Posts from — March 2009

Hi Fibro and CFS Friends,

The following is valuable information stemming from an  article from [National Fibromyalgia Partnership, Inc.]  Go ahead and print this one and ask your family members to read it.  It is written with the layman in mind and may help those you care about and sometimes must depend on for support to understand You are not lazy or exaggerating the disabling syndrome symptoms.  

This article provides an overview of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, including information about symptoms and homeostasis (self-healing).

“The most commonly accepted definition (devised by the American College of Rheumatology in 1990) is that the person affected needs to show a history of widespread pain (pain is considered widespread when all of the following are present: pain in the left side of the body, pain in the right side of the body, pain above the waist and pain below the waist. In addition there should be pain in the spine or the neck or front of the chest, or thoracic spine or lower back) and pain in 11 of 18 tender point sites on finger pressure.”

“Both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia often seem to begin after an infection or a severe shock (physical or emotional), and the symptoms are very similar. The only obvious difference seems to be that for some people the fatigue element is the most dominant while for others the muscular pain symptoms are greatest. In other words for many people the diagnosis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are interchangeable terms, although there are certain symptoms (fever, swollen glands for example) which are found in a higher percentage of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients than those with Fibromyalgia, which sometimes make such a comparison less precise.”

It is important to note that these fibromyalgia symptoms will and do vary in intensity and duration from person to person. As a result, the effect of fibromyalgia symptoms on our quality of life is also different for each of us who have to contend with this disorder.

Stiffness: Body stiffness may be particularly apparent upon awakening and after prolonged periods of sitting or standing in one position or coincide with changes in temperature or relative humidity

Increased Headaches Or Facial Pain: Fibromyalgia patients may experience frequent migraine, tension, or vascular headaches. Pain may also consist of referred pain to the temporal area (temples) or behind the eyes. Approximately one-third of patients with fibromyalgia are thought to have pain and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, (located where the jaw meets the ear) which produces not only headaches but also jaw and facial pain.

Sleep Disturbances: Despite sufficient amounts of sleep, FMS patients may awaken feeling non-refreshed, as if they have barely slept. Alternatively, they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Some also suffer from the condition, sleep apnea. The reasons for the non-restorative sleep and other sleep difficulties of fibromyalgia are unknown.

Gastrointestinal Complaints: Digestive disturbances, abdominal pain, and bloating are quite common in FMS as are constipation and/or diarrhea (also known as “irritable bowel syndrome” or IBS).

Genito-Urinary Problems: FMS patients may experience increased frequency of urination or increased urgency to urinate, typically in the absence of a bladder infection. Women with FMS may have more painful menstrual periods or experience worsening of their FMS symptoms during this time. Conditions such as vulvar vestibulitis or vulvodynia, characterized by a painful vulvar region and painful sexual intercourse, may also develop in women.

Paresthesia: Numbness or tingling, particularly, in the hands or feet, sometimes accompanies FMS. Also known as “paresthesia”, the sensation can be described as prickling or burning.
Temperature Sensitivity: Persons with fibromyalgia tend to be highly sensitive to ambient temperature. Some often feel abnormally cold (compared to others around them) while others feel abnormally warm. An unusual sensitivity to cold in the hands and/or feet, accompanied by color changes in the skin, sometimes occurs in persons with fibromyalgia. This condition is known as “Raynaud’s Phenomenon”.

Skin Complaints: Nagging symptoms, such as itchy, dry, or blotchy skin, may accompany FMS. Dryness of the eyes and mouth is also not uncommon. Additionally, fibromyalgia patients may experience a sensation of swelling, particularly in extremities, like fingers. A common complaint is that a ring no longer fits on a finger. Such swelling, however, is not equivalent to the joint inflammation of arthritis; rather, it is a localized anomaly of FMS whose cause is currently unknown.

Chest Symptoms: Individuals with fibromyalgia who engage in activities involving continuous, forward body posture (i.e., typing, sitting at a desk, etc.) often have special problems with chest and upper body pain known as “thoracic pain and dysfunction”.1. Often accompanying the pain is shallow breathing and postural problems. Patients may also develop a condition called “costochondralgia” which involves muscle pain where the ribs meet the chest bone. Such conditions may mimic heart disease and are therefore sometimes misdiagnosed. Note: Anyone experiencing chest pain should always consult a physician immediately. [Remember that persons with fibromyalgia can have other health problems!]

Dysequilibrium: FMS patients may be troubled by light-headedness and/or balance problems which manifest themselves in a number of ways.

