The First Year: Fibromyalgia: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

Fibromyalgia affects between three and six million Americans -- 80 percent of whom are women -- yet remains one of the most difficult conditions to identify and diagnose. In the tradition of the other titles in the First Year series, The First Year: Fibromyalgia uses a unique approach -- guiding readers through their first seven days following diagnosis, then the next three weeks of their first month, and finally the next eleven months of their first year -- to provide answers and advice that will help everyone newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia come to terms with their condition and the lifestyle changes that accompany it. Starting with the day of diagnosis, patient-experts Florence and Marek provide vital information about the nature of fibromyalgia, choosing the right doctors, treatment options, psychological issues, holistic alternatives, self-management strategies, illustrative charts and tables, and much more. The First Year: Fibromyalgia will be a supportive and educational resource for everyone who wants to take an active role in the management of their condition.

Mari Florence is the author of several books including The Enterprising Woman. She lives in Los Angeles.

Claudia Craig Marek is a medical assistant who has counseled fibromyalgia patients for more than a dozen years. She lives in Los Angeles.

R. Paul St. Amand, M.D. has been on the teaching staff at the Los Angeles Harbor/ UCLA Hospital, Department of Endocrinology for over forty-five years. He and Marek are co-authors of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia.