Previous Stories Fibromyalgia Many of these people have endured the pain and the skeptism of doctors and loved ones for years. But some patients kept digging for answers to their unexplained pain. And the answer for a growing number of patients is a once-obscure condition known as Fibromyalgia. Cathy West/Fibromyalgia patient - "I for years had suffered in pain. My muscles ached. Walking, stiffness, getting up out of a chair is very difficult for me." Cathy West has complained of pain since childhood. Even sitting in a chair hurts, requiring her to carry pillows wherever she goes. But it wasn't until nine years ago that she learned she was a victim of Fibromyalgia. Cathy West/Fibromyalgia patient - "I went fibro-what? I couldn't even pronounce the word back then." Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "It's a syndrome, a collection of symptoms and signs of diffuse aching in the musculo-skeletal system and the muscles of the neck, shoulders, back and legs." The diagnosis has been around for more than 90-years. But recently, there has been an explosion in the number of people diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, about 80-percent of them women. it's believed up to 4-percent of the US population is affected. Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "There are many disease that may mimic Fibromyalgia." Doctors must first rule-out other explanations for the pain, such as arthritis, muscle disease, infectious illness, or even tuberculosis. Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "There is no blood test or x-ray or imaging study that will allow you to make the diagnosis." There are 18-trigger points in the body that can be tested, to determine if they are especially sensitive to pain. Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "It's hard to understand the condition and it's difficult to believe that a patient who looks so well can actually be sick." Because the pain cannot be explained by a lab test or obvious injury, patients can suffer for years and many of them end up here, on a therapist's couch. Cathy West/Fibromyalgia patient - "They sent me to a psychiatrist. I felt is it really in my head? That's the way I felt. Am I crazy?" Dr. Rosenbaum//Beaumont Rheumatologist - "There's a great deal of hope now." One theory is that patients with Fibromyalgia do not reach all the normal stages of sleep. Treatment with anti-depressant drugs seems to help. Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "The drugs improve the duration and the quality of the sleep. they feel much more refreshed as a result of that and their pain tends to be diminished." Cathy West/Fibromyalgia patient - "It's been a long road but I've finally been able to come down. And I do have some medication that I do take." Dr. Rosenbaum/Beaumont Rheumatologist - "All patients aren't the same. All patients don't respond to the same medications. So one has to keep an open mind about treating these people." Cathy West - "If the doctor's not willing to listen to you, then you need to find another doctor. I just kept looking until I could find somebody, a doctor, who was compassionate enough to know what i was going through." Doctors who specialize in Fibromyalgia cases are swamped with new patients.. as word of this puzzling diagnosis spreads. If you're looking for a physician referral or a local support group, you can call the national arthritis foundation at 1-800-968-3030. Also, the Michigan Self-help Clearing House can refer you to a support group at 1-800-777-5556. there are treatments that can ease the pain of Fibromyalgia even though the disease remains a mystery. Home | Upcoming Stories | Previous Stories |Survey | About Healthy Living | E-Mail

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