Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Survival Manual

by Devin J. Starlanyl, Mary Ellen Copeland

. lge fmt, 1996, 401pp

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Medical, Self Help, Reference, Medicine, Disability

401 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual (2nd Edition)

I was given this book by a friend about 8 years ago and have referred to it time and time again over the years.

Over the last 15 years I have suffered from Chronic pain and fatigue and have been diagnosed with many different disorders. What many doctors can agree on is that I seem to have both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Disorder. This book explains the difference between the two as well as "The Double Whammy" of having both disorders.

This was the second edition and there was already much more information from when they published the first edition. Even now as this second edition was published in 2001 many things have changed.

One thing remains the same though. Chronic pain is a world where the simple things are no longer simple. Life itself is no longer simple and pain can feel like it is controlling every single decision from day to day. Not very long ago this was looked at as a mental disorder. Because the source of the pain can not always be figured out.

I'm sure there are many more books out there now and I'm often online reading about new research. However, this book has always been my go to. It helped at a time that I felt so alone and unable to understand or explain what was happening. On the nights that my insomnia was at it's worst I would pick it up and read a chapter or page that made me feel better and less alone. A few friends and family members also have read it or parts of it in an attempt to better understand what I sometimes go through.

This edition also includes tips to help cope with the chronic pain, sleep issues and "fibrofog" that many suffer from. There is information on mindwork, latest in medications, bodywork, and nutrition. They have included information of new research (well new in 2001) and how to find and select a practitioner who is knowledgeable and will take your complaints seriously.

Full of information and helpful advice. Easy to read and understand. One of the co-authors has firsthand knowledge of these disorders which gives her great insight into what other people are going through.

I highly recommend this book for anyone suffering from any of these disorders. Also good for caregivers, friends and family who want to better understand what someone they love and care about is living with.

[Kathy]

chances are if you have an auto immune disorder such as Lupus or a MCTD (mixed connective tissue disorder) then you also have Fibromyalgia (also known as Fibro) A very painful disorder of the muscles and joints.
Like Lupus or MCTD, there is no known "cure". It is very debilatating and can make your days hell if not treated. Some patient get over looked or told it's "all in your head".

This book offers an insight as well as charts of the human anatomy to help you understand the difference between this type of pain versus arthritis pain.

One symptom is called "Fibro fog" is discussed to help you understand why you forget or can't think of what you were talking about.
Excellant book.

Fibro can strike men as well as woman, but woman being the majority like Lupus.

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few books actually change a person's life or way of thinking. Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain actually did that for me. Like many people with FM and/or CMP, I went through a long, painful (both physically and emotionally painful) period of diagnosis and an even longer period of denial. I felt that since everyone else seemed to question my invisible symptoms that it was in my best interests to try to ignore what was really going on in my body and in my mind. So I suffered in silence and isolation with only my family knowing the diagnosis and no one really knowing the extent of my situation.

Reading Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain was like having a truly meaningful conversation with someone in the same situation as me. Someone who had not only accepted that these conditions actually exist but also had developed real life strategies to deal with everyday life and unexpected flare ups. For the first time since this roller coaster ride started, I felt empowered.

[Letitia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guide to pain management and living with Fibromyalgia and chronic pain is really a mixed bag. It should be noted that it was published in 2001, and much of the research is seriously outdated, as is the way that Fibromyalgia and CMP are perceived by the medical profession. Despite searching for a similar book that may have been published in the last 5 years, I did not find one.

This book is NOT a medical text. It is a resource for those who suffer these often undiagnosed, difficult to treat, and frequently invisible syndromes. As someone who lives with chronic pain and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2012, there were sections of the book that brought me to tears just feeling as though I was heard and understood, especially early on as Copeland describes the complex overlapping symptoms and what sufferers are experiencing that few people on the outside recognize. It is enormously comforting just to feel "heard."