Cognitive Disorders: Persons with FMS report a number of cognitive symptoms which tend to vary from day to day. These include difficulty concentrating, “spaciness,” short-term memory lapses, and being overwhelmed easily. Many fibromyalgia patients refer to such symptoms as “fibro-fog”.
Leg Sensations: Some FMS patients may develop a neurological disorder known as “restless legs syndrome” (RLS) which involves an irresistible urge to move the legs particularly when at rest or when lying down. One recent study reported that 31% of the fibromyalgia patients studied had RLS.6 The syndrome may also involve periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) which can be very disruptive to both the patient and to his/her sleeping partner.

Environmental Sensitivity: Hypersensitivity to light, noise, odors, and weather patterns is common and is usually explained as being a result of the hyper-vigilance seen in the nervous systems of patients with FMS. Allergic-like reactions to a variety of substances (i.e., medications, chemicals, food additives, pollutants, etc.) are common, and patients may also experience a form of non-allergic rhinitis consisting of nasal congestion/discharge and sinus pain, but in the absence of the immunologic reactions which the body experiences in allergic conditions.

Depression and Anxiety: Although FMS patients are frequently misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety disorders ["it's all in your head"], research has repeatedly shown that fibromyalgia is not a form of depression or hypochondriasis. However, where depression or anxiety exist concomitant to fibromyalgia, their treatment is important as both can exacerbate FMS and interfere with successful symptom management.

*
1. “Thoracic Pain and Dysfunction,” Fibromyalgia Frontiers, Vol. 5, # 2, Spring 1997. Note: This list condensed from FMS MONOGRAPH 1999. [National Fibromyalgia Partnership, Inc.]

Hi Fibro/CFS Friends,

Dr. Mark Shaw has kindly shared with us numerous Fibromyalgia and CFS research articles since the onset of this blogsite.  I thank Dr. Shaw for his passion and caring for our (and his) community and have added his latest article in hopes you take action and pick up an ebook copy to help guide you to success with treating the challenges you are living with on a daily basis.  If you smoke, take extra consideration to pick up his ebook as Dr. Shaw has had many successes with his own patients as he explains in his following article.  

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Hello fellow Fibromyalgia and CFS Survivors,

As a clinician and Fibromyalgia/CFS Survivor my findings in relation to smoking and other drug addictions while treating Fibromyalgia and CFS is vital to the community.

I wrote the “stop smoking” manual as a sideline while working with a colleague who has a particular interest in Neuro Linguistic programming and hypnotic therapies.  I offer it now as a bonus when purchasing my “Beat Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” ebook through  www.Fibroebooks.com   

Having to refuse to treat people who were clearly addicted to a social drug always left me feeling frustrated that there was nothing I could actually do if patients are unable to help themselves.

This gave me the inspiration for this particular book which comes as part of the package.

We were wondering partly if we could use these techniques simply in a readable format that was so powerful that simply by reading a book, could it possible to change the way you think about an activity as ingrained as smoking.

We were pleased with the results and I dedicate this book to my good friend and colleague Joseph Davies.

Dr Mark J Shaw.

  
Copyright of The Mellington Clinic and Associates: 2008.

Hi Fibro CFS Survivors,

Sorry Fibro/CFS friends for not writing yet this month. I have had my own personals struggles this month and thankingfully winning the battle.  I believe a positive reason exists for all challenges. My struggle helped me realize how important receiving support from others in the know is when facing what is thrown at us appears at the moment to be out of our control.  Which leads us into a discussion regarding Fibromyalgia/CFS support groups.

More opinions regarding Fibromyalgia/CFS support groups exist than monkeys in a tree J Some groups entertain complaining and whining about the critical pain and disabling symptoms one experiences with these syndromes.  Other groups provide intensive healing models. The list goes on and on. I strongly recommend to take the action to locate a group that shares a positive and proactive approach to daily living with Fibromyalgia/CFS.

While support groups can be beneficial in many cases, not all are created equal.  When looking for a support group, expect that you will need to visit several before finding one where you feel welcomed and comfortable. The goal is to locate a group of other Fibromyalgia suffers who maintain a positive attitude, share ideas, and provide a shoulder on which to cry.  I agree with professionals it is healthy to cry. Although in my opinion, it is not healthy to lie in bed crying and complaining day after day. 

The types of support groups you should avoid are those where people complain, whine, or find pleasure in seeing who had the worst week.  Sadly, these support groups exist and instead of lifting you up, they will pull you down further.  With patience and perseverance, you can find the right group. If you are reading this post and have attempted but have not identified a support group match for yourself, let me know with a comment to this post. I am in the planning phase of establishing a Fibromyalgia/CFS support group that will include professional clinicians. Your ideas and comments are and will continue to be welcomed. This is about us. What it’s all about is helping each other live the highest quality of life on a daily basis.  I’m here for you. Send in your thoughts. 

Your Fibro Friend,

Cheryl J