"You have been tireless in your endeavor to help all of us to feel better and feel hope again."

"Thank you for the wonderful newsletter. It is very informative and helpful. It is nice to know that we aren't alone."

"Your newsletter is an interesting and important blend of science, advice, encouragement, and faith. You are fighting to dispel misconceptions and to bring light to darkness."

"We couldn't afford to buy the information you dig up for us!!! It is so worth the little you ask - keep up the great work!"

"Knowledge is power, and your newsletter always educates me in a way that no doctor can."

"Your dedication is absolute. I would be totally at a loss if you stopped doing the newsletter."

FROM DOM: It is hard to describe the neurological sensations, as you can see by my story at www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm.

1. Known the vaccines don’t work
2. Known they cause the diseases they are supposed to prevent
3. Known they are a hazard to children
4. Colluded to lie to the public
5. Worked to prevent safety studies

Educated parents can either get their children out of harm’s way or continue living inside one of the largest most evil lies in history, that vaccines – full of heavy metals, viral diseases, mycoplasma, fecal material, DNA fragments from other species, formaldehyde, polysorbate 80 (a sterilizing agent) – are a miracle of modern medicine."

FROM DOM: In the past 30 years, I have been all the way up and down the ladder of functionality with FMS/CFIDS. Many holidays were spent ill. I've missed loads of family, church and social events because of this baffling illness. My 3 best things for getting me out of the funk/fog/mire/debilitation are Boost Oxygen (in a can - inhale - cheapest at amazon.com) and Peace and Calming essential oil blend, which goes to the hypothalamus gland via the olfactory system, and also putting Oxygen Force drops in my drinking water. If I had to pare down everything I'm doing to the bare minimum, those 3 would be it. For me it has to do with oxygen and brain function.

"One of the hardest components of this health challenge for me is the continuous battle against overwhelming discouragement. This Christmas I was able to make it to a few hours of our annual family gathering with my siblings and their children – this was great! Unfortunately, I was then wiped out and unable to leave my bed for much of the rest of the Holiday. There are times when you tell yourself it is ok and give yourself “permission” to not feel well but it all falls short and discouragement creeps in.

Today is another day lost in large part and so it is hard to not get discouraged. I try to focus on positive things – at the moment I am four feet from my bed where I work on my laptop and that is great but there is a daily sense of things not getting done that should and time passing without the corresponding involvement from my end. I know from your newsletter that I am not the only one and this is encouraging. But I also know that this situation puts many of us in a very delicate state such that when we are momentarily functional a simple well-meaning comment or cliché can be devastating. Others are in a hard spot socially not knowing exactly what to say and this can backfire when we have think skin from being worn out consistently. So, I am all the more thankful for your newsletters and stories of how others are making a go of it. This is trench warfare and often it is more helpful to know there are others fighting on the same side than it is to have bullets in your gun.

I have started naming my life in chapters.

Beyond Cliché was the previous chapter in which I discovered the gap between those who really dig in and find a way to soldier with you in true crisis and others who want to say something hopeful and unintentionally offer a cliché. How can something be physically devastating if not recoverable? Words like cancer, MS, diabetes all explain things like this. For us there is no easy term that helps others know how to categorize us which leads to a “helpful” pat on the hand and wishes that you might feel better at some point. At five years of fighting, I am now officially beyond cliché.

Leaning Forward is my current chapter. At some point if you are not sure if you will fall on your face or if your foot will catch you every walk starts with a step. The challenge is to find the will power to lean forward without knowing if this will be destructive. At one point I was able to walk around the neighborhood but have not done that for the past six months. The simplest physical things punish me for days afterwards and there is a cause/response relationship. For now, I have to lean forward to get to the main level of my home and that is enough for today. Have not been out of the house for many days at this point yet I have to “pretend” to be normal to attend a meeting now and then."

FROM DOM: I'm sure that many fibromites can relate to this reader and will find comfort in being understood. During the past 30 years, I have been all the way up and down the ladder of functionality with FMS/CFIDS. Many holidays were spent ill. I've missed loads of family, church and social events because of this baffling illness. My best helps are listed at www.fms-help.com/what.htm. I also have 100 Tips for Coping at www.fms-help.com/tips.htm.

