The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fibromyalgia (Paperback)

~ (Author), Ph. D., Laurence A. Bradley (Author), M.D., Stuart Silverman (Author), M.D., Muhammad Yunus (Author)
Key Phrases: sleep modifiers, treatment info, fibromyalgia survivor, Fast Fact, Vocabulary Lesson, The Least You Need (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A hands-on approach to managing a debilitating condition.

This valuable resource cuts through the medical jargon in other books and focuses on the most important things readers need to know to understand and manage fibromyalgia. Readers learn how to assemble a team of healthcare providers, communicate with doctors, identify the triggers that lead to symptoms, set and track sleep and diet regimens, and much more.

• According to the Mayo Clinic, six to eight million Americans have fibromyalgia

• Dr. Bradley is one of the country’s leading fibromyalgia researchers

• Lynne Matallana’s personal story was highlighted in a feature article in the May 2003 issue of Newsweek

About the Author

Lynne Matallana, co-founder and president of the National Fibromyalgia Association, published the first-ever consumer magazine to focus on FM, Fibromyalgia AWARE.

Laurence Bradley, Ph.D., is a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Clinical Rheumatology and Immunology.

Stuart Silverman, M.D., is a clinical professor of medicine and rheumatology at the UCLA School of Medicine and medical director of the OMC Clinical Research Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Muhammad Yunus, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, is a pioneering fibromyalgia researcher and educator.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (June 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592573673
• ISBN-13: 978-1592573677
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #568,571 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Reference Manual & Guide for Anyone wanting to Understand more about Fibromyalgia! Don't Let the Title Fool You!, February 7, 2006

By	Lynne Carter (Chino Hills, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was officially diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (FMS) in 1998 at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. Back in 1998, there were very few books written for patients with fibromyalgia, let alone ones which would walk you through the entire process from "diagnosis to wellness." Although more books have recently become available, do not let the title of this book fool you! It is far more than just an entry level book.

ANYONE WITH FMS SHOULD HAVE THIS BOOK AS A REFERENCE MANUAL IN THEIR BOOK COLLECTION! This is an easy-to-read book which walks the reader through all of the steps, questions, and available resources and options to get you the help you need quickly. The book also discusses future developments on the horizon to help those with FMS. Whether you are knowledgeable about FMS or have just been diagnosed and do not know where to turn, this book is for YOU!

The author recounts her own experiences & frustrations with FMS. She then provides you with an action plan to improve! Everything from exercise, support groups, medications, finding the best doctor, and overlapping conditions are all discussed. There is also a medical team of FMS physicians who assisted in providing information for this book so that you can feel comfortable and confidant that what you are reading is medically sound advice.

I can not speak highly enough of this book. If you are only able to buy one book for yourself or a friend, this is the book! You will get more information from this one book than from three or four other books combined.

You definitely will not be an "idiot" after reading this book! :)

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Help for people with Fibromyalgia, July 27, 2005

By	Nathalie Douglas (Guyton, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a very valuable resource to anyone who is trying to deal with Fibromyalgia. It is nicely organized and easy to understand. It is packed with good information. I am a nurse and I have Fibromyalgia. I have read a lot about this illness from very medical to easy to understand. This book is invaluable because it takes into consideration all aspects of this syndrome from physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. It has really helped me and I highly recommend it to anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia and their family.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Read" for Fibromyalgia!, August 23, 2005

By	Sharon J. Squires (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fibromyalgia" should be everyone's first choice when selecting a resource book on fibromyalgia. Ms. Matallana has incorporated information suitable for anyone interested in learning about FM, from those who are newly diagnosed to those who have been living with the illness for a long time, the healthcare practitioners treating them, and the friends and family, trying to understand what has happened to their once energetic loved one. In her own unique, personable style that has earmarked the National Fibromyalgia Association's magazine publication, "Fibromyalgia Aware" as the superior periodical it has become, "The Guide" addresses all aspects of living with this syndrome. She utilizes easily understandable charts, lists, and personal anecdotes in a positive "You are not alone" manner that gives hope to even the most desparately ill. Her "picture this..." illustrations of her own experience with FM will surely bring a smile of recognition to a number of her readers with fibromyalgia! I was particularly impressed with her clarity and sensitivity in discussing the trials and tribulations many patients face when the illness forces them to make major, dramatic changes in their lifestyle. Using a text-box format, she focuses the reader's attention to defining potentially unfamiliar terminology, calling it "vocabulary lesson". In the same manner, she also uses "fast facts" to describe important, sensible suggestions for patients to use in designing their own, personal health care plan, "Caution-Pain Signal" as warnings for especially important issues.No one's fibromyalgia library should be without this wonderful edition!