Customer Reviews

Fibromyalgia: The Complete Guide From Medical Experts and Patients

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have read many books on Fibromyalgia and none of them really provided any useful information. They ranged from too much medical jargon to too many depressing stories about patients who were confined to a wheelchair with no hope of getting any better.

After reading the first few chapters of this book, I knew it was different. I love that each chapter is written by a different author, a doctor or specialist in whatever area is being discussed. This really gives the book a different feel from any others. I have learned so much already (and I'm not even through it) that will make a huge difference in my life. For example, in my continued effort to find help in handling the pain and challenges associated with Fibro, I have gone from one rheumatologist and neurologist to another with little benefit. Now I know that I am approaching it all wrong and which doctors and specialists would be more beneficial to my healing. I also appreciate the personal accounts of real people with the disease that are interspersed throughout this book. They are not the depressing tales of people with no hope to get better who have poor outlooks on life. Instead they are about people who have the real struggles, feel the same pain and trials that all of us who suffer do, but reflect on them in positive ways and on what has helped and hindered their progress. I realize that this disease may never be "cured" per say, but with the help of a book like this, I know that all of those out there suffering can find real hope and help which is, after all, the most important thing to all of us.

I'm only halfway through, but so far, this book is an incredible resource. I've only had fibro for two years, but as a health care professional and patient, this book has helped me to understand my condition better and has helped me to explain it to others better. I work in a position where I teach patients all day, and I have found resources in this book that has allowed me to explain to fibro patients why they feel the way they do. I would reccommend this book to anyone with fibro. But I do feel that some of the language is geared toward the medical community or someone who is familiar with medical jargon.

"Sharon Ostalecki has done an admirable job of compiling an edited volume that includes different voices and perspectives - from inspirational personal stories to sound advice from a wide array of healthcare professionals. Dr. Ostalecki, whose personal expertise is in the area of nutrition, reminds us that successful treatment of fibromyalgia comes from taking a multi-disciplinary approach. Topics in The Complete Guide to Fibromyalgia include foundational information on fibromyalgia itself, associated conditions, theories of pain mechanisms, treatment strategies, as well as down-to-earth suggestions on improving how you feel. This book is steeped in both information and hope. Given the variety of contributors' backgrounds and styles, I feel confident that this readable book will offer something valuable to everyone!"

Deborah Barrett, Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Anyone with fibro will find this book invaluable. It took me perhaps 2 weeks to read this book. I found out more in 2 weeks than I would have in years of consulting different doctors and exploring different types of pharmaceutical and alternative treatments. I highly recommend it.

"Sharon Ostalecki has done a wonderful job writing this book and putting together all the information. As the leader of an educational support group I have researched and read many books with pages of information. I have to say this book rates right up there with the best of them. The book is written in a user friendly style and I cannot wait to share this with my group."

This book is helpful for someone that is new to Fibromyalgia. The section dealing with anger is excellent. In my opinion, the book does not go far enough in other areas regarding treatment or other options.

Excellent, Helpful, Practical, Thorough, Easy to Understand and Apply. Great balance of medical and experiential information. Best book yet on Fibromyalgia!!!!Fibromyalgia: The Complete Guide From Medical Experts and Patients

Needless to say, fibromyalgia has very little definative information. It is still a mystery to most doctors and scientists. All that is known for sure is this "syndrome" causes widespread pain and a garden variety of problems, none of which will kill you or cause your body to deteriorate.

Like the author of the book, I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Everyone with this diagnosis will share some things and not others. It is not a cookie-cutter syndrome. It is not even technically a disease, but a syndrome. According to Adrienne Dellwo (a journalist with FMS) of About.com: "A syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms known to frequently appear together but without a known cause. A disease is a disorder in a system or organ that effects the body's function."(1)

Fibromyalgia: The Complete Guide from Medical Experts and Patients is a good start for someone wanting basics of what is involved, but it tends to go all over the place. The chapters do not seem to follow a logical order and the writings from different people seem to bring more confusion than clarity.

The author, Sharon Ostalecki has a BS in science, MS in physcial science, and PhD in nutrition. Her specialty is in fibromyalgia and she also has the syndrome for over 15 years. You might expect someone with so much insight to have written more of the book, but she opted to let other doctors, specialists, and patients to write a chapter. Dr. Ostalecki wrote chapters 17 (Self-Management Techniques) and 19 (Nutrition and Healing) along with the introductory preface about what she does.