FROM DOM: I work late, stay up late and get up late. Sunday mornings are the hardest day of the week for me, unless for some reason I have slept okay the night before (knocked out by meds). Not only is it difficult for me to be up early, but to be alert, functional and playing the piano for church by 10:45 a.m. is a feat! (Only God knows how hard it is for a fibromite to function and "appear" normal.) I have a dear friend, a fibro newbie, who had a horrible crash over the weekend. She literally could not get out of bed or move even her foot. She was utterly exhausted and in extreme pain. She was shocked that fibro could do this to a person. I told her it's like a car that's fine but something is wrong with the spark plugs (in the brain somewhere). I find it easier to get to church at night, although it still difficult due to the fatigue of the day. However, once I get there, I'm always glad I went. Sometimes when I am utterly "brain dead," it helps me to lie down on the floor and put my feet up on a chair to cause blood to flow to my brain. I sometimes do this plus I sniff Peace and Calming essential oil and take a few hits of Boost Oxygen. My husband says that people only see me in my functional state (not crashed), so they can hardly believe anything is wrong with me! He gets really upset when I commit to do things he knows will add to my stress levels. I am very blessed to have an understanding and helpful spouse. He has suffered many losses too because of my FMS/CFIDS, but that is part of "in sickness and in health." I need to pray for the spouses of my readers, not just my readers who have fibro. Spouses and family members don't have it easy either. So much more work falls on their shoulders than normally would if we were fully functional. My husband says that the problem with FMS/CFIDS is that there doesn't seem to be an endpoint. He said that even with cancer, you have HOPE that the treatments will work. With surgeries, you believe there will be healing and recovery. Our illness just drags on and on (it's been 30 years so far for me). A complete list of everything that ever helped me is at http://www.fms-help.com/what.htm. This might be a very helpful list for fibro newbies to check out. I am a highly functioning fibromite now (as opposed to past decades), but I know my limitations. I also count my blessings, because there are many worse things people go through in life.

"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you." - Isaiah 26:9

"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'” - John 6:28-29
(NIV)

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." - Titus 3:5 (KJV)

"I wish I never had a root canal ever or crown ever done at all! And years ago another dentist made my teeth weaker too by removing the teeth with the dark fillings and putting the white fillings in. And it did not help my health at all! I wish I never had that done. It weakens your teeth too. It did mine."

"All of my mercury is out of my mouth, and I truly believe it is best to get rid of that poison if the areas are cracked. If in one piece I would leave alone."

"Being sick has made me appreciate every little thing that many people who are not sick may take for granted. I am sure you know what I mean."

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/03/eating-bacon.aspx - Snippet: "Many view bacon as an unhealthy food but are unaware that the majority of its fat is monounsaturated and is fairly resistant to heat damage during cooking. Although manufacturers label this bacon “nitrite free,” this method actually generates more nitrite from the celery salt than would ever be added as a salt. “Nitrite free” bacon can have twice the nitrite content of bacons cured directly with nitrite salts
Bacon from pastured pigs contains healthful saturated and monounsaturated fat, mostly consisting of oleic acid, the type so valued in olive oil. It also contains palmitoleic acid, which has antimicrobial properties, phosophatidyl choline that possesses antioxidant activity superior to Vitamin E, and fat-soluble vitamin D. The healthiest forms of bacon and other preserved meats are those that are prepared using time tested age old traditional methods using meat from healthy animals. If you desire to eat bacon it is preferred to find bacon from pastured pigs is raised by local farmers that convert the bacon using time honored methods."

"Fibromyalgia Relief = Individualized Treatment: The most consistent single choice tidbit of treatment advice that all the experts in Fibromyalgia try to promote is a comprehensive treatment approach. This means NOT putting all your eggs in one basket... or in one basket at a time. Your odds of being "cured" by any one single treatment effort, whether it be taking Lyrica or losing 50 pounds or doing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 3 times per week is pretty slim. But your odds of gaining a significant reduction in symptoms and improving your quality of life through a combination of many different treatment options is pretty good. If you get the right combination. "If"... THAT is the rub. Diet...Exercise...Therapy...Drugs...Supplements, there are thousands of different options and combinations of options. What works best? Only YOU can answer that. What works best for my wife Michele will not be the same as what works best for you. That really is the great challenge with fighting Fibro- the "Best" combination of treatments will be different for each individual. This is what the research studies have documented. They have also documented that the vast majority of Fibromyalgia patients do not take this approach to their treatment. Take a few minutes and read this article, it might help you to better understand where to place your focus: http://www.fibromyalgia-treatment.com/fibromyalgia-relief/." - Terry Springer, www.Fibromyalgia-Treatment.com, The FibroTrack Guy!

