The First Year

1 total work

The First Year: Fibromyalgia

by Claudia Craig Marek, Mari Florence, and R. Paul St. Armand M.D.

Published 1 December 1999

Muscle pain, fatigue, irritable bowel and bladder - could it all add up to fibromyalgia? Such a range of common symptoms ensures that this disorder is difficult to diagnose, yet fibromyalgia makes life miserable for thousands of people in Britain, and it is greatly on the increase. In this book, patient-expert Claudia Craig Marek, first diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1991, guides you through your first year of learning how to cope, informing you about mainstream and complementary treatment, as well as taking an in-depth look at the all-important quality of life issues. Marek answers your most pressing questions including: How to get a proper diagnosis; How best to manage muscle pain; How to treat irritable bowel syndrome; Which medications can help and which can harm; What are the most effective complementary therapies; How to manage work, travel and relationship issues