What would it be like to have an illness that could never be cured, could never be diagnosed, had no definite cause, and gave lifelong access to medically prescribed narcotics?

If you are experiencing fatigue, joint pain, and body aches then maybe you have that disease -- Fibromyalgia. Or maybe you don't, since many medical professionals are skeptical that it even exists.

That hasn't stopped pharmaceutical companies from running aggressive advertising campaigns pushing drugs tailored to those insecure, dependent, alienated individuals who might be duped into seeking care for this condition -- and often get referred to "pain centers" where they can become invalids, dependent upon chronic narcotics. The worst "fibromyalgia attacks" are indistinguishable from opiate withdrawal, although most suffers are firmly convinced of the reality of their diagnosis.

In 2010 a research paper suggested the similar Syndrome of Chronic Fatigue might be the result of an infection with the XMRV virus -- however, other scientists failed to replicate the finding, and for now, Fibromyalgia is a chimera of non-specific symptoms that could just as easily be attributed to arthritis, depression or old age. Or, maybe your doctor simply lost interest in your case and gave you a "trash can" diagnosis.

True-blue fibromyalgia suffers - don't give up hope! Maybe one day research with turn Fibromyalgia into a real disease -- one with a scientific cause, a clear-cut clinical syndrome, a diagnostic test and clinical treatment plan that is accepted by mainstream medical textbooks. Until that time, you might be better off clicking the next page to find a new diagnosis.