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Yes, it is what the link says. The so-called "imaginary" pain of the so-called "non-illness" fibromyalgia, which has plagued my life since the mid 1980s, and fellow toad Sherry's life for probably a similar length of time, is real. And "take two aspirin, then call me in the morning" is not the cure. Unfortunately, there is no cure so far, and may not be one in my lifetime or Sherry's.
However, we are vindicated. I lost a long-term job because I had fibromyalgia and it didn't go away. I won the arbitration hearing, but the stress of having a mortgage and no income, plus the stress of going to arbitration, caused another disease, and the medication for that disease caused several more health problems.
Sound like a good time was had by all? Not at all. Nobody had a good time. Not I, not my previous husband who left me because I wasn't any fun any more (good riddance), not my parents who moved in to take care of me when I was desperately sick with the second illness, not my family who saw me break one of the vertebrae in my back because the medication prescribed for that second illness caused me to have osteoporosis at 40-something.
Yep, not a party.
Nevertheless, it's nice to know someone believes we weren't making it up. Okay, it was nice, during my arbitration hearing, to have the doctor hired by my late employer tell the judge that my job caused the fibromyalgia, but this is nicer. Now doctors everywhere will know that FM is real, and they just might stop dismissing their patients with a superior sniff.
Then again, they might not.
10 comments:
Funny how it isn't really recognized as a disease when it hurts so much. I think like many illnesses, inflammation makes fibromyalgia much worse. I'm glad you found a wonderful husband to support you at this time in your life. Hugs.xx p.s. I've been watching the devastation in Calgary, Canmore and other places. I'm saying a prayer for Medicine Hat.
It takes an average of 15 - FIFTEEN!! - years for doctors to catch up with developments in the medical world. If you're unfortunate enough to have one who is a 'pass level' doctor as well then you will have a tough time of it. (Brother-in-law, currently dying, has suffered at the hands of a doctor who seems not to have taken b-i-l's complaints seriously enough to refer him early enough)
Do you have access to a pain relief clinic? No-one should have to suffer constant pain. I am so sorry for your predicament.
I'm so sad for you! It's no comfort, I know, but when I got into a depression, my employer wasn't any better help.
I am happy to have met you. You have time to blog and that has been a joy to me. I adore our Blog buddy relationship. There is good in you fighting for your rights and your health. It is good to read that they recognize it. We know so little about health issues, truly. Fight on, woman, keep on with your blogging.
Hari OM
I feel your relief and understand your scepticism. As a lifelong sufferer of auto-immune and other issues, getting folk to take one seriously is almost a greater pain. I have come to the conclusion that those who are researching and treating pain for the most part have never suffered more than a papercut or broken toe and therefore cannot relate at all to the deeper, penetrating "ughness" of those they claim to be helping.
This is not helped by the fact that no two people feel pain the same way, adding fuel to the fire of those who would claim it's all imaginary. Sigh.
So I agree - even when one has a medically accepted disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, there are sceptics out there regarding the pain. We just have to keep checking in with ourselves and be honest - "CAN I manage that today, or can I not?" Hold your power, dear Kay and I second JAJ's words "keep blogging!" Hugs, YAM xx
Frick. I clicked close instead of publish. Will start over. I hear you, kiddo, as you know. I lost my trailer and my life in Tofino from fighting insurance companies whose bottom line is "decline all claims, most people will give up and go away." I refused to go away, since I had signed the huge momnthly cheque we sent them every month. The insurance companies paid huge bucks (six grand per visit) to doctors who wrote reports saying there was nothing wrong with me. I finally found a specialist who knew what he was dealing with and took them on in no uncertain terms. I "won" a pittance, but having to fight when so ill is no fun. Neither is chronic pain and illness. But thank Goddess we have our sense of humor and a good robust cackle!
I have Fibromyalgia. Thankfully, I found a Rhemutologist that helped me. It took a lot of work to get to this man, but I'm so glad I found him.
I'm taking meds for it, which is helping but it doesn't make it go away, but I'm managing.
I have fibromyalgia. The pain is generally fairly low grade (around a 2 or 3 on the pain scale) but it is all over my body and constant. I work in a place that has a therapy pool, and if I can work out in said pool for 60-90 minutes four days a week, it helps considerably.
However, I also have bipolar disorder.
I had a triggering event happen and went into a mixed state. I work nights, so my sleep schedule is weird anyway, but it's been impossible for me to sleep when I should lately. I end up falling asleep towards the time when I should be getting up to go in for my workout.
Thus, I'm not working out, which is making me sore, and making the depression worse.
Hopefully, I'll be able to get back on track over the three days off that I have coming.
Of course nobody except my son realizes that my distress is very real. My mother thinks I'm just lazy.
Aren't invisible illnesses fun?
Take care..
I am so glad you are vindicated. And so sorry that you had to suffer so much along the way.
not sure why Canadian doctors didnt know about this or that it is very real .. here there are commercials for medication to help ease the pain .. Lyrica is the one we've heard most about ... there's another i cant recall the name of, i guess their advert isnt as memorable
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