Fertile Soil Yields Best Results For Fibromyalgia

Several years ago, my family and I moved into a beautiful 80-year-old house with a large, but barren, backyard.

Like a good, urban yuppie gardener, I went to Home Depot and purchased the essential tools of the trade - shiny new shovels, rakes, hoes, rubber gardening shoes, and heavy leather gloves.

Wanting to make my backyard a garden paradise, I enlisted the help of Master Gardner William Keith. The following Saturday, William showed up with a truckload of dirt. "Healthy soil yields a healthy garden," he said. Over the next several days, he unloaded and redistributed rich, dark dirt throughout my backyard. Day after day I'd come home ready to plant some roses, jasmine, or maybe a maple tree, and I'd find William in the backyard spreading more dirt. Finally, after a week of daily dirt deliveries, William declared the yard ready for planting.

And plant we did - roses, Carolina jasmine, Confederate jasmine, wisteria, Japanese maples, peach trees, plum trees, Oakleaf hydrangeas, cone flowers, lilies, salvia, rosemary, sage, thyme, and all sorts of perennials.

The result of taking the time to use nutrient-rich soil was easy to see. Simply plant something - anything - and it grew like crazy.

Like a healthy garden, our body is dependant on having the essential nutrients it needs for optimal health. Unfortunately, the typical Western diet falls short of providing the essential nutrients our bodies need to be healthy.

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration study which analyzed over 234 foods over two years found the average American diet to have less than 80 percent of the RDA of one or more of the following: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Other studies have demonstrated magnesium deficiency in well over 50 percent of the population.

The only way to be sure you're nutritionally sound is to supplement your diet with the essential nutrients your body needs for optimal health.

Traditional medical doctors often scoff at the notion of taking vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to improve your health, but does anyone suffer from a drug deficiency? Well, of course not. And yet, those with fibromyalgia often end up on a medical merry-go-round, seeing one doctor after another - taking an endless concoction of life-draining, potentially dangerous drugs: drugs to put you to sleep, drugs to wake you up, pain pills, mood-altering drugs (for the side effects of the sleep drugs), sedatives, and muscle relaxants. It just never ends. Drug therapy can be useful; however, merely covering symptoms with drugs often leads to further problems.

Nutrients - not drugs - are what make the hormones that regulate your body. Every essential chemical in your body, including thyroid hormones, testosterone, estrogen, neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, etc.), antibodies, adrenaline, cortisol, and white blood cells, are made from vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids.

I've researched and implemented numerous therapies over the years - keeping what works, discarding what doesn't. For the last nine years, I've been using a specially developed nutritional protocol known as the Fibromyalgia Jumpstart Program.

The Fibromyalgia Jump Start Program provides the essential nutrients needed for beating fibromyalgia. It includes these four core products:

1.FMS Support Pack contains a high-dose multivitamin/mineral formula with extra magnesium (680 mg per two packs), free-form amino acid blend, fish oil - needed to form the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine, and malic acid.

2.Adrenal Cortex reverses adrenal fatigue while building stamina and resistance to stress. This is a crucial step toward avoiding fibromyalgia "flares." If you don't repair your sluggish adrenal glands, you'll crash every time you attempt to overdo it.

3.Digestive Enzymes make sure you're breaking down and absorbing the nutrients in your foods and supplements. I recommend all my chronically ill patients take digestive enzymes.

4.5HTP is responsible for making serotonin, a major stress-coping chemical that reduces pain, anxiety, IBS, fibro fog, and depression. It also helps promote deep restorative sleep (boosting melatonin by 200%, the most important step in beating fibromyalgia.

By providing the essential nutrients your body needs for optimal health, you lay the foundation for getting healthy. It's not unusual for numerous chronic symptoms to disappear within a few weeks of taking the Jump Start Package. You won't be totally well; this will take time and perhaps additional nutrients, but taking time to get your body's inner soil healthy will always yield positive results.


You can read more about my Fibromyalgia Jump Start Pack at the link below:

http://store.drmurphreestore.com/ficfsjupa.html

Drug Therapy Continues To Fail Those With Fibromyalgia

A recent survey report by BioTrends Research Group* suggest that a majority of U.S. fibro patients currently taking a prescription medication for their symptoms don't feel the drugs help enough, and have “higher expectations.”

