Hiya; Even tho' I was diagnosed with FM over a decade ago, this is my first time joining a support/info group of any kind. So far, Im glad I did. I've found out a lot of new info just while filling out the questionaires, and look forward to learning more from patients like you ;-) As for my personal life; Im a filmmaker, artist, and musician, and am engaged to my amazing Soulmate, who makes everyday easier and worth living. One thing I feel I need to say: while FM sucks bigtime, and I wouldn't wish it on an enemy, it has also been a big part in forging the person I am today, and I like Me.

Like most I imagine, I went thru years of mis-diagnoses, crappy doctors, non-understanding family/friends, and sucky days before I was officailly diagnosed with FM. After that tho', I had a name for my enemy, and life has steadily improved.

I rarely take pain meds, but do treat myself with Marijuana (vaporized), which has allowed me to live a reasonably 'normal' life.

I practice not-so-mainstream spirituality which has introduced me to a lot of alternative treatments such as; Meditation, Sweat Lodges, Aura Cleansing, Healing Circles, Reiki, Acupuncture and Magnetic Pain Therapy. These have all had different degrees of success from none to totally awesome, feel free to ask me about them or to suggest any 'outside the box' treatments you may know of.

I try to keep up as much as I can on the latest mainstream treatments and information on FM, which thankfully has increased dramatically over the last few years.

I try to keep active through exercise and activities, and while I don't always succeed, I do my best to eat a healthy diet.

I'm looking into a new family doctor who specializes in fibromyalgia, and will continue to do whatever I can to better my quality of life.

Cheers...