NFMCPA 's Winter Issue Coming Soon!
Mindfulness Research by Dr. Kim Jones
+ Article Sneak Peek: "My quest to start a family began in early 2010 when I began considering whether or not I should have children. I worried that having children with a chronic illness was a selfish decision and that my future kids would miss out on having a "healthy" mom. It was one thing to have kids and become sick later in life. But was it okay for me to decide to have kids knowing I wasn't completely healthy?"
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Stories Wanted
Do you have a positive, inspirational story?
Sharing how you have learned to cope with fibromyalgia and chronic pain inspires others who are suffering by giving them hope.
The techniques and strategies you use in your daily life could possibly save the life of someone filled with despair and hopelessness.
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We are working on a story about therapies for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. CAMs (massage, physical therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, guided imagery, and counseling). If you have a story you'd like to share, please email us.
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Fibromyalgia: The Stigma and the Truth
Permission to reprint from Washington Post Communities Digital News, Paul Mountjoy)
Those suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) now have undeniable proof that their illness is not psychogenic or psychosomatic (in the mind), thanks to a plethora of new and current findings from the most respected medical research facilities in the U.S.A.
After years of being ignored and told that it was all in their minds, like individuals suffering from obesity before them, FMS sufferers are finally getting the acknowledgment they deserve. Read more...
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CARE & Make Fibromyalgia Visible
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Your voice is needed!!
for the FDA Fibromyalgia Patient-Focused Public Meeting. This is your opportunity to personally let the FDA know how fibromyalgia impacts your daily life, how well current treatments relieve your symptoms, and what you'd like to see in new treatments. Public meeting is March 26, 2014; comment period is open until May 26, 2014.
Bad weather caused  postponement of the December 10, 2013, FDA Public Fibromyalgia Patient-Focused Meeting. Many NFMCPA constituents registered and traveled to Maryland to attend the meeting. New registrations are necessary to attend in person or by webcast. The FDA still has previously submitted comments. We hope you can attend this important meeting. Helpful links for participating are available at link below. Click here for more important participation information and for specific FDA questions.
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Marijuana-Cannabis Survey
With stricter FDA and DEA pain prescription guidelines constantly changing and increasing, more people with chronic pain are left suffering with no adequate answer about what treatments should take the place of opioid medications. Many experienced pain doctors and researchers are taking a hard look at cannabis - marijuana - as a possible adjunct to other treatments. A new survey regarding marijuana as an FM and chronic pain therapy was collaboratively created by Jon Brener, MD, Ph.D and Rae Marie Gleason, Medical Education & Research Director for the NFMCPA. If you are interested in participating, please follow this link to the "Marijuana-Cannabis Survey" on Survey Monkey. Your anonymous answers to the survey questions may prompt further interest by FM researchers to study marijuana in the treatment of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.Read more...
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Results from OHSU/NFMCPA Survey of Symptoms Other than Pain for FDA Fibromyalgia Patient Meeting, Part 1
Your voice matters!! Thank you to the 2,187 people who took the survey. Researcher Dr. Robert Bennett from Oregon Health & Sciences University analyzed the data and wrote a three-part series on the findings exclusively for the NFMCPA to publish. A report with the complete results will be delivered to the FDA during the FDA Fibromyalgia Public Patient-Focused Meeting on March 26, 2014, by Jan Chambers, President of the NFMCPA. Part 1 gives up-to-date information on fibromyalgia symptoms other than pain. Insomnia and fibro fog were the commonest non-pain problems. The worst symptom, pain, was not measured in this study. Severe stiffness and physical weakness were the most distressing symptoms reported. Hundreds of statistics are included in the online report.Read more...
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NFMCPA Salutes E. Michelle Lee, Leader Against Pain
 NFMCPA Leader Against Pain E. Michelle Lee has traveled the fibromyalgia (FM) journey for more than 20 years and had approximately 20 major surgeries due in part to FM and its associated ailments. She resides in Columbus, Ohio, where she is a well-known radio show host for Talktainmentradio and columnist. Last year Michelle advocated for FM and received the honor to carry the torch of HOPE by gaining a City of Columbus Proclamation for May 12th recognizing it as National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Throughout the month of May, Michelle shared her message, "If you knew how dark my world was, you would wonder how I shine so brightly" to let people who are affected by FM know there is hope for a better life while living with fibromyalgia. Read more...
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SUPERBETTER
RESILIENCE MEANS ADAPTING TO ADVERSITY
Resilience is the ability to roll with the punches. When stress, adversity or trauma strikes, you still experience anger, grief and pain, but you're able to keep functioning - both physically and psychologically. Resilience isn't about toughing it out, being stoic or going it alone. In fact, being able to reach out to others for support is a key component of being resilient. One option to becoming more resilient is SuperBetter, a free online gaming tool created by game designer Jane McDonigal and backed by science to help build personal resilience: the ability to stay strong, motivated and optimistic even in the face of difficulty challenges. Read more...
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Exercise Tips for People with Fibromyalgia
Maybe it is because it's January and the beginning of a new year filled with promise and hope and... all those New Year resolutions, that the idea of exercise (or lack of it) works its way into our thoughts. Whatever the reason, it might be a good idea to review a couple of important tips if you have FM and are thinking about starting an exercise regimen. Read more...
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Facebook Comments about "Exercise the Great Energizer"
"Exercise the Great Energizer" is an article written by Kim Bagato, a person with FM who shared her personal story about how exercise has helped change her life with fibromyalgia. The NFMCPA posted the link to the article on its Facebook page and we want to share some of the resulting inspirational comments left by our fans:
- Marlene - I attend warm water classes, it's fantastic, really helps the pain and the warm water feels super.
- Laura - Yoga has saved me mentally!! But when I'm in a flare, I'm too exhausted. Short walks are about all I can do these days. Read more...
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