Overall, more than two-thirds would be somewhat or very likely to switch to some new drug that offered improvement over their current therapy in treating pain, fatigue, and/or sleep, problems, says analyst Andrea Buurma. 

The data also suggest that patients now taking an FDA approved FM drug tend to be less “well-established” on their drugs than those on off-label drugs.

Only 40% of those now taking one of the three approved drugs (Cymbalta, Lyrica, and Savella), and about 50% of those taking off-label drugs say they're “very unlikely” to ask their doctors if they can try a switch in the next 12 months.

“This indicates there is a significant opportunity for emerging novel agents,” Buurma observes.

You can read more about how and why traditional medicine alone fails those with fibromyalgia by visiting the link below

http://treatingandbeatingfibroblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/traditional-medicine-offers-little-for.html

Neurontin-Here We Go Again

A recent Cochrane Report, embracing the use of Neurontin for Fibromyalgia is making noise in the medical profession. It apparently doesn’t matter that Neurontin has been largely abandoned by most doctors who treat fibromyalgia and by patients who have fibromyalgia. Once the side effects of Neurontin became well known and sales started to become compromised, Lyrica was released-same drug different name.

See my article on Lyrica here http://treatingandbeatingfibroblog.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

The Cochrane Report-

Gabapentin (Neurontin) for chronic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia in adults

Antiepileptic drugs like gabapentin are commonly used for treating neuropathic pain, usually defined as pain due to damage to nerves. This would include postherpetic neuralgia (persistent pain experienced in an area previously affected by shingles), painful complications of diabetes, nerve injury pain, phantom limb pain, fibromyalgia and trigeminal neuralgia. This type of pain can be severe and long-lasting, is associated with lack of sleep, fatigue, and depression, and a reduced quality of life. 

In people with these conditions, gabapentin is associated with a moderate benefit (equivalent to at least 30% pain relief) in almost one in two patients (43%), and a substantial benefit (equivalent to at least 50% pain relief) in almost one in three (31%). 

Over half of those taking gabapentin for neuropathic pain will not have good pain relief, in common with most chronic pain conditions. Adverse events are experienced by about two-thirds of people taking gabapentin, mainly dizziness, somnolence (sleepiness), edema (swelling), and gait disturbance, but only about 1 in 10 (11%) have to stop the treatment because of these unpleasant side effects. Overall gabapentin provides pain relief of a high level in about a third of people who take it for painful neuropathic pain. Adverse events are frequent, but mostly tolerable. This review looked at evidence from 29 studies involving 3571 participants.

I have several issues with this drug:

It only works in about 30% of patients who take it-if you’re in the 30% group, great. Most folks with fibromyalgia won’t notice any pain relief. And two-thirds of patients taking the drug will have side effects. Please keep in mind that two-thirds is extremely conservative and the percentage of those who will experience side effects is realistically more like 75%-90%.

You can read more about the deceitful marketing campaign Pfizer orchestrated in their attempts to take a worthless drug and turn it into a multi-billion dollar block-buster seller-click link below-

http://drmurphree.blogspot.com/2010/10/neurontin-for-everything.html

In my experience of treating hundreds of patients who’ve tried Neurontin and Lyrica I find both drugs to be potentially dangerous, toxic and ineffective for fibromyalgia.

Do You Have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Both

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) shares many similarities with FMS. Several studies have suggested that they are the same illness. One study comparing 50 CFS patients with 50 FMS patients showed the following symptoms to be the same for both groups: low-grade fever (28%), swollen lymph nodes (33%), rash (47%), cough (40%), and recurrent sore throat (54%). Another study comparing CFS patients with FMS patients showed that brain wave patterns, tender points, pain, and fatigue were virtually identical in both groups.

A 1997 study by Allen N. Tyler, MD, ND, DC, muddies the water even further. Ten patients, all of whom met the ACR criteria for FMS, were selected at random for blood testing. They were tested for influenza type-B antibodies, and three of the ten tested positive. Another randomly selected group of ten FMS patients (meeting all the ACR criteria) were tested for antibodies to influenza type-A. Nine of them tested positive.

