I was very active and sporty until my final year of University when, within a six month period, I had a car accident that gave me whiplash, a bad gastrointestinal infection that I didn’t recover from and lots of stress. A few months after graduating I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and a year after that I had full-blown Fibromyalgia Syndrome, although I didn’t know it at the time.
I then steadily got increasingly ill for 3 1/2 more years, first struggling to get a diagnosis and then getting very limited treatment that was brought to a halt because of a misconception a so-called specialist told my GP. In desperation, I then started seeing a private specialist who has turned my life around completely within six months.
If all the information I now know had been easily available and widely known about when I first got sick, then I would never have deteriorated so much and had to give up so much. Because of this, I feel very strongly about raising awareness of Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FM or FMS) and helping other people in the situation I was.
I have been a moderator on the online support group at the butyoudontlooksick.com message boards for years now and through there have helped and counselled many people seeking a diagnosis, or dealing with Fibro, ME-CFS and a host of other chronic conditions. Before I was a moderator on butyoudontlooksick.com, I did a similar role on the helpforibs.com boards. I am now the Chairperson of the West Berks ME & FM Group which aims to raise awareness, provide support and make a difference for everyone affected by ME-CFS or FM in the West Berkshire area.
Having had to give up my chosen career of being a yacht-racing navigator and meteorologist, I am retraining to be a garden designer and hope to eventually work pretty much full-time at this. I am married to the wonderfully tolerant Simon and we have a Springer Spaniel called Archie.
November 28, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Dear Lindsey,
Thank you for commenting on my post “Sorry You Stroked, but Heart-wise you’re fine.” In your explorations of treatment for fibromyalgia, did you ever consider Ayurvedic medicine? I ask because I interviewed and wrote about a woman with fibromyalgia for my first “Own Your Health” book (written with Brian Berman, MD and published in 2003) and she gained quite a bit of improvement by seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner. I also interviewed a physician whose research has linked fibroymyalgia with chronic fatigue, as well as with MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), and I wrote about her findings in a different chapter of the same book. By the way, the first patient I interviewed said her colleagues, as well as her husband, grew impatient with her fibromyalgia saymptoms, saying “but you don’t look sick!”.
November 28, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Ayurvedic medicine is one of the few disciplines I have not explored. I am now doing a lot better with conventional medicine, having seen a specialist who rxed a dopamine agonist.
January 5, 2008 at 12:33 am
Hi Lindsey! I would love to add you to my blogroll on Fighting Fatigue. would you like to exchange links with me? You have a nice blog here! Keep up the great work!
January 8, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Dear Linz,
Hi is this Dr that has helped you called professor J.E.DAVIES.
GOOD site Linz well done.
Regards
Sharron
January 8, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Yes, Prof J E Davies at the UK FM/ME Clinics (link under FM Relevant Links on left).
February 28, 2008 at 2:33 am
Lindsey,
Thanks so much for sharing your story! You seem to be helping so many! Check out my story at http://www.cidpandme.blogspot.com.
March 31, 2008 at 2:39 am
Lindsey,
Just found your blog while looking for information about fibromyalgia and chronic pain management — fantastic stuff! I’d love to know if you’d be interested in collaborating on a small FM project and I’d love to share more about it with you; would you mind sending me an email when you have a spare moment? Thanks!
Lesly @ http://www.wegohealth.com
June 3, 2008 at 11:20 pm
just wanted to pop by and say hallo. we at bydls appreciate you more than you know.
xo
June 8, 2008 at 10:06 am
Just wanted to let you know so many people thinking of you.
Keep your stories coming, it’s good for the mind to vent, express, write etc
Take care
xxx