FIBROMYALGIA UK
Welcome to the first ever (to the best of my knowledge) web site aimed specifically at offering help and advice to sufferers in the UK of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. There are literally thousands of web sites offering advice to FMS-ers, some of which are truly outstanding, but 99% of these sites are aimed at an American or Canadian audience. Here in the UK our health service and benefits system are totally different to that of our American/Canadian cousins so the advice offered on the web up till now has been of very little help to people with the condition living in the UK. With the 'birth' of this site, I hope to change that.I am assuming that if you have visited this site looking for help/advice on dealing with FMS then you have already been diagnosed with the condition. If, however, you feel that after reading about the syndrome on the web etc you think that you probably do suffer from it but haven't been officially diagnosed then below I will offer some advice on securing the help you need to have the problem confirmed by a medical specialist. Fibromyalgia can mimic other conditions suchs as Lupus and Lyme disease so diagnosis by a specialist is vital so that no mistakes and jumping to conclusions about what you have got are made.
Getting A Diagnosis:
The first thing to do if you are sure that you, in all probability, suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome, is visit your family doctor, perhaps armed with some 'evidence' to support your theory. This would have to be something like a print out of the symptoms of FMS from the web with the ones from which you feel you also suffer clearly marked. Probably the best site to visit for a comprehensive list of the FMS symptoms (and I think there is even an information sheet which you can print out for your doctor!) is Dr Devin Starlanyl's. If you can manage to convince your GP that you may indeed have FMS then the next step is to insist, politely but firmly, on a referral to a Consultant Rheumatologist. This is necessary even if your doctor makes a diagnosis of FMS because you will need the backing of a specialist when and if you try and claim sickness benefits. If your doctor agrees to refer you to a Consultant, ask your GP if the specialist believes in and treats Fibromyalgia. If he doesn't know, ask him to contact the Consultant in question to find out. If he is reluctant to do this, find out if there is an FMS support group locally and give them a call, they will be sure to know the best Consultant to see if you are an FMS patient. If all else fails, contact your local health council and ask them if they can recommend a Consultant in your area who is sympathetic to FMS. (You might also wish to ask them if they can also recommend an FMS sympathetic GP in case your own gives you the brush off!)
Read
an article about your
webmaster from "Best" magazine, December 1999
A
new organization (new to me anyway!) for FMS sufferers in the UK. They're known
by the name of STIFF (UK) and they issue a newsletter full of advice and tips
for Fibro-mites every month. They also have a help line. Membership is £12 per
annum and they are a registered charity. The address to write to for more
details is:
STIFF (UK)
PO Box 1484
Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Staffs, ST5 7UZ
If you write please mention you learned about them from this site!!
- Practical help on claiming benefits if you are unable to work
Tips On Coping With FMS Symptoms
- On this page I'll pass along some of the coping mechanisms I use for dealing with the most common FMS problems
- FMS and related sites that I recommend
- FMS newsgroup discussions on the web
- Your chance to talk to other FMS sufferers and give/receive advice
