newly diagnosed? resources for living with fibromyalgia

Newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia? Don't worry - here are some great resources for you to learn more about living with it.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (here, I'll call it FMS) 14 years ago. I was completely exhausted all the time, and was in a great deal of pain. I also had a great deal of sleep problems, and was extremely sensitive to noises (crowds, loud noises, etc.). Luckily I found a rheumatologist that was knowledgeable about fms, even back then!

At first, I had a hard time coming to grips with my situation. I learned a lot from others, and found an online community at about.com with a fantastic forum.

Here are some other websites with specific information on fms:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fibromyalgia/DS00079
obviously, the gold standard!

http://www.fmnetnews.com/basics-symptoms.php
the fibromyalgia network - a HUGE resource!

http://www.fmaware.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fibromyalgia
the National Fibromyalgia Association - probably the biggest resource for FMS. Includes a free newsletter, a community, and scads of resources!

http://www.fibromyalgiasupport.com/
Also includes a chat room and message boards

I tried a protocol by Alfred Blasi, from Spain, and it really helped me. He had fms, and got better by formulating this salt stuff. You can find out more info at http://www.recuperat-ion.com. He also has a yahoo group for people using the salts (which you can get over the counter in Spain, or via mail elsewhere).

Be careful of cures, and treatments - always ask your doctor before starting something!

Some fms books that are on my shelf, that I highly recommend, are