Of course, there are many doctors out there who are helpful, kind and respectful of their patients with chronic illnesses. But when you have a condition that can’t be easily ‘figured out’ or treated, some doctors don’t handle the situation with the most grace or sensitivity. While some doctors may believe they are giving helpful advice, they may not realize they’re not truly addressing their patient’s concerns, or how much a “harmless” comment (from their point of view) about something like the patient’s weight, age or mental health can be hurtful.…
Read MoreAn open letter to my loved ones need to know about life with fibromyalgia.
An open letter to my loved ones need to know about life with fibromyalgia. This letter is pretty spot on……….As I read I wanted to scream that no way this is me! I thought, well ya, this is me, and I have all this stuff but so what. I have lived with it all my life. I’m fine! Then tears began to roll down as I reached the end of the letter. I said to myself… “It is me! FU%^&!!” And all this time and all those 10 years of…
Read MoreLife with fibromyalgia is hell, I sleep for 15 hours-a-day & am covered in rashes – I’m told I’m too pretty to be ill
SLEEPING up to 15 hours-a-day, feeling too exhausted to eat and covered in painful rashes, fibromyalgia has left Emma Gregory feeling like an “old woman” at just 31 years old. The former personal trainer, from Merseyside, now faces an added battle with people who don’t believe she’s ill, because she’s “too pretty” to be sick. Fibromyalgia has left Emma Gregory feeling like an “old woman” at just 31 years old.Credit: supplied Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition which causes pain all over the body. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, problems with sleep…
Read MoreLyrica side effects: Common,MiLd, and serious – How to manage them
Lyrica (pregabalin) is a prescription drug used to treat the following conditions in adults: nerve pain from a spinal cord injury nerve pain after shingles fibromyalgia focal onset seizures, also known as partial onset seizures (for this use, it’s taken in combination with other seizure medications) diabetic nerve pain Lyrica is also prescribed to treat focal onset seizures in children ages 1 month and older, along with other epilepsy medications. Lyrica belongs to a drug class called antiepileptics. Lyrica is not an opioid, but it is a controlled substance. (See the FAQ titled “Are there…
Read MoreHow to Get Better Sleep When You Have Fibromyalgia
A bad night’s sleep can leave anyone feeling drained and cranky. But when you have fibromyalgia, the impact can be much worse. Fibromyalgia can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to intensified pain. “Sleep problems are often interconnected with chronic pain, which means poor sleep can exacerbate fatigue and increase pain sensitivity,” says Shailendra Singh, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist at Unity Health in Searcy, Arkansas, and past president of the Arkansas Rheumatology Association. This recurring sleep-pain cycle can upend your daily life, interfering with tasks at home, work obligations, relationships, and even your…
Read More6 Tips to Ease the Impact of Fibromyalgia Fatigue and Feel More Energized
Chronic, widespread pain is often the hallmark symptom of fibromyalgia, but many people also cite relentless fatigue as another challenging aspect of the condition. In fact, research suggests more than 80 percent of people with fibromyalgia deal with fatigue. It’s important for fibromyalgia fatigue to be acknowledged for what it is: a very real and disruptive symptom that can be difficult to pinpoint and treat. “Even after having a good night’s sleep, you wake up feeling unrefreshed,” says Gerard Limerick, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Johns…
Read MoreFibromyalgia Symptoms: How Do I Get My Doctor to Believe Me?
Fibromyalgia Symptoms: How Do I Get My Doctor to Believe Me? Lynne Matallana (she/her) still remembers the day she walked out of her doctor’s office. She had been experiencing bouts of pain and fatigue, and was seeking help for her symptoms. Her provider, though, was convinced they were all in her head. When the doctor left the room, Matallana peeked at her chart — only to read, “major depression” and “imagining pain.” She asked the doctor to change it, and when he refused, she got up and left the room.…
Read MoreLiving With Fibromyalgia Pain: Dos and Don’ts
If you’re one of the millions of adults in the United States living with fibromyalgia, you know that symptoms like pain and fatigue can make it difficult to function. This is especially true during a fibromyalgia flare-up. Fibromyalgia is defined by lasting pain throughout your body, which is often accompanied by tenderness in your muscles, joints, and other soft tissues. It’s difficult to come up with one-size-fits-all advice for dealing with fibromyalgia symptoms, since the condition affects everyone differently. “Some people may be working 80 hours a week, while other people…
Read MoreReal-World Analysis of Opioid Use in Patients With Fibromyalgia Presented at ASCP 2026
Real-World Analysis of Opioid Use in Patients With Fibromyalgia Presented at ASCP 2026 Key Takeaways Retrospective analysis of Symphony Health closed claims required 3-year continuous coverage and identified 261,776 fibromyalgia patients in 2023–2024, predominantly female, mean age 52.3 years. Opioid exposure remained high across payers, affecting 40.2% of commercial/Medicare Advantage and 38.8% of Medicaid patients with fibromyalgia during the observation period. A new real-world claims analysis of opioid use in patients with fibromyalgia was presented by Tonix Pharmaceuticals at this year’s meeting of the American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology.1 Data showed…
Read MoreI want to live my life’: Fibromyalgia sufferers being failed by NHS
I want to live my life’: Fibromyalgia sufferers being failed by NHS People suffering from the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia are being failed by the NHS, according to new research which found patients were waiting years for diagnosis, undergoing unnecessary tests and being prescribed harmful drugs. ‘I want to live my life’: Fibromyalgia sufferers being failed by NHS 28 November 2025 Share Save Add as preferred on Google Fiona StalkerBBC Scotland, Aberdeen BBC Adele Williams describes her condition as a “daily struggle” People suffering from the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia…
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