~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OK. If all of that is clear, you're ready to get started. Here are the hyperlinks: "Letter to Normals" This offers excellent information for loved ones. Colorado HealthSite This is a good guide in outline format. Easy to read.

Strategy is better than strength. --African proverb

Survey TOC The Survey Results Page is a summary of the results of an online survey. It contains charts that show who we are, what we do, amount of disability, pain medicines we use, etc. Exactly what is Fibromyalgia? 20 Ways to Cope with FMS/MPS: These are book excerpts that cover the emotional, psychological, & spiritual side of dealing with FMS. A Physician's Guide to Fibromyalgia Syndrome This is a great page to read and share with your doctor. Remember, most health care professionals know next to nothing about FMS. From Fatigued To Fantastic This is the web site of Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, a well-known cfs/fms doctor and author of the excellent book, From Fatigued To Fantastic: A Manual for Moving Beyond Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. DEALING WITH DOCTORS This page has been developed by FMS patients to help us deal effectively with doctors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: If you need to find a nearby health care provider who is knowledgeable about FMS, here is a way to get a list for your state: Contact the Fibromyalgia Network at 1-800-853-2929. They have a list of providers in each state. Click on the link to visit their new website. Fibromyalgia Network MedicineNet.com, health and medical information Welcome To RxList These are great sites for getting information about brand name and generic drugs. I encourage everyone to visit one of these sites because it contains very up-to-date information. I visited MedicineNet to get info on unusual symptoms that I had never experienced before. Turns out my doctor had not read the drug update info and had prescribed a potentially deadly combination of drugs. Close call. Too close. NeedyMeds.com Indigent Prescription Programs How to Apply to Free Prescription Drug Programs Accessing Free Medication - The Patient's Advocate This is information about special programs to provide indigent people with the medications they need. If you or someone you know doesn't have the money to pay for medications check out this site. Drug companies will readily give meds to those in need. Managing Pain in Fibromyalgia Syndrome This reads like a dictionary of FMS pain medications. It is written by a nurse with FMS. You might want to paste this into a new document and insert some paragraph breaks. It will make it much easier to read. Fibromyalgia: The Muscle Pain Epidemic Is it ME by Another Name? Understanding and Treating Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia: The Brain/Sleep Connection What Treatment Seems Most Effective in Treatment of Fibromyalgia This is a collection of 4 very informative articles written by Leon Chaitow N.D., D.O., MRO Senior Lecturer, University of Westminster ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Living with FMS (Fibromyalgia Syndrome) This link is to Devin's beautiful new web site. Here you will find info on diet, lifetsyle, coping strategies, & more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What Your Physical Therapist Should Know about Fibromyalgia This gives specific instructions to PT's who may not know much about FMS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A PROFILE OF FIBROMYALGIA IN OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS This is a definition of the physical capabilities of a person with FMS in the workplace from the American Journal of Physical & Rehabilitative Medicine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Social Security Administration Office of Disability Many of us have questions about filing for social security. This link takes you to the SS Home Page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Social Security Disability This is specific info about FMS/MPS and filing for social security from Devin Starlanyl. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fibromyalgia Files Index Fibromyalgia information and links for patients and family. The abstracts are up to date and cover a lot of the topics we discuss in online support groups and message posts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Fibromyalgia Diet: 40/30/30 Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs for Chronic Fatigue This is good information on the nutritional needs of people with FMS/CFS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Related Health Information Take Heart Recovery Happens This deals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS or CFIDS) an FMS twin. Many people with FMS also have CFS symptoms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pain Management Online This link provides a huge number of resources for understanding and managing chronic pain from many causes including fibro, rsd, and more. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HealingWell.com - IBS Resource Center Ask Jeeves Results: Spastic Colon A large number of us have or will have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a coexisting condition. You will find some ideas for managing IBS on these web sites. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: The only thing that works really well for my IBS is to reduce my stress and take Black Walnut extract or tea for the nausea, bloating, and diarrhea (avail. at health food stores). Hopefully, you will be able to use these links to find some practical tips for dealing with IBS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention InteliHealth: InteliHealth Home These are good sites for general and specific health related info. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease drlowe.com---fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone resistance Thyroid Disease -- Hypothyroidism - Hyperthyroidism -Autoimmune Disease What is the Thyroid? Low thyroid function is often associated with FMS. These links provide more info. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome to AccuWeather.com! - The World's Weather Authority weather.com - Index The weather has a major effect on most of us with fms. Check out the forecast to help you plan ahead to take advantage of sunny days and prepare for the bad weather days. Both sites allow you to create a custom weather page. