking FMS and deteriorating hearts and brains.
I can only relate to anyone else my experience. I would not wish FMS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, CFiDs, Epstein Barr, or whatever the hell else anyone calls it, on anyone. Even those here who’ve “complained” about all the people they know who have it.
Yep, I’m mad! I’d rather be (relatively) pain free.
Hi I am a 38 year old father of 3 girls and have Stage IV metastatic cancer originating from a pericardial mass. The original mass was inoperable and was found 3 years ago. Radiation and chemo has slowed the cancer, but I am at the end now. The cancer has spread to my bones, brain, liver, and all other areas that sustain life.
My wife and family will be taken care of, we have already collected my life insurance, didn’t know you could do that, but they said yes to our $500,000 check and I am not even dead yet.
How can you all with “fibromyalgia” compare your “disease” to cancer. Cancer is real and has real cells and real masses that you can see on a pet scan, or other real test.
To the poster way up that says that she would much rather have terminal cancer, well I will be happy to trade with you.
I think science proves that cancer is real and fibromyalgia is a mental illness at best. I will be dead in a few months at the longest, you will still be feeling sorry for yourself doing nothing. I still work at my dad’s boat store( only 2 hours a day so they can eat- we live in the back of the store) on the lake. I am in a wheel chair most of the day, but yes I still actually get up and work despite my crushing pains and fatigue. I actually feel the best that I have in a long time now that I have stopped the chemo and all other treatments.
Please don’t compare your fibro BS with terminal cancer, because you all have no clue what your really saying. I think I have a right to say, what I have, due to my impending death and experience.
I worked as a CNA for some time in geriatrics. I can’t remember if that’s Dante’s third or fourth circle of hell. Anyway. Any and every single woman, without exception, who complained of having fibromyalgia, was fat, pissed off, and out of shape. Much like myself, however, I’ll just go ahead and say that I’m fat, pissed off and out of shape rather than reaching into the annals of snake oil medicine to label myself with some BS disease. When you eat crap, don’t move and live an tense, tiny life of smokes and rage, you tend to look for whatever you can to blame other than yourself. Thanks for your hilarious take on it, glad I found your blog!
It has completely caused me to hit a wall and ruined my life.
You have no idea what you’re talking about
God have mercy on you that accuse fm sufferers of lying
I hope those same people reap their karma
Amen!!!! It’s just another diagnosis that allows people who don’t want to work to go on the government dole- or, to just flop out in life and make their significant other do all the work to support them both and their families! It’s right up there with “bi-polar” (show me ONE woman who doesn’t get “bi-polar” at least TWICE a month), and that “chronic fatigue syndrome”, “chrone’s” , “lupus” and “lyme’s disease”. OH- and let’s not forget you can receive disability for being an addict/alcoholic nowadays too! We all get achy and tired as we age!!! Buck up and get a job losers! It help you focus on something OTHER THAN YOURSELVES!!!! Stop sitting on your ass all day taking drugs or getting drunk. You are destroying our society and bankrupting it.
Cynthia Pendery Aug 30th:
I hope you are attempting to be ironic or sarcastic….
Bipolar is a serious mental health problem and Lupus, Crohn’s etc are very real diseases (objectively provable by testing) that are life changing and potentially life shortening for some.
There IS most likely a significant group of people who fake fibromyalgia (FMA) for secondary gain: attention, drugs, disability benefits, getting out of work and so on. However I think those who completely deny FMA exist are incredibly ignorant.
I think those who say FMA is ‘all in the head’, ‘psychosomatic’, a form of depression or whatever may have a valid point in some cases. But you guys are also missing the point! If someone has a severe depression or mental issue that is manifesting as real physical symptoms that does not mean it is ‘fake’. It is still a serious & disabling illness that requires medical treatment. A patient can no more ‘snap out’ of depression/psychological problems than someone with a broken leg can heal without a cast, they need professional help.
I also think there is a group of people who do actually have some underlying physical trigger for their symptoms but nobody is competent enough to find it.
There is evidence to to suggest there are detectable differences (chemicals in the spinal fluid, hormones, brain imaging, etc) between those with FMA and normal healthy people and while that doesn’t prove what causes FMA it does at least suggest some physical abnormality exists.
Unfortunately as there is still no objective diagnostic test and I suspect those with FMA will have to continue to put up with much of the ignorance displayed here for some time to come.
I’ve known a few people with this and they all had two things in common. All women and all complete nutcases.
hi i’d really really like a response because they tell me i have fibromyalgia but i don’t know if it’s real… i’ve been in a lot of pain due to something… constant neck pain, can’t get to sleep, random painful sensations in my fingers and in numerous areas.
