FROM DOM: The links listed below will clarify the differences between FMS and CFIDS (I have both) – I'm not a doc, just a patient, but in my opinion, these two conditions are not the same, although they share some overlapping symptoms:

My FMS story (onset 1982): www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm

Symptoms of FMS: www.fms-help.com/signs.htm

My CFIDS story (onset 1987): www.fms-help.com/fatigue.htm

Symptoms of CFIDS/ME: www.fms-help.com/ME.htm

3. CONTROL CHOLESTEROL WITH SOLUBLE FIBER

"re: www.fms-help.com/120210.htm - Don't buy into that nonsense about cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol to convert vitamin D to active form, to make your sex hormones, etc. If your cholesterol is really high, it means something is wrong with your liver. No, I wouldn't take statins. You can lower cholesterol some with metamucil - it binds bile acids and helps remove through your bowel elimination."

FROM DOM: Soluble fiber is helpful for cholesterol. This non-gritty, high-powered nutritional powder contains vitamins, minerals, probiotics AND soluble fiber: www.biobasics.com/dominie.

4. FIBRO & FATIGUE CENTER REVIEWS

Responses to the article about the Fibro & Fatigue Centers at www.fms-help.com/120210.htm--

"Just wanted to respond to your newsletter regarding Fibro & Fatigue Centers. About 2 years ago, I traveled 2 1/2 hours to the closest one I could find (my husband took me). They will not see you at all, unless you pay upfront & commit to their program. It was well over $6,000 & I am still trying to pay it off. I quit going after 3 months, since nothing was helping me & I couldn't make those long trips. What a joke! Take my advice----Don't waste your money & time with these people. They don't get it!"

"I just finished my first year at the fibro and fatigue centers of cleveland which recently shut down ....I had great experience with my doctor who actually listened to the way I felt and not nessecarily just treated blood work but symptoms too ...unfortunately going in I only wanted a natural approach I have both natural and regular meds but my overall well being has improved greatly since being there ...since before the f f c I had already spent $20,000 to get myself some help I thought $6,000 wasn't bad ...I do feel much better but not cured."

"I just read your most recent newsletter www.fms-help.com/120210.htm, and have to take exception, to the highly critical nature, of this post.

I was a patient at the King Of Prussia office of The Fibro and Fatigue Centers. I was treated by Dr. Garabedian, MD. As a Holistic Registered Nurse, I can't say enough, about the high standards of care, that I received there. I do have to agree, that the cost borders on prohibitive, and that insurance does not cover all of the cost (although it may cover office visit, IV charges, labs and conventional drugs). However, that depends on the coverage, of each individual policy. I was a patient, at the Fibro and Fatigue Center, for one year, and did take advantage of the Comprehensive payment package, mentioned in this post. That fee included: Standard Doctor visits, 22 IVs, vitamins, supplements and nutraceuticals sold under their brand, as well as several other miscellaneous items and services. At the end, of each visit, I received a comprehensive receipt, giving diagnostic codes, official description of care received, and breakdown of each charge. This receipt included everything necessary to submit that visit's charges, to insurance, for payment. Throughout my time, at the Fibro and Fatigue Centers, I repeatedly expressed my frustration, about the high cost, and my inability, to continue treatments beyond the first year. Dr. Garabedian indicated that he, too, was frustrated by the cost, but indicated that pricing was set by the corporate office.

When I went for my first visit, I was impressed, with the thorough patient history, and evaluation, that was done, as well as detailed description, of possible diagnosis, based on the physical evaluation and history. In addition, I received printed material to be reviewed at home. A panel of 22 blood tests was ordered, and I was scheduled for a follow-up visit in one month. At that follow-up visit, the lab results were discussed. Dr. Garabedian told me I was VERY sick, that his initial diagnoses were confirmed, as well, as some additional diagnoses. At that point, a Treatment Plan was developed, and treatments was begun. Not ALL of my conditions were treated initially, as some conditions needed to be resolved (to some extent), to obtain good results with other conditions. From the perspective, of a Holistic Nurse, the treatments were well grounded in Alternative/Complimentary Medicine principles.

Because I was so VERY sick, I was warned that it would take time, to begin to see results. Some patients see results in approximately three months, some after six months, and the very sickest patients take longer to see results. I was in the last category. At each visit, I was re-evaluated, and the Treatment Plan was adjusted. The important thing, to remember, is to be consistent, with following the Treatment Plan. Periodic labs were done, to evaluate the success, of the various, vitamins, supplements, nutraceuticals, IVs and bioidentical hormones, that were prescribed along the way. I was also evaluated for side-effects, but none were found.

At the end, of the first year, I was sad to tell Dr. Garabedian, that I would have to stop treatment there, since I was seeing such great results. He expressed his concern, that many of his patients, who stop being seen there, return one-plus years later, in similar or worse condition, to their first visit, because they stopped all treatments, when they were no longer a patient there. However, in the year, that I was there, I learned volumes, about treating Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease, my other infections, HPA(Hypothalamic/Pituitary Axis) Dysfunction, hormonal deficiencies, Adrenal Insufficiency and Compromised Immune System, to name a few of my conditions.

I assured Dr. Garabedian, that I would not stop taking my supplements, nutraceuticals and bioidentical hormones, which are all crucial to continued success with these conditions. I am happy to say, that as sick as I was, I saw a 75% improvement, in my health, and have not lost ground in the 19 months, since last being seen, as a patient there. As far as I am concerned, I am THRILLED with the care and success, of treatments and care received, at the Fibro and Fatigue Center.

In addition to the valuable education, that I received, from Dr Garabedian, I purchased Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum's book, "From Fatigued to Fantastic" (Third Edition), which filled in some of the gaps, and has an addendum, for medical doctors, which my Primary Care Physician (PCP) used to understand and prescribe bioidentical hormones, with the help of my Compounding Pharmacist. This book is an important piece, of the puzzle, that helped me to not only maintain my progress, but to also continue to see improvement.

I believe that Dominie is correct, in that everything points to the source, of Fibromyalgia, being Viral in nature. There are many natural remedies which, when used together (synergistically), can minimize viral effects, in Fibromyalgia. The jury is still out, with regard to the XMRV being a contributing factor, but it is looking good as a major culprit. I also believe that until that is confirmed, it is prudent, to begin treating with supplements and nutraceuticals, that work against viral infections.

I have read the judgement, brought against Dr. Stevens, in Texas. I cannot speak to the care, that his patient, bringing the complaint, received. However, keep in mind, that just because the Big Pharma driven FDA does not approve a supplement for use, in treating a specific condition, does not mean that it is not effective in treating that condition.

Since I have not seen his documentation (including lab values, diagnoses, and Treatment Plan - which were not included in the legal ddocument), I do not know exactly what transpired. Therefore, I cannot make a judgement about his reasons for prescribing the medication in question. However, I would like to remind you all, that each