http://www.ukprogressive.co.uk/the-aids-like-disease-seldom-mentioned/article20891.html - Snippet: "I have Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS/ME) and HIV-NEGATIVE AIDS, idiopathic CD lymphocytopenia. With these two clinical diagnoses, I believe that makes me living proof that the AIDS-like CFS/ME is transmissible, something that the medical establishment seems unable to admit or to acknowledge. I also believe it makes me living proof that CFS and HIV-NEGATIVE AIDS are basically the same mysterious immune disorder."

"I had all my old fillings replaced around 2000 but it did not help my health at all. I had little money at that time and it was sad to go through that for nothing. Had TMJ too and no help. I took a lot of Vitamin C, teaspoon in glass water each day and my TMJ finally went away. I had a couple of teeth pulled several years ago because root canal so expensive (but teeth have shifted). I have used clove oil on gum if tooth hurts, also rinsed mouth in salt water, and swished with coconut oil. Sensodyne toothpaste helps."

"My [family member with FMS/CFIDS] had a sophisticated nervous system test (ANSAR) two years ago showing her nervous system to be a wreck. But this is not the kind of test that general practitioners, the gateways in our system, carry out. Hence the allegations and skepticism continue."

FROM DOM: I have a quote on my site at www.fms-help.com/autonomic.htm that says: "Patients with fibromyalgia describe so much more than just sleep disturbance, fatigue, muscle spasm, and pain. Many other organ systems under the control of the autonomic nervous system are misbehaving. Temperature regulation, sweat glands, gastric acidity, bowel motility, heart rate, blood pressure, and stress responses are often problematic." I am intrigued by the ANSAR test. Try a google search - lots of info out there! The site at http://www.tlcdiagnostics.com/patients/tests-and-procedures/ansar-testing explains it briefly this way: "The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. The parasympathetic half handles normal conditions, such as digestion, healing, blood flow and respiration. The sympathetic part of the nervous system controls the body’s reactions during times of illness, stress or injury. It prepares the body to react (the “fight or flight” response). Heart rate increases as does blood pressure and respiration. The body is directed to release glucose, adrenaline and other stress hormones. In a perfect world, the autonomic nervous system maintains its balance. This is not always the case. When there is an imbalance, there is a reason. ANSAR testing can detect many conditions in the early stages, when treatment can be most effective. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and high blood pressure are just some of the conditions that can be identified and measured with the ANSAR test."

http://www.lifelonghealth.com/healthy-aging-articles/344-is-fructose-making-people-fat - Snippet: "New research suggests that fructose, a simple sugar found naturally in fruit and added to many other foods as part of high-fructose corn syrup, does not dampen appetite and may cause people to eat more compared to another simple sugar, glucose. Glucose and fructose are both simple sugars that are included in equal parts in table sugar. In the new study, brain scans suggest that different things happen in your brain, depending on which sugar you consume."

"I HATE TV shows that are so crudely modern, it is no wonder we have a generation of aggressive, non-caring, often drug-using young adults, teens and kids, LOOK at the shows on TV!"

FROM DOM: Agreed! We live in a morally and spiritually dark modern society. Read the Bible to turn the light on again at your house! That's what I do. My 91 year old mother said the other day that when she reads the Bible, it is SO DIFFERENT from what is going on in our society right now. I think she means the spirit of the words! For the past year, I have been feeding on the Psalms (middle book of the Bible). Sometimes my brain is so tired that it's the easiest book that links me to God in my spirit and emotions.

"Having such bad day can't wear clothes today. Too sore to the touch. AND my husband tells me to SUCK IT UP."

