DOM'S NEWSLETTER
www.fms-help.com
April 22,
2010
1. READERS
WRITE
"Thanks for another great
newsletter www.fms-help.com/041810.htm. I
enjoy each one, but this one was exceptional! Re: the
"HUGE FMS/CFS/M.E. RESOURCE" - NO - you can't stop writing
your newsletter! The huge resource may have lots of 'information',
but we need your newsletters for the personal touches that are
uniquely Dom; exactly as stated in that wonderful devotion which was
included in this one."
"Thank you so much for posting your
story and for all the great information. Your story is
amazing and you've gone through so much. In your picture you look so
beautiful and healthy. I know what you mean when all looks well on the
outside, but you feel dead or exhausted on the inside. Thank you so much
for taking the time to go into detail about your experience and also what works
for you and what doesn't."
2. IODINE
DEFICIENCY, FIBROMYALGIA, FATIGUE & DRY EYES
From a reader--
"I have read that dry eyes can be
associated with thryoid problems and iodine deficiency. As a matter
of fact, I kind of wonder how many of us don't have "fibro" but simply have
iodine deficiency- the symptoms are so similar. See www.drbrownstein.com."
FROM
DOM: Found this self-test for iodine deficiency: http://altmedangel.com/iodine.htm. Don't know if it's accurate
or not. Anyone with iodine info, please write dombush@bellsouth.net.
3. SAT
MATTRESS
Reader 1--
"I also have the SAT mattress www.fms-help.com/041810.htm and
love it."
FROM DOM: I would sure love one of these! Maybe
in 10 years!
Reader 2--
"My wife and I did a two month research on beds. We
really wanted to get the SAT bed , but then we saw so much negative comments on
the internet about their customer service. Most people were unhappy because they
were ignored, their calls not returned, damaged goods under warranty were blamed
on the customer and not replaced. Also, the company's truthfulness
was another thing. They claimed Hilton Garden Inns and Mt. Sinai Hospital in New
York use their bed. We called several Hilton Garden Inns and the above
hospital and talked to their housekeeping department. Not one of them said
they use the SAT bed. I even described it to them, thinking maybe it was
sold to them under different name. again the answer remained a definite
“NO." So, I don’t know what to think. The description of the
bed makes good sense, but the company and its integrity let me down and we ended
up buying another mattress. This was very
recently."
4. FLU SHOTS
From a reader--
"Most of the time I look forward to your
newsletters to see what they contain and any news on help for Fibro that hasnt
reached New Zealand yet but.............I dont like to see stories from people
saying we should not have the flu vaccine. I have
Emphysema and my overall health is not good combined with fibromyalgia and
if I didnt have the flu vaccine and my 4 yearly pneumo (spelling ???)
I would very likely die if I got the flu let alone H1N1. Im very
grateful for the free injection and I would like to know how many people with
fibro have died from having the flu injection, not many if any I should
think. It's a decison we should all be free to make ourselves without
getting influenced by people with these [anti-vaccine] ideas.
I think our own personal GP is the best one to decide what is best for
us and I have complete faith in mine."
FROM
DOM: With CFIDS, I would be afraid to get a flu shot. My immune
system is crazy enough. Anyone else want to weigh in on flu or H1N1
shots? Write dombush@bellsouth.net.
5. LYME
& FMS/CFS
From a reader--
"I had an EBV flare up in July and
was feeling horrible /going down hill since then. the
oxygen drops didn't work for me ...everything I tried NOTHING seemed to
help. In August I had asked a new family doc I was
seeing to test for lyme ..she did, but it came
back negative .. (the labs here are not equipped to test for this complicated
disease). long story short .. after going from doc to
doc ..and doing a TON of my own research, I was finally
diagnosed w/ Lyme at the end of March .. There is only
one doc that I know of in the Orlando area that
specializes in lyme .. he is a medical doctor and a
naturapath/dietician .. Dr Kirti Kalidas , who is going to help
me get my health back .. BLESS YOU Dr
Kalidas!~ I would like to educate your
readers about Lyme and how you can get it - you
can get Lyme from any tick (not just deer ticks), spiders, and even dog
scratches .. Lyme is present in every state
in the US not just the northern states. it is presumed that there are thousands of people in the USA today
that have Lyme but are un-aware they have it due to most doctors ignorance of
the disease .. (its very complicated ..they are too busy to research it and
learn more about it) - it
mimics CFS/Fibro/Lupus and RA .. I would recommend anyone who has been diagnosed with
CFS/Fibro to also be tested for lyme .. Insurance is not accepted by my Lyme doc or the lab in Calif that tests
the blood , the test alone was 1,000 (to check for lyme and all of its many
co-infections , over 300) - it was definitely a
concern for me but I wanted my life back more than
anything ... I had to sell my very successful
business due to my declining health ... which started back in
July - I had to work (physically demanding job) from July to
Dec barely getting through my days .. and I am now unemployed and
filing for disability , I am only 41 years old. the lyme is chronic .. undiagnosed for many years .. so it has
affected most of my organs including my adrenal glands and central nervous
system. I just want your readers to know
to fight for their health ..don't let doctors tell you that there is
nothing wrong with you .. I was told that I had EBV/
CFS .. to be thankful that I didn't have children and to learn to live w/ it ..
