Patienters upplevelser av att leva med fibromyalgi
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder. It affects muscles and connective tissue. It's a very complex disorder that has no adequate treatment or cure. The research has progressed but there are still some questions to be answered. Quality of life for these patients is decreased and leads to suffering. Aim: The aim of this study was to illuminate patients' experiences of living with fibromyalgia. Method: A literature overview where nine different qualitative studies between the years 1998-2012 were analyzed. Results: The analysis of the articles lead to six subthemes "Accepted and adapted to the new life", "Experienced a new I", "Experienced changes in the work situation", Experienced changes in privacy", Experienced ignorance" and "Experienced incomprehension" which lead to three main themes "Experienced an identity change", "Experienced a sense of isolation" and "Felt frustration in meeting with health care" Conclusion: The disorder affects the patients both mentally and physically. More research needs to be done for more knowledge about the disorder in order to improve patients care and quality of life