FROM DOM: No one seems to understand fibromyalgia except those of us who have it. One of my friends, a fibro newbie, just married a guy who can't understand why she has to sleep so much, is in pain, exhausted, etc. I have helps for relationships on my homepage at www.fms-help.com. (Scroll down and look on the left side for topics like AWARENESS, RELATIONSHIPS, etc.) There are people in our lives who truly "add insult to injury!" The truth is, they can't feel our pain and it is invisible and therefore not real to them.

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_multiple_chemical.html - "Do you get migraines from certain odors? Or feel nauseous from the smell of new carpeting? Worried about your silver fillings? Many FMS sufferers are very sensitive to chemicals, odors and toxins, including aluminum and mercury. There is much debate about whether the chemicals and toxins cause the condition or the condition is made worse by the chemicals. And since every case is unique, it is often confusing to find the right answers. MCSS Affects Most of Us. MCSS is an abbreviation of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome. It is also known as EI (Environmental Illness), Chemical AIDS, total allergy syndrome and Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance. MCSS affects between 17% and 34% of Americans yearly. A few triggers are perfumes, food additives, carpets and pesticides. Two thirds of people with fibromyalgia experience MCSS and the reactions can be so extreme, people often have to leave work, miss school and even lose their jobs. MCSS affects more women than men and it can hit you suddenly. The bad news it that it can become worse over time; it flares up on your skin, in your breathing, and in your musculoskeletal and immune systems. Diagnosing MCSS: Many sufferers of MCSS complain that they must visit an average of six doctors before they find a physician who is willing to listen to them seriously. Unfortunately, many doctors still insist it is psychological. When you do find a doctor who is sensitive to your symptoms, she will help you diagnose MCSS by arranging a skin test and an inhalation test to detect chemical sensitivities. But be aware that some FMS sufferers find these tests unbearable as they suffer extreme allergic reactions after the test."

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/01/04/advanced-muscle-integration-technique.aspx - Snippet: "A novel therapy used by many professional and elite athletes, but useful for many common injuries, focuses on interrelationships between muscle function, range of motion and restriction that contribute to pain. This technique, which incorporates multiple muscular skeletal techniques, acupuncture points, trigger points, and other alternative modalities, can oftentimes resolve injury-related pain in minutes, accelerate rehabilitation and can dramatically help improve athletic performance. Using this technique on the foot and ankle, recovery time for grade 1 and 2 type ankle sprains can potentially be reduced to minutes, compared to the 4-6 weeks required when following conventional treatment for a sprained ankle."

"In one of the last items in your newsletter www.fms-help.com/010513.htm, the doctor says this: 'Controlling run-away inflammation by returning to immune homeostasis, immune balance, has, in my experience, resulted in dramatic differences in the quality of life of individuals suffering with fibromyalgia. These individuals have tried other approaches with only limited success, so why not support balanced immune responses?' But I wonder what does she say to do for the immune system?"

FROM DOM: She recommends adding i26 to your diet. i26 is hyperimmune egg powder. It is added to food or drink, and serves to BALANCE, not boost, immune function. It works in the intestines. Some of the benefits I received during the 8 years I took i26 were: improved complexion, improved stamina, no more gas and bloating, better sleep, no more swollen glands.

FROM DOM: This is ADORABLE! It will brighten your day! I shared this clip last year, but it deserves a repeat. Just got a response from a biker friend I sent this to. He said, "THIS IS CRAZY GOOD! SHE'S VERY TALENTED. THANKS FOR SHARING."

"Fibromyalgia and Mercury Poisoning - Did you know that silver fillings contain 50% mercury? And, every time we chew, mercury vapors escape into our bloodstream?
Researchers are now claiming that the brain dysfunctions that cause FMS are actually a direct result of mercury toxicity. Many of the symptoms of mercury poisoning are similar to those of fibromyalgia. They include memory loss, brain fog, anxiety, hair, teeth and skin loss, exaggerated reactions, double vision, swelling, high blood pressure, tremors, shyness, chronic fatigue, reduced pain threshold, poor concentration, compulsive behavior, phobic behavior, depression, vision problems and insomnia. You can get tested to see if you have high levels of mercury. If you have mercury poisoning, how do you then get rid of it? See http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/mercurypoisoning.html. Getting rid of mercury - Many people are replacing their silver fillings with white amalgam, but even doing that is risky: when you remove a filling, mercury is released. A safer option is to improve your diet; a healthy diet produces healthy gut flora. This, in turn, naturally chelates mercury. So try your best to cut out sugar, fast food, white flour, pasta and white rice. This can help reduce mercury levels, and will give you many other benefits, including a boosted immune system, more energy and a sense of well being all round."

