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Are you among the estimated
6 to 12 million Americans who suffer from Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is just
one of more than a hundred different forms of Arthritis. It has
been documented in this country for better than 100 years. Xiao-Ming
Tian, M.D., an authority on acupuncture and Chinese medicine, noted
that FMS was described in ancient Chinese writings at least 800
years ago. Just a few documented symptoms are muscle pain, widespread
stiffness, fatigue, weakness, and irritability.
Women may have gone
to doctors for years complaining of pain, only to be told that they
had fibrosis or fibrositis. They may have also been told that it
was nothing to be concerned about. To many, fibrosis or fibrositis
was nothing more that a wastebasket diagnosis to satisfy
the patient s need for a diagnosis. It really wasn t until 1990
that the American College of Rheumatology elevated the diagnosis
from that of a female psychiatric illness to an unspecified soft-tissue
disorder. To give the condition respectability the name was changed
to Fibromyalgia.
This was wonderful news
for hundreds of thousands of women; 90% of those with Fibromyalgia
are women. Now they could say that there really was something
wrong with them. They were not crazy; they were not hypochondriacs.
Today we know that Fibromyalgia
has no respect for age, race or sex. Nor is Fibromyalgia an illness
that is going to kill anybody. On a bell curve, most people fall
somewhere in the middle of the curve. They can live normal lives
if they learn to accept their limitations and choose a healthier
lifestyle. About 20% of the people with this illness are at the
beginning of the bell curve with a very light case and yet another
20% fall at the end of the bell curve being so debilitated that
they are unable to do the activities of daily living.
In the fall of 1993,
Lois Davidson started the first support group in Las Vegas for people
with Fibromyalgia. Back then most of the members were referred to
the group by Dr. Barbara O'Rourke, Lois Rheumatologist, who requested
that the support group educate themselves, their families, their
doctors, and their community about Fibromyalgia.
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Soon the group merged
with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support group and became the Las
Vegas Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group.
Dr. O'Rourke recognized
that Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was a little understood
illness that ranged from mild to extremely limiting, but not life-threatening.
She also understood that her medical profession did not yet know
enough about the condition to be able to adequately help patients.
Therefore, from her observations she felt the best way to control
the illness was for her patients to understand their condition and
develop new healthier lifestyles.
Each year, in May,
the Las Vegas Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group
celebrates National Awareness Day to educate the public about
Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities,
and Gulf War Syndrome.
This year the Support
Group will celebrate Awareness Day on May 4, 2003 at their regular
meeting.
The highlight
of the Support Group Awareness Day is the presentation of the Barbara
O'Rourke award for community education in the area of Fibromyalgia/Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome.
This award is to
honor Dr. O'Rourke s memory and what she did for her patients and
The LV FMS/CFS Support Group in particular. In the past,
the award has been given to a member of the community. This year
the award is being given to Judy Stebbins, board member and representative
to the United Support Groups, for her outstanding work educating
the community about Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
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Contributed by Lois Davidson
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