Symptoms of CFS include-

mild fever

fatigue

recurrent sore throat

painful lymph nodes

muscle weakness

muscle pain

migratory joint pain

prolonged fatigue after exercise

recurrent headaches

neurological or psychological complaints, such as:

depression

excessive irritability

forgetfulness

sensitivity to bright light

confusion

inability to concentrate

sleep disturbances

Due to weakened immunity, individuals with chronic fatigue have terrible problems with energy as well as recurring bouts with the flu, colds, sinusitis, and other immune problems. As with so many complex chronic illnesses, CFS may be aggravated by a wide variety of environmental and physiological challenges. Food allergies, environmental sensitivities (odors), heavy metal toxicity (mercury, aluminum, etc.), yeast overgrowth, parasites, and vitamin/mineral deficiencies can all contribute to CFS.

All of us have been exposed to mono or the Epstein-Barr virus (or other viruses) at one time or another (usually as teenagers), but our bodies are usually strong enough to overcome the exposure. We develop immunity to the virus. We carry the virus around inside of us until we die. Normally, this dormant virus never causes any more problems. It is kept in check by a healthy immune system.

Individuals with CFS aren’t able to squelch the normally dormant virus (or other bug), and it begins to raise its ugly head once again. Individuals with CFS may feel like they are walking around with the “flu from hell.” They have all the symptoms of a very bad case of the flu. But unlike most cases of the flu, CFS doesn’t disappear after one or two weeks.

HOW TO QUICKLY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FMS AND CFS

A positive EBV panel is a clear indicator that someone has CFS. However, you don’t need a blood test to diagnose CFS. If you have chronic fatigue (hard to get out of bed each day), achy diffuse pain, chronic sore throats, and a lowered immune function (chronic infections), then you either have CFS or you’re at high risk of developing it.

The CFS patient usually has chronic infections (sinusitis, upper respiratory, urinary tract infections colds, flu, etc.) and is sick several times a year. He or she gets at least two bad infections a year. They will usually have chronic or intermittent sore throats, swollen lymph nodes, and periodic fevers. They usually ache all over. FMS patients may ache all over as well, but they usually have specific areas (neck, low back, etc.) that are the most troublesome.

Many CFS patients will also have a sluggish liver (more likely than in those with FMS). Clues that would lead you to suspect a sluggish liver include funny or negative reactions to medications (they take something to put them to sleep, and it wakes them up, or “a little goes a long way”); intolerance to caffeine, alcohol, or odors (the longer they’ve had the illness, the more sensitive they become to odors, perfumes, gasoline, smoke, cleaners, etc.); and a history of elevated liver enzymes on past blood work. Of course, anyone with hepatitis or fatty liver has a sluggish liver. Long-term prescription-medication therapies can also create a sluggish liver.

CFS AND LIVER DYSFUNCTION

CFS patients are more likely than FMS patients to have a sluggish liver. Clues that would lead you to suspect you may have a sluggish liver include:

chemical sensitivities (see below)

funny or negative reactions to medications (you take something to put you to sleep but it wakes you up, or a little goes a long way)

intolerance of caffeine

intolerance of alcohol

intolerance of odors (the longer patients have had the illness, the more sensitive they become to odors, perfumes, gasoline, smoke, cleaners, etc.)

a history of elevated liver enzymes on past blood work.

CFS patients may have severe chemical sensitivities and may not be able to tolerate nutritional supplements. They may have allergic reactions to even the purest multivitamins. This complicates things. It is best to start slow, especially with individuals who have severe chemical sensitivities.

Individuals with fibromyalgia have a lot of similar symptoms of CFS but in general their immune system is not compromised-they don’t get chronic sore throats, and infections. A person can be a true fibromyalgia patient-poor sleep, chronic pain, etc. but intact immune function or a true CFS patient fatigue, achy pain, and KEY poor immune function. However patients can share symptoms of both of these illnesses and have both.

You can read more about fibromyalgia and CFS on my website www.treatingandbeating.com

Does the Weather Affect Your Fibromyalgia Symptoms?