http://essentialnews.com/wp/?p=1508 - Snippet: "A group of Texas women share the power of Young Living essential oils as showcased by Channel 26 Fox News. These oil ambassadors from Joshua House in Stafford, feel a spiritual calling to help others enjoy greater health naturally. From hormone therapy, to broken bones, extreme pain, withdrawal from prescription drugs to pets with cancer, these oils tell quite a story."

FROM DOM: Fascinating video clip. I "discovered" the benefits of essential oils (plant extracts) about 10 years ago. The ones I use (and why) are listed at www.fms-help.com/oilsstore.htm. I use the oils every day for all kinds of maladies associated with FMS/CFIDS and general health conditions. I love them!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/10/afternoon-surgery.aspx - Snippet: "If you are scheduling a surgery, you probably put some thought to the procedure itself, the surgeon who will perform the procedure and, hopefully, which hospital to go to...But if you didn't pay much attention to the time of day your surgery is scheduled, you could be missing out on a very simple and free, yet crucially important variable in your outcome …A study conducted by Duke University researchers found that adverse events related to surgical anesthesia were more frequent for surgeries started between 3 pm and 4 pm than they were for those that began early in the morning, at 7 am. Adverse events such as nausea, vomiting and postoperative pain were more common in the afternoon surgeries, as were administrative delays, such as waiting for laboratory test results, doctors running late and rooms not being ready on time, all of which have the potential to ultimately increase adverse events. Natural dips in circadian rhythm, fatigue, and shift changes may all play a part in why afternoon surgeries may be more prone to adverse events. My number one suggestion is to be proactive by leading a healthy lifestyle and thereby avoiding the need to go to a hospital in the first place, unless it's an absolute emergency and you need life-saving medical attention."

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/10/antibiotic-dangers.aspx - Snippet: "Antibiotic-resistant disease is a major threat to public health, and the primary cause for this man-made epidemic is the widespread misuse of antibiotics—both in medicine and agriculture. Recent research shows children whose mothers took antibiotics during their pregnancy were more likely to develop asthma. Children predisposed to asthma were twice as likely to develop asthma if their mother used antibiotics during the third trimester, compared to those whose mother did not use antibiotics. A baby gets his or her first "inoculation" of gut flora from the mother’s birth canal during childbirth, which is why a mother’s use of antibiotics during pregnancy may predispose the child to asthma and a variety of other ailments, including neurological dysfunction and autoimmune disorders. One chicken farmer has demonstrated that even large-scale animal farming can manage without routine administration of antibiotic drugs by using an herbal remedy of oregano oil and cinnamon instead. You can help yourself and your community by using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary and by purchasing organic, antibiotic-free meats and other foods. Natural compounds with antibiotic/antiviral activity include oil of oregano, garlic, and Echinacea, which you can try before resorting to drugs."

FROM DOM: Many essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. I love the oils (plant extracts in a bottle). They are nature's medicine and they help me throughout the day with the health challenges I have. See www.fms-help.com/oilsstore.htm.

FROM DOM: As most of my readers know, I was born with impaired immune function. An allergist told me over 20 years ago that I had something like AIDS, but it was "non-acquired." I am "allergic to the world." I developed fibromyalgia in 1982 www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm and CFIDS in 1987 www.fms-help.com/fatigue.htm. This past weekend during a visit with my 91 year old mother, I found out that she had been very sickly around the time of my conception. She was 29 and had just had part of her intestines removed. She was in a very weakened state. My birth was lengthy and torturous...I'll spare you the gruesome details. This got me thinking about all the health problems I've encounted through life - mostly low resistance, viruses, and lousy immune function. Comments anyone? Write dombush@bellsouth.net.

