In 1993, Lynne Matallana was a partner in a prestigious Southern California advertising agency. When she was diagnosed with endometriosis, she decided to have surgery to treat it. But Matallana, then 38 years old, never completely recovered from the operation. After surgery, she developed horrible insomnia, was unable to eat, and experienced constant exhaustion and fatigue. Barely able to get out of bed, her whole body was wracked with pain. Matallana's health, her friendships, her career, her life literally fell apart.
Matallana spent the next two years bedridden and in excruciating pain. Then in late 1995 after seeing 37 doctors, Matallana was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic, often debilitating pain illness affecting an estimated 10 million Americans and about 5% of the population worldwide.
While searching for more information over the Internet on this illness, Matallana met Karen Lee Richards, another fibromyalgia sufferer. In 1997, Matallana and Richards formed the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), whose mission is to develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia by providing up-to-date comprehensive information, educational curriculum, and awareness of this complex chronic pain illness that challenges patients and health care professionals alike.
The NFA hosts a comprehensive web site, www.FMaware.org, which gets more than 175,000 visitors each month. In 2003, the website was recognized among the top fibromyalgia websites in a presentation at the Annual American College of Rheumatology/ARHP Scientific Meeting.
Matallana also created and now serves as the editor-in-chief of Fibromyalgia AWARE, the first and only national FM consumer magazine. It was launched in May 2002 and enjoys a readership of 500,000 people.
Due largely in part to Matallana's willingness to share her own personal struggle with fibromyalgia, the NFA continues to receive ongoing media presence; she has been interviewed and featured on Dateline NBC, Newsweek, and in numerous other newspapers, magazines, and TV and radio broadcasts throughout the country.
Matallana believes that fibromyalgia has taught her some of the most important life lessons: that adversity strengthens and can improve an individual. She has had to give up many things from her pre-fibromyalgia days, but she has gained much more. "From struggle and pain come peace and serenity," says Matallana.
Matallana is a member of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation Research; the Arthritis Advisory Committee, and the National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases Coalition. She is the author of the book The Complete Idiot's Guide: Fibromyalgia.
When not speaking about fibromyalgia at health and medical conferences around the country, Matallana lives in Orange, Calif., with her husband, Richard.