10 Myths about Fibromyalgia

One of the most common myths abouth Fibromyalgia is that it's an escape clause for people who who don't feel like working or who are emotionally disturbed that they imagine that they're sick. The "Lazy or Crazy" myth is even belived by a few doctors, although most physicians know that it isn't true.

Studies indicate that people with Fibromyalgia are as active as people who don't have the condition, except when they're in the middle of a major flare-up of pain and fatigue. It only makes sense: When you feel really sick, you can't work as well as usual, or maybe you can't work at all. A truly "lazy" person is physically fit, but he or she prefers to do nothing.

Nor do people with Fibromyalgia delusional about their symptoms. What they feel is real, and not a figment of the imagination. Many people with Fibromyalgia do suffer from depression, anxiety and stress. But one of these problems makes them develop Fibromyalgia.

Another myth that drives people wth fibromyalgia wild is that they're "just trying to get attention." Patients with FMS agree that they'd rather be in solitary confinement than to suffer a servere flare-up of fibromyalgia.

Their suffering is no way an attempt to get center stage with their friends and relatives.

Because people with Fibromyalgia need painkilling medications at least some of the time, some people may assume that people with FMS are really "druggies" who are seeking an excuse to take strong painkillers or narcotics.

Although some painkilling drugs can be habit forming and need close monitoring by physicians, people who take drugs for pain rather than to get high have a lowered risk of becoming addicited.

Charlotte was always dressed well, and her general demeanor gave no indication of any pain that she suffered from fibromyalgia. If you were to look really closely, though, you may you sometimes see an almost imperceptible tightness around the mouth and eyes. You may also notice Charlotte didn't smile a lot and rarely laughed. People thought that Charlotte was a distant kind of person, but reality was that she suffered from FMS. When people told her how well she looked, she always thought, "If they only knew!"

Some Illnesses aren't readily apparent from the "outside" and fibromyalgia is one of them; along with diabetes, hypertension (or high blood pressure) and arthritis. Most people who have such a medical problems may be told that they look wonderful, even when they don't go to great lengths to hide their illness, like Charlotte. Telling someone that you feel awful only to hear in response, " But you look so great!" can be truly maddening. Remember (and tell your friends): Looking wonderful may be the same as feeling wonderful But when you have fibromyalgia, that often isn't the case.

All pain is not created equal. If your cousin has pain from arthritis or a bad back, she/he may think that their pain is abou the same as your pain from fibromyalgia. (or they may think their pain is worse!) But studies indicate that the pain from fibromyalgia can be more intense than other forms of muscle or joint pain including rheumatoid arthritis, and it often lasts longer as well.

Fibromyalgia is a frustrating kind of disease because it can be so unpredictable. Today, you feel lousy; tomorrow, you feel worse; the next day, you feel okay or even close to normal. When you tell people that you're having a good day, many will assume that you're "all better." People often have a hard time grasping a medical problem that has a lot of ups and downs to it. But that's the nature of the illness.

When your symptons from FMS are really bothering you, a lot of people will tell you that you're working too hard, that you need to ease off. They may advise you that a week on a cruise or a nice holiday to a pleasent place will fix you right up.

In fact, you may be working too hard right now, and stress certainly can exacerbate fibromyalgia. Maybe some rest and relaxation would make you fell much better. But when you have fibromyalgia a holiday can't cure you. You could win the lottery and retire tomorrow, and you'd still have periodic flare-ups of the problem.

Some people become annoyed when you tell them about your pain and advise you to "take a pill".

Many people are very drug oriented in our society. This can be a good in that people are willing to take medications that can help them, and a great many medications are available to treat fibromyalgia.

But assuming that swallowing a few pills will completely resolve your problem is not good. Medications genrally are short-term fixes for the long-term problem of fibromyalgia

Your partner or your friends may tell you that you're dwelling on your symptoms too much. Distract yourself, think about something else, and you'll feel better.

To a certain extent, if you're able to distarct yourself with intersting work or family tasks, you may be able to ignore some of the pain. But most of it will still be there, whether you try to ignore it or not.

Some people think that the answer to any long-term problem is therapy, and that a good therapist can help you work through all your problems. Although a therapist can certainly help you if you have problems with anxiety, depression or stress, that therapist can't cure your Fibromyalgia.