I'll Take My Chances With Complementary Medicine

Over 700,000 Americans die each year from government sanctioned, FDA approved, AMA sponsored medicine.

Iatrogenic, or doctor induced, illnesses take the lives of 783,936 American each year. This makes conventional medicine the number one killer in the United States, ahead of heart disease and cancer. And, beware that as few as 5% of iatrogenic events are ever reported.

This implies that iatrogenic deaths are much higher and would be equivalent to six jumbo jets falling out of the sky each day. Now that’s news!

An October 2003 JAMA study from the US government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reported 32,000, mostly surgery-related, deaths costing $9 billion and resulting in 2.4 million extra hospital days in 2000. Americans submit to over 600,000 bypass surgeries each year. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that up to 10% of bypass patients die from the surgery. Yet, the National Institutes of Health has estimated that 90% of Americans who undergo bypass surgery receive no benefits. Another study involving 14 major heart hospitals around the world showed that one-third of all heart bypass surgeries were unnecessary and actually increased the risk of death.

Americans using FDA sanctioned drugs, as directed, are dying at the rate of one every three to five minutes. In fact, the average American has a 26% chance of being hospitalized from a drug injury from the effects of a lifetime of drug taking. Of the 30 million people admitted to hospitals each year, approximately ten percent, or 3 million, are admitted specifically because of adverse drug reactions. In 1995, a JAMA report noted that, “…approximately 280,000 die annually as a result of these injuries.” And to top it off, hospital born infections kill another 26,000 (conservative estimate) patients each year. The General Accounting Office reports, “of the 198 drugs approved by the FDA between 1976 and 1985, 102 of them or 51% had serious post approval risks including heart failure, myocardial infarction, respiratory failure, seizures, and kidney failure.

The FDA estimates that NSAIDS cause 200,000 cases of gastric bleeding annually, leading to 10,000 to 20,000 deaths. Calcium channel blockers increase the risk of stroke by five-fold.

Americans take over 5 billion sleeping pills each year. And each year, 15,000 Americans die from these same sleeping pills. The heart drug Digoxin causes over 28,000 cases of life-threatening or fatal adverse reactions each year.

The very drugs that are being used to treat various illnesses are causing more American deaths in one year than occurred in the entire Vietnam War! Yet, in spite of the fact that these FDA approved drugs are killing over 100,000 Americans each year, people still believe health comes from a doctor prescribed pill bottle. Annual spending on drugs continues to grow by 12% or more each year. The public and the medical profession have been brain-washed into believing drug therapy is a safe and effective way to “cure” every ailment known to man. This starts at an early age as our kids become jaded and used  to the idea of lining up for the school nurse to dispense their Ritalin and other psychotropic drugs. To safeguard their stranglehold on public perception, the pharmaceutical industry makes sure doctors are thoroughly duped with half-truths and pseudo-science about the newest, greatest wonder drugs.

In 2001, drug companies paid for over 60% of the costs of all doctors’ continuing education classes. And over 80,000 drug reps give away $11 billion worth of samples each year. There is now one drug rep for every doctor in the United States.

However, today’s latest greatest drug is often tomorrows widow maker. Does Rezulin, Zelnorm, Baycol, Fen-Phen, Propulsid, Avandia, Vioxx, and Bextra ring any bells?

Vioxx alone has been linked to 27,000 cases of heart attack. The diabetes drug Avandia, increases heart attack risk by 43% and increases risk of death from heart disease by 64%. Dr. David Graham of the Food and Drug Administration estimates that Avandia may have caused 30,000 to 140,000 heart attacks or deaths since it was introduced in the U.S. in 1999.


Despite the periodic yellow journalism that warns us against the dangers of alternative medicine, given the risks associated with traditional medicine, I'm happy to take my chances with complementary medicine.

Traditional Medicine Offers Little for Fibromyalgia

With so many different symptoms, it’s no surprise that fibromyalgia and CFS patients are typically taking 6–12 different prescription drugs. Lyrica, Elavil, Klonopin, Paxil, Effexor, Xanax, Trazadone, Neurontin, Zanaflex, Ambien, Lunesta, Cymbalta,  and Provigil have all been heralded as “the drug” for fibromyalgia. 

Some of these are helpful, some worthless, and some really dangerous.

Drug management alone typically fails to yield lasting relief from the most common fibromyalgia and CFS symptoms, and patients’ and doctors’ optimism over a new drug treatment eventually gives way to this sad reality. Oh well, a new drug with an even larger marketing budget is on the horizon. (Forgive my cynicism. I’ve just seen this situation so many times!)

Many of the most commonly prescribed drugs for fibromyalgia have side effects that are similar or identical to the symptoms of FMS and CFS. These similarities can cause a lot of confusion when doctors are trying to determine the effectiveness of treatment. Ambien, for instance, can cause flu-like symptoms, achy muscle pain, sore throat, and fatigue. Sounds like CFS, doesn’t it?

Tranquilizers are often prescribed for restless leg syndrome; achy, tight muscles; and sleep problems. But these drugs deplete the sleep hormone melatonin, which then leads to a disruption of a person’s circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). Instead of promoting deep restorative sleep, these drugs prevent it!

It’s important to realize that your drug or drugs may be causing or contributing to some or all of your symptoms. 

I spend a great deal of time with my new patients reviewing and discussing their current drugs—how they interact with each other, and the potential side effects. I often find that by asking the right question, I can help the patient realize that her symptoms began or worsened soon after the drug treatment began.

Sometimes, though, I do find drug-induced symptoms that began months after the start of the drug treatment. Drugs deplete essential nutrients that the body needs to properly function, but it can take weeks, months, or even years for the drug to fully deplete the nutrient and for you to see the side effects surface.

Still, not everyone can be drug free, and most of my patients are on at least one prescription medication. But the least offensive drug should be used—sparingly—and only to manage symptoms unresponsive to more natural therapies.

A study conducted by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research demonstrates the need the limitations of traditional medicine alone for treating fibromyalgia.

