Well that was depressing...

I think we need to write a nasty letter to By ALEX BERENSON. Don't you all? What a load of KERAP.

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well that thoeoughly pissed me off. I want their names. Thw names of all those effing so calld drs that think we are a bunch of neurotic fools. I would like to pepper them with mail telling them ignorant assholes they are. GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It sure didn't do anything to help our cause. It SUCKS!!! What a load of bullshit!

That is not helpful for us fibro's - We have a hard time as it is to get help from medical world. It seems to me that if these professionals say that a condition does not exist then there would be no need to produce more drugs, which the US government hates. So if they pretend its not there they won't have to research or prescribe. Even if it is proved that fibro is the result of stress and anxiety, that doesnt make it less real

that is so not good.
i'm off to my specialists soon to ask for some lyrica.
he believes what i feel i feel is real.

I just finished emailing the editor. I have had 6 hours of sleep in the last two nights. im at the end of my rope.. lucky my doc does undertand it.. going to see him wed and get a different sleep med.. but i want something mild.. trazadone killed my stomach. so see what else he can give me.. I have bad fibro fog today. NO SLEEP.. HUGHS to all

WOW! I can't believe they say that we just "can't adapt" and most people feel this pain and just work through it.

I'd like him to walk a day in my shoes and tell me that it's normal and easy to get over because it's just in my head!

wow

I am absolutely stunned to see such a bigoted, ill informed article and one which sends us straight back to where we were years ago when it was considered all in our heads. Is it just because the media really prefers negative stories over positive ones? Or is it more of the "blaming the victim" mentality so that everyone can feel good about not even giving us sympathy, much less support? I am angry, bewildered and frustrated, all at the same time. Of course ibuprofen doesn't work - Fibro has been proved NOT to be an inflammatory condition. The anti depressants used for any chronic pain are used in dosages much smaller than that for depression. And they are proving in tests on Iraq War veterans with chronic pain from bomb injuries that the brain starts to make the pain the condition itself because it can't differentiate what's what and doesn't know how to turn off the pain receptors (Time magazine did a cover article on it). And they CAN test trigger points in Fibro patients - I had a hand held mechanical device applied to my trigger points in 2 different studies conducted by European doctors visiting Australia. The device showed that Fibro patients complained much sooner than normal patients about when the points started to register pain. This reporter is an ignorant moron who needs to be set straight about what he's writing about. I hope lots of you will write to the NYT. I know I will.

This piece in the paper is not all bad. Think about it. It is getting more people thinking about Fibro and there are more debates to come from this. From debates will come more research. Anything that brings attention to Fibro is good. I think many good points were made in this piece. Having lived with it since I was 12, I know of the daily pain. After this last, what we call, flare it made me think back over the years. Something very tramatic had always happened when it knock me on my butt. Back then, there was no name for it. The couple of times I was hospitalized because I was so bad, they didn't even know what to do for me except ease the pain and make me rest. More then anything, I do believe it is caused from extreme anxiety and stress, and possibly depression. I don't deal with depression so I can't say if it is one of the causes. I think a lot of the complaints I see from people are from the vast amount of drugs being taken, instead from Fibro itself. One example, I think this Fibro Fog is caused from the drugs and lack of sleep. That is only one example. The drugs given to people for Fibro are major heavy duty drugs and yes your body is getting all screwed up from them. People take them and then find they are addicted to the drugs and that starts another big issue to deal with. They seek stronger and more drugs. I am not so sure these drugs are the answer at all. There is something that causes people like us. to feel physical pain when under stress...whether it be called Fibro or something else. I think that reserach will link Chronic Fatigue Syn. with Fibro along with Barre Epstein Disease. I think perhaps they are all related. Whatever the case, I do believe that the simple fact this is being brought to the attention of everyone, it can only be a good thing. I think you will see more research and debates being done now. I personally have decided not to take any of the drugs. I have tried some and the side effects were very bad to deal with. Everyone has to choose what they feel is best for them at this time, until they find out more about why some people suffer with so much pain, when others don't. I look forward to the answers that will emerge from more study. Be happy that they are finding Fibro is worth writing about!

wow - discouraging, but not surprising - there are many docs who think fibro is a load of crap and we are just seeking attention because we are unsatisfied with our lives. Ignorance - at least there are some docs who will treat us - there will be more! Ihave tried both Lyrica and Cymbalta - niether has helped - maybe this other new one will - I hope so!! Blessings,Star )O( and btw, most docs think their patients are just complainers anyway - this is nothing new in their mentality~ must be a course in Med school!

I have just emailed the nytimes too. I know I live in England, but whatever the States do we copy. I just wanted to support my ds friends too - who know perhaps bcs I am from UK they might just read it

Ex cuse me I disagree on the fact that you think the drugs cause fog. Bull as I was on none for years! marilyn

ignorant, educated idiots

Wow, and here I was thinking my pain was real. I'm so glad its not now I can stop taking pain pills for breakfast!!!