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Living with Fibromyalgia: Lisa’s Story

© Mary M. Alward

Let's look at the scenario of one woman's life. A woman, Lisa, who is twenty-five years old and has just given birth to her second child. She is tired from the time she steps out of bed in the morning. She wonders what is wrong. She has no energy, her muscles ache, she's experiencing hair loss and often, she's in excruciating pain. She has trouble sleeping, concentrating and has terrible headaches.

Eventually Lisa will find out she has Fibromyalgia, but for now, she is scared to death. In the beginning, her doctor blames her symptoms on the flu. When they persist, he sends her for blood work. The tests come back negative. Then, he explains, the pregnancy may have robbed her of her energy. The symptoms will pass. She needs lots of rest. (A bit unrealistic when she has a baby and a toddler to care for.)

Months pass. Lisa is no better. In fact, the pain seems to be more frequent and getting worse. She hasn't had a decent night's sleep in weeks. The hair loss continues. Some days, just putting one foot in front of the other is a feat in itself. She feels weak and exhausted every minute of every day. She has memory loss and feels like she's living in a fog.

Then, Lisa gets lucky. Her baby is over a year old and it's time for a physical. Her GYN has retired and her doctor makes her an appointment with a new GYN in town - a woman.

While the physician is examining her, she asks Lisa how things have been going since her baby was born. Lisa bursts into tears. She sobs out her story. The GYN listens with compassion and understanding. She says nothing until Lisa has finished.

"Have you ever been tested for Fibromyalgia?" she asks.

"Fibro - what?"

"Fibromyalgia."

"No," Lisa sniffles. "What is it?"

The GYN tells Lisa that Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a muscular condition that causes pain in multiple joints where the tendons and muscles meet. She explains that people suffering from the disorder experience pain that most people feel as pressure. The reason: A central nervous system glitch that sends a message of pain to the brain.

The American College of Rheumatology estimates that 2% of the population of the United States suffer from FMS. This is approximately three to six million people. Most of them are women. They are seven times more likely to develop FMS than men. Though rare, children can also experience FMS.

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