"A while back, I e-mailed you asking if anyone has heard that Rhodiola Rosea helps the symptoms of Fibro. I read a magazine that claimed it would help with the "body aches" that we suffer from. I had just started taking it about a six weeks ago, and felt better while using it. I conducted my own experiment with it. About 1.5 weeks ago, I stopped taking it. In the last few days, the pain is back. I don't know if it is the Rhodiola Rosea, or am I going thru a "rough patch". I plan to start taking it again this coming Monday. If the pain ceases to exist, then I will assume that it has helped. With Fibro, you can't tell when it is going to come against us strong, or if it is just the constant nagging of the illness. Anyway, have you heard of Rhodiola Rosea? Have the readers heard of it? Has anyone tried it? Sorry that this e-mail seems fragmented, but Fibro Fog is getting to me."

"I love your newsletters, but was watching the lecture with Dr. Byron Hyde www.fms-help.com/010513.htm. Now I am so emotional, because I try to ignore how sick I really am on a daily basis and I am so tired and I pray and hope that maybe tomorrow I will be better maybe one day I will be okay and have some answers. Instead of having anxiety that I will have a heart attack or think I have cancer and will leave my kids (single mother), that God will lift this sickness and I will be the mother that he created me to be. I struggle with this, why must we exist to suffer so much?"

FROM DOM: Dr. Hyde's talk and slides were most interesting. Even though it is distressing to know how much may be wrong with us, I am SO GLAD for doctors who take this condition seriously and investigating, researching, etc. Dr. Hyde has a theory of vascular hyperelasticity in fibro patients, but who knows?! Other doctors who are researching have come up with their own "take" on FMS/CFIDS. About kids, I hear from readers whose children have learned to be compassionate and caring, but others don't get it and stay focused on what they are missing because their mom can't chauffeur them here or there or be at every activity. I don't understand why there is so much suffering in the world. The prayer list at our little church is scary....even babies, kids and teenagers with severe life-threatening illnesses are on the list. It seems that the prayer list never changes, we just change the names! When we are feeling down, we can look up. Sometimes that is the only answer. I think it also helps to know that others understand our situation. When I was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1982, I suffered not only from the illness but also from the lack of understanding, even mockery, from people around me - doctors, bosses, ex-spouse, co-workers, etc. Virtually nothing was known about fibromyalgia back then: http://fms-help.com/interview.htm. I have been keeping the newsletter going since 1996, and will continue as long as God gives me strength until a CURE is found that works for all of us who are afflicted. A list of everything I've found to be helpful is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm.

"Cold sores/blisters on her lips multiple times a year. What could be causing this? Is there anything that she can take?” — Terri

A. Dear Terri, I have found that both types of sores heal extremely well and quickly when you maintain a higher level of calcium. While more well-known for its ability to protect bones, calcium also protects soft tissue from conditions such as rashes, sun burn, fever blisters, cold sores and cold and flu. I recommend that your daughter add calcium lactate to her supplement regimen. When purchasing a formula, look for one that features calcium lactate with magnesium citrate. I too, am susceptible to canker sores and fever blisters. I usually take 4 to 6 calcium lactate capsules two or three times the first day, and in my experience, that stops the pain and tenderness of the canker sore within the first day. Use the same protocol for fever blisters, but be aware that they may take a day or two longer to heal."

FDA requires lower doses for sleep medications - by MATTHEW PERRONE, Associated Press
Jan. 10, 2013 3:05PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is requiring makers of Ambien and similar sleeping pills to lower the dosage of their drugs, based on studies suggesting patients face a higher risk of injury due to morning drowsiness.

The agency said Thursday that new research shows that the drugs remain in the bloodstream at levels high enough to interfere with alertness and coordination, which increases the risk of car accidents.

Regulators are ordering drug manufacturers to cut the dose of the medications in half for women, who process the drug more slowly. Doses will be lowered from 10 milligrams to 5 milligrams for regular products, and 12.5 milligrams to 6.25 milligrams for extended-release formulations.

The FDA is recommending that manufacturers apply these lower doses to men as well, though it is not making them a requirement.

The new doses apply to all insomnia treatments containing the drug zolpidem, which is sold under brands including Ambien, Edluar, Zolpimist and in generic forms. It is the most widely prescribed sleeping aid prescribed in the U.S. The changes don't affect other popular sleeping medicines like Lunesta and Sonata, which use different drugs.