I think this site must be a joke. I have never seen such ugliness spewed out by so many in one place. I guess there really are a lot of very mean, spiteful and hate filled people in this world, if this is in fact a legitimate site.
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are very real diseases. They are NOT mental disorders that are just wished on ones self. They are life altering thieves taking precious years of life from men, women, teenagers and children – years lost to a disease that no one understands and for which there is little or no help.
Yes, there is a lot of mental illness on this board. The derogatory and demeaning comments I read are appalling and nothing short of abuse. It’s sad to see that there is still so much ignorance in this day and time regarding a very serious, debilitating and life shortening disease.
Bigots and idiots reside in many places in the world – I just saw quite a few of them in here. Sadly, they may learn the truth too late – this “fake” disease may strike them or a loved one. Personally, I would be afraid to go to sleep at night had I even thought, much less said, what these morons have posted. Stay strong people that suffer the disease. It’s idiots like these posters that will reap what they sow, as we all shall. As my grandmama used to say “the sun doesn’t shine up the same dog’s butt everyday” – Have Faith!!!
Must B A Joke – I’m sorry to say that this a real blog. I continue to allow these comments in order to let people show their ignorance and apparent rage regarding this topic. There is an amazing level of sexism as well as bitterness and stupidity among the disbelievers. Let’s let them reveal their mentality, while the rest of us learn compassion.
Sister Wolf – I am also sorry to see that it is real. I guess these are the same people that think it is funny to watch a parent struggling with a child with Down’s Syndrome or autism, or a son suddenly being diagnosed as bi-polar, or a father facing one more horrible day of excruciating pain from bone cancer, or a mother no longer remembering her youngest daughters name because of the ravages of Alzheimers, or a favorite niece struck in her prime with a brain aneurysm, or a brother struggling to take his last breath while Hospice places the “last pain patch” on him to control his pain from lung cancer. I have severe ME – those experiences I just mentioned are my experiences. I have five step children, worked as a broker, banker and mortgage broker, took care of sick family member, watching them die one by one, sometimes worked two jobs and had a very abusive husband. Pain is pain…it can be physical or it can be emotional pain of the heart. No one “deserves” the pain we all have to endure and most assuredly no one deserves to be denigrated because of whatever their pain is at any level. So – to respond to the less than intelligent posters on this site….there but for the Grace of God go you! Hopefully, you will never have to experience one tenth of the pain and disappointment and loss that we with ME experience as a collective group. Unfortunately….you may not be so lucky.
I still cant believe that people try to claim that this crap is real, I know several people who have this “disease” and they are all the same. all they are is maggots living off the carcass of society , drug abusers and people who want disability , and the funny thing is that our government actually pays these people SSI/SSID for a made up condition
Lol@Fakes Says – Sounds like to me from your post that you are intimately familiar with maggots, carcasses and druggies – could you possibly be referring to yourself in some strange psychologically projectionist way? The poster doth protest too much and too vehemently to be a random bystander of life with no life. Hopefully, you will enjoy all the joy that we do at some point in your so-called life. Hope things improve for you and that your attitude has a positive and uplifting turn. Smile! Things can always get worse!
Whoever posted this load of nonsense has obviously never experienced this illness or had someone close to them experience it. Over a course of three months I went from being a fit, healthy, happy teacher who loved her job to being so incapacitated I had to cut down to part time and eventually leave my job. I was then completely bed bound for over two years but am thankfully now slowly recovering. my experience of Fibro was that I had to give up almost everything i loved because of the symptoms of this disease so to read this pathetic post feels like a slap in the face from an ignorant dimwit.
Like I said previously, I don’t seek a government check or any other government benefits. I suffer from fibromyalgia and my pain is very real. I am a middle aged woman and I’m not “fat”, like others stereotyped in some of the above comments. I take a day at a time and deal with my pain as it comes. Unfortunately, there’s very ignorant subjects out there who shouldn’t be called people or professionals, who are free from this condition and decide to judge. Yes, there are plenty of people out there who take advantage of the system! There are people who pretend to be sick when they are not. Yet, don’t judge everyone with the same measure. Life makes many turns and pray to God you never go through this. I’ve had the opportunity to visit beautiful places and to enjoy vacation with my family at resorts and private luxury homes with all services. Sadly, I don’t have the energy or the strength to do all this. To those who are fibro-free, enjoy and thank God for every moment free of this illness. For us, true victims of fibromyalgia, let keep our heads up and keep our faith strong. God knows how much we can handle. Let’s take a day at a time. We are getting closer to answers. God bless us all.
why do you have to damn God?