Thirty-nine patients with FMS were interviewed about their symptoms. Twenty-nine were interviewed again 10 years later. Of these 29 (mean age 55 at second interview), all had persistence of the same FMS symptoms. 

Moderate to severe pain or stiffness was reported in 55% of patients, moderate to a great deal of sleep difficulty was noted in 48%, and moderate to extreme fatigue was noted in 59%. These symptoms showed little change from earlier surveys. 

The surprising finding was that 79% of the patients were still taking medications to control symptoms. 

We can conclude that the medications weren’t making a significant impact.

Conventional medical treatments for FMS and CFS is a controversial topic, and I certainly have no desire to offend the many brilliant medical doctors out there. 

Still, in my experience, most traditional doctors continue to rely on prescription medications to treat fibromyalgia, even though their own studies show them to be ineffective and potentially dangerous. 

They still just don’t get it. Those with fibromyalgia and CFS are sick and they want to feel well, not drugged.

Just try to find a doctor who really knows anything about these illnesses. Most don’t. It’s even harder to find one who is having any lasting success treating these illnesses. How many folks with fibromyalgia get well under the care of a traditional rheumatologist? 

I rest my case.

I speak to fibromyalgia support groups across North America, and I can tell you what the answer is: very few. The three-month wait for a new patient appointment typically ends in a two-hour interview and exam followed by a 10 minute visit to discuss test results, and then several prescription drugs and a follow-up appointment every 3–6 months.

And let’s face it, those with fibromyalgia are medical misfits, they don’t usually respond to medications like other folks. The ACR has, like many physicians, thrown up their hands and admitted they have little if anything to offer for those suffering from fibromyalgia. They focus more on helping their patients “cope.” At least they’re honest about their limitations.

Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia

Note this is an abbreviated version of my feature article that appeared in the November issue of the medical journal "Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients."

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is an illness characterized by diffuse muscle pain, poor sleep, and unrelenting fatigue.

Individuals with fibromyalgia may also experience headaches, anxiety, depression, poor memory, numbness and tingling in the extremities, cold hands and feet, irritable bowel syndrome, lowered immune function, and chemical sensitivities. Over 10 million Americans suffer with fibromyalgia; ninety percent of them are women between 25 and 45 years old. 1

Fibromyalgia is now thought to arise from a miscommunication between the nerve impulses of the central nervous system. The neurons, which supply the brain, become more excitable, exaggerating the pain sensation. This over-amplication of pain is referred to as "central sensitization". 19

Fibromyalgia patients have a reduction in their pain threshold (allodynia), an increased response to painful stimuli (hyperalgesia) and an increase in the duration of pain after nociceptor stimulation (persistent pain).

Individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome have low levels of serotonin, a 4-fold increase in nerve growth factor, and elevated levels of substance P.20 Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a member of a family of peptides known as the neurotrophins. The exposure of nociceptive sensory neurons to NGF leads to up-regulation of substance P in sensory neurons. 21

Substance P, the neuropeptide in spinal fluid, is a neurotransmitter that is released when axons are stimulated. Increased levels of substance P increase the sensitivity of nerves to pain or heighten awareness of pain. Although it’s not fully understood, fibromyalgia patients have an imbalance of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal  (HPA) axis. This imbalance creates hormonal inconsistencies, which disrupt the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis.

Many of the most common fibromyalgia symptoms including widespread muscle pain, fatigue, poor sleep, gastrointestinal problems, and depression regularly occur in people with various neuroendocrine disorders, including those manifested by HPA dysfunction. 22

Researchers believe suppression of the HPA (quite likely from chronic stress), which results in lowering human growth hormone (HGH), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, and other hormones, is aggravated by the chronic pain and poor sleep associated with fibromyalgia. 23, 24

Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA) Dysfunction 

The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis, or maintaining the body's status quo.

The hypothalamus receives and transmits messages from the nervous system and hormonally through the circulatory system. Because of its broad sphere of influence, the hypothalamus could be considered the body’s master computer. The hypothalamus receives continuous input about the state of the body, and must be able to initiate compensatory changes if anything drifts out of line.

The Hypothalamus regulates such bodily functions as:

1. Blood pressure- is often low in those with fibromyalgia.

2. Digestion- bloating, gas, indigestion, and reflux are common in FMS patients.

4. Circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycle)- which is consistently disrupted in FMS.

6. Sex drive- loss of libido is a common complaint for FMS patients.

7. Body temperature-   is often low in FMS patients.

8. Balance and coordination- FMS patients have balance and coordination problems.

9. Heart rate- mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and heart arrhythmias are a common finding in FMS patients.

10. Sweating- it’s not unusual for FMS patients to experience excessive sweating.

11. Adrenal hormones- are consistently low in FMS patients.

12. Thyroid hormones and metabolism-hypothyroid is a common finding in FMS patients.

Recent studies show that over 43% of FMS patients have low thyroid function. It's estimated that those with FMS are 10 to 250,000 times more likely to suffer from thyroid dysfunction.25

Stress and Fibromyalgia

A survey by The Fibromyalgia Network reports that 62% of their respondents list physical or emotional stress as the initiating factor in their acquiring fibromyalgia. 32

I believe chronic stress is the underlying catalyst for the onset of HPA dysfunction and fibromyalgia. Several studies have demonstrated how chronic stress undermines the normal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) function.33

When explaining the role of stress in fibromyalgia, I find the following analogy helps put stress and fibromyalgia into perspective.

“We are all born with a stress coping savings account. This account is filled with numerous chemicals we use to help us deal with daily stress-serotonin, norepinephrine, cortisol, magnesium, and other important hormones and nutrients. The more stress we encounter, the more stress coping chemicals we use. We replenish our stress coping savings account with adequate rest. Consistent deep restorative sleep ensures we are making more deposits than withdrawals from our stress coping account.

Since fibromyalgia patients struggle with getting a consistent good nights sleep they eventually bankrupt their stress coping account.

The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep

Studies have shown that individuals who were prevented from going into deep sleep for a period of a week develop the same symptoms associated with FMS and CFS; diffuse pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, irritability, stomach disturbances, and headaches. 34,35.

