Women Living with Fibromyalgia

The author highlights the experiences of twenty women to shed light on thisommon and often untreated chronic pain syndrome, which has no known cause orure. Simultaneous.

Foreword

ix

Devin J. Starlanyl

Introduction

1

(1)

A New Kind of Life

2

(3)

Share Your Story

5

(1)

What Is Fibromyalgia?

6

(14)

How Does It Feel?

6

(1)

Diagnosis

7

(1)

Other Symptoms

7

(2)

What Causes FM?

9

(1)

What Is FM Like? Some Perspectives

10

(10)

A Community of Women

20

(16)

The Women

21

(11)

The Survey

32

(4)

The Relief of a Diagnosis

36

(21)

Reaching a Diagnosis

36

(11)

The Relief of a Diagnosis

47

(4)

What to Do after Your Diagnosis

51

(6)

The Unique Concerns of Women with FM

57

(19)

Why More Women?

57

(7)

Menstruation, Menopause, and FM

64

(2)

Sexual Relationships

66

(1)

Sexual Intimacy and Pain

67

(3)

Thyroid Problems

70

(1)

Hormone Replacement Therapy

71

(3)

Gaining New Perspectives

74

(2)

Taking Care of Ourselves: Treatment Options for Fibromyalgia

76

(27)

Self-Care Starts with Ourselves

77

(2)

Exercise

79

(7)

Movement Therapies: Somatics and Feldenkrais

86

(5)

Medications

91

(4)

Complementary Treatments

95

(8)

Our Mental and Emotional Health

103

(27)

Depression

104

(4)

Low Self-Esteem

108

(3)

Stress

111

(3)

Anger and Resentment

114

(5)

Grief and Loss

119

(3)

Abuse and Trauma

122

(8)

Everyday Solutions and Things That Really Work

130

(23)

Getting Enough Rest

131

(2)

Setting Limits

133

(2)

Adjusting at Home and at Work

135

(3)

Planning Your Day, Your Week, Your Life

138

(1)

Creative Responses to Living with the Symptoms

139

(4)

Diet

143

(4)

Diversions

147

(2)

Summary: Helpful Hints for Living with FM

149

(4)

Dealing with the People Closest to Us

153

(23)

Seeking Understanding and Acceptance

154

(1)

Hearing from Family Members of FM Patients

155

(4)

Spouses and Partners

159

(2)

Family

161

(5)

Reaching Acceptance

166

(2)

Friends

168

(3)

Dating

171

(2)

A Support Network

173

(3)

Dealing with Doctors and Other Health-Care Providers

176

(16)

Finding a Doctor

177

(2)

Be Informed: Preparing for Your Doctor Appointment

179

(4)

Financial Concerns: Is It Worth Paying Out-of-Pocket?

183

(1)

Expectations in Care

184

(4)

Establishing Trust

188

(1)

You and Your Physician: A Partnership

189

(3)

Dealing with the Rest of the World

192

(17)

Societal Expectations

192

(3)

Adapting at Work

195

(3)

Facing the Loss of Your Work

198

(8)

Letting Go of Guilt and Pressure

206

(3)

Money Matters: Paying the Bills and Getting the Benefits We're Entitled To

209

(16)

Meeting Basic Needs

210

(3)

Applying for Social Security Benefits

213

(9)

Private Insurance

222

(3)

What's New? What's Coming?

225

(29)

A Pharmacological Approach

225

(9)

Taking Part in a Study

234

(3)

Ongoing Research

237

(3)

A Look at More FM Studies

240

(5)

A Naturopathic Approach: Treatment with Enzymes

245

(4)

Energy Therapy

249

(5)

Life Goes On

254

(21)

Beyond Fibromyalgia

254

(2)

What Keeps Us Going?

256

(5)

Goals

261

(2)

Spiritual Change

263

(4)

Other Ways We've Changed

267

(4)

In Closing

271

(4)

Resources

275

(7)

Fibromyalgia Organizations

275

(1)

Other Useful Organizations

276

(2)

Websites

278

(1)

Newsletters

278

(1)

Practitioners and Products

279

(1)

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Women Living with Fibromyalgia

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials