4. LYME DISEASE OR CFS?

Article from a reader--

Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteomes Differentiate Post-Treatment Lyme Disease

(http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/ article/2011/ 02/23/AR20110223 05444.html)

Study finds clue to chronic fatigue, chronic Lyme
By the Associated Press
Wednesday, February 23, 2011; 5:35 PM

-- Scientists have discovered proteins in spinal fluid that can distinguish
people with two mysterious illnesses that mimic each other -
fatigue syndrome and a kind of chronic Lyme disease.

Wednesday's study is small and needs verification. But specialists called
it a promising start at clearing some of the confusion surrounding two
illnesses with similar symptoms and no good means of diagnosis.
"It's a very important first step," said Dr. Suzanne Vernon of the Chronic
Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Association of America.
Lyme disease usually is cured with antibiotics, but some patients report
pain, fatigue and memory or other neurologic problems that linger for months
or years after treatment ends. This post-treatment Lyme disease shares
symptoms that characterize chronic fatigue syndrome.
The new study analyzed spinal fluid from 25 of those chronic Lyme patients,<
43 people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and 11 healthy people.
Using a special high-powered technology, researchers detected more than
2,500 proteins in each group.
More important, they found clear sets of proteins - hundreds each - unique
to each disease, said Dr. Steven Schutzer of the University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey, who led the work.
The next step is to study more people to see if certain protein
abnormalities might serve as a signature, a way to better diagnose patients, Schutzer
said. He also plans to see if they could be found in blood, which would be
easier to test than spinal fluid.
Much more work is needed, cautioned Dr. Joseph Breen, a Lyme specialist at
the National Institutes of Health, which helped fund the work. But this
pool of new clues also might eventually help scientists figure out the
underlying biology of these diseases and how they harm, he added.
The study was published Wednesday in the journal PLoS One.

5. FMS VALIDATED BY BLOOD TESTS

"My blood work revealed a genetic mutation (a double gene) seen in fibromyalgia, something to do with the "methylation cycle," and clearing the body of toxins. I'm taking supplements to help with detoxing. The extensive blood work recently taken all points to a classic "fibromyalgia profile," which really has helped to get that validation. There is no doubt in my mind that I am the "poster child" for fibromyalgia. I look fine, but I'm far from it. The doctor said this is a "very bad disease."

A calculation was done on the conversion of the thyroid hormone T4 to T3, and apparently, my liver is struggling to make the conversion. The lack of T3 is causing great fatigue. On a scale of 1 to 10, he said my fatigue level was 9.8, ALMOST A 10. I think I've been doing pretty good, considering the numbers!!!

Also, I tested positive for ALL of the viral, bacterial, and mycoplasma exposures, and the only active current infection is walking pheumonia. But my understanding is that all the various pathogens can reactivate intermittently with stress. It feels good to see in "black and white" (blood results) what I've been dealing with all along: pain, fatigue and immune dysfunction.

I also have a Substance P blood test that revealed I have TEN TIMES the mid-range of Substance P in my blood. The normal range is 20, and mine was 200! That's a huge difference. Sure feels like I have TEN TIMES the amount of pain in my body!"

6. BIOPTRON LIGHT THERAPY & SCENAR

"I wrote a few months ago to ask whether you could ask your readers if anyone has had positive experiences with using Bioptron Light Therapy....it is a lamp with different colored lenses that you use with it. It is a Swiss made technology which is used in hospitals for burns , ulcers and to relieve rheumatic type pain. They also claim it helps you sleep better and get off sleep meds. Has anyone had experience with these? Also lately I have heard about SCENAR , being told it is the "real deal" for pain from a US doctor. It is a Russian made biofeedback device which sends out a series of signals through the skin and measures the response. Each signal is only sent out when a change is recorded into he electrical properties of the skin, in response tot he previous signal, enabling the body to heal itself. It can apparently be used on most types of disease or injury; circulatory, sensory, respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal, endocrine, immune etc... Basically it is in direct dialogue with the brain and CNS. It was developed for the Russian space programme to overcome the unique problems of space travel by doctors and scientist in the late 1970s. Today SCENAR is a mainstream medical modality in Russia. I wondered if any of your readers have tried these treatments? Of course both devices are very expensive and after years of spending thousands of dollars on unsuccessful treatments it is hard not to be cynical."

