Help is on hand to combat prolems of chronic illness Fibromyalgia (From Thurrock Gazette)

Help is on hand to combat prolems of chronic illness Fibromyalgia

4:17pm Sunday 4th May 2008

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A THURROCK-based help group will be playing its part in raising the profile of a chronic condition.

Fibromyalgia is an illness that leaves sufferers with widespread pain and chronic fatigue but it is a condition that gets little publicity.

It is partly because of the lack of publicity and because sufferers can be ridiculed by those who don't understand the illness that a Fibromyalgia Support Group has been set up setup to provide information and support for anyone affected by Fibromyalgia.

FMSupport is based in Stanford-le-Hope, from where organiser Steve Westrop is now spreading the message across the whole of South Essex.

He said: "Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired' is how some sufferers summarise how they feel.

"The 'everything hurts' syndrome is a common nickname for this chronic condition of, which many people suffer with for years without a diagnosis, often thought of as lazy or malingering, probably told frequently to pull themselves together, or that it's all in their head, while they feel completely drained of all energy, as if someone pulled the plug.

"In spite of this they struggle on, their home and social life suffering as the effort to continue working is so great, it is all they can do to climb up to bed when they get home.

"They long to wake in the morning feeling as though they have slept, and with enough energy to get out of bed - let alone through the day - without really knowing what is wrong or how long it may last.

"They are so relieved when their symptoms of aches and pains, fatigue, irritable bowel, lack of concentration, sensitivity and disturbed sleep are all put down to one condition - fibromyalgia.

"The relief is often short-lived though as more often than not they are discharged by their Consultant quicker than they were diagnosed, and left to get on with it.

"There is no cure for fibromyalgia, though there are treatments for some of the various symptoms, with varying levels of success.

"Despite being a common illness - as common as rheumatoid arthritis - there are no fibromyalgia departments, and very few fibromyalgia specialists.

"Most people have to go from one department to another for treatment for each part of their condition, with each specialist ignoring the symptoms outside his/her remit."

Working closely with the national fibromyalgia charity, FMAUK, and the local Primary Care Trusts, FMSupport will be holding regular meetings as well as operating a local helpline which has already received many calls not just from fibromyalgia sufferers but also from family, friends and medical professionals wanting to know how best to support someone with fibromyalgia.

Monday, May 12 is International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day and will be marked by a coffee morning in Westminster for MPs and fibromyalgia sufferers and supporters.

FMSupport will be holding their own coffee morning on Wednesday, May 14 from 10am until 12noon at Stanford-le-Hope Methodist Church in the town's High Street.

Further details of the coffee morning, fibromyalgia, and other local activities are available on the FMSupport website at http://www.fmsupport.org.uk. Anyone affected by fibromyalgia, whether they suffer with it themselves, or care for someone who does, is welcome to contact the FMSupport helpline, available on 0844 443 7189 at the following times: Monday 9am-11am; Tuesday 1pm-3pm; Wednesday 1pm-3pm; Thursday 7pm-9pm.

You can also write to FM Support at FMSupport, PO Box 1942, Stanford-le-Hope, SS17 0WU.

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