A diagnosis of fibromyalgia carries a negative stigma in society because the symptoms are very vague and are not so clear-cut as other diseases/conditions. I have actually heard people say that there is no such thing as fibromyalgia, or that the symptoms are fake and they are all in the person's head. It is also widely believed that people who have fibromyalgia just want attention and/or medication.
Read More »Overcoming Fibromyalgia
At age 21, I experienced some bizarre symptoms that had me and several doctors puzzled. In 1988, they had not coined the medical catch phrase of "Fibromyalgia". They were starting to diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but seemed to be lost when droves of patients were coming forward with new, debilitating symptoms. My problems were mostly related to joint pain, swelling, and extreme fatigue. The doctor tested me for every known disease and condition that could possibly cause those symptoms in a young woman.
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