5 Lessons a Doctor Learned About Fibromyalgia Only After She was Diagnosed
Lesson 2: It’s a Double-Whammy to Have an Invisible Illness
When a standard blood test is carried out for a patient with fibromyalgia, results come back normal. Also, there are no outside symptoms of this disease. Someone with the disease could look fine as the chronic pain is throughout the inside of the body. This is what Ginevra calls a double-whammy. While managing the symptoms, patients are fighting against employers, doctors, friends and even family to understand their illness that they believe does not exist.
Having fibromyalgia can be a huge burden that feels like carrying a 250-pound invisible backpack. If only people could experience the pain and fatigue that people with fibromyalgia carry, then they would understand their struggle. If that were the case then maybe employers would understand and go easy on patients when they are experiencing this extreme pain and fatigue. However, this is not the case. Family, employers, and doctors don’t see the burden nor understand the situation.