I KNEW I had more than just CFS (I had cfs/ebv 15
years ago and only sick for about 3-4 months.) the doctors that take insurance don't like to think outside the
box , their thinking is ruled by insurance companies - the doctors that do NOT take insurance ..are the doctors who
actually want to get to the bottom of your illness who don't let
insurance and all the red tape get in their way - they want to fix your problem not just medicate
it. I was a very active, gym going
person for the past 25 years .. I haven't been to the gym since this
all started in July - I hope one day soon to be back at
the gym but I know its going to be a long road but am very
thankful to finally have a confirmed diagnosis and on that road to
recovery! Have you ever heard
of a cd-57 test ? its used mostly w/ lyme patients .. mine was
a 48 when it should be over 200 !! this number shows how supressed my immune
system actually is ...its very scary to think of it in this way ..I just had a
horrible sinus infection and bronchitis .. Im glad I didn't end up in the
hospital!"
FROM
DOM: I have lots about Lyme disease in past newsletters
www.fms-help.com/newsletters.htm. This reader's comments were very
interesting - wow, I didn't know you could get lyme from spider bites and dog
scratches too! I've had plenty of those in my lifetime! I was tested
for Lyme a few years ago, but result was negative. However, I hear that
some labs can't detect it. I have a hospitalization only (through a
self-employed insurance policy), so all lab tests and doctors visits are
self-pay. Needless to say, I greatly limit visits and tests. Only in
emergencies, so I may never know for sure. BTW, I have not heard of the
CD-57 test. Anyone know about it? Write dombush@bellsouth.net.
6.
READERS' PRAYER CORNER
Julie - "I
would like to request prayer for my family as a whole and myself in
particular. My 6 year old daughter fell and broke her arm
last week. It was very traumatic and stressful for all of us. I
definitely feel the “hit” from the stress that you other fibromites can relate
to. In addition, my husband had just scheduled surgery
for this coming week. He will be having extensive surgery on his should
which could be a 6 week to 3-4 month recovery depending on the severity of
it. The doctor won’t know until he gets in there Wednesday morning.
Please pray for healing for the two of them, and for extra strength and grace
for me to be able to help them in their time of need. I don’t have any
extra energy at all, so it is only through Christ that I can do it."
Dominie -
"Please pray for the reader in Topic 8 below who has
intractable, drug-resistant insomnia."
7. FIBROMYALGIA ASSOCIATED WITH BRAIN
SHRINKAGE
From a reader--
8.
INTRACTABLE, DRUG-RESISTANT INSOMNIA
From a male reader--
"I read your articles with great
interest as I also suffer from Fibromyalgia and extremely severe intractable
drug resistant insomnia; I have been to 2 of the top specialists
in insomnia in the country and BOTH have said they have never seen
anyone that sleeps LESS THAN 8 hours/week. NO DRUGS PUT ME TO SLEEP.
One even put me on XYREM AND AMBIEN AT THE SAME TIME.......and I did not fall
asleep.......he was shocked. As a matter of fact, he had me come in the next
night and administered the drugs himself and stayed to see if I fell
asleep.......I DID NOT."
FROM
DOM: I hear about intractable insomnia more and more frequently from
readers. Search my past newsletters for fatal insomia, etc. at
www.fms-help.com/newsletters.htm. My own (wretched) insomnia story is
at www.fms-help.com/insomnia.htm. A list of things I've tried for
sleep is at www.fms-help.com/insomnia.htm. A list of things I use now (and get
"acceptable" sleep most nights after decades of insomnia) is at
www.fms-help.com/what.htm. I have placed
this reader on our prayer list. (#6 above) Interestingly, it
was after the 3rd week on the immune balancing powder that I
began yawning. Might seem insignificant, but I had not yawned for years -
just felt tense, miserable and sick, instead of "sleepy" at night. Yawning
was a good sign that things were changing. My sleep meds started to
work, finally! i26 also helped other complaints I had:
lifelong gas and bloating, complexion breakouts, racing thoughts, etc.
