Coming Out About Health

Coming out about health may sound like a funny title, but this is no laughing matter. Fibromyalgia is a very real condition. It effects more people than anyone knows, and more women than men have the condition. It takes more tests than cancer to detect. Some doctors believe it is a real condition and other believe it's all in the persons head. The reason I used the coming out title is because I, Debbie Seamandel, have fibromyalgia. I used to walk fast, needed to get there and get it done. I had my own business as well as worked full time for another company, sometimes working up to eighty hours a week between the two jobs. I could stand for eight hours a day, lift up to seventy-five pounds by myself, and walk for miles.

Have you ever been in a fight, and got the day lights beat out of you? Were you bruised and achy for days? Did even your hair hurt? Skin feel like someone was poking you with a million needle's all at once? Did you look normal? Could you think of anything other than "I hurt"?

Life is different, fibromyalgia has seen to that. I am not complaining, just stating that it is different. Some days walking is difficult and I wobble and move slowly. I have had days when I can not move because of the pain. When I do move people ask "What's wrong with you". My reply, "Nothing" and I try to keep moving. Well, now I'm coming out and have decided to tell everyone I know that I have fibromyalgia. I will answer questions about this "condition", as doctors call it.

It isn't contagious, you don't catch fibro. There is not one test that says you have fibro. It is all over, muscles, joints, nerves and skin. It is in one word, PAIN. Mind boggling, all consuming PAIN. There is no cure, they don't even know what causes fibro. Fibro can only be treated by treating the symptoms. Most doctors prescribe pain killers, blockers or anti-depressants. It usually goes undiagnosed for years until someone sends a person to a doctor for suspected arthritis.

That's where my "condition" got it's name. Today is a good day. I can walk and pain is at a low level. I want people to know about this because if more people know then maybe, just maybe someday there will be a cure or at least they will figure out how this happens. I know there is no magic wand, no magic cure all for fibro.

The drug manufactures and the commercial media would like for us to think that if we take one of their pills all of the pain is gone. NOT TRUE! What the commercials don't tell you is that once you start taking the pills for the pain and to function you are hooked. In order to stop taking the pills you have to wean your self off of them with doctor supervision. This process is much more difficult than you can imagine and is hard on the mind and body. The medication comes with a warning "DO NOT STOP TAKING MEDICATION WITHOUT DOCTOR SUPERVISION"

Life is interesting. Run when you can, walk when you can't run, and crawl when you can't walk. But don't stop!