A WOMAN who has battled against a debilitating illness that forced her to give up a high-flying career has co-written a self-help manual to help other sufferers get back on their feet.

Pat Hurst, who has fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and co-author Sue Williams, a clinical nurse specialist in the rheumatology team at Salisbury District Hospital, launched the book at the March meeting of the South Wilts Fibromyalgia Society.

Until 1993, Pat's career was enormously important to her.

She was in a high-pressure senior position in local government when FMS struck.

"The onset was acute," says Pat (49), who lives in Landford.

"One day I was healthy and the next I wasn't.

"I woke up one morning with what felt like flu and the doctor initially diagnosed viral arthritis because all my joints swelled up.

"I was off work for three months and then phased myself back over the next year.

"But I was in constant pain the whole time, had no energy and it seemed to get worse."

In the end, she was medically retired from her job

"I was clinically depressed by the time I was referred to Salisbury District Hospital and diagnosed with FMS," she says.

"The thought of being like this for the rest of my life appalled me."

She admits that she was angry and bitter to start with but realised she had to move on.

Fours years ago, she heard that Sue Williams, who had run self-management programmes for FMS sufferers at SDH, was setting up a local branch of the Fibromyalgia Society and she joined just before its inaugural meeting.

Now she is its chairman.

Through the book, Getting to Grips with Fibromyalgia, subtitled a DIY manual, they hope to increase awareness and understanding of the illness amongst health professionals, employers and relatives of sufferers, as well as offering pages of useful advice and practical tips on coping with FMS on a daily basis.

"Almost two per cent of the population suffer from it, but no one's heard of it," says Pat.

Approximately nine times as many women as men are affected.

The symptoms of FMS are numerous but the essence is chronic widespread pain and tenderness.

Sufferers frequently complain of fatigue, sleep disturbance, IBS, headaches and migraine, hyperventilation, stiffness and brain "fog" causing poor memory and concentration.

Some sufferers are able to carry on their daily lives, but for others the condition is so chronic that work becomes impossible.

The aim of the book is to build awareness of the syndrome.

"What started as a little book grew," says Sue.

"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and hopefully it's consolidated a lot of the information that arises from sessions I take."

The book is a combination of Pat's experience as a sufferer and Sue's as a health professional.

"There are lots of books out there on FMS but none of them gave me the practical advise on sleep, posture, etc., I needed," says Pat.

Little things like binding the book with a curly spine that allows it to open flat are all based on personal experience.

"I used to have terrible trouble holding books," says Pat, who is now back at work.

"This one is easy to handle and easy to follow."

Getting to Grips with Fibromyalgia is available at a discounted price of £6.50 (normal price £8.50) to members of the SWFS and anyone in the SP postcode area. Postal applications should be sent to: South Wilts Fibromyalgia Society, POBox 1975, Salisbury SP2 8ZQ. Cheques, including £1.50 p&p, should be made payable to FMS Awareness Campaign.