Sleep deprivation markedly increases inflammatory cytokines (pain causing chemicals)—by a whopping 40%. 36

Serotonin

Serotonin helps regulate sleep, digestion, pain, mood, and mental clarity.37

Serotonin helps:

1. Raise the pain threshold (have less pain), by blocking substance P.

2. You fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.

3. Regulate moods. “The happy hormone” reduces anxiety and reduces depression.

4. Reduce sugar cravings and over-eating.

5. Increase a person’s mental abilities.

6. Regulate normal gut motility (transportation of food-stuff) and reverse irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Surveys have shown that as many as 73% of FMS patients have irritable bowel syndrome.

You have more serotonin receptors in your intestinal tract than you do in your brain.

Emotionally stressful situations cause the body to release adrenaline, cortisol and insulin. These stress hormones stimulate the brain to secrete serotonin. Long term stress and poor dietary habits can deplete the body’s serotonin stores.38

Tryptophan, 5 Hydroxytryptophan  (5HTP) and Serotonin

Individuals with fibromyalgia have low levels of tryptophan38, serotonin39, and

5-HTP.40 Studies show that fibromyalgia patients have higher levels of metabolites in the kynurenine pathway, which diverts tryptophan away from serotonin production.41

Tryptophan is one of eight essential amino acids. Tryptophan is absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream and then dispersed throughout the body. Ninety percent of tryptophan is used for protein synthesis, one percent is converted to serotonin, and the balance is used to make niacin. In the formation of serotonin, tryptophan is hydroxylated to 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP) by tryptophan hydroxylase.

5-HTP is converted to serotonin by the decarboxylase enzyme, which is vitamin B6 dependent.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Medications

Prescription antidepressants can be helpful. However, antidepressant drugs have potential side effects including anxiety, depression, fatigue, decreased sex drive, and disruption of normal circadian rhythms.42

SSRI’s are supposed to help a patient hang onto and use their naturally occurring stores of the brain chemical serotonin. It’s like using a gasoline additive to help increase the efficiency of your cars fuel.

Most of the patients I see with fibromyalgia are running on fumes and a gasoline additive won’t help. 

Please keep in mind that several studies show that between 19-70% of those taking antidepressant medications do just as well by taking a placebo or sugar pill.43

I recommend my patients boost their serotonin levels by taking 5HTP.

5HTP and Depression

Studies (including double-blind) comparing SSRI and tricyclic antidepressants to 5HTP have consistently shown that 5HTP is as good if not better than prescription medications in treating mood disorders. Furthermore, 5HTP doesn’t have some of the more troubling side effects associated with prescription medications. 44, 45

5HTP and Sleep

5HTP has been shown to be beneficial in treating insomnia, especially in improving sleep quality by increasing REM sleep and increases the body’s production of melatonin by 200%. 46,47

5HTP and Fibromyalgia

Double-blind placebo-controlled trials have shown that patients with FMS were able to see the following benefits from taking 5HTP: 48.

• decreased pain.

• improved sleep.

• less tender points.

• less morning stiffness.

• less anxiety.

• improved moods in general, including in those with clinical depression. 49

• increased energy.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, 5HTP and Serotonin

There are more serotonin receptors in the intestinal tract than there are in the brain. This is one reason people get butterflies in their stomach when they get nervous.50

Serotonin controls how fast or how slow food moves through the intestinal tract.51, 52

It’s common for the symptoms associated with IBS, diarrhea and constipation, to disappear within 1–2 weeks once serotonin levels are normalized with 5HTP replacement therapy.

My 5HTP and Sleep Restoration Protocol

I instruct my patients to take 50mg of 5HTP 30 minutes before bed on an empty stomach (90 minutes after or 30 minutes before eating), with 4 ounces of grape juice. I know 5HTP doesn’t have to compete with other amino acids to cross the blood brain barrier, but this routine seems to heighten the effect of 5HTP.

One of three things will happen when taking 5HTP.

1. The patient falls asleep within 30 minutes and sleeps through the night. If so, they stay on this dose until their next scheduled visit with me (typically 2 weeks).

2. Nothing happens. This is typical response to such a low dose. The patient should add an additional

50 mg. each night (up to a max of 300 mg.) until they fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night.

3. Instead of making the patient sleepy, the first dose makes them more alert. This occurs more often in CFS and chemical sensitivity patients who have a sluggish liver. If this happens, they’re to discontinue taking 5HTP at bedtime and instead take 50 mg. with food for 1–2 days. Taking 5HTP with food seems to help slow down it’s absorption, allowing the liver to process it more effectively. Taking 5HTP with food will not (usually) make a person sleepy. After 1-2 days on 5HTP with no further problems, they should increase to 100 mg. of 5HTP with each meal (300mg a day).

Can patients take 5HTP along with antidepressant medications?

Yes, patients can take 5HTP with antidepressant medications. I’ve treated thousands of patients with amino acid replacement therapy, 95% of which were already taking antidepressants when they come to see me. I’ve never had a patient report a problem with combing 5HTP with prescription drugs. It can happen, but I believe it to be rare.

Can patients take 5HTP with sleep medications?

Yes. I don’t recommend patients discontinue taking their sleep medications. Instead I suggest they start using 5HTP and increase the bedtime dose until they sleep through the night. At some point they should be able to work with their doctor and slowly wean off the prescription sleep medication. Remember all prescription sleep medications have side effects. No one has an Ambien deficiency, however, fibromyalgia patients certainly have 5HTP and serotonin deficiencies, which need to be corrected.

What if my patient is taking a prescription sleep medication and sleeping through the night?

Prescription drugs that promote deep restorative sleep include Ambien, Elavil, Trazadone, Flexeril, and Lunesta. These medications can be helpful. However, these medications have potential side effects that may cause the very symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Ambien may cause short-term memory loss, fatigue, depression, and flu-like aches and pains.

