Fibromyalgia Awareness Day Is This Saturday

What Are You Doing for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day?

Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA), Fibromyalgia Awareness Day (Saturday, May 12th) is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness of this complex chronic pain disorder.   Fibromyalgia (FM) affects an estimated 10 million people in the US, 75-90 percent of whom are women—but it can also occur in men and children.

The 2012 theme for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day is “Make Fibromyalgia Visible.”  There are several ways you can help do this:

You can also take a moment to brush up on this often-misunderstood condition, which is characterized by pain or aching in the muscles (myalgia) and multiple points of tenderness (trigger points).  With more than 23,000 patients, the fibromyalgia community at PatientsLikeMe is a great place to gain knowledge.  Some of the most commonly reported symptoms in our community include muscle and joint pain, brain fog, pain in the lower back and balance problems.

Fibromyalgia Awareness - Symptoms Commonly Reported by PatientsLikeMe Members with Fibromyalgia

What are our members doing to cope?  Commonly reported treatments include selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs) such as Duloxetine (Cymbalta) and Venlafaxine (Effexor); analgesic and anti-convulsant medications such as Pregabalin (Lyrica) and Gabapentin (Neurontin); and muscle relaxants such as Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and Carisoprodol (Soma).  Click on each treatment name to see how patients evaluate the effectiveness, side effects, cost and more.

For more insight into living with the “constant, widespread pain” of fibromyalgia, check out this video made by a recently diagnosed patient. And if you’re a PatientsLikeMe member, don’t miss the forum tag Life with Fibromyalgia.

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5 thoughts on “Fibromyalgia Awareness Day Is This Saturday”

  1. I met an extremely ‘unfortunate’ FNP (family nurse practioner) on 5/22, while looking for new medical provider because I have moved (AND, because my doctor of 18 years cannot accept Medicare without an annual fee that is way out of my budget).
    This person, rather than listening, immediately went on “the attack” against my prescriptions, wanted to order x-rays, set up hip surgeries and like that – telling me that money “is not a medical professional’s concern” – and maybe that’s true…
    KEY PROBLEM:
    This was a person who “could not” OR “would not” listen and talked OVER me, rather than hear my background or history. This woman “felt” dangerous; has no (or little) interest in hearing a patient’s facts and history … we couldn’t get past ‘why’ I take what I’m taking to cope with the chronic pain of Fibro and Osteo-Arthritis, or even ask what I do to keep my muscles less stiff and more elastic …
    PLEASE CONSIDER Beware of unresponsive, aggressive females who think you fit in a box – because none of us does!

    Thanks for listening … I’m hoping I’ll find ‘the right fit’.
    Blessings,
    Jane E. Allyn
    EM: jallyn49@yahoo.com

  2. Barbara Kubacki

    That is so frustrating. I feel like that with alot of people in the medical community. They act like they no it all but never had fibro so how could they truly know?

  3. I went though 3 neurologist, before I finally got one that listened to me, and was concerned. You HAVE to keep searching for the “right fit”. It’s out there, but you have to do the leg work to find them. YOU are your own advocate, if you’re not comfortable with a physician, move on, there are more physicians out there 🙂

  4. Jennifer Rodriguez

    Although I never have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia I do suffer with pain on on a daily basis. I have three beautiful children than I try my best to cchide the pain from. My question is why should I have to? There are medications available now that allow me to almost function as Norma as possible. But somehow within the last year my medication has become sometimes impossible to locate at a pharmacy. At least difficult to find in the chainstore pharmacies. The only place that has copious amounts are independent pharmacies that contract with your insurance but somehow will fill all my seizure and cardiac meds, but not my pain meds. Sometimes asking for between 7$ and 10$ per pill. I wonder when these local pharmacies became the new drug dealer’s of today? Because most people on disability can’t afford. $1200 to $1800 for one months of pain medication! Something has to done, while the real chronic pain patients suffer! Thanks for giving me a platform to vent my frustration. If there was a petition to sign,please let me know!

  5. I was misdiagnosed earlier and finally after the third opinion I was diagnosed with FMS. The lack of awareness is the biggest issue as patients have to deal with indifference and are not taken seriously. Thanks for spreading the word!

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