Dr. Allan Horowitz, published newspaper article, Richmond Hill Liberal, Copyright August 01, 1990
I will now continue with the reprint of the letter written to me several months ago by a reader who has the “disease” known as fibrositis.
Again, I will say that this condition has just come to prominence in the last few years but there is still much that is not known about this condition.
It causes weakness, fatigue, pain, stiffness and altered sleep habits. It is a very frustrating disease which is from the arthritis family. Medication helps in some cases, but not to any great degree.
I wrote a series of articles about fibrositis last year and I received many responses from readers offering their own comments.
This letter I have been reprinting over the past several weeks was sent to me in December (she also sent a copy of the letter to her own rheumatologist, who is the specialist who “treats” this condition), and I have chosen it to appear in the paper because it shows the anger and frustration better than anything I have ever read.
I am now in my early 40s and as time rolled on and I learned more about this disease, the puzzle pieces started to fall into place. I know I had fibrositis as far back as high school (1961) possible from all the sports I participated in.
It started out as pain in my upper arm (the muscle you show off to everyone). It would periodically hurt and I would constantly apply heat.
Years later it was my ankle and, in 1973, I could no longer take shorthand. I couldn’t hold the pencil for any length of time.
CAN’T FUNCTION
My fingers, how they hurt! How can anyone hold a job? Impossible, you can’t function normally every day.
Some hours of the day may be good while others may be terrible. You need time in the mornings to get the “motor” started.
1973, that’s when it started to accelerate. In 1977, it was my wrist (I remember that one because I dropped my baby on his head when a sharp pain shot through my wrist. Thank God it was only a short distance to the ground and he was fine, just scared). I was only diagnosed about five years ago.
All those years, Dr. H. I hurt, and hurt bad – and oh yes, remember it was only in my head. What a neurotic woman I was! Or so I was supposed to believe.
Thank God I’ve always been a strong character and had faith in myself.
Well-meaning people from all walks of life who don’t know what in the world they are talking about could have reduced me to…oh, I shudder to even think about it.
As for the new ones that come to me for advice, I simply tell them to keep looking for that one sympathetic doctor and believe in yourself.
Unfortunately, you must become selfish to the point of not caring two hoots about what anyone may think or say about you. That includes everyone, including family. Look after your children and yourself. It’s not in your head and yes, you do hurt.
SPECIAL DOCTOR
He/she’s out there somewhere, that special doctor and he/she’s the one that’s going to save your sanity. They’re not all nuts – most, yes, but not all. Maybe menopause will end the torment. I’ll never give up.
As you live your life and become middle aged, you realize there is always some poor soul out there who is suffering worse than you. Yes, you tell yourself, he’s out there somewhere and I pray for him/her.
After years, the brain learns to accept pain more tolerably, (I guess you get numb) and as you and your children age, the thing you find yourself praying for now is not for God to ease your pain, but for that someone else we talked about and for your children. Please God, I beg, spare my children and tell me it’s not hereditary.
Again I apologize for the length of this letter, but I had a lot to tell and the public is totally ignorant. My heart goes out to new cases because they are only at the beginning of the emotional roller coaster. It’s like AIDS – you don’t need a head shrinker, the public needs to become educated. Hell, the doctors need to become educated!
Whether it gets worse or not is the real problem. The real problem is everyone’s attitude – especially the “well” spouse’s. It does take a while for the light to dawn on them. See, Dr. Horowitz, education.
Sincerely, Mrs. S.T.
Readers:
Rheumatologists are the “experts” in this condition, usually called fibrositis. You need a referral to see a rheumatologist and your doctor or chiropractor will refer you to one if he/she deems it necessary.
There is treatment that can help fibrositis. Most chiropractors have their own methods that they find helps their patients. Most M.D.s have their own methods and the rheumatologists have theirs. Most fibrositis patients will usually end up seeing all three (D.C., M.D., rheumatologist) during the course of their treatment. For more information regarding fibrositis, please call the Ontario Fibrositis Association at 416 – 967 – 1414.
Finally, I would like to thank Mrs. S.T. for the letter and I certainly wish her the best of luck and better health in the future.