Other common sleep inducing drugs, including benzodiazepines (Klonopin, Ativan, etc.), muscle relaxants (Zanaflex), Neurontin, and Lyrica don't promote deep delta wave sleep and therefore are not recommended. Remember the reason they’re taking these prescription drugs is because they have a serotonin (and perhaps a melatonin) deficiency, not a drug deficiency. You want them to build up their serotonin levels so that eventually they may not need prescription sleep medications. You should have them add 5HTP (50 mg.) three times daily with food. If no problems arise after 2–3 days, they should then increase to 100 mg. with each meal.

What if someone has a serotonin syndrome reaction?

A serotonin syndrome may occur if a person gets too much serotonin. This can cause rapid heartbeat, increased pulse rate, elevated blood pressure, agitation, and in its worst-case scenario, life threatening irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia).

I’ve recommended 5HTP to thousands of individuals over the last 7 years, rarely have I encountered a problem. I always start with a low dose (50 mg.) and warn the patient to stop taking it at bedtime if she has a funny reaction.

What are some of the other potential side effects of 5HTP?

Other than some patients becoming more alert when taking 5HTP at bedtime, I have had very few complaints from patients. The literature reports that individuals may have transient headaches and nausea from taking 5HTP. I have had less than half a dozen patients have one of these side effects. The headaches and any nausea usually go away after a couple of days.

What do you do when your patient still can’t fall asleep and sleep through the night even when taking 300mg of 5HTP?

If after two weeks, someone is not falling asleep and staying asleep through the night, I add melatonin. First, I make sure she is taking 5HTP as she should be and at the maximum dose of 300mg.

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3. Goldenberg D 1989 Fibromyalgia and its Relationship to CFS, Viral Illness and Immune Abnormalities. Journ of Rheum 16 (S19): 92)

4. Moldofsky H 1993 Fibromyalgia, sleep disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome. In: Bock G Whelan J (eds) CIBA Foundation Symposium 173. Wiley, Chichester, pp 262-279.

5. Russell IJ. Neurohormonal aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome. Rhum Dis Clin North Amer 1989;15:149-168.

6. Buskila D, Neumann L et al 1997 Increased rates of fibromyalgia following cervical spine injury. Arthritis and Rheumatism 40(3):446-452.

7. Moldofsky H 1993 Fibromyalgia, sleep disorder and chronic fatigue syndrome. CIBA Symposium 173, 1993, pp 262-279.

8. Anne Marit Mengshoel, Center for Rheumatic Diseases, The National Hospital, Akersbakken 27, N-0172 Oslo, Norway.

9. Fibromyalgia Network Newsletter October 1999p1-3.

10. Lowe J C, Garrison R L, Reichman A J, Yellin J, Thompson M, Kaufman D 1997a Effectiveness and Safety of T3 (triiothyroxine) therapy for euthyroid Fibromyalgia: a double-blind placebo-controlled response-driven crossover study. Clinical Bulletin of Myofascial Therapy 2(2/3):31-58.

11. Russell I, Vipraio G, Lopez Y et al 1993 Serum seorotonin in FMS and rheumatoid arthritis and healthy normal controls. Arthritis and Rheumatism 36(9):S2231

12. Jeffries W McK The present status of ACTH, cortisone, and related steroids in clinical medicine N Engl J Med 253:441-446;1955.

13.Selye H The general adaptation syndrome and diseases of adaptation J Clin Endocrinol Metab 6:117-230;1946.

14.Jeffries W McK. Safe Uses of Cortisone Charles C Thomas Publisher;1981.

15. Gerhard K. Endresen, Mycoplasma blood infection in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndromes  2003. Rheumatology International 23(5):211-215.

16. Gail K. Adler, Neuroendocrine Abnormalities in†Fibromyalgia [abstract]Current Pain and Headache Reports 2002, 6:289-298

17. P.Koch-Sheras and A. Lemley, The Dream Sourcebook. Los Angeles: Loweel House.

18. Harding S. MD Sleep in Fibromyalgia Patients: Subjective and Objective Findings.

American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Fibromyalgia. 315(6):367-376, June 1998.

19. Staud R, Smitherman . 2002 Aug;6 Peripheral and central sensitization in fibromyalgia: pathogenetic role. Curr Pain Headache Rep. (4):259-66.

20. Russell IJ. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of substance P in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome. Arthritis Rheum.1994 Nov;37(11):1593-601

21. Woolf CJ. Nerve growth factor contributes to the generation of inflammatory sensory hypersensitivity. Neuroscience 1994; 62:327–331.

22. Gail K. Adler, Neuroendocrine Abnormalities in Fibromyalgia. Current Pain and Headache Reports 2002, 6:289-298

23. Calis M, Gokce C, et al. Investigation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) by 1 microg ACTH test and metyrapone test in patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome. J Endocrinol Invest. 2004 Jan;27(1)42-6.

24. Okifuji A, Turk DC. Stress and psychophysiological dysregulation in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2002 Jun;27(2):129-41.

25. Lowe J C, Garrison R L, Reichman A J, Yellin J, Thompson M, Kaufman D 1997a Effectiveness and Safety of T3 (triiothyroxine) therapy for euthyroid Fibromyalgia: a double-blind placebo-controlled response-driven crossover study. Clinical Bulletin of Myofascial Therapy 2(2/3):31-58.

26. Rudman, D. Growth hormone, body composition, and aging, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1985;33:800-7.

27. Lopez, J. F., et al. Serotonin 1a receptor mRNA regulation in the hippocampus after acute stress. Biological Psychiatry 45: 943-947.

28. Chalmers, D. T. et al. Molecular Aspects of the Stress Axis and Serotonergic Function in Depression. Clinical Neuroscience 1: 122-128. 1993.

29. M. Biondi, A. Picardi . Psychological Stress and Neuroendocrine Function in Humans: The Last Two Decades of Research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 1999;68:114-150.

30. Wisniewski TL, Hilton CW, Morse EV, et al. The relationship of serum DHEA-S and cortisol levels to measures of immune function in human immunodeficiency virus-related illness. Am J Med Sci. 1993 Feb; 305(2):79-83.

