Book Review: Figuring Out Fibromyalgia, by Ginevra Liptan, M.D.

Dr. Ginevra Liptan is an active fibromyalgia researcher, physician, and fibromyalgia patient. This book provides a view of Dr. Liptan's own recovery, subsequent research and clinical experience. She provides explanations for our unique form of pain as well as several other symptoms, including abnormal stress response and food sensitivities. I believe this book is a worthwhile read for people trying to figure out what is going on in their bodies and what to do about it.

Fibromyalgia presents several puzzling aspects -- where does the pain come from? Why are we unable to deal with stress, both physical and emotional? Why are we so prone to food sensitivities? What's the connection behind our myriad problems?

In this book, Dr. Liptan lays out her theory and answers all these questions based on her personal experience as a doctor and patient, her own research, and other studies. She starts with an explanation of how the stress system becomes disordered, and how that starts a cascade of problems directly resulting in other key symptoms.

After explaining how you got there, she details how, according to her theory, you can work your way back to better health. She doesn't make pie-in-the-sky promises of perfect recovery, but she does provide a pathway to significant improvement.

The book also includes an excellent glossary, and the substantial reference section provides the amateur researcher with a wealth of materials.

I found the physiology in the book well laid-out and easy to understand. The process seems very logical and her sources are well cited.

My only criticism of the book is that, as a self-published work, it would have benefited from a final editing. I found several typos, and it seemed as if the order of some sections had been changed without appropriate changes to the text, which a couple of times put explanations of terminology after the terminology had been used once or twice.

Some readers may be dissatisfied that one of the major treatments Dr. Liptan recommends is not standard and is therefore unlikely to be covered by insurance, which could make it cost prohibitive.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.