Living with fibromyalgia : exploring female patients’ experience using an interpretative phenomenological approach

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder mainly characterised by a chronic widespread body pain. Most people with fibromyalgia also experience a certain degree of fatigue, sleep disturbances, sensitivity to touch, light and sound, and cognitive challenges (National Fibromyalgia Association, 1997). An approximate 3% to 6% of the world’s population are diagnosed with FM, with the majority being females (National Fibromyalgia Association, 2016). In spite of efforts to surpass the diagnostic process, it often remains a rather long journey, as it is a diagnosis of exclusion (Häuser et al., 2008) with no aetiology yet identified. Pagano et al., (2004) concluded that indeed, FM is a very disabling illness linked with a poor quality of life. Sense-making is central to many of the models adopted by health psychologists to look into individuals’ ways of functioning (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009, p. 112). In health psychology, issues of perception of control are often important theoretical constructs (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009, p. 106). In fact, in existing literature, the central framework that is behind the patients’ meaning of FM is the loss of control that is brought about the condition itself. The purpose of this study was to explore female patients’ experience of FM before and after diagnosis, in the local context. Furthermore, it understood better the impact of environmental and social elements that play a role in their life with FM as well captured the essence of the meaning these females give to their chronic illness. The mentioned objectives of this study were reached through semi structured interviews conducted with eight females diagnosed with FM. The internal resources and coping strategies that participants had to adopt due to such condition highly emerged through the interviews. Moreover, a sense of identity and labelling to the diagnosis was also greatly highlighted. The study concluded with a presentation of limitations and recommendations for future research, as well as possible strategies and steps that need to be taken in the local healthcare system to better support women with FM.