i had suffered pain in differant parts of my body and tiredness for many years on and of and my previous doctor always put it down to arthrites. last year i was diagnosed with fybromyalgia by a differany doctor cause of a 300 mile move. i now have support ive needed for a long while and have some really good friend who will help if im stuck with my children. due to the fact i was getting to the point where even taking my childr en to school was impossible i was recomended to get a mobility scooter. this has given me a new lease of live asi can now do the school rund and some house work/shopping myself. so regaining some inderpendance which i exspect we all need

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i've had FM since i was a yound teenager....i'm 25 now. i am a single mum with a 3 year old. i hate what i have but i force myself to work...there's no choice, i have to provide for my son. for everyone else suffering i have a tip: even in summer i have the electric blanket turned on....i find the direct heat when i sleep somehow helps the pain. use ear plugs & an eye cover even when its quiet & dark. i also sleep with a pillow down each side of me for extra support as i toss and turn through the night. hang on...did i use the word SLEEP?? my mistake. such is almost impossible for me now but my boy is a great help. at 3 he is so independent and cares for his mummy. when i cant get out of bed he fetches me my eye cover, ear plugs, water then kisses my tired eyes and puts a movie on for himself or plays in his room.

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For Cathie, Your husband must see you GP again there are some mild non addictive anti-depressents he can take and they help with the condition. See my comment to Jacquline, You must persist, and eventually the medical profession do listen. I know how you are feeling but dont give up. All the best.

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For Jacquline, Like Fran I too am a sufferer and it took a few years to diagnoze but you must persist and ask you GP to refer you to a Rhumatolagist, when you have been diagnozed with fibromyalgia by him you must then put in a claim for DLA , Carers allowance and Mobility allowance, your consultant will verify your condition also your GP will do this and you should then get all the disability money due to you. I did and now in terms of affording to be able to buy loads of fruit and vegatables and fresh fish organic chicken and meat etc . A good diet does help a little bit and having a car that you don't have to get down into, we now have a people carrier on the motability scheme and its much better for me, also you should apply for a blue badge for the carparking. Don't give up, keep pushing and fighting and in the end they will listen to you.

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hi my husband has suffered fromfibromyalgia now for 14 years and hes only 34. he has severe pain depression and feels useless.he has just finished a course of 5 weeks of "pain management". the pain he is in is affecting us all as he can be stroppy and short tempered, although we all understand. doctors really dont know enough about this illness and i really wish there was more understanding about it. he has been seeing someone as he is suicidal and its very hard watching and trying to keep his spirits up. this illness is hard on the patient and on the family of the patient.

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I think i might have fibromyalgia and have been going to the doctor for about a year but i get the impression he thinks i'm making my simptoms up.i get painful areas all the time , i have memory loss, tiredness ,weight gain ,painfull periods infact i have nearly all the symptoms but only have pain at a few of the pressure points.I was also diagnosed with a hearing problem 8 weeks ago they are not sure what so have to see a ENT spesialist tomorrow but they did say they think it could be to do with the nerves behind my ear thats why my ears hear the slightest background noise and in turn i cant hear what i'm trying to listen to.does anyone have any advice to give me.thanks justina

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i found out just before xmas i had fibromyalgia i am in terrible pain all the time tired all the time also my memory is really bad feel really stupid as i used to have a good memory, im not sure about other people but i feel very unwell all the time, does anyone know is there anything thats helps i would love to know, i get very down as nothing helps me ? my spelling is not so good as i have also had 2 strokes and now this.

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Its a nightmare this illness at times! Ive only just been diagnosed myself, though already had depression, ME or CFS and irritable bowel syndrome aswell as going through the menopause! Then I was told I had this on top and its incurable! Ive been reading up on it quite a bit and see there are some sites that offer different treatments and there are claims that it can be got rid of. I need to read up some more to see how authentic these are. Has anyone else heard anything similar?

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Hello, all, and Frances especially. I am a 54 year old lady, and have had fms for 14 years. I struggle from one job to the next, presently doing community care, light duties. I have tried many times to get benefits, but doctor ignores me. Lady doctors are a bit more sympathetic. My memory is really bad and is making me unpopular due to my age ??!! Fatigue is terrible. Lately when I.m not working, I lay on the settee, as my eyes just want me to sleep. I can.t understand why no one with this condition has committed suicide yet !! or have they, maybe in AMERICA. There is so little help and understanding. It leaves us with fms drained and bewildered as to why we have it, why no one believes we have it, not even our families sometimes, nor doctors etc. I am getting desperate, as I want to carry on being a lolly pop lady, which I can manage, but I need it topped up with money to get by. Instead of trying to do more work, that I can.t manage. How can one be cheerful at work, when one feels so ghastly. I dont know anymore, I just want out of the misery. Christine

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just back from my gp. finaly got a possible name for my condition. for the past year or two it's been cronic pain syndrome, but i still have tests to go for a conformation. I've been going out of my head with this pain and was thinking i was a hypercondriak. no one seems to understand how it feels being like this even my wife but being 37yrs old and previously fit it very embarrasing not to do anything with my kid & opening jars and such. i've turned into a recluce aswell wich is a shame for my wife. so it would be great to get a proper name for my lack of health.

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Hi there it was so lovely to know that im not loosing my mind... i did suffer from depression for many years but on the right meds i was getting my life back and had a job lined up when i started feeling really ill.. im in constant pain and really tired all the time.. im finding it hard to take on board simply because the doc wont commit to saying if its fibromylagia or M E. i have now had help with Aids being fitted through out my house.. i have got a form there for claiming benefit but scared to fill it in incase no one believes me, also i feel im not getting any support from my gp, she has only posted me out leaflets on fibromyaliga.... anybody help me with some advice xx

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this is information for Jacqueline. You can get benefits and disability living allowance if you are suffering with fibromyalgia. I get d.l.a because i suffer from it too,i get high mobility and low rate care. IM a 55 yr old lady and have been a sufferer foe 4 yrs. Extream pain,no energy,well over weight, and sleeps for britain. You must go back to see your gp and explain that you are not able to work with this condtion and after 26 wks you are entitled to claim for d.l.a Contact you nearest dhss and ask for help or your local c.a.b. Dont give up girl you have your rights. Somebody must beable to help you. good luck fran

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There needs to be more awarness of Fibromyalgia. Through this illness as well as the physical pain i suffer Depression. Where do i go for financial support? as social benefits are refused in quite a few cases due to lack of knowledge to this illness in the meantime we sufferers are made to suffer more. I see a counsellor once a month to talk about how my illness is affecting me and that is the only support i get. I go to my Drs to get painkillers and thats it. In my own experience with the illness it is disabiling but not recognised enough to claim recognised disability entitlement.

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hi i am 52 years old and suffer with fibromyalgia every day is a stuggle constant headaches only sleeping for about 2 to 3 hours a night numbness when i wake up in my hands and feet my memory is not so good as it used to be i never go out on my own because of the dizzyness that is with me all the time somtimes people do not believe you when you say your not well todaday i went out and brought a memory foam pillow i hope it will help my husband is fantastic he does a lot for me i cannot carry shopping i cannot do much at all i try not to let it get me down

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I have had fibromyalgia since 1997 and wasnt told till I went to see my gp recently I thought it was connected with the osteoarthritis that I have so I was shocked at first then after thinking about it and looking it up on the net I was relieved to know that it wasnt connected.

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