Support group helping fibromyalgia and ME sufferers to launch in Buxton

The group’s mission is to share advice on everything from staying as healthy as possible to preparing for medical appointments.

Buxton grandmother-of-one Angela Williamson - who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2016 - spoke at a meeting during which the group was proposed.

She told an audience at The Green Man Gallery how the illness had affected her career and relationships but had also left her with a ‘loss of self’.

She told the audience: “I started feeling like I was just this illness.

“Even well-meaning questions from friends at that time like ‘how are you?’ felt like they were talking to my illness rather than me.”

Speaking about seeing another fibromyalgia sufferer before her own diagnosis Angela told listeners: “I recognised that walk because it was mine too.

“That day was a wake up call for me - I started reading everything I could get my hands on about Fibromyalgia.”

Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.

Symptoms include extreme tiredness, problems with mental processes – known as ‘fibro-fog’ – and irritable bowel syndrome.

Angela, speaking after the meeting described the slow realisation that something was wrong which lead to her diagnosis.

She said: “My feet were tingling all the time then - but I thought I just needed to put my feet up.

“Then my hands started - then I got to the point where I couldn’t work anymore.”

However the 51-year-old grandmother-of-one - formerly a project manager for a multinational company - was still shocked when a doctor gave her the bad news.

But she added: “It started me on a journey to wellness - I started doing a lot of research.

“I realised you have to work collaboratively with doctors to help them help you.”

Once Buxton Fibromyalgia CFS/ME Support Group has been formalised Angela hopes it will be up and running by February.

For more information email Angela on [email protected].