MOST girls about to turn 18 will be busy meticulously planning every last detail of their birthday celebrations.
But not Beth Fuller.
She suffers from fibromyalgia, which causes chronic, crippling pain and fatigue.
Beth's symptoms began when she was 12, around the same time her parents Steph Khan and Mark Fuller divorced.
Doctors say the condition can be triggered by a "physically or emotionally stressful event".
It is clear FMS has had a profound effect on Beth.
She said: "A lot of girls with their 18th coming up in December would be organising parties now.
"They'd be planning a big night out, with drinking and partying.
"But I won't be doing any of that because of the condition I have."
She wishes to talk publicly about the little understood condition in a bid to raise awareness
Beth said: "FMS makes you feel really isolated. You feel alone.
"I can't do anything for myself."
Beth lives with her mum, her sister, Emily, 16, and her brother Charlie, 21 months, on the Boothferry estate in west Hull.
She said: "Some days, when my mum has to work, I am in the bedroom from 8am to 7pm.
"I do get down because of the pain I am in. It is constant.
"If me and my family go out for the day, my sister has to stay close by to help me on my crutches. It's not fair on them all.
"Sometimes I think about trying to find somewhere else to live, on my own.
"But I know I wouldn't be able to manage."
Beth must travel to Sheffield to attend pain clinics, because none are available to her in Hull.
"They're apparently not available to under-18s in Hull," she said. "It seems ridiculous."
As well as attending the clinics and taking a daily concoction of 15 painkillers, Beth hopes to soon begin cognitive behavioural therapy, which is often labelled "talking therapy" to help tackle depression caused by the condition.
Beth has a boyfriend, but says the condition puts a strain on their relationship.
"He is really supportive," she said, "But it is really hard on him.
"I suffer a lot of anxiety attacks and sometimes end up fainting.
"We can sometimes go for meals out, but we can't do normal things like go for walks together."
Despite suffering constant pain from head to toe, Beth manages to complete a few hours' work each week at Gap in Kingston Retail Park.
The cash she earns, together with employment and support allowances, helps her make ends meet.
Ms Khan, 40, a pharmacy assistant, believes the condition was brought on by her divorce from Beth's father, Mark Fuller, 40.
"The doctors seem to think it is brought on by emotional or physical trauma," she said.
"The only trauma I can think of that Beth suffered while growing up was our divorce, which happened when she 12 – around the same time Beth's symptoms started showing.
"Beth's sister, Emily, has always been able to show and talk about her emotions, but Beth has really struggled with that."
Ms Khan praised her daughter's resilience.
"I am really proud of the way Beth copes with FMS and continues to work," she said. "It's very difficult for her."
The family has yet to decide how they will help Beth celebrate her milestone birthday.
Ms Khan said: "We are hoping to get her a car to help get her some independence, but it's difficult, financially."
What is fibromyalgia?Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.
According to the NHS Choices website, as well as widespread pain, people with fibromyalgia may also have:
• Increased sensitivity to pain
• Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• Muscle stiffness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Problems with mental processes such as problems with memory and concentration
• Headaches
• Irritable bowel syndrome – a digestive condition that causes stomach pain and bloating
Treatment is available to ease some symptoms, but they are unlikely to disappear completely.
It is still not known exactly what causes FMS. In many cases, the condition appears to be triggered by a physically or emotionally stressful event.
Anyone can develop FMS, although it affects around seven times as many women as men.
The condition typically develops between the ages of 30 and 50.
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