The first two chapters talk about FMS in some detail, but to be honest you can find more detailed information online for free. The first chapter is written jointly by two doctors and the second chapter is written by an FMS patient. I like having different perspectives, but not necessarily within the same book. Chapter one sort of tunnel visions what FMS is and it is backed up by one person's experience which would leave someone unfamiliar with FMS to think all doctors are on the same page as far as diagnosis, tests which need to be run, and the other similar things it could be if not FMS (chronic fatigue, for instance).

Fibromyalgia is almost as diverse as the person diagnosed with it, but it is mostly recognized by the pain points - the ones that not all scientists agree upon. The book also touches on, but doesn't go too much into the other displays of FMS such as depression, seizures, Raynaud's syndrome, or restless leg syndrome(2). It is at least a good smattering of information for beginners to start, so I've said, but when you need more information about it, this falls short.

The book seems to suggest most FMS people can deal with a bit of medicine, nutritional support, yoga, alternative medicine and a positive attitude. If I were to just scan the chapter titles, I would run thinking it was just another quack book. It does take each topic in a responsible manner and does not even suggest that FMS is all in one's head nor that some New Age positive thinking will make it go away.

To date, there are no cures for FMS, all one can do is manage the symptoms as best as possible. Sometimes it will go away for no reason and with others it doesn't seem to go away. This book points out some good methods in coping such as acupuncture and other options for dealing with the pain and what to do with things such as IBS, visual distortion, and sleep disorders as well as how to cope mentally with this sometimes overwhelming syndrome. Again, it's a good start. What might work for one person may not work for another. Anyone who has FMS should be working in conjunction with their doctor(s) and/or specialist(s) and finding a personalized plan. That is the most responsible part of the book, it will refer you to work with your doctor and encourage you not to give up. FMS won't kill you and won't make your body deteriorate, in and of itself, but it will put you in a position where you will not want to be active and that inactivity itself is what can make your body deteriorate (not the FMS).

The part of the book I wish were expanded upon was the medication part. It talks about relieving your pain with NSAIDs/Tylenol and narcotic/non-narcotics as well as pain block injections. It then talks about anti-depressants such as tricyclic, SSRIs and SNRIs which are usually associated with patients who have emotional issues. And then it goes on to anti-convulsant drugs given to seizure patients. The effects of these drugs on FMS are brief as well as the side effects and the potential dangerous interactions with other things like herbal remedies.

If you hate needles, acupuncture won't help you. If you have a bad reaction to certain medications, those meds won't help you. If you cannot work with any type of therapist (physical or emotional), they cannot help you. As the book makes it clear, the FMS patient is the one who has to be the proactive one in getting better.

All in all, the book is a good read. Most of it can be found online on free, but if you have the visual issues of FMS, the book might give you a headache where you can always adjust type-size on a browser. Likewise, if you have FMS and have problems sitting behind the computer for a long time, the book option is good to read when lying down where you may be more prone to shift position. Worthwhile for a look, but I've seen more thouhrough information elsewhere.

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This book is very helpful in understanding fybromyalgia. It explains pretty much everything on what you are experianceing and what to maybe expect. It also helps with understanding what to do on trying to ease the pain and try to live a more pain free life. Talks about medicines and excersize that can help. The book is not too short, not to long, its perfect. Its my little carry along info book. Great book. I have already recommended it to my mother and a few friends. Well worth every penny. :) Maria K

After exhausting my resources at the local library about fibromyalgia, I decided I wanted a reference book of my own. With limited funds I could only buy one book. I decided to buy Fibromyalgia: The Complete Guide From Medical Experts and Patients based on the reviews. I'm glad I chose this book. Even after spending hours on the internet I find this book actually adds to my knowledge of this awful illness. I was afraid that anything I bought would be out of date since research on fibro is growing at such a fast pace lately. But this book, for me, is a treasure of information. Especially after reading about the kind of care the author and others (after reading their personal stories) are receiving I've decided to make a concerted effort to find the right care giver for me. I'm very thankful to the author and all the other experts who banded together to create this book.