Tonya Ashby suffers from the condition fibromyalgia, the main symptom of which is chronic, body-wide pain.

As part of National Fibromyalgia week, which started on Monday, September 8, Tonya spoke to The Herald about the difficulties she has to face everyday.

"We think I've had the condition since I was a teenager, but I wasn't diagnosed for years," she said.

Search for answers

"I had endless doctors and hospital appointments and all my hospital notes mentioned psychosematic pain."

Tonya is now a mother of two – Molly, five, and Cerys, four – and lives with her husband, Jeff.

"Since having my second daughter, the pain has got a lot worse and my mobility has got worse," said Tonya, of Alma Street, Lancing.

"When I had my first daughter, I could sit on the floor and have a bit of a rough and tumble.

Constant pain

"But by the time my second daughter was born, I couldn't do that because it hurt too much to sit on the floor and I couldn't pick them up.

"My daughters are just starting to accept that I can't do everything – even the school run is a struggle."

Tonya's condition has continued to deteriorate over the last two years and, 18 months ago, she was forced to give up full-time work.

"In the last 18 months I've gone from walking normally to using one stick, to using two sticks, and I recently bought a wheelchair," said the 31-year-old.

Lack of understanding

"I can't just go out and do the food shopping unless someone comes with me.

"I can't put the bags on my lap because my legs start hurting.

"And, if I'm pushing the wheelchair and my wrists start to hurt, I'm stuck."

Tonya said she frequently gets "strange looks" from passers-by when she gets out of her wheelchair, and believed it to be because so few people know about or understand fibromyalgia

Support group

However, she has found support from the Fibromyalgia Support Group for Surrey and Sussex, which was founded by Jo Fisher and meets at Methold House, Worthing.

"You make friends with people and then if you're having a really bad time you can call them and they come and see you," said Tonya.

"It's really nice to have people who know exactly what you're feeling because quite a lot of people feel isolated.

"Everything that the fibro group has done has been absolutely fantastic, I can't fault them at all.

"I just wish more people out there knew about it so they could get the support they need."

Symptoms and information

Fibromyalgia is characterised by long-term pain and tender joints, fatigue, sleep problems, numbness in the hands and feet and headaches.

Although the cause of the disorder is unknown, in mild cases the symptoms may be reduced by making lifestyle changes or lowering stress levels.

More information on fibromyalgia and the national awareness week is online at www.fmauk.org


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