Actress and psychologist Franciely Freduzeski, 47, opened up about the battle she faced until she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. In a meeting to discuss the disease, she reported that the first symptoms appeared in 2018 and that the constant pain got worse over the years.
She says she only received it in 2022 and went to 27 doctors until she got confirmation. Furthermore, she faced several unnecessary invasive procedures: “I had back surgery twice, buttock surgery, shoulder surgery… I was constantly being chopped up here and there”, she said.
The artist reported that no professional raised the possibility of fibromyalgia and that the disease was not even mentioned until she found the specialist who diagnosed it. “At no point did anyone talk about fibromyalgia to me, no one even suspected it or anything,” she said. She says that, during this period, she underwent blood tests and MRIs, but without getting concrete answers.
Today, Franciely uses her image to give visibility to the disease and combat prejudice surrounding fibromyalgia. She highlights that she still feels afraid of being judged when using hidden disability identification and queuing in public places. “Every time I’m judged. People say, ‘You don’t look sick,'” she said.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia, a condition that affects approximately 6 million Brazilians, represents a significant challenge for national public health. According to data from the SBR (Brazilian Society of Rheumatology), between 2% and 3% of the country’s population lives with this condition, characterized mainly by chronic pain.
The , including forearms, thighs, legs, lower back and scapular region. A particular aspect of the disease is that, unlike other conditions, intense physical exercise does not always provide improvement. In addition to physical symptoms, the disease can cause psychological symptoms, impacting sleep, appetite and general disposition.