Definitely worth a try. A lot of science is behind it and it does not
interfere with any prescription medications. Write dombush@bellsouth.net for info.
9.
CFS/M.E. MAY BE CLASSIFIED AS A MENTAL ILLNESS
From a
reader--
"I was at the site of the link
you included in your newsletter www.fms-help.com/041810.htm for the
International Association for CFS/ME and found a disturbing notice that
the American Psychiatric Association is considering adding CFS/ME to
their updated version of mental illnesses due to come out in 2013.
Imagine how devistating this could be for all of us w/ the disease as well as
our families and friends? They have a letter on their website you can
sign and submit to tell the American Psychiatric Association you do not support
this. It must be submited by APRIL 20th - TOMORROW! I certainly will be
adding my name and here is the link for others who are willing: http://www.iacfsme.org."
And I got
this additional information from the Reaching Out
Newsletter--
IACFS/ME Urges Community
Response to Risk that CFS May Become Classified as Psychiatric
Diagnosis
On March 25, Fred Friedberg, PhD,
president of the International Association of CFS/ME, stated: “We are
concerned
about the possibility of CFS/ME being
classified as a psychiatric disorder” in the upcoming revision of the
American
Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Referring to the APA’s newly posted
draft revisions for “somatoform disorders”*, Dr. Friedberg has posted two items
on
the IACFS/ME website at
www.iacfsme.org:
• A community call to action. He urges
all informed advocates (working professionals in particular -
researchers,
clinicians, educators) to
“submit your comments on this disturbing possibility to the DSM-5 Task
Force” www.dsm5.org
- log in to comment,
click on somatoform disorders and then complex somatic symptom disorder;
comment link at
bottom of
page. Deadline for comment submission is April
20.
• An open letter to the DSM-5 Task Force
on behalf of the 500-plus biomedical and behavioral scientists who make
up
the IACFS/ME, expressing “deep concern
about the possible reclassification of CFS as a somatoform disorder in
DSM-5.”
To track all US, UK, and international
organizations' submissions and other news regarding the DSM-5 draft
proposals,
see the DSM-5 and ICD-11 Watch site,
maintained by Suzy Chapman.
HERE ARE
SOME RESPONSES I GOT FROM READERS--
Reader 1--
[Comment submitted on Complex Somatic
Symptom Disorder] - "Fibromyalgia/CFS cannot be considered psychiatric
illness. Current research shows that these illnesses are caused by
physical factors, e.g., mycoplasmas, retroviruses, hypothalmic
disorders, etc. Please allow the research scientists to finish
their work before labeling sufferers with something that will
make it harder to get proper treatment."
Reader 2--
"I would think that would be a good
thing. If it actually classified as a mental illness, it might be
easier to get treatment paid for than if it isn't classified as an
illness. Depression is a mental illness. What's the big
deal?"
Reader 3--
"I just wrote a little article for my local
newspaper explaining the mental and emotional fatigue of ME and medical
proffessionals labeling it depression! I learned a lot about it this past year
and mostly from Dr. Myhill They do not know what mental and emotional
fatigue is they don't want to know, I tried to explain it to one
doctor, and he still told me I needed antidepressants!!!!"
FROM
DOM: See #12 below about Dr. Sarah Myhill. She is a
compassionate FMS/CFIDS doctor in the UK that I have mentioned in past
newsletters www.fms-help.com/newsletters.htm.
Reader 4--
"I made a strong comment, and my last
line was to the tune of the government has a sydrome. It is called
"Blind Government Syndrome." More or less the tune of we need to find out
why doctors just aren’t taken time to get to the root cause of our pain.
Because they just aren't trained to think about nutrition and the effects of
poor nutrion and additives and chemicals. Too bad."
10.
INFRARED SAUNA & EMF METER
From a reader--
"I have an
Infrared sauna. I also have a EMF meter. I took the meter inside the
sauna while it was running and it registered barely above zero. I think
because Infrared is a form of light not an electromagnetic
field."
11.
STORMIE'S BOOK
From a reader--
"I read Stormie's book - it's been a
great help to me. I was meant to get that book, so thank you very much for
passing on the info about it, otherwise I would never have known!"