That said, the utility of the book tapers off the longer it goes, in my opinion. While the strong start helped me to identify root causes for the bizarre things I've been experiencing since I was a child (pain during hair-brushing so severe that I would sob, sensitivity to sound, lights, and touch, insomnia, being out of sync with all the neurologically typical kids around me), Copeland's treatment/management of these overlapping neurological symptoms seems scatter-shot and anecdotal. In fact, toward the end in which she addresses the lifestyle changes that will probably have the most impact on Fibromyalgia and nerve pain, one is left feeling that everything that is enjoyable in life is simply out of reach. There is no hopeful encouragement at the end. You are instructed to avoid social situations, all the food you enjoy, all the activities you enjoy...there is so much prescription of rest and stimulus-avoidance that I left the final chapters feeling Copeland's treatment plan involved being an anti-social lump. I do not want to be an anti-social lump. Especially not one who refuses to eat or drink anything I like.

So that was discouraging. Also her personal treatment plan was not helpful to me, as she specifically identified things I know do NOT work for me (trigger point therapy), and poo-pooed things I know DO work for me (yoga).

But I have to give credit to the extensive amount of research and time and diagramming that went into this at a time when medical professionals were shrugging and telling people it was all in their heads. She is definitely responsible for pushing forward legitimate medical research into chronic pain. For that I am very grateful, if only because I have a diagnosis that - while broadly misunderstood - will at least be taken seriously.

[Rah~ri · Rating 4 out of 5]

better than most FMS books out there.
One of the good things about it is it has
lot's of info to help you work out your own trigger points.
explains the layers of muscles
and all that sweet connective tissue gunk.
Nice because it goes into referred pain patterns
and explains the different "textures" of pain.
Lots of pictures.
Black & white but overall clear in what they are explaining.
Also talks about all the RLS and IBS stuff,
Wild sensory overload, chemical sensitivities, Brain Fog,
rayners, Sleep issues, and much more of what-have-you,
and goes into all that Great emotional crap
you get to have fun playing with when you have a chronic pain condition.
Gives you ways of dealing with it all.
Treatment traditional and non are reviewed
as well as the politics of insurance companies
and how to talk to communicate with healthcare professionals.
Would recommend it to anyone that is used to crashing from the FMS
and to their families and friends that have to put up with them!

[Debby Stephan]

The best book on the subject, bar none, that I have found. This one gives great information by health professionals who also suffer from this disabling and hard to understand problem. I don't even know whether to call it a disease or disability or what. At least the book makes it clear it is not a syndrome or an "all in your head" problem. It gives great advice, both physical and emotional, as well as having a chapter to help family members and loved ones understand what you are going. through.

[Olivia Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an incredible companion for someone, like me, with FMS. I felt so shocked when I started reading about TrPs and how they manifest into the symptoms I know too well.

My favorite parts of this book were the chapters that discussed treatment. I am in the beginning stages of treatment and need all the helpful information I can get. The book offers non-biased perspectives - whether you are religious or not, whether you practice homeopathic methods of treatment or not..

Some common things that I found in this book (that the book advocates) is exercise and mindfulness. Personally I have found these things to be difficult at first, but they get better and have made my condition more manageable. I highly recommend this book if you are in need of guidance, or even if you don't know anything about fibromyalgia and would like to learn more.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As recently diagnosed with both of these conditions, this book is absolutely invaluable. It was so interesting - it read like a user manual to my life and all of the strange medical issues that have plagued me for years! From the weird callus patterns on my feet to the bizarre ants crawling sensations on my skin to the muscle pain, exhaustion and migraines - it is all in here. Lots of solutions to help you feel better and start moving again.

[Stephy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not imagining it. I'm not alone. I'm not crazy. The first book that ever made me understand my chronic illness well enough to live with it as well as possible. I bought it the week it appeared at the Barnes and Noodle an read every page before I slept.

[Becca]

I'm sure this book will be really helpful when I finally commit to reading it. The thing about having fibroymalgia is, I don't particularly want to spend my free time reading about it. The book does look like an incredible resource.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have read so far on Fibromyalgia and or Myofascial pain. I think it the best because the author herself had Fibromyalgia and Myofascial pain.

