I've had fibromyalgia for six years

There are now well-recognised guidelines for the firm diagnosis of fibromyalgia and most local rheumatology clinics diagnose and advise a...



I've had fibromyalgia for last six years.

At first it gave me pains in my elbows and hips when I pressed them, but now it's also painful in my fingers and pelvic area and my legs ache.

Do you believe in fibromyalgia?

My GP doesn't, but this is what a private consultant diagnosed in me.

How did I get it, and will it ever go away?

I have joined a gym, first with a back care group and more recently I've started to go by myself. This seems to help, but sometimes I get really exhausted, so exhausted in fact I can't sleep.


I get very bad pain at the bottom of my spine, can't bear to lie on my back and find any pressure on it unbearable.

Please help, I can't find any other source of support and am getting desperate.

Thank you so much.


Fibromyalgia syndrome, or FMS as it is sometimes called, is classified by doctors as a long-standing, or chronic, condition of the muscles and joints.

It affects mainly the soft-tissues of the body causing widespread pain (which can be quite severe), problems with sleeping and various other distressing symptoms.


It affects mainly women aged between 25 and 50 but can affect anyone of any age.

The cause is as yet obscure, although there are a group of sufferers and doctors in the United States who feel that fibromyalgia may be a condition affecting nerves rather than joints, which is why burning and tingling sensations are so often a picture of this unpleasant illness.

One of the biggest problems for people suffering from fibromyalgia is that it can get misdiagnosed as myalgic encephalitis (ME) or chronic fatigue syndrome as doctors tend to refer to it.

The two conditions do have some overlapping symptoms, but the mainstay of a fibromyalgia diagnosis is that out of a total of 18 known tender spots on the body, at least 11 will be affected in any one sufferer.

The diagnosis 'fibromyalgia' has been given to a variety of symptoms in the past and this has left many doctors unsure as to whether the problem exists or not.

There are now well-recognised guidelines for the firm diagnosis of fibromyalgia and most local rheumatology clinics diagnose and advise treatment for it.

It's great to hear that you have joined a gym as this is a very positive step to take.

Exercise has been shown to be beneficial over a period of time.

Losing a little weight would certainly help your joints generally, so why don't you also have a look at our pages on health and diet for some helpful tips?

The sleep problem that you describe is an integral part of the syndrome and can be hardest side of it to deal with at times.

Take a book to bed with you so that you have something to do with your mind in the middle of the night, otherwise the aches and pains can be overwhelming, as you must know.

Try to avoid sleeping tablets as they can suppress whatever natural sleep pattern the body still has.

Sleeping tablets will only give four to six hours sleep a night at their best; herbal tablets may be a better option combined with soothing measures such as a hop pillow, or a few drops of a restful essential oil, such as lavender.

Complementary therapies such as acupuncture or aromatherapy or reflexology might also help as conventional treatment is limited in regards to pain relief.

Yours sincerely

The NetDoctor Medical Team

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