Fibromyalgia Support Groups

With one of my lovely blog friends (gillyk) being recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I thought an article on the support groups may he useful. Fibromyalgia support groups are popping up all over the UK now and are also expanding in Europe and America. One of the best answers for your lonely feeling is to join a support group. The best way to find one is to see your GP and if he hasn't got a list of them then phone the Hospital that is treating you for the condition. If by any slight chance there is not one near you then what about starting one. I am sure your Hospital would be able to help you to get one going. After I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I went to a local support group as I didn't know anyone else who had the condition. The group only met once a quarter so if you missed a meeting then it was a long time until the next one. But I met a lovely lady at the first meeting I went to who is still my friend now. Unfortunately the group finished and many a time I have said I will start one again but I am keen to set up a 'back pain' support group first. For many who have just been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, they feel a sense of relief that at last all their symptoms have a name for them. But that's really just the start of it. Some people go into denial and sometimes its the partners and family that do not want to believe you have the condition. After all you 'look well' and it's not as though you have a brain tumour or terminal cancer of some kind. However, you do have a condition that is incurable and can leave you in chronic pain, day after day after day. Therefore talking to others who are suffering from the same condition can be a great support to a sufferer. You may even be surprised at the attitude of some of your friends (I've been through all this) but at the support group they ALL know how you feel and understand what you are going through. So make a promise to yourself that you will never feel isolated and alone and unsupported. Talk about the problems you need to work on and how you can deal with them and who can help you when you are going through a rough patch. If you know you have support it will help you to come to terms with the condition. Some links to Fibromyalgia support groups in the UK, http://www.fibromyalgia-associationuk.org/contactsmenu/supportgroups http://www.ukfibromyalgia.com/fm-support-groups/fm-support-groups.html