Yu Winifred - The Everything Health Guide to Fibromyalgia : Professional Advice to Help You Make It Through the Day

THE EVERYTHING HEALTH GUIDE TO FIBROMYALGIA

Professional advice to help you make it through the day

Winnie Yu and Michael McNett, M.D.,

Director, Fibromyalgia Treatment

Centers of America

Copyright 2006, F+W Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything Series Book.

Everything and everything.com are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322 U.S.A.

www.adamsmedia.com

ISBN 10: 1-59337-586-7

ISBN 13: 978-1-59337-586-7 (paperback)

ISBN 13: 978-1-60550-334-9 (EPUB)

Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C B

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Yu, Winnie.

The everything health guide to fibromyalgia / Winnie Yu and Michael M. McNett.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 1-59337-586-7

ISBN 978-1-60550-334-9 (EPUB)

1. Fibromyalgia Popular works. I. McNett, Michael M. II. Title. III. Series.

RC927.3.Y8 2006

616.742 dc22

2006013591

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Adams Media was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

This book is available at quality discounts for bulk purchases.

For information, please call 1-800-289-0963.

All the examples and dialogues used in this book are fictional and have been created by the author to illustrate medical situations.

Fibromyalgia

Dear Reader,

Perhaps you've been wondering if you have fibromyalgia. Or maybe you were recently diagnosed. Or perhaps you've already had it for several years and are struggling to find a way to get your symptoms under control. In any case, this book is written for you.

As a health writer and a medical doctor, we have found fibromyalgia a challenging and baffling subject. There remain so many mysteries and unanswered questions about this condition that you must have, too. What sets off the process in fibromyalgia? Why can't it be measured in simple diagnostic tests? Why are women more vulnerable than men?

Although fate may have dealt you an unlucky hand, you still have plenty of power and control over your health. You can make the choice to eat right, to exercise, and to work with your physicians. You can decide to stress less, think more positively, and explore alternative remedies. These steps alone can improve your health.

No, it's not easy to live with fibromyalgia or any health problem, for that matter. But we hope you will take the right steps to empower yourself. Reading this book is a major step in that direction.

Sincerely,

Dedication

To my girls, Samantha and Stephanie WY

When you're faced with a pressing health issue, your first instinct is to find out as much about it as you can. With so much conflicting information out there, where can you turn for professional, supportive advice?

Packed with the most recent, up-to-date data, THE EVERYTHING HEALTH GUIDES help ensure that you get a good diagnosis, choose the best doctor, and find the right medical treatment. With this one comprehensive resource, you and your family members have all the information you could possibly need at your fingertips.

THE EVERYTHING HEALTH GUIDES are an extension of the best-selling Everything series in the health category, which also includes The Everything Diabetes Book and The Everything Menopause Book. Accessible and easy to read, THE EVERYTHING HEALTH GUIDES provide specific details and clear examples that relate to your given medical situation. If you're looking for one-stop, all-inclusive guides that allow you to understand and become more in tune with your body, this groundbreaking series is the perfect tool for you.

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

Acknowledgments

I'd like to thank my editor, Kate Burgo, who entrusted me with a topic as complex as fibromyalgia. This book also wouldn't have been possible without the support and efforts of my collaborator Michael McNett, M.D., who not only knows a great deal about fibromyalgia but has a keen eye for copy. In addition, I'd like to acknowledge Frances Jenkins, Nancy Mongato, Anita Murray, Andrea Whitaker, Elaine Burns, and Mary Delsman, who helped me better understand life with fibromyalgia. And finally, I wish to thank Jeff, Samantha, and Stephanie for simply being there. WY

Introduction

When it comes to health, knowledge is your greatest ally. Nowhere is that more true than when you're dealing with a chronic condition, especially one as complex as fibromyalgia. That's why this book is so important to people who have this condition.

If you're like most people, finding out you have fibromyalgia is only the first small step on a long journey. The diagnosis gave you a label to apply to your pain and fatigue, and it provided an explanation for why you can't seem to get a good night's rest. It helped to explain why you had no energy for long shopping sprees and why you hurt when someone hugged you too hard. But everyday living with fibromyalgia is another story, one that is often fraught with challenges, despair, and great difficulty.

Like anything, learning to live successfully with fibromyalgia takes time and practice. At first, you may bemoan the loss of your former self. You wish you still had the energy to play tennis. You wish you didn't have so many medical appointments. You wish you could still persevere in the career that you worked so hard to build. As the reality of your illness sinks in, however, you begin to realize that changes are necessary, and that the things you do can make a major impact on how well you feel. Gradually, you come to realize that taking care of your health now takes precedence over anything else you do in your life.