Fibromyalgia help at hand
~From Dublin, Ireland
It is an intensely painful but little known ailment that can destroy lives and Drogheda woman Marie Macken has been given the job of spreading the word.
Marie is just back from representing Ireland at a major medical conference in Washington DC.
The Fibromyalgia Association of America invited her to join experts from the US and around the world who are studying this puzzling condition.
Now Marie, from Beamore, is busy informing medics, lobbying MEPs and setting up a local support group for fibromyalgia sufferers.
'Up to six per cent of people have this chronic pain disorder but it can be very difficult to diagnose,' she explains.
Fibromyalgia causes severe aches and pains all over the body, stiffness, disturbed sleep and terrible fatigue.
But as the symptoms are similar to many other rheumatic illnesses sufferers can spend their time going from medic to medic without getting help.
'It is a hugely debilitating condition, people are so tired and sore they can't work or go out. Their jobs, their marriages, their whole life is damaged and they don't know where to turn,' says Marie.
It took three years and four different rheumatologists before mother of one Marie discovered what was wrong.
'In the meantime I had to give up work. Sometimes the pain was so bad I couldn't even get out of bed in the morning,' she says.
The Washington conference on fibromyalgia was sponsored by pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly and Pfizer Inc.
Marie was one of 25 people chosen from 165 applicants around the world to attend.
Now she is on a mission to bring the message to other sufferers that help is available.
She is providing information to doctors in the locality and involved in a European Parliament campaign on spreading fibromyalgia awareness.
' Ten of Ireland's 13 MEPs have signed up and I am working on the other three,' laughs Marie.
Locally she is trying to set up a support group for sufferers.
'My muscle therapist has 12 people in the Drogheda area with the condition.
'Few people understand it so it can be such a help to meet others who have it,' she says.
For more information contact Marie at fibromyalgiadrogheda@g mail.com or phone 0419832778.