7. WHERE MY READERS ARE FROM

FROM DOM: My current newsletter subscribers are from the following countries: U.S., Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Israel, Belgium, Singapore, Cayman Islands, France, India, Spain and Indonesia. If I missed your country, please write dombush@bellsouth.net. It sure is interesting to know where we are all from!

8. DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME

http://www.declutterfast.com - How to declutter yourself and those you love.

9. THYROID RESISTANCE HORMONE

"http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/26/dr-john-lowe-on-thyroid-disease-part-1.aspx - Thyroid disease, or inadequate thyroid hormone regulation, is extremely common. According to estimates, anywhere from 10 to 40 percent of Americans have suboptimal thyroid function. The Difference between Hypothyroidism and Thyroid Hormone Resistance - Hypothyroidism occurs when you produce insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone or when you have thyroid hormone resistance. As a result, your body cannot maintain normal metabolism, and your ability to convert tyrosine to dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine is impaired. This can cause a ripple effect of symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction. A common give-away that you may be hypothyroid is feeling cold most of the time. This is because your body cannot generate enough ATP molecules to keep the core temperature of your body high enough. Thyroid hormone resistance began being investigated in the 1950s, yet many endocrinologists still have never heard of it, or believe it�s a rare condition."

FROM DOM: I have written much about Dr. Lowe's metabolic theory of fibromyalgia in past newsletters, as well as thyroid issues. Search using the Google box at the end of this page.

10. CURE WITH FOOD FIRST

Quotes sent in by a reader--

A truly good physician first finds out the cause of the illness, and having found that, first tries to cure it by food. Only when food fails does he prescribe medication. - Sun ssu-mo, Tang Dynasty. Taoist Physician, in Precious Recipes.

Let nothing which can be treated by diet be treated by other means. - Maimonides, Jewish Rabbi, Philosopher and master holistic physician to Egyptian Sultan.

From the book: "There is a Cure for Diabetes" by Gabriel Cousins, MD.

11. FELLOW-WORMS

FROM DOM: I got a chuckle from our church bulletin last Sunday that had this quote: "It is not necessary for me to be rich or what the world accounts wise. It is not necessary for me to be healthy or admired by my fellow-worms." What a great description! The word "worm" is used in the hymn "At the Cross" in the old hymnals (verse 1): "For such a worm as I." This has been replaced in newer hymnals with the words: "For sinners such as I."

"At the Cross" - verse 1 (new version):

"Alas! and did my Savior bleed

And did my Sovereign die?

Would He devote that sacred head

For sinners such as I?"

This peaked my interest, so I used www.biblegateway.com to look up verses about being a worm, and here's what I found--

Job 25:6 - "How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?"

Psalm 22:6 - "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people."

Isaiah 41:14 - "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

Interesting word study! I'll remember this next time I am tempted to pride or worrying about what "fellow worms" say about me. Haha.

A friend commented:

"I know some who have changed the word 'wretch' to 'soul' in the hymn 'Amazing Grace' .... 'that saved a soul like me.' We don�t sin any more, we just err."

The old hymn writers knew the scriptures better than us modern folks!

12. ACYCLOVIR (ANTI-VIRAL) & CFS

From a reader--

"I see you take the anti-viral , Acyclovir www.fms-help.com/what.htm .... I just started taking that in November as I was positive for many viruses. I wasn't sure if it was helping. I still am pretty much home bound (have lyme and CFS) but what I find extremely shocking is that I haven't gotten sick with the bug that everyone seems to have right now. I'm serious when I say that everyone I know has it. Usually I would have the sinus infection and bronchitis as well, but I don't and I wonder if it is due to the acyclovir?? My doc had me taking 1200mg a day. In January I tapered it down to 800 mg, and just last week decided to taper more to 400mg. How many milligrams a day do you take per day? How long have you been taking acyclovir?"

FROM DOM: I'm the same way! I stopped catching viruses from my students when I started Acyclovir www.fms-help.com/what.htm - about 18 months ago now(?), and also began using oxygen drops in my water (which alkalizes my pH, which seems to keep viruses from going crazy in my body). I take 400 mg of Acyclovir daily (half of an 800 mg pill). I take the rest of the tablet at night only if I feel a "cold sore tingle." I have taken up to 2,400 mg per day if I feel a "shingles tingle." To totally suppress the shingles virus, I have taken 3,200-4,000 mg of Acyclovir for a few days, per my doctor. He gets cold sores and this is what he uses and recommends. I love this stuff! A side effect is that I haven't been virally sick in ages now, and I used to be a prime target for viruses, especially in my line of work. I think by reducing the viral load in one area, my immune system is able to deal with the rest of the stuff.

