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We Need a Celebrity Fibromite

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Fibromyalgia
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Posted 9/4/2010 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
This might help get our condition into people's consciousness!  Attaching a name & a face to something gives it meaning.  Parkinson's - think Michael J. Fox.  MS - Annette Funicello.  Even ALS, which is far rarer than fibro - Lou Gehrig.   

Sorry, this is coming off very strangely -  (time for bed!) I'm not trying to make light of anyone's suffering, or say I wish fibro on anyone.  It would just be nice to EVER have someone HALFWAY understand.

Debbie 

Posted 9/4/2010 7:28 AM (GMT 0)
I've thought that for a long time....there's no Fibro walks to raise money, there's no celebrity to endorse us, nothing. We need some way of bringing Fibromyalgia to the forefront of peoples minds so we can increase awareness of this hidden disorder.

Pam
Posted 9/4/2010 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
I did an internet search and couldn't find any celebrities with fibro - at least none who admit to it. rolleyes Because the medical community was so slow to reconize it as a legitimate condition and not just psychosomatic (probably because it mainly afflicts women), I think there is still some stigma attached. Years ago, people would admit to having almost anything to avoid saying that they suffered with depression. Fortunately, we now know that biochemical changes in the brain (caused by different things: trauma, genetics, medications, etc.) cause depression, and it is treatable. It's not just some "character flaw" or untreatable mental illness as it was thought to be years ago. Hopefully, some day soon, the world at large will stop seeing fibromites as lazy, malingering, hysterical, hypochondriacs.

One interesting tidbit that I came across: Some people speculate that Job (biblical) may have been afflicted with it. He discusses "gnawing" pains and inability to sleep. Of course that is just speculation, but it is interesting to think about.

Hugs - Austen
Posted 9/4/2010 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
I did a search and found five...some soap star from the Bold and the Beautiful and Sinead O'Conner, plus three other people I never heard of. Cher has CFS.

Donna

Posted 9/4/2010 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
I get what you're saying and I'm pretty confident like you said, if someone famous admitted to having fibro it would get more attention and be taken a little more seriously.  Sad that it's like that.
Posted 9/4/2010 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
I'd rather see doctors that are informed.  I personally don't follow celebrities.  They are no more important than the rest of us.  The only thing that's good is they can perhaps help to raise funds to learn more about the various illnesses. 

 

BUT we do need doctors that are taught in medical school about this illness and things that can help us and not hurt us.  They need to know this is a terrible illness and it's not all in our heads or that we are not hysterical women.  I think things would be farther along with the knowledge of fibro if men were more prone to this illness, too.  Sad, but probably true.  So, I sure hope the new crop of medical doctors are getting some training in fibromyalgia and are willing to listen to us.  THAT is what I'm praying for.  Medical doctors and medical science needs to step up to the plate with this.  There are too many of us out there.

 

But, Achey, it sure wouldn't hurt to have a wealthy spokesperson!  Maybe someone that is highly esteemed like a well-known doctor or an author, etc.  Someone that could put a "face" on this illness so people will know we are not making this up!

 

Sherrine

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