31. Altamus M, Dale JK, Michelson D, Demetrick MA, Gold PW, Straus SE Abnormalities in response to vasopressin infusion in chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology.2001 Feb; 26(2):175-88

32. Fibromyalgia Network Newsletter October 1999p1-3.

33. Mengshoel, A. Center for Rheumatic Diseases, The National Hospital, Akersbakken 27, N-0172 Oslo, Norway.

34. P.Koch-Sheras and A. Lemley, The Dream Sourcebook. Los Angeles: Loweel  House.

35. Harding, S. Sleep in Fibromyalgia Patients: Subjective and Objective Findings.

American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Fibromyalgia. 315(6):367-376, June 1998.

36. Andrea Alberti1, et al. Plasma cytokine levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a preliminary study Journal of Sleep ResearchVolume 12 Issue 4 Page 305  - December 2003.

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38. Winberg S, Overli O, Lepage O. Suppression of aggression in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by dietary L-tryptophan. J Exp Biol. 2001 Nov;204(Pt 22):3867-76.

39. Karl G. Henriksson, MD, PhD. Is Fibromyalgia a Central Pain State? Source: Journal: J of Musculoskeletal Pain, Vol. 10, No. 1/2,2002, pp. 45-57.

40. Yunus MB, Dailey JW, Aldag JC, et al. Plasma tryptophan and other amino acids in primary fibromyalgia: a controlled study. J Rheumatol 1992;19:90-94.

41. Hrycaj P, Stratz T, Muller W. Platelet 3H-imipramine uptake receptor density and serum serotonin levels in patients with fibromyalgia/fibrositis syndrome. J Rheumatol 1993;20:1986-1988. [letter].

42. Russell IJ, Vipraio GA, Acworth I. Abnormalities in the central nervous system metabolism of tryptophan to 3-hydroxy kynurenine in fibromyalgia syndrome. Arthritis Rheum 1993;36:S222.

43. Russell IJ. Neurohormonal abnormal laboratory findings related to pain and fatigue in fibromyalgia. J Musculoskeletal Pain 1995;3:59-65.

44.Monthly Prescribing Reference Publication Nov 2005, New York NY

45. Joan-Ramone Laporte and Albert Figueras, “Placebo Effects in Psychiatry,” Lancet 334 (1993):1206-8.

46. Byerley WF; Judd LL; Reimherr FW; Grosser BI. 5-Hydroxytryptophan: a review of its antidepressant efficacy and adverse effects.
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47. Birdsall T., “5-Hydroxytryptophhan: A Clically Effective Serotonin Precursor”  Altern Med Rev 1998;3(4):271-280.

48. Puttini PS; Caruso I Primary fibromyalgia syndrome and 5-hydroxy-
L-tryptophan: a 90-day open study. Rheumatology Unit, L Sacco Hospital, Milan, Italy.
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49. J. Angst, B. Woggon, and J. Schoepf, “The treatment of depression with L-5-hydroxytrptophan versus Imipramine: Results of two open and one double blind study, Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten 224 (1997): 175-86.

50. Delvaux MM. Gastroenterology Unit and Laboratory of Digestive Motility, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. Stress and visceral perception. Can J Gastroenterol 1999 Mar;13 Suppl

51. Goldberg PA, Kamm MA, Setti-Carraro P, van der Sijp JR, Roth C. Modification of visceral sensitivity and pain in irritable bowel syndrome by 5-HT3 antagonism (ondansetron). Digestion 1996 Nov-Dec;57(6): 478–83A:32A–36A.

52. Johanson JF. Options for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: contrasting traditional and novel serotonergic therapies. Neurogastroenterol Motil 16(6):701-11, 2004

53. Wehr T, et al. (2001). A circadian signal of change of season in patients with seasonal affective disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 58(12): 1108–1114

54. Waldhauser F et al. Sleep laboratory investigations on hypnotic properties of melatonin. Psycho Pharm 1990. 100: 222–6.

55. Dollins AB, Zhadanova IV, Wurtman RJ, Lynch HJ, Deng MH. Effect of inducing nocturnal serum melatonin concentrations in daytime on sleep, mood, body temperature, and performance. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1994;91: 1824–28.

56. Functional Assessment Resource Manual from Great Smokies Laboratory, 1999.

57. ibid.

58. ibid.

59. Citera G, Arias MA, Maldonado-Cocco JA, Lazaro MA, Rosemffet MG, Brusco LI, Scheines EJ, Cardinalli DP. The effect of melatonin in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study. Clin Rheumatol 19(1):9-13, 2000.

Are Fibromyalgia Patients Crazy?

www.treatingandbeating.com

www.beatfms.com

Have you’ve been told you’re crazy, lazy or depressed? If so you’re not alone. Friends, family and doctors may try to make you think your illness isn’t real, “its all in your head.”

You often lose your train of thought mid-sentence, have strange reactions to medications, and suffer with an assortment of health problems; yet all your labs are normal. You’ve got numerous complaints including anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic pain, insomnia, IBS, MVP, chronic sinusitis, tingling in their extremities, night sweats, chemical sensitivities, headaches, reflux, and other symptoms.

I’d be crazy too if I went days without sleeping, had diffuse chronic pain, no energy, no life, and no hope. You’ve been bounced from one doctor to another, had dozens of tests, taken numerous drugs which didn’t help, and continue to get worse, year after year. The traditional drugs of choice for fibromyalgia, including, NSAIDS, antidepressants, anticonvulsant medications, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, and pain medications, may provide short-term relief, yet their results are often fleeting and their side-effects detrimental. It’s not unusual to be taking twelve or more prescription drugs, many of which contribute to their erratic behavior.

The sleep drugs Ambien and Lunesta may cause short-term memory loss, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and depression. Tricyclic antidepressants, including Trazadone and Elavil, may cause early-morning hangover, mental confusion, and lethargy. SSRI drugs may cause anxiety, depression, mental blunting, and lethargy. Klonopin and other benzodiazepines may cause depression, fatigue, and decreased mental function. All of these drugs are known to deplete at least one or more essential mood-dependant vitamin, mineral, or nutrient (B6, B12, CoQ10, Folic acid, etc.). Individuals with fibromyalgia are also deficient in the brain chemicals, which help regulate mood and mental function.