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely important book for those who have fibromyalgia.

[McKenna Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this edition much more than the first edition. The organization and presentation was all a lot better. At times it was still a bit depressing and one of the author's frustrations came through considerably, but this is the most comprehensive information source I've found, and there's a lot of great source citation. Definitely my favorite fibro research book.

[Liaken · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's dated, to be sure, but it is still valuable. I was impressed with the breadth and how many details it pulled together, details I had never seen linked. It's not much good with depth, but that can be found in further sources.

[Mrs Reddy Mallender-Katzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book well written easy to follow and really thorough i highly recommend this one especially for Doctors who are interested because it covers such a wide variety of subjects

[Melissa Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thid book was very helpful in understanding my condition as well as how to speak to my doctor about my concerns.

[Troy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info at the time of publishing... more pertinent info available now

[Carol & Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written by authors who are familiar with these diseases on every level. This book was a lot to get through but was helpful in that it covered so many aspects of the diseases.

[Tony Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful, I wish there was an updated version with new research.

[Nannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5)

I wish everyone (and especially doctors) knew the basic information from this book. It's been nearly two decades since its publication, and doctors still aren't even close to being sort of informed on FMS or CMP. Some don't even believe they're real conditions.

I've been "officially diagnosed" with fibromyalgia for about two years now and since then, all I've got from medical professionals has been misunderstandings, frustration, the bare minimum of medications, and physical therapy that have harmed me more than helped. I finally decided to educate myself on my own condition, and I'm so, so glad that this was the first book I picked up.

It demystified so many aspects of FMS (and CMP, which I'm 100% sure is something I also have, but most--including my--doctors just lump together because of inadequate knowledge) that were unclear to me and gave me resources that made me feel empowered instead of always helpless.

What makes this book so great is that the author has fibromyalgia, and she speaks from a point of view that's so relatable and understanding. It doesn't sound distant, even when she's talking about extremely scientific things with long terms that could be text book material.

If I had to make one critique (because this book was, is, and will be helpful for anyone with these conditions), it would be that it is evident the author is pretty comfortable regarding money. Many solutions for delegating home tasks and chores, etc. is to hire someone, and if money is an issue, simply hire a teen who will work for lower rates. This was repeated so many times (hire someone) that it became more than an annoyance, because there are many people who could never be able to hire someone to help. It was also assumed that people could just talk to their bosses about needing help with their illnesses (without getting fired--or as if they already had a stable job--or as if they weren't people job searching, people who would probably need to start at the bottom with no way to ask for better accommodations if they wanted to be hired).

In any case, the book was so educational and the resources provided make it invaluable.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the standard amongst many people with FMS and/or MPS. It covers symptoms and treatments other books don't and does not talk down to the patient the way so many similar books do. It also has lots of information that a patient could share with their doctor. This book is also helpful for the loved ones of those with FMS and/or MPS to better understand the diseases and possible treatments.

[Bri Malan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best survival manual of fibromyalgia and myofascial pain...it describes how i feel, why i feel the way i do, physically...and gives the medical reasons behind the way that i feel. It explains why i hurt, and how to get some relief. Its the best book to have when you hurt, and need validation for your pain and fatigue.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was as if the author opened up a mind-meld and put down on paper all the frustrations and symptoms that I was unable to adequately describe in my own words...anyone who has fibro or knows someone who has it (or suspects as much) should read this book. It helped me to define how to communicate better with my doctors.

[kougra_27 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not layman friendly, but still something I'd recommend for someone with fibromyalgia. CMP... I'd save your money as it is only referenced to in passing. This was disappointing as CMP was my reason for buying this book.

[Joy Sterrantino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely thorough and helpful look at fibro. It has explained almost my whole life!

[Heidi Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent detailed book. May be too technical for some, but explains Fibro and CMP very well.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book comes highly recommended. Need to read to gain a better understanding of myofascial pain syndrome and what else I can do to help treat and manage it.

[Dedra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good general advice, but some is out of date. A good guide for self-care, being your own advocate, creating a support network, etc.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book very good information.