The Fibro Follies

I’m curious about something - this ongoing “is it or isn’t it?” debate over whether fibromyalgia is actually acknowledged and respected as a serious, “real” disease by the medical profession. I realize full well that it used to be thought of as psychosomatic, and I know full well that there are a few silly people (mostly older white men - I’m looking in the general direction of UNC at Chapel Hill, by the way, and you know who you are . . . ) who insist that it still is (then remind us condescendingly of the true definition of psychosomatic, as if that’s supposed to take away the sting of the insult).

But honestly - is it still that much of a problem that people are looking at the FDA’s approval of Lyrica as a treatment for fibro as a government validation long overdue that our suffering is real? (See article from TOPIX, here.)

Maybe I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate. The day I was diagnosed, there were pamphlets on FMS and CFIDS in my doctor’s waiting room. There’s no doubt he’s been amazing, from day one. Whatever I wanted to try - conservative treatments at first, then chiro, acupuncture, whatever - he was fully supportive. He gave me what I needed from a medical professional - full disclosure and information, and then helped me monitor the impact. And when I was finally ready for medication, he wrote the script without blinking an eye. Not that he was blase about it - far from it. He talked over the options with me, gave me the list of side effects, and helped me choose the right medication. But he never once during the last nine years made me feel I was making it up.

Like I said, maybe I’ve just been incredibly lucky. (Thinking now about sending the guy a fruit basket!)

So when I see articles like the above, and their recounted tales of patients who still get treated like hypochondriacs - let’s just say “the mind boggles.”

Really? I think. Really?! Damn!

OK, so I am fortunate. I want to hear from the rest of you, though - are you still experiencing this sort of silliness in your medical professionals? And if so, and you’re still seeing a doctor like this, what would it take to make you go somewhere else where you’d be taken seriously?

You absolutely have the right to be taken seriously by your medical team. You have the right to good care, full disclosure, and a professional who listens and answers your questions without belittling or insulting you.

And it boggles my mind that this still needs to be said.

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