Neurotransmitter Deficiencies

Research shows that the majority of fibromyalgia patients are deficient in serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These three neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) are essential for optimal mood and mental function. Serotonin, also known as the “happy hormone,” helps regulate mood, sleep, digestion, bowel movements, pain, and mental clarity. Individuals with fibromyalgia have low levels of the amino acid tryptophan, as well as 5HTP, which are needed for the production of serotonin.

L-phenylalanine derived norepinephrine, when released in the brain, causes feelings of arousal, energy, drive, and ambition. No wonder you suffer with “fibro fog.”

 

Stress Coping Savings Account

I like to use the analogy of being born with a stress-coping savings account. We have certain chemicals, vitamins, minerals, and hormones like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and cortisol that allow us to handle moment-to-moment, day-to-day, stress. The more stress we’re under, the more withdrawals we make. Individuals with fibromyalgia have made more withdrawals than deposits.

Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, and others, don’t make serotonin, they only help the brain hang onto and use serotonin more effectively. These drugs are like using a gasoline additive, but those with fibromyalgia don’t have any serotonin to re-uptake. They’ve bankrupted their stress coping savings account and depleted their serotonin. These drugs usually don’t provide long-term relief.

Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true nutritional protocols that can help build up the bankrupted stress-coping savings account.

5-Hydroxytryptophan 5HTP

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have shown that patients with FMS were able

to see the following benefits from increasing serotonin through 5HTP replacement therapy:

• Decreased pain.

• Improved sleep.

• Less tender points.

• Less morning stiffness.

• Less anxiety.

• Improved moods in general, including in those with clinical depression.

• Increased energy.

S-adenosyl- L-methionine  (SAMe)

S-adenosyl- L-methionine  (SAMe) increases the action of several neurotransmitters including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, by binding these hormones to their cell receptors. However, patients with fibromyalgia have been shown to be deficient in this essential amino acid.

One study shows that patients taking SAMe for a period of six weeks had an improvement of 40 percent in pain reduction and 35 percent improvement in their depression.

Along with 5HTP and SAMe, I’ve found that a good optimal daily-allowance multivitamin with a free-form amino acid blend, fish oil, malic acid, and generous amounts of magnesium is essential for reversing the “brain fog,” poor energy, chronic pain, mood disorders, and sleep disturbances so common in fibromyalgia.

Please know that, while you might not think you’re the sharpest tool in the shed, with the right nutrients you can replenish your brain chemicals, build-up your stress coping savings account, and even remember where you put your car keys.

 

The Evolution of Mood Disorder Wonder Drugs

 

Prior to the 20th century mood disorders and mental illness were treated with a variety of obscure and often barbaric methods including frontal lobotomies (with no anesthesia), exorcisms, and shamanistic potions.

Dr. Benjamin Rush, the "father of American psychiatry," was the first to believe that mental illness is a disease of the mind and not a "possession of demons." His classic work, Observations and Inquiries upon the Diseases of the Mind, published in 1812 promoted the belief at the time, that "madness" was an arterial disease, an inflammation of the brain.

Dr. Rush wrote that as much as "four-fifths of the blood in the body" should be drawn away- Rush bled one patient 47 times, removing four gallons of blood over time. He confined others in his "Tranquilizer Chair' that completely immobilized every part of their body for long periods and blocked their sight with a bizarre wooden shroud, while they were doused in ice-cold water.

In the early 1900’s frontal lobotomies and electrical shock therapy were standard fair.

Insulin Coma Therapy was introduced into psychiatry in 1933. And within a few years, every psychiatric clinic in Germany was doing Insulin Coma Therapy. Along with all the praise it received, it was also associated with a very high mortality rate and eventually lost it’s appeal.

In 1954 the first “modern” sedative drug known as Thorazine, fueled by a huge promotion campaign by Smith, Klein & French, swept the nation. This new medication along with Haldol, spawned an additional class of drugs known as benzodiazepines (tranquilizers). The effect of taking these drugs was explicitly compared to having a lobotomy, and they were thought to induce "chemical lobotomies". Thorazine became the drug Du jour during the 1950’s and the number of individuals taking it went from 428 in 1952 to over 2,000,000 in 1957.

In the 1960’s Hoffman La Roche was successful in marketing the benzodiazepine (tranquilizers) Librium and Valium. Benzodiazepines became a frequent recommendation for any number of illnesses associated with mental stress. In fact these drugs became known as “mother’s little helper.”

To combat the ills of modern day stress, housewives, college students, and busy executives were encouraged to take these medications. Valium became the best-selling drug at that time. Klonopin, Ativan, and Xanax followed, all hailed as safer and more effective than the anti-anxiety drugs that preceded them.

In reality, all of these drugs work about the same and have similar side effects, including sleep disturbances (poor sleep), seizures, neuropsychiatric disturbances (mania, depression, suicide, etc.) tinnitus (ringing in the ears), transient memory loss (amnesia), dizziness, agitation (anxiety), disorientation, hypotension (low blood pressure), nausea, edema (fluid retention), ataxia (muscular in-coordination), tremors, sexual dysfunction (decreased desire and performance), asthenia (weakness), somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), and headaches.

Forty percent of adults, 60 or older experience drug-induced tics or tardive dyskinesia (tremors or uncontrollable shakes) from taking a benzodiazepine drug.

Tragically, only 10 to 30% are able to successfully stop taking these drugs, most are addicted for life. (Please see my past article “SOS Save Our Seniors”).

Modern Era

In the 1960’s Merck introduced the tricyclic antidepressant drug, Amitriptyline (Elavil).

Tricyclic drugs were promoted as safer and more effective than benzodiazepines. Initially all the rage, these drugs became synonymous sedation, weight gain, loss of sex drive, nervousness, weakness, blurred vision, muscle spasms, or tremors, dry mouth, and convulsions. These drugs fell out of favor when the newer, supposedly safer, but largely over-hyped selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI’s) medications became available.