I read this post, and all the other post of the doctors and some very nasty people calling this illness fake. I have to say I was not upset with any of you. In fact your rants made me giggle. I see some men whining about it’s just a women’s illness so they can complain. Did you realize that many men suffer from FM. Not just women. There are people from all walks of life that suffer from fm. I agree their are always going to be people who exploit the system, who fake illness to get out of doing work. But fm hate to say is not the illness they fake to get out of work. Fm is not the lazy man or women’s illness. It’s a known fact that ppl who truelly suffer from this illness are hard workers and refuse to let FM control their lives. You are right when you say it’s all in our heads. Our brains do not read out pain responses correctly. So it over exaggerates the pain sensories in our bodies. Amount other things. Yes, fm patients suffer from depression and anxiety. Hell, would you be depressed if one day one day out of the blue someone grabbed you and set you on fire or stuck pins in your body and doctors who are not completely educated told you there is no fire.. Or no pins in you skin… So you are a faker. I would be depressed too.
Some people believe in God. But, we have never seen him, heard him, touch him. Does that make him fake? Please remember there are many things in this world we can not explain. It does not mean it not real. Or that it’s fake.
To those doctors out there who think this illness is fake. I ask you only take a moment of your time and listen to the person you are suppose to be helping. Listen to all the different ppl that come to you, who look to you and who trust their lives to you and to please just listen. Even if you have know idea how to help. Showing that as a Doctor you do care about their pain. It’s the reason you became a doctor right? To help ppl. To find help for ppl. Sometimes there is no easy answer. There is no magic pill to fix every illness. Just because there is not a lot written about it does not mean it’s not real. There have been other illness in the past that doctors could not explain so called them fake to later as research and the more we learn find out they where truelly real. To the others who think this is fake. I can only say that you are welcome to believe of course what ever you wish to. I am not going to attack you or call you names. That does not solve any issue. I just ask that you keep a open mind, and have compation to anyone who suffers from any kind of pain. Because, not ones persons pain is worse then another. I have Fm. I eat well, I work out. I never complain. I am thankful everyday when I have a great day. The days that are bad are just days that are bad and I manage threw it.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this. Remember, sometimes the best medicine is just listening. Does not mean you have to accept.
I mad too, godammit! I’m mad at what I’ve read here. I’m mad at the trivialization of this disorder. I have this “mysterious” problem. If you would like to have it, I’ll be glad for you to take it off if my hands. No problem. By the way, I am a man.
I was exposed to toxic mold at my workplace for about a year. I developed fibromyalgia after that. I am one of several who became sickened and had to be moved – without knowing each other personally or that we were each suffering from it. So now I suffer with all the symptoms of fibromyalgia. This leads me, an electronics engineer with a Master of Science in Engineering degree, as well as nearly completed PhD, to believe that fibromyalgia is a disorder that can be caused by numerous things. I still work. I have done everything possible to continue working. I have tried Lyrica and it made me horribly ill. I tried everything they threw at me and none of it worked, if not just making me more sick. So when someone tells you they have fibromyalgia, I can assure you it is no laughing fucking matter, and they should not be discredited, nor should they be belittled – but especially, they should not be told it is in their heads. The truth is, you will probably be struck with a chronic disorder in your life, or you will suffer at the hands of something like cancer, and I guarantee you it will not be funny in your mind. Let me inform you of something else: Functional MRI studies have now shown there is damage in a particular part of the brain that deals with making dopamine. Without dopamine in proper quantities, the endorphins and Substance-P that deal with mitigating pain signals do not work as in a normal person. Studying mold toxicity, you’ll quickly find it is neurotoxic. So neurotoxic that the DoD has weaponized it. So just maybe all of us suffering with “fibromyalgia”, which is classified as a syndrome, or a bucket of symptoms, are actually suffering with real, physical issues. Just because doctors cannot create a laboratory test to diagnose it doesn’t mean it is not real or that it is imagined. It means that they don’t understand it and are so arrogant that they cannot admit failure. They did this with lupus – all in your head – multiple sclerosis – all in your head, and lo and behold they finally discovered they are immune system disorders. So I’ve heard this psychosomatic bullshit before as related to those diseases. Fibromyalgia will turn out to be no different. It has been around and recorded for centuries. Alfred Nobel had it (of Nobel prize acclaim). I make good money and I have a good life, and no mental disorders, so those who claim it is “in their heads” simply don’t get it, nor do they want to understand. I’ll guarantee you this – if you ever get it you will quickly learn how real it is. They even try to treat it with anti-depressants which is a total fail. You may be depressed, but it isn’t depression that caused it – it causes the depression. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? So yeah, goddamit I am mad too – mad at people like you and these people posting on here trivializing the suffering of real people with a real physical problem.