About Me

My name is Sylvie, I am from Lyon and I offer you my testimony on Fibromyalgia. This sneaky and invisible disease is starting to be talked about because more and more of us “fibromyalgia sufferers” are freeing up our speech.

I’m married and I’m blessed to have a lovely and loving daughter and husband who both have beautiful souls. Long before the disease took its toll on my physique and my psyche, I enjoyed life, my family and my friends.

I have always worked in the social and educational field. I have been fortunate to hold diverse and varied positions that have contributed to my personal and professional development and especially to meet great people (children and adults). And despite all the horrors, violence, physical and mental suffering that I have encountered in 58 years, I still have faith in human nature and it is tirelessly at the center of my concerns.

Long before I turned 50, I complained of diffuse pain and extreme tiredness that I blamed on my professional investment and the health problems of my daughter that had to be managed at the same time. Especially since the general practitioner at the time justified these symptoms by a completely normal psychosomatic reaction given my family context …

I have had the feeling for a long time that I was not taken seriously by the medical profession and therefore I cocked my head to resist the pain and silence this suffering which seemed to be misunderstood by all. Then by the greatest chance, during a change of professional position in 2010, I met the occupational doctor who spoke to me for the first time about fibromyalgia. She challenged my doctor, who referred me to a rheumatologist and who, after a whole series of “negative” examinations, diagnosed fibromyalgia.

Exercise is a very important key to treating FM. However, it is necessary avoid “extreme” sports and overly energetic workouts. The rhythm and intensity of the exercises, must be measured according to the state of health of the affected person. Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins (a kind of natural morphine), which are hormones that promote relaxation and well-being. Regular exercise promotes sleep and provide more energy. Also, it is possible in some people who do exercise to decrease medication and get relief from equivalent pain.

Success lies in respecting your limits and your persistence in training. The goal is to do it regularly, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your exercise sessions and finding the best time

In the day when you are in top shape. One minute walk on foot (or a distance of 50 feet) is perhaps the maximum you can accomplish, but do it, even if the distance seems ridiculous. These are the consistency and persistence that will help you develop endurance with the time. New science speaks to the benefits of as little as 10 minutes of physical activity, three times a day, for a total of thirty minutes per day. It’s a goal that everyone could achieve without too much difficulty, after a month or two.