The first SSRI to hit the American market was Prozac in 1987 (please see my past articles “Warning Your Antidepressant May be Your Problem,” and The Depressing Truth About Antidepressants”) and was quickly hailed as the “wonder drug” of the 20th century. But like many of the so-called “wonder drugs” Prozac and the rest of the SSRI drugs haven’t lived up to all the hype. The popularity of these medications is largely due to the false belief that SSRI’s are safe, effective, and have relatively few risks. However, their side effects include-anxiety, depression, headache, muscle pain, chest pain, nervousness, sleeplessness, drowsiness, weakness, changes in sex drive, tremors, dry mouth, irritated stomach, loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea, rash, itching, weight gain, diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, dry skin, chest pain, bronchitis, abnormal heart beat, twitching, anemia, low blood sugar, and low thyroid.

In December of 2006, the FDA warned that SSRI drugs cause increased suicidality in young adults. Suicide occurs more than twice as much on antidepressants than on sugar pills in individuals under age 25. And to top it all off, studies show that up to 70% of those taking antidepressant medications do just as well by taking a placebo or sugar pill.

21st Century Psychotics

The new class of “wonder drugs” for the treatment of mood disorders are known as atypical antipsychotics - Zyprexa, Risperdal, Geodon, Ivega, Abilify, Clozril, and Seroquel. Originally used for schizophrenia and Bi-polar patients, atypicals have now become routine in the treatment of ADD, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

They’re being marketed as safer and more effective than the older antipsychotic benzodiazepines – less shakes, better response. Of course like most wonder drugs they come with a steep cost- atypicals cost some 20 times more than the older psychotic drugs. The FDA has gone on record warning that there’s no proof that these drugs are safer or better and any advertisement that promotes this is false.

No problem. Even though they couldn’t promote their drugs, the drug companies could and did hire academics and doctors to recommend these drugs. 

In an attempt to squelch the debate, in 2005 the U.S. government funded a $60-million study called CATIE (Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness). The study concluded – first, atypicals were generally no more effective than the older drug, perphenazine (similar to Haldol) and secondly, slightly fewer people on atypicals dropped out of the study due to tremors, but the new drugs had their own distinct side effects- weight gain and diabetes.

According to Harvard trained psychiatrist, Dr Stefan Kruszewski, "the new generation of antipsychotics substantially increase the risk of obesity, diabetes type II, hypertension, cardiovascular complications, heart attacks and stroke." Persons on atypicals have been found to commit suicide two to five times more frequently than the schizophrenic population in general. Other potentials side effects include- tardive dyskinesia, low blood pressure, seen as dizziness, and possibly fainting; increased heart beat; seizures; liver problems, difficulty swallowing, sleepiness, dry mouth, dizziness, restlessness, constipation, upset stomach, weight gain, increased appetite, and tremor.

Stay tuned I’m sure there will be another antipsychotic “wonder drug” appearing in a media campaign soon. I can’t wait to hear how the new drug is safer and more effective than today’s atypicals.

1. R. H. Murphree, D.C. “Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression With Orthomolecular Medicine.” Harrison and Hamptom Publishing Birmingham Alabama 2005.

2.Figures from Judith Swazey’s book "Chlorpromazine in psychiatry" published 1974.

Lyrica and Fibromyalgia

Lyrica is the first prescription medication approved to treat fibromyalgia.   Because fibromyalgia patients typically do not respond to conventional painkillers like aspirin, Lyrica affects the brain and the perception of pain.  Pfizer’s Lyrica, known generically as pregabalin, binds to receptors in the brain and spinal cord and seems to reduce activity in the central nervous system.

No one knows exactly how Lyrica works.  But some say that Lyrica does not work well enough to have warranted its FDA approval.  According to The New York Times, in clinical trials, patients taking Lyrica reported that their pain fell on average about 2 points on a 10-point scale, compared with 1 point for patients taking a placebo. About 30 percent of patients said their pain fell by at least half, compared with 15 percent taking placebos.

In 2004, Lyrica was reviewed by the FDA as a remedy for diabetic nerve pain.  The reviewers recommended against approving the drug, citing its side effects.  Lyrica causes weight gain and edema, or swelling, as well as dizziness and sleepiness. According to the New York Times, in 12-week trials, 9 percent of patients saw their weight rise more than 7 percent, and the weight gain appeared to continue over time.

But the FDA ignored the advice of Lyrica reviewers, and approved it anyway.  Then Pfizer asked the FDA to expand the approved uses of Lyrica to include the treatment of fibromyalgia, and the agency did so in June.  It was a good move for Pfizer.  According to the New York Times, worldwide sales of Lyrica reached $1.8 billion in 2007, up 50 percent from 2006. Analysts predict sales will rise an additional 30 percent this year, helped by consumer advertising.  During the first nine months of 2007, Pfizer spent $46 million on Lyrica ads alone.

While I welcome anything that will help my fibromyalgia patients, I’m not a big fan of Lyrica.

Why? It doesn’t seem to offer any real long-term relief and the side effects are potentially dangerous. 

There are many side effects that are considered "normal" of Lyrica. However, it should be noted that if these symptoms occur they should be brought to the attention of the prescribing doctor. You must keep in mind that the Federal Drug and Food Administration often approve drugs that will result in certain side effects. However, they do so on the notion that the benefits of the prescription will outweigh the consequences associated with side effects in the long run. The following outlines some of the "common" side effects of Lyrica:

Experiencing Weight Gain

Blurred Vision

Body Tremors

Possible Insomnia

Gastrointestinal Difficulties, such as Diarrhea and Constipation

Mild to Severe Headaches

Nausea

Swelling in Hands

Dry Mouth

Swelling in Ankles

Dizziness

Drowsiness

Possible Fainting

Traditional medicine alone isn’t very helpful for fibromyalgia- 70 percent of fibromyalgia patients seek out alternative methods.

I encourage my patient’s to use the Essential Therapeutics Fibromyalgia Jump Start Package.

Traditional Medicine Offers Little Hope For Fibromyalgia Sufferers

Excerpt from Dr. Rodger Murphree’s “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.”

