HELP ON TAP

Anne Millet loves tap dancing. But some weeks she can’t lift her feet.

“I come from a generation where you just get on with it. But sometimes I feel like I’ve been unplugged. It makes me anxious, and I admit I have bursts of temper. It’s the frustration at not being able to do stuff. I fight it, but it wears me down.”

Initially she thought pain in her hands was related to arthritis she’d developed in her 30’s. Two decades later, after controlling her discomfort with medication, the strain on her body became unbearable.

“I was weary with how much it affected me; I slowed right down. It kept me awake at night, but the odd thing was how it wasn’t like that all the time. I’d have days where I could carry on at my usual 100 miles an hour.”

I was weary with how much it affected me; I slowed right down.

Her GP surprised her by suggesting referral to St Helen’s musculo skeletal team.

“I thought it was arthritis, but they put me on the fibromyalgia pathway.

“There’s lots of signposting to whatever you feel you need. There were sessions

about dealing with the pain, pacing yourself, and a medicine review. I enjoyed the gentle exercise class.

What helped me most was being listened to.

It was good to talk to other people. Because sometimes I’m ok, people say, ‘are you sure you’ve got it?’ If you had a plaster cast, they wouldn’t question it. At the sessions you start to realise you’re not going mad, that other people are going through the same thing. It buoys you.

“I don’t sleep well, but the wellbeing course taught me coping strategies. I’m guilty of thinking it’s a sign of weakness if you don’t fight it. They’ve explained that it doesn’t matter if you have a day where you need to do a bit less.

“I’ve had lots of support, but what helped me most was being listened to, that what I have was finally being recognised.”

You can find out more and order or download information leaflets on fibromyalgia from Versus Arthritis: versusarthritis.org