What Next now saying Fibro isn't real read below

[Guest guest]

Fibromyalgia Isn't a Real DiseaseSo Says Prominent Fibromyalgia

Research Doctor

From THE FRONT PAGE of The New York Times Article

Read the entire article at the link here:

" Dr. Frederick Wolfe, the director of the National Databank for

Rheumatic Diseases and the lead author of the 1990 paper that first

defined the diagnostic guidelines for fibromyalgia, says he has

become cynical and discouraged about the diagnosis. He now considers

the condition a physical response to stress, depression, and economic

and social anxiety. "

Dr. Wolfe goes on to say, " Some of us in those days thought that we

had actually identified a disease, which this clearly is not. "

" ...other doctors -- including the one who wrote the 1990 paper that

defined fibromyalgia but who has since changed his mind -- say that

the disease does not exist and that Lyrica and the other drugs will

be taken by millions of people who do not need them. "

Just when I was optimistic that the traditional medical community was

finally getting the message that fibromyalgia is a very real and very

serious illness, this kind of short-sighted, arrogant, and simple-

minded myth raises its ugly head once again.

This bit of news, by a prominent rheumatologist, isn't a huge

surprise. When was the last time you visited your rheumatologist

(after waiting months to be seen) and felt like they understood your

fibromyalgia?

And if they did believe you had fibromyalgia, were they helpful?

Probably not, since their answer is to recommend more and more drugs,

year end and year out. The side effects of these drugs begin to add

up and pretty soon you realize your fibromyalgia symptoms aren't much

better, and worse, you've got additional symptoms from all those

meds.

I've repeatedly been asked to give my opinion on the over-hyped new

drug for fibromyalgia, Lyrica. I've kept relatively quiet for two

reasons. One, I wanted to give Lyrica the benefit of the doubt.

Unfortunately Lyrica has proven to be ineffective for the majority of

my patients, as well as the fibromyalgia sufferers

I'm in contact with around the world. Secondly, I thought at least

Pfizer's multi-million dollar drug campaign would help the public

understand the pain fibromyalgia patients experience day in and day

out. Surely the TV and print ads would help others realize that yes

there is such a thing as fibromyalgia, here are the symptoms, and

this is why aunt Jane feels so miserable each day.

Sadly, The New York Times and other print media have elected to take

a different slant. Instead of helping dispel the myth that those with

fibromyalgia are crazy, lazy, or depressed, they've elected to focus

on the minority of doctors who think fibromyalgia isn't real.

As I lecture and interact with doctors throughout North America, I

routinely encounter doctors who don't believe fibromyalgia exists,

but the number has steadily declined. But an article like this one

really burns me up. You already have enough of a challenge facing you

each day without having to justify to others that your illness is

real.

As I've said before to the doubting 's - spend one day in the

life of one of my patients and see if this fibromyalgia thing is real

or not.

I haven't had any takers yet.

Dr. Rodger Murphree

205-879-2383

www.TreatinandBeating.com

2700 Drive, Suite 204, Homewood, AL 35209, USA