Fibromyalgia patients often report that changes in the weather affects many of their symptoms. Many fibromyalgia sufferers feel that their symptoms vary according to temperature changes, changes in air pressure, and changes in precipitation. Most fibromyalgia sufferers claim that they experience “flares” when the weather changes.

They may experience a worsening of their fibro symptoms including -

More pain

Poor sleep

Decreased moods

Low energy

Foggy thinking

Numerous studies have been conducted in order to evaluate whether or not fibromyalgia symptoms do appear to be influenced by changes in the weather. Most of these studies have had surprising results.

In 2002, a study was conducted in Cordoba, Argentina, where there are four distinct seasons every year. The study involved fibromyalgia sufferers and a healthy control group and aimed to find out whether pain symptoms could be linked to specific weather changes. Participants were asked to rate their pain symptoms on a scale from one to ten, every day for 12 months. After 12 months, these symptoms were correlated to weather patterns for the entire year.

Researchers found that pain symptoms of the participants with fibromyalgia correlated directly to weather changes. Specifically, pain increased as temperatures fell and atmospheric pressure increased. The healthy control group did not show any correlation between pain and weather patterns.

Another study performed in Norway found a similar relationship between fibromyalgia symptoms and the weather. Fibromyalgia symptoms appeared to get worse during the months of December and January, but began to improve during April and May. This suggests a direct relationship between colder temperatures and lower barometric pressures and a rise in fibromyalgia symptoms.

According to a study performed in 1981, a large percentage of fibromyalgia sufferers may actually be sensitive to changes in the weather. In this particular study, 90% of patients claimed that weather was one of the most important influences on their fibromyalgia symptoms.

Why Does Weather Affect Fibromyalgia Symptoms?


Unfortunately, researchers do not yet know why weather appears to affect fibromyalgia symptoms so much. However, here are a few possible explanations:

Change in Sleep Cycle: Weather, particularly hot and cold temperatures, can sometimes affect the way in which you sleep. This could have a great affect on symptoms and flares if you are a fibromyalgia sufferer.

Change in Circadian Rhythm: Your body operates using an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm. Changes in seasons and the amount of light that your body receives can throw off your circadian rhythm, causing you to feel fatigued and more achy then usual.

Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines: There does appear to be a relationship between low temperature levels and an increase in the number of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the body. These cytokines appear to be related to pain intensity.

Weather Factors That May Affect Fibromyalgia Sufferers?

There are five major weather factors that appear to affect fibromyalgia symptoms. These include:

Changes in Temperature: Rapid changes in temperature can sometimes trigger a fibromyalgia flare or help to ease fibromyalgia pain. Cold weather tends to make fibromyalgia symptoms worse, while warmer weather tends to ease those troublesome symptoms.

The Barometric Pressure: Barometric pressure is a measurement of the weight that is exerted by the air all around us. On beautiful sunny days, barometric pressure tends to be quite high, but during a storm or similar weather front, barometric pressure drops suddenly. Fibromyalgia sufferers often find that these changes in barometric pressure can trigger muscle aches and pains.

Increased Humidity: Absolute humidity is a measurement of the amount of water vapor present in each unit of air. When absolute humidity is low, fibromyalgia sufferers often report stiffness, and flares in widespread pain.

Precipitation: Precipitation is the term used to refer to any type of water that falls to the ground from the sky, including rain, sleet, snow, or hail. Precipitation is often accompanied by a change in barometric pressure, and therefore may exacerbate your symptoms of pain and fatigue.

Wind: Whether it’s a light wind or a gale-force wind, wind generally causes a decrease in barometric pressure. This means that wind can trigger fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches in fibromyalgia sufferers.

Do you have flares when the weather changes? How does changes in temperature affect you? What about storm fronts? I find that my patients with fibromyalgia can lessen their weather flares by building up their stress coping savings account and stress coping glands with my Fibromyalgia Jump Start Program.

Staying hydrated, drinking plenty of water, getting a consistent good night’s sleep, and reducing your overall-stress are crucial for reducing future flares. Making time for prayer, meditation, or stress reducing reflection are important health enhancing daily routines and should be incorporated into your daily routine.