Fibromyalgia Support Group

You may have seen this before. I came across it while looking for the Letter to Normals for Miss Hummingbird. Its good for a genuine laugh.

The top ten worst suggestions commonly given to someone with a chronic illness:

1)Have you tried holistic options? (many. I'll bring it back up with my doctor on my next visit, thanks.)

2) Could it be your stress? (My opinion is, it is my illness. I'll bring it up with my doctor though, thanks.)

3) Could it have to do with the altitude? (I'll bring it up with my doctor...thanks.)

4) I read in {insert any generic magazine here} about a new medication. Have you heard about it? (I was on it when it came out 17 years ago. but I'll bring it up with my doctor. thank you.)

5) Have you thought about being in a trial study? (I'll ask my doctor. thanks?)

6) WOW. If I were you, I don't know what I would do. I might just kill myself. (Thanks?)

7) Have they found what is causing the problem? (no. my doctor is an idiot. I'll remind him, thanks!)

8) Have you tried hypnosis? (I'm still sick, but when the phone rings I bark like a dog.)

9) Have you googled your illness? (....no! thanks!)

10 Have you ever thought you were getting sick because you haven't wrapped your house in aluminum foil because, you know, the aliens have been bugging our houses for the past 30 years and in some cases, making people really sick. I read on.....gee I lost the web site. but it's true! I heard it from Sally's cousin's sister-in- law. And then every time you use deodorant you would think you would be warding off these bugging rays, but it still makes it worse, so you are not being pro-active to your health by wearing that deodorant. I can't believe you! If you wanted to get better you would stop wearing deodorant..(voice gets fainter and fainter the further you just walk away.) THANKS!!!!!!!!!!

those @$#$@ aliens I knew it

HA HA HA HA HA so funny, thanks for the great laugh sleepwalking! Oh my gosh I am wiping the tears from my cheeks from laughing so hard!

haha... we could probably all compile our own list of terrible advice that people have given us, such as "I think that if you just get out and do something you will feel better"

Sad thing is...it's so close to the truth we live with

Thank for the laugh!! What a great way to end the day.

I've been wearing my tin foil hat every day since age 10 and now I find out it's my deodorant that attracts them. Oh by the way, ZMSTROBP

says I broken.

wow...thanks for sharing, these are PRICELESS! lmao!

The sad thing is, I think that most people actually think they are being HELPFUL, and say these kinds of ridiculous things because of sheer ignorance and stupidity!

Others offer their gratuitous advice and suggestions out of a desire to distance themselves from us and the dread possibility that someday, they too might be the targets of stupid advice due to some disabling condition, chronic ailment or disease, or to prove to themselves their well-deserved good health and moral superiority due to "living right" -- mainly it shows what insensitive FOOLS they are, but hey, it's hardly surprising considering how we are all bombarded with these same suggestions in The Reader's Digest, Prevention Magazine, TV commercials for new drugs "ask your doctor if Painbegone is right for YOU!!!" and on Oprah, Dr. Phil,and other talk shows. Some people take these testimonials literally, by earnestly asking if this or that drug might be right, not for them,of course, because they are in perfect health, but for SOMEONE ELSE, namely, YOU! Really, the pharmaceutical companies should be paying them royalties for all of the free advertising and recommendations by these amateur doctors!

Through long, sad experience, I've found that the safest and sanest thing for me to do is to not ever reveal anything to anybody except for my doctor(s) and immediate family about my fibro diagnosis and current pain level unless I want to be "entertained" by whacked out advice about "remedies" to completely cure me!

Like, on this one afternoon soap opera our "amateur doctor" watches, Days of our Wasted Lives, one of the main characters had a mysterious disease remarkably similar to what we are describing, and THEY got completely cured with a total brain transplant! And now this same character got pregnant and was able to have the lovechild, although the baby was born four months early and is now on life support, of that sexy doctor who is currently their mother's third husband -- without resorting to artificial insemination! (message: WE should never give up hope -- if this soap opera character was restored to her health by inhaling lavendar oil and dripping whale blubber over her entire body while listening to Gregorian chants and undergoing a cleansing reiki massage -- we too can expect a full cure or remission of our symptoms!)

Post edited by: hipmama42, at: 08/26/2008 01:02

My favorite is when they tell us to exercise and it will make everything all better. My dr told me she would never order me land pt because I'm so severe. Instead she wants me to go in a pool. My hubby, who is usually very supportive, is still trying to get me to go on walks. He's seen me when we have to go to the mall together to buy clothes for the baby and how bad it makes my legs hurt and intensifies the rest of my symptoms, but his mind just thinks "low impact" and doesn't realize for me that it's just not low impact enough.

Both my hubby and dad are trying to push me to exercise but my husband used to be a gym rat and only thinks of exercise as going to the gym. He doesn't realize that trying to stay active here around the house by doing chores is keeping me off my butt and at the same time using up my whole store of energy. If I went to the gym, I'd be useless for the rest of that day as well as days to come. My percocet just doesn't work those kinds of miracles!!

What really gets to me the most is when the rheumatologist you've been waiting to get in to see for two months tells you that you will get better if you will exercise and go back to work, even though you've already been "terminated" from four jobs because you can't focus well enough or do physical labor till you drop over!!!

You want to know what I hate the most?

Finding another doctor!!!!

Maybe they are the weird ones, and WE are the normals