FDA officials pointed out that all sleeping drugs carry warnings about drowsiness.

"All sleep drugs have the potential to cause this, so health professionals should prescribe — and patients should take — the lowest dose that is capable of preventing insomnia," said Dr. Ellis Unger, a director in FDA's Office of Drug Evaluation, on a teleconference with reporters.

Unger added that the FDA will begin requiring developers of sleep drugs to conduct driving simulation studies going forward.

Ambien has been blamed for several recent high-profile driving accidents in the past year, including Tom Brokaw in September and Kerry Kennedy in July.

The FDA has received more than 700 reports of driving-related problems connected to zolpidem over the years.

"But in most cases it was very difficult to determine if the driving impairment was actually related to zolpidem," Unger said. "Usually the reports did not contain information about when the accident happened or how much time had lapsed since taking the drug."

The agency decided to take action after recent driving simulation studies showed that, in some patients, drug levels remained high enough to cause difficulty driving. The data came from company studies of Intermezzo, a new form of zolpidem which was approved in 2011 for people who wake late at night and can't get back to sleep.

The data showed that 33 percent of women and 25 percent of men taking extended-release zolpidem had enough of the drug in their blood to interfere with driving as much as eight hours later.

When the dose was cut in half only 15 percent of women and 5 percent of men had those same drug levels.

FDA analysis was unable to determine why women metabolize zolpidem so much more slowly than men. According to FDA staff, the difference cannot be accounted for by usual factors like size and weight.

For now, patients should continue taking their currently prescribed dose until they can talk to their doctor about the best way to proceed.

"We really don't want people to change the dose they're on. We want them to talk to their health care provider," Unger said.

Ambien is marketed by Sanofi, Intermezzo by Purdue Pharma LP and Zolpimist by NovaDel Pharma Inc.

FROM DOM: This is not good news. I depend on 10 mg of zolpidem (Ambien) every night in order to sleep. I sure hope I won't have to live with 5 mg. I take Ambien in conjunction with other meds in order to sleep. I've had a sleep disorder since I was 16. I don't use the Ambien CR (extended release) because it stays in my system too long and makes me feel just awful. I have been using the regular generic Ambien called zolpidem for 20 years now. It has been vital to my getting any sleep at all. A list of everything I've tried for sleep (and how it worked or didn't work) is at www.fms-help.com/sleep.htm. A list of everything I use now for sleep (and I do get restorative sleep most nights) is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm. People who are able to sleep at night naturally have such a wonderful health advantage that they are not even aware of! Without restorative sleep, the body can't heal itself and the immune system malfunctions. I am a "poster child" for this problem.

"I was sorry to see that Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid was listed, in the most recent newsletter www.fms-help.com/010513.htm [Topic 10. THE JOYS OF ORIGINAL BLUE DAWN DISHWASHING LIQUID], as being a good product to use.

As one who deals, on a daily basis, with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), which I believe was related to years of chemical exposures from daily use of toxic products, I felt I should let your readers know that they should use this and other conventional cleaning products with caution, due to the toxic chemicals that they contain.

At http://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/2448-DawnUltraConcentratedDishwashingLiquidOriginal you will find information that shows how toxic and damaging the use of this product can be. It is ranked with a "D" rating, on an A-F scale. There are many better alternatives on the "A" and "B" list, that are readily available at your grocery or local health food store.

Environmental Working Group http://www.ewg.org is an excellent resource for safe products, that we can use, to minimize our chemical exposure. I know from experience, that my fibromyalgia symptoms have gotten better, since I began eliminating toxic chemicals from my environment.

It has been a long process, but I have learned that synthetic fragrances and the toxic chemicals in personal care products (shampoo, lotion, hair spray, perfume, tooth paste, mouth wash, etc.), cleaning products, laundry products, lawn and garden products, and home remodeling products (paint, glue, wall board, flooring, etc.) can wreak havoc with our bodies. By eliminating these toxic products from my environment, I have seen a great improvement in my symptoms."

II Corinthians 1: 4 - "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Visit Dominie's FMS/CFIDS Homepage at www.fms-help.com for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers and their families.