A long-term hairdresser has been left in agonising pain from a condition which could leave her wheelchair bound.
Amanda Dent, 48, has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia which is a debilitating condition that causes widespread pain and extreme fatigue all over her body.
Fibromyalgia can lead to symptoms such as difficulty sleeping and Amanda is concerned that she will become dependent on a wheelchair as her condition worsens, Grimsby Live writes.
The mum-of-two, from Grimsby, is still determined to carry on and wants to prove to people that anything is possible.
Amanda said: "I'm in pain 24 hours a day. It's as if you have arthritis in every single joint.
"It's extremely painful but there's no cure and no help. I'm having to work with a pain threshold of 10 out of 10 every day.
"It's really hard to describe the pain. It's like you've been in a car accident and you hurt that much.
"I wake up in absolute agony most nights. It's not easy at all. It can be really difficult.
"I've been going to support sessions for people who live with fibromyalgia and I'm very concerned about the future.
"In the end, people are left in a wheelchair because they can't move their body. That scares me."
The Grimsby woman also speaks about being given a diagnosis for the condition back in 2016 at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital.
It gave her 'relief' to find out what had caused her to be in excruciating pain.
Amanda said: "I started to feel the pain around 8 years ago in 2014. I felt extreme tiredness like a form of chronic fatigue.
"All I wanted to do was sleep and it doesn't matter how much rest you have, it makes you worse.
"It took two years to get a diagnosis at the Rheumatolgy department in Grimsby. I was given painkillers by the doctors instead.
"People don't understand it and think it's a made up condition. It isn't made up because some days are better but you are totally wiped out the next.
"It really is like an invisible illness because on the outside I look like a glamorous hairdresser. But the difference on the inside is astonishing.
"And it was a relief after having so many tests and scans. I was given the diagnosis and he said I just had to 'deal with it'.
"That was really hard to take. You can't switch that pain off."
Amanda says she is anxious about her condition getting worse in the future.
And she also feels that she may struggle to have a 'good quality of life' because of her pain.
She said: "At the minute, I'm managing to live without any medication despite what I go through.
"I'm worried about having to go in a wheelchair and be on daily medication because there's no quality of life there.
"People I've spoken with are in endless pain and that scares me. The condition is getting worse as I get older.
"When you have a pain condition and know you're going to need to be looked after is quite shocking.
"I'm going to be on my own at 48 years-old and in a lot of pain which is really daunting to face.
"My children are both 25 and 21. There is no one looking after me."
But Amanda says that she is determined to keep on going despite facing an uphill battle against the condition.
She says she is surprised by her own accomplishment as many struggle to work full time whilst living with the condition.
She said: "I'm doing really well to keep on working. I have a fantastic client base who are lovely.
"I work 12 hours a day on a daily basis too and love what I do.
"I love all my customers. I've been hairdressing all my life in Grimsby so I'm well known in the area.
"I've been doing what I love since 16 years-old. The fibromyalgia has forced me to be mobile and to do it myself.
"I keep on going and that's really important to me. If you sit down and wallow about it it will get you down.
"I'm not depressed and I do like to stay positive. I want to be an asset for those living with the condition."
If you would like to keep in touch with Amanda whilst she goes through her journey with fibromyalgia, you can do so here.
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