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ask Jeeves - Ask.com (thanks to Jerrieee) This is a great site that allows you to ask any question and then get responses from several search engines. Use this site for any of your unanswered questions. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happiness is the ability to enjoy what you've got. --from a Toyota tv commercial ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: Laughing releases endorphins, a natural relaxant which helps FMS patients sleep better and feel better. Get serious about this laughter thing folks. Some days, it may be the best medicine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Living with FMS: The Baker's Dozen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The 13 tips below are copied from an earlier post I left on the message board. These summarize tips that I and other members of the FMily have learned. These are general guidelines. Everyone with FMS is unique. We have different capabilities and limitations. These tips are offered to help you find what will work best for you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. On good days, limit activities to 3-4 hours. On bad days, 30 min-2 hours. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Rest frequently during the day. Establish a regular bedtime & wake-up time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Find ways to make your daily tasks & routines easier & less strenuous. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Exercise regularly & gently. Stay active, but give up activities that are too taxing. Use your best judgement when making decisions about activities. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. Find alternative ways to stay connected with others & have a social life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. Think through impulses and projects and plan how you'll prevent fms pain flares. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Be a creative problem solver-where there's a will there's a way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Change what you can, accept what you cannot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. Monitor your health. Keep charts, diaries, logs, etc. of any changes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. Educate yourself & those around you. Keep your docs up to date. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. Become a more assertive-not aggressive-communicator. Speak up for yourself without attacking others or diminishing yourself. Writing your concerns/questions in list format will help you to document important information and provide a remedy to the fibrofog that plagues us so often. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12. Acquaint yourself with your spiritual resources. Pray for self & others. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 13. Last, & most important, put your health first. Period. Persist until you can find the right health care providers and treatments to help you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sincere thanks to the FMily members who contributed their tips. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: Many people wonder if FMS is a psychological problem or if FMS causes depression. This excerpt sheds some light on the link between depression & anxiety and FMS. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Why Are People With FMS Depressed? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From the Fibromyalgia Network Newsletter "TEAMING UP" - October 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Why are they depressed?" asked Dr. Silverman. "They are depressed because they have lost their roles at home and in the work-place. They are anxious because their symptoms are unpredictable and they have tremendous financial strain. Many have had to sell their home or some of their property in order to continue living. They are angry at a lot of things. They are angry that they have not received compensation for what happened to them in the work-place. They are angry about the fact that there wasn't appropriate safety in the work-place. They are angry at their lawyers who don't return their phone calls and they are angry at the workers' comp system who took two years or more to get them into our program!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To meet and chat with others on AOL who have fibro: BostonBill started some PRIVATE ROOMS for folks who want to "talk". They are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just go to PEOPLE CONNECTION. On the right hand side is an icon/button, that says LIST CHATS. Click on that. Then on the left hand side will be a box that says PRIVATE ROOM. Click on that and then type in either "fibro" or "fibro2". Those are the room names. We also use "fibro1", "fibro3", "fibro4" and "fibro5", for smaller more intimate groups and for those folks (like me) :-) who find it tough to keep up with the chats. Sometimes the rooms are empty. You may remain in the room and still be able to "work the boards" from within the room, while waiting for someone else to come in. Other times, especially late at night, they are packed. Enjoy! :-) fibro fibro1 fibro2 fibro3 fibro4 fibro5 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks Bill for your much appreciated dedication to our FMily ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a tremendous amount of information. I have compiled much of this information in 3-ring binders for my future reference. I provided copies of the pages for relatives and companions to all my loved ones and I took information to my physical therapist. The entire staff at my dentist's office read the information and asked what I needed to make the visits less painful or tiring. We now have a much better understanding about the FMS pain amplification and the amount of medication I need before, during, and after my visits. :-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm sure you will find many uses for the information in this Welcome Package. Enjoy! Peace, Love, & Joy Gwen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The above information came to me as a member of FMS. Thanks, Lissa