13. WOMEN'S RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY

From a reader--

http://www.iraniumthemovie.com/drip/zandervin.html - YIKES!

14. RESEARCH BREAKS CHRONIC FATIGUE STEREOTYPES

From a reader--

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/23/eveningnews/main20035610.shtml?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CBSNewsTheEarlyShowSeries+

15. MANNA & SUFFERING

From a reader--

"Thank you so much for the articles 'Manna' and 'Thoughts on Suffering' [ www.fms-help.com/022611.htm - Topics 14 & 15 ]. I was laying here in tears because of fibromyalgia. (One of those really bad days.) When I read the articles they were very uplifting and remembered Who my God is. This has been the hardest place I have ever been in as you are well aware of. I don't remember how I came across your website but I have it in my favorites and kept referring back to it when I didn't know what to do. God bless you in what you are doing for those who 'just don't know.' I have very little support and my doctor just throws me pain and sleep meds. I have educated myself through the internet and finally came across your website www.fms-help.com."

FROM DOM: It's amazing how God meets us in our times of greatest discouragement (valleys). I have a page called "coincidences" (God's providences in my life) at www.fms-help.com/coincidences.htm - see "The Yard Sale" and "The Radio."

16. MALE WITH FIBROMYALGIA

From a reader--

"My husband was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. His doctor ran a gamut of blood tests and sent him to a rheumatologist before deciding it was fibro. To be honest, we were stumped as to what could have 'triggered' his body's over reaction to pain as his doctor described it. She told him everyone is susceptible to fibro and that usually a stressful or painful event has occurred, which brings out the fibro. We were stunned by this description and couldn't think of anything painful that could have contributed to his fibro except a horrible tooth infection, which turned into an abscess and for which he took at least three rounds of antibiotics for prior to having it completely extracted. The process to have an implant placed where the tooth was extracted has since taken place. Currently he is taking a drug called Savella for the fibro, supposedly one of the only drugs approved by the FDA for use on fibro patients, not that this is a great consolation to us. It does cut the pain by about 30%, however, it causes pain in his lower abdominal region as well as making him feel tired and groggy. Not to mention he has the worst sleep ever waking at least 2-3 times per night and sometimes awake for hours. This happened prior to being diagnosed because he was in so much pain. He said he just couldn't sleep peacefully always feeling the pain. He stopped the medication a few months after use because of the way it made him feel and tried to just exercise to see if the pain would ease, but it didn't. He has since gone back on the med in order to have just a little pain relief and I don't blame him for wanting something quick that could ease the pain."

FROM DOM: It is always so helpful when the spouse of a fibromite is compassionate and understanding, caring and searching for answers. Although fibromyalgia victims are 75% female, I do hear from a lot of males who are afflicted with fibromyalgia. Some of their stories are at www.fms-help.com/men.htm (MEN WITH FIBRO). I have many references to Savella in past newsletters - use the Google box at the end of this page to locate this information. If you have tried Savella and want to say something about it, please write dombush@bellsouth.net. There is no "cure" for fibromyalgia, but a lot of research is going on - finally! It's a step in the right direction! A list of things that keep me functional is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm - this list is the culmination of many things I've tried since 1982 when I was first diagnosed with 'fibrositis,' as it was called way back then www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm. I later developed CFIDS in 1987 www.fms-help.com/fatigue.htm after a severe viral illness and 6 rounds of antibiotics prescribed over a 6 month period. I am thankful that here in 2011, I am able to work www.fms-help.com/students.htm and also serve as a pianist/organist at my church. A list of occupations (or former occupations) that my readers had when they became afflicted with fibromyalgia is at www.fms-help.com/occupations.htm.

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.

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical doctor. I am a fibromyalgia / chronic fatigue syndrome survivor. The purpose of this website is not to diagnose or cure any disease or malady, but is presented as food for thought. This information cannot take the place of professional medical advice. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should come under the direction of a physician. No guarantees are made regarding any of the information in this website.

Job 16: 1-5

Job Reproaches His Pitiless Friends