‘Fibromyalgia and Us’ Comic Explains What Life Is Like for Patients and Their Families

by M H Shahid

The comic, called “Fibromyalgia and Us,” was published last week and is a collaboration between the University of Dundee’s Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, Ink Pot Studios (based in Dundee Comics Creative Space), Christopher Murray of Comics Studies and Divya Jindal-Snape of the School of Education and Social Work.

With an aim of creating a better understanding of fibromyalgia, Professor Divya Jindal-Snape started thinking of creating a comic about it. This comic has been designed with the purpose of raising awareness of fibromyalgia amongst professionals, families, and communities. it illustrates the ongoing life transitions of those who have fibromyalgia as well as its impact on significant others. it highlights the importance of a strong support network to enable people to adapt to the multiple transitions triggered by fibromyalgia and flourish despite its substantial challenging consequences. Thanks to all the contributors, scriptwriters, artists and Professor Chris Murray for turning this idea into reality.

The comic includes six sections: “Living and Working With Fibromyalgia,” “The Mask,” “Misdiagnosed,” “Taking Control of Fibromyalgia,” “What Is Fibromyalgia? A Doctor’s Perspective,” and “Advice From a Physiotherapist.”

From “Living and Working With Fibromyalgia”:

fibromyalgia and us comic: conversation between a doctor and patient with the doctor saying you have fibromyalgia and prescribing antidepressants and the patient asking what fibro is and is it all in her head

drawing of a woman saying what does it feel like? and drawings of her, one for each day of the week, getting progressively more tired and then saying yes, i can feel it in my bones

From “The Mask”:

drawing of a woman saying when she was diagnosed it was a shock and a relief and she didnt know much about fibro. she's afraid people will think it's all in her mind. the diagnosis didnt change anything since she lived with it so long. she doesn't feel like she can continue working as she had been.

drawings of woman looking in mirror, at a party, holding a mask. she says she feels old, her family was supportive but some didn't understand. she says she rarely talks about it and few people know she has it. she knows what she has to do in the background to keep up the facade of being ok. she needs to rest a lot even though she works and looks fit and active.

From “Misdiagnosed”

drawings of child in doctor's office. doctor says she's probably having growing pains, good bye. she says doctors were not my favorite people.

drawings of girl sleeping on beach. mom asks where she has fallen asleep this time. a boy says she's over here asleep again. she says she'd fall asleep all the time and felt like she was missing her childhood

The comic, called “Fibromyalgia and Us,” was published last week and is a collaboration between the University of Dundee’s Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, Ink Pot Studios (based in Dundee Comics Creative Space), Christopher Murray of Comics Studies and Divya Jindal-Snape of the School of Education and Social Work.

With an aim of creating a better understanding of fibromyalgia, Professor Divya Jindal-Snape started thinking of creating a comic about it. This comic has been designed with the purpose of raising awareness of fibromyalgia amongst professionals, families, and communities. it illustrates the ongoing life transitions of those who have fibromyalgia as well as its impact on significant others. it highlights the importance of a strong support network to enable people to adapt to the multiple transitions triggered by fibromyalgia and flourish despite its substantial challenging consequences. Thanks to all the contributors, scriptwriters, artists and Professor Chris Murray for turning this idea into reality.

“It is more engaging and powerful than a standard leaflet which contains information about fibromyalgia — of course they are important too, but usually read by those directly affected by it,” she said. “I wanted to create something that would be attractive to others, too.”

“The take home message is that it is a real health condition which can be disabling. It takes a long time to diagnose and can sometimes be misdiagnosed. Different people are affected differently,” said Jindal-Snape. “A strong support network makes it easier to live with fibromyalgia.”

You can download the entire comic here.

“Fibromyalgia and Us” was created by:
Jindal-Snape, Divya; Keiller, Andrew ; Kelly, Lynn; Langlands-Scott, Judith; Murray, Christopher; Snape, Anj ; Snape, Jonathan B.; Snape, Nik; Warden, Freddie; Whittingham, Bryan; Balson, Elliot (Artist); Dominak, Zu (Artist); Herd, Damon (Artist); Horner, Rebecca (Artist); Larkin, Ashling (Artist); Millar, Norrie (Artist); Robinson, Helen (Artist); Wilson, Letty (Artist). Fibromyalgia and us: Living with fibromyalgia.
University of Dundee: UniVerse, 2017. 36 p

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