With so many different symptoms, it’s no surprise that fibromyalgia and CFS patients are typically taking 6–12 different prescription drugs. Lyrica, Elavil, Klonopin, Paxil, Effexor, Xanax, Trazadone, Neurontin, Zanaflex, Ambien, Lunesta, Cymbalta,  and Provigil have all been heralded as “the drug” for fibromyalgia. Some of these are helpful, some worthless, and some really dangerous.

Drug management alone typically fails to yield lasting relief from the most common fibromyalgia and CFS symptoms, and patients’ and doctors’ optimism over a new drug treatment eventually gives way to this sad reality. Oh well, a new drug with an even larger marketing budget is on the horizon. (Forgive my cynicism. I’ve just seen this situation so many times!)

Many of the most commonly prescribed drugs for fibromyalgia have side effects that are similar or identical to the symptoms of FMS and CFS. These similarities can cause a lot of confusion when doctors are trying to determine the effectiveness of treatment. Ambien, for instance, can cause flu-like symptoms, achy muscle pain, sore throat, and fatigue. Sounds like CFS, doesn’t it?

Tranquilizers are often prescribed for restless leg syndrome; achy, tight muscles; and sleep problems. But these drugs deplete the sleep hormone melatonin, which then leads to a disruption of a person’s circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). Instead of promoting deep restorative sleep, these drugs prevent it!

It’s important to realize that your drug or drugs may be causing or contributing to some or all of your symptoms. I spend a great deal of time with my new patients reviewing and discussing their current drugs—how they interact with each other, and the potential side effects.

I often find that by asking the right question, I can help the patient realize that her symptoms began or worsened soon after the drug treatment began.

Sometimes, though, I do find drug-induced symptoms that began months after the start of the drug treatment. Drugs deplete essential nutrients that the body needs to properly function, but it can take weeks, months, or even years for the drug to fully deplete the nutrient and for you to see the side effects surface.

Still, not everyone can be drug free, and most of my patients are on at least one prescription medication. But the least offensive drug should be used—sparingly—and only to manage symptoms unresponsive to more natural therapies.

A study conducted by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research demonstrates the need for FMS and CFS treatment beyond drug therapy.

Thirty-nine patients with FMS were interviewed about their symptoms. Twenty-nine were interviewed again 10 years later. Of these 29 (mean age 55 at second interview), all had persistence of the same FMS symptoms. Moderate to severe pain or stiffness was reported in 55% of patients, moderate to a great deal of sleep difficulty was noted in 48%, and moderate to extreme fatigue was noted in 59%. These symptoms showed little change from earlier surveys. The surprising finding was that 79% of the patients were still taking medications to control symptoms. We can conclude that the medications weren’t making a significant impact.

Conventional medical treatments for FMS and CFS is a controversial topic, and I certainly have no desire to offend the many brilliant medical doctors out there. Still, in my experience, most traditional doctors continue to rely on prescription medications to treat fibromyalgia, even though their own studies show them to be ineffective and potentially dangerous.

They still just don’t get it. Those with fibromyalgia and CFS are sick and they want to feel well, not drugged.

Just try to find a doctor who really knows anything about these illnesses. Most don’t. It’s even harder to find one who is having any lasting success treating these illnesses. How many folks with fibromyalgia get well under the care of a traditional rheumatologist?

I speak to fibromyalgia support groups across North America, and I can tell you what the answer is: very few. The three-month wait for a new patient appointment typically ends in a two-hour interview and exam followed by a 10-minute visit to discuss test results, and then several prescription drugs and a follow-up appointment every 3–6 months.

And let’s face it, those with fibromyalgia are medical misfits, they don’t usually respond to medications like other folks. The ACR has, like many physicians, thrown up their hands and admitted they have little if anything to offer for those suffering from fibromyalgia. They focus more on helping their patients “cope.” At least they’re honest about their limitations.

Traditional Doctors Are Often Opposed To Natural Medicine

I find that people in general are usually down on what their not  up on.

Many conventional doctors are quick to ridicule nutritional
therapies, even though these therapies have consistently shown themselves effective in treating fibromyalgia. This prejudice just doesn’t make sense.

The usual accusation is that “there are no controlled studies.…”

But actually, there are numerous studies that validate the use of nutritional supplements to manage and often correct the symptoms of poor health. There are over 1,000 studies demonstrating the positive effects of various supplements and foods in the treatment of hypertension alone. And hundreds of studies demonstrate magnesium’s benefits in treating high blood pressure, angina, heart arrhythmias, chronic pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, mitral valve prolapse, and fatigue.

Dr. Janet Travell, White House physician for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine at George Washington University, co-wrote Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, which is acknowledged as the authoritative work on muscle pain. In one chapter alone, Dr. Travell references 317 studies showing that problems such as hormonal, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies can contribute to muscle pain and soreness.

And modern medicine itself, despite the millions of dollars spent to promote it’s superiority over other forms of health care, is largely an art—with a lot of unproven science. The Office of Technology Assessment, under the authority of the Library of Congress, published a year-long study entitled “Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Medical Technology.”

The study showed that only 10–20 percent of all present-day medical practice have been shown to be beneficial by scientific controlled clinical trials. The study concluded that the vast majority of medical procedures now being utilized routinely by physicians are “unproven.”

Or how about, “Nutritional supplements aren’t regulated and therefore are dangerous.” Too much might make you queasy, but no one dies from taking vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients! The same can’t be said about drug therapy.

The great physician Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “A medicine…is always directly hurtful; it may sometimes be indirectly beneficial. I firmly believe that if most of the pharmacopoeia [prescription drugs] were sunk to the bottom of the sea, it would be all the better for Mankind and all the worse for the fishes.”

Prescription drug therapy attempts, for the most part, to cover-up symptoms. This approach does little to correct the underlying problem(s).

After seventeen years of specializing in treating and beating fibromyalgia I’ve learned that traditional medicine alone yields little if any long-term results.

The best hope for those with fibromyalgia is to find and work with a doctor who practices integrative medicine-combining judicious use of prescription drugs (short-term if possible) and natural therapies (vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients).

Combining prescription drugs (when needed) with natural supplements allows the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia to be corrected, not just covered-up.

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