Celebrities with Fibromyalgia - Another List

This seems to be a new hot topic, Celebrities with Fibromylagia, I am seeing more and more stories n this topic. ProHealth has released a list of 10 celebrities who are struggling with fibro. I think we were familiar with most on the list already, but here is:

http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18748&B1=EM021214F

Even More Celebrities Battling Fibromyalgia

Wow! I had no idea these celebrities also battle fibro!

Morgan Freeman
Janeane Garofalo

http://www.inspiredlivingwithfibromyalgia.com/2012/07/faces-of-famous-people-with-fibromyalgia.html

Follow Up: Even More Celebrities with Fibromyalgia

In another follow up to my posts about celebrities coming forward with their struggles and successes with fibro, I found this slideshow highlighting the following celebrities as fellow fibromites:

• Susan Flannery
• Rosie Hamlin
• Sinead O'Conner
• MichaelJames Hastings

(The headline of this slideshow is a bit misleading as it says "5" celebrities but only sows 4....)

http://www.thirdage.com/fibromyalgia/celebrities-with-fibromyalgia?shuffle=1

Follow up: Celebrities with Fibromyalgia - Captain Michael Hastings

As a followup to my post from 5-29-13

I have discovered another celebrity that struggles with fibromyalgia.

You may know him as the Navy “Captain Mike” from the popular series “The West Wing,” but Michael James Hastings creates more popularity by being a spokesman for fibromyalgia. He follows Dr. Teitelbaum's protocol with supplements and coupled with lifestyle changes and adjustments has found success in managing his fibro symptoms.

Here is the article I found highlighting Captain Mike

http://www.homecuresthatwork.com/columns/celebrity-health-watch/michael-james-hastings-fibromyalgia-activist/#.Udl9nlOHQZw

And here is a link to his website with extensive links and information:

http://www.captainhastings.com/

This is an inspiration, and another step in the right direction seeing celebrities come forward with their fibro struggles, and supporting the focus on fibromyalgia and treatments.

Celebrity Battling Fibromyalgia

Its unfortunate that the stigma of fibromyalgia (and misunderstanding) means that celebrities are much less likely to come forward and speak about their experiences with the illness. For a celebrity announcing that you suffer from fibromyalgia can be a career killer, so many keep quiet and suffer through. I've always thought and even wished a celebrity would come out and speak in support, I feel that would shine more light on the illness and even more understanding and support.

I did come across this interesting article today about a celebrity battling fibro:

http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/fibromyalgia/articles/actress_aj_langer_how_fibromyalgia_affects_her_life.aspx

Venus Williams & Autoimmune?

Article about Venus Williams possibly having Sjogren's (autoimmune):

http://arthritis.about.com/b/2011/08/31/sjogrens-syndrome-knocks-venus-williams-out-of-the-game.htm?nl=1


Here's is an article that theorizes it may have been more than Sjogren's, maybe fibromyalgia also:

http://blogs.prevention.com/prevention-news/2011/09/02/venus-williams-is-it-sjorgens-syndrome-or-something-else/


I think it will be interesting to see how this develops for Venus, as we all know how both Sjogren's and Fibro are life-altering chronic illnesses. It's hard to find celebrities who are open about facing such challenging autoimmune illnesses, and its because of the same fears that we all face - the stigma of not being well enough, not being perfect, not being able to perform to the best of our abilities, looking well but not actually feeling well. As a celebrity, sports figure or famous person they are constantly in the spotlight and are under an even higher level of scrutiny than most. So being open about a chronic, debilitating illness could often be a career killer for them, thus they often feel a better move is to keep it quiet.

In a way I feel it is a shame, as I feel we need more on our side who can use their powers of influence to communicate the seriousness of the conditions and the challenges we face, and to inspire. I am proud that Phil Mickelson has come out and been so open about his struggles with psoriatic arthritis (also autoimmune.) So again, I am very curious to follow Venus Williams and her health, I hope she can also (unfortunately) highlight the struggles of chronic illness and be an inspiration to understand and manage chronic illnesses.