How to deal with people who think fibromyalgia is not a disease

How to deal with those who think Fibromyalgia is not a disease

There are still many people and even doctors who still think Fibromyalgia is a “throw away” diagnosis. They don't believe it is real. They think it is a diagnosis used for a condition that can't be diagnosed. A “catch all” for someone who doesn't have anything “concrete” wrong with them.

They are wrong...Fibromyalgia has been researched and scientists have found a few “reasons” for Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a disease that causes fatigue, pain and depression. It is thought to be caused from drama to the body or mind. It is most prevalent in women. And, it even qualifies for disability.

Trigger point test: Positive equals Fibromyalgia:

There is a test to determine if someone has Fibromyalgia. It is called a “trigger point” test. There are about 24 points on the body of someone with Fibromyalgia. When pressed down on, these trigger points go into spasm and cause increased pain on the point and radiating away from that point. If a person has 11 trigger points that cause spasm and pain when pushed on, he is positive for Fibromyalgia.

I do agree that there are thousands of people who fake having Fibromyalgia just so they don't have to work, but that is also true of other disorders, usually pain disorders. There will always be those out there that think they have everything wrong with them. That doesn't mean that Fibromyalgia doesn't exist.

So if you come upon one of these Fibromyalgia non-believers, how do you deal with them when they tell you something like “you don't look sick” or “it's all in your head, if you would just get up off that bed for awhile, maybe you would start to feel better” ? Here are some tips to help you deal with people who don't believe in Fibromyalgia:

Be cordial:

No matter how they spew their negativity to you, be cordial. Be polite, be nice and even smile. It won't do you any good in the long run if you start right off in an argument “heaven forbid!”. Answer questions without an attitude even if they have an attitude. Be the better man...or woman! This will get you farther than anything else.

Ask if they understand Fibromyalgia:

Some people have only heard a few negative things about Fibromyalgia from others. They don't really have any information. Ask them if they really know what Fibromyalgia is. If they really don't, remember to be cordial and let them know that there is a ton of information on the internet about Fibromyalgia. Just make sure you let him know to go to a legitimate site such a site with .org or .edu in it.

Try to explain Fibromyalgia to them:

If they have some extra time or you were planning on having a conversation anyway with this person, try to explain a little about Fibromyalgia. You may tell him that Fibromyalgia is very painful, makes you overly tired and makes it hard for you to think or concentrate. Tell him that just these 3 symptoms can put you back to bed most days and these are just a few of many symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Walk away:

If the Fibromyalgia non-believer starts raising his voice or becoming aggressive, just walk away. If it comes to this, then it's just not worth it. You may win, but you may also end up in the back of a police car or in jail. I have actually had to do this.

I was shaking, I was so mad. This disorder has changed my life so much for the worse, that I am very passionate about defending it. I have had to give up most of the fun in my life. I fight this horrible disease every day. Some days are worse than others, but the pain is always there. I have not had a pain free day since 1996. All the other symptoms have gotten worse over the years.

There will always be those who don't believe in Fibromyalgia and never will. Those of us who have lost their careers because of Fibromyalgia symptoms and live with this tiring, painful disease, know how real this disorder really is.

If it is your doctor who doesn't believe in Fibromyalgia, don't waste another minute of your time. Find another doctor, preferably a Rheumatologist or a Pain Specialist, for treatment of your Fibromyalgia. There are sill a few doctors out there who don't believe in Fibromyalgia and therefore will not provide the proper treatment for you, but keep looking because there are also really good doctors out there who will help you.

Have any of you been confronted by someone who doesn't believe you have Fibromyalgia? If so, how did you handle it?