FROM
DOM: Stormie was abused as a child by a severely mentally ill
mother. This book is her story about finding healing and
forgiveness. I couldn't put it down! I've recommended "Stormie"
to many people who are suffering the effects of child abuse in their adult
lives. http://www.amazon.com/Stormie-Story-Forgiveness-Healing-Omartian/dp/1565078322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271781778&sr=1-1.
It is one of my all-time favorite and most-recommended
books.
12. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST DR. SARAH MYHILL
From a reader--
13.
SLEEPING (OR NOT) BY THE WRONG CLOCK
From my brother--
FROM
DOM: Fascinating article about sleep! Be sure to read some of the
comments at the end. Not everyone sleeps during "normal" hours.
Personally, I sleep best (with meds) from 2-10. Fortunately, I am
self-employed and can set my own appointments and schedule. I am usually
writing the newsletter in the wee hours of the morning. I have tried
"re-setting" my circadian rhythm, but can't seem to make it stick. But
since my sleep cycle doesn't interfere with my work, and there are no kids at
home anymore, I can keep these hours quite satisfactorily. I get a LOT
done when others are sleeping! For me, the decades of NOT SLEEPING and
SEVERE INSOMNIA were sheer torture - absolutely life and health-wrecking
www.fms-help.com/insomnia.htm. So I'm happy to get the sleep that I do now. My list of
meds is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm.
14. DEATH
BY SUGAR
From a reader--
"My only discovery through this
[fibro] journey has been that sugars cause immediately
flare-ups, so I stay away from those and that does help, but does not
take care of the underlying problem."
15.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD CAUSES ORGAN FAILURE
16.
FEELING GUILTY ABOUT BEING SICK
FROM
DOM: This article is not exactly about fibro, but I'm sure many can relate
to feelings of guilt for not being able to accomplish what we used to
do. A good article for the fibro newbie. To read my thoughts
when first diagnosed (FMS) in the early 1980's, see www.fms-help.com/interview.htm. We aren't in
control of our lives as much as we'd like to think we are - but opportunities
for spiritual and personal growth often abound when the physical body is
afflicted. That's hard to understand at first when life is crumbling
around you. Check out the emotionally supportive articles for people with
FMS/CFIDS at www.fms-help.com (yellow box on
the left). We with fibro are often doers and high-achievers
www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm, so
this kind of lifestyle doesn't suit our temperament very
well!
17. A
VISUAL GUIDE TO FIBROMYALGIA
From a reader--
"Fibromyalgia
Triggers - An important first step is identifying what makes your
symptoms worse.
Common triggers include:
Cold or humid weather, Too much or too little physical activity, Stress,
Poor sleep."
FROM
DOM: Yep!
18.
M.E./CFS OFFICIALLY A NEUROLOGICAL ILLNESS
From a reader--
April 15, 2010
Congratulations are in order!
According to an announcement by Canada’s National
ME/FM Action Network (www.mefmaction.net), ME/CFS has
been recognized officially by the Ontario government and Ontario Medical
Association.
“This means that no one in Ontario
who suffers from ME/CFS can ever again be told by a doctor that ME/CFS does not
exist,” the announcement explains. “If they do, tell them to look up Diagnostic
Code 795.” To review the many practical benefits for patients of this
official recognition, and how it will be used, click here.
==========================
Well, that's all for
now! I'm busy preparing students www.fms-help.com/students.htm
for our big Spring Recital on April 30 (now you understand the cat at the top of
this page....ha!)
Dominie
www.fms-help.com - SO MUCH HELPFUL
INFO ABOUT FMS/CFIDS/M.E. - PLEASE VISIT OFTEN AND LEARN
MORE!
dombush@bellsouth.net - I TRY TO ANSWER EMAIL, BUT CAN'T
PROMISE. HOWEVER, I DO READ EVERYTHING YOU SEND IN. (MY
NEWSLETTER IS REALLY YOUR
NEWSLETTER!)
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.
Dominie's Favorites:
Alkalizing
Drops Antioxidants Cold Sore
Treatment Colloidal Silver DMSO
DNA Protector
& Immune Booster Essential Oils Immune Balancing Shake
Nutritional
Powder Omega 3's Oxygen
Drops Protein Powder Shingles
Treatment Stress Tablets Supplements (highly
bioavailable) Questions? Send email to dombush@bellsouth.net
FREE BUSINESS CARDS
DOMINIE'S FIBROMYALGIA & CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME
HOMEPAGE
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.
