Fibromyalgia awareness has come a long way.  Thanks in large part to Pfizer's Lyrica commercials, anyone who watches TV now has at least a vague knowledge of what fibromyalgia is.  But that doesn't stop people from making insensitive comments.  There's still a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about this painful illness. 

Below are the top 10 things that should NOT be said to someone with fibromyalgia, but which we hear all too often, along with information you can use to respond to and hopefully educate the person making the comment.  They are presented in reverse order, ala David Letterman style.

10. We all get more aches and pains as we get older.

The pain of fibromyalgia is much more severe than the normal aches and pains associated with aging.  Little things that shouldn't hurt at all can be excruciatingly painful.  Plus, most people develop FM long before they should be experiencing age-related aches and pains. 

9.  I think I have that, too – I'm always tired.

This statement shows a basic misunderstanding of the severity of the fatigue associated with FM.  The fatigue of fibromyalgia is so much more than just being tired.  It is an all-encompassing exhaustion.  You are drained of energy – like someone pulled your plug, cutting of your source of power.  It's kind of like taking the batteries out of the Energizer bunny. 

8.  My friend has fibromyalgia and still manages to work.  Maybe you just need a job (hobby, etc.) to take your mind off the pain.

Translation – you must be lazy.  The fact is, the severity of FM symptoms varies.  Some people have fairly mild symptoms and are able to continue working.  Some continue working longer than they probably should because they have no other choice, but they suffer tremendously.  Others are so disabled they are confined to a wheelchair much of the time.  While getting involved in a project can help to distract your mind from the pain for short periods of time, if you have a more severe case, it doesn't work well enough to allow you to consistently work a 40-hour week.  And it doesn't help dispel the extreme fatigue that usually accompanies FM. 

7.  My doctor says fibromyalgia isn't a real disease; it's just a wastebasket diagnosis.

First of all, this doctor obviously hasn't kept up with the latest research, which clearly demonstrates that FM is a very real, physical disease.  Also, to date the FDA has approved three medications to treat fibromyalgia and they generally don't approve medications for imaginary illnesses.  There are a few doctors who will tell patients they have fibromyalgia if they can't figure out what is causing their symptoms and just want to get the patients off their back, but I have to question the ethics of a doctor who would do that. 

6.  If you got more sleep, you'd feel better.

Well, duh!  One of the major problems with fibromyalgia is that something prevents the body from going into the deepest stage of sleep, when the body naturally restores and replenishes itself.  Even if you manage to stay asleep for several hours, you're most likely not going to awaken feeling refreshed.  And most sleep medications do little to help you achieve that deep sleep.  They may help you get more hours of sleep, but probably will still not give you the deep sleep you need.