CONSTANT pain and tiredness have become a part of Emily Winslow’s life since she gave birth.

It was a difficult delivery and doctors believe it triggered her fibromyalgia.

Emily, 32, of Lawns, had son Jaxon last January. “His birth was quite traumatic, I almost had to have a caesarian, and when he was born he couldn’t breathe by himself," she said.

"I got to hold him for five minutes before he was taken to the special care baby unit where he was on a ventilator and in an incubator for 24 hours.

“That was just horrible because I was in the room on my own without my baby, it was difficult, and that’s what they think triggered it. I was very lucky to get my diagnosis six months later, which is quite quick.

"I had to go through a lot of tests to eliminate the possibility of me having another condition before I was told I had fibromyalgia.”

This condition affects her every day and means she is sometimes unable to do basic tasks. “I was only diagnosed in the summer last year and was left to my own devices,” she said.

“I get a lot of pain in my arms, down my back, and sometimes my legs. The pain is quite bad, it doesn’t go away with painkillers, lots of people have to take very strong painkillers to help them function.

“I struggle with daily tasks, I can’t open jars or open my son’s milk bottles or cut up my own food. That’s when it’s very bad.”

Now Emily has started the Swindon Fibromyalgia Support Group in the hope of helping others suffering from the condition, which is often lifelong.

Over 100 people in the weeks since the January launch

She said: “It’s a pretty rough chronic pain condition and there’s not a support group, as far as I’m aware, in Swindon.

"I was struggling with the illness because people around me don’t quite understand. I started the group so I could meet other people because with lockdown it has been difficult to find other people with the condition and to get support.

“I was very surprised that so many people have the condition. If anyone is having a bad day or someone has advice we share that on the Facebook page to try and cheer each other up.”

To join the group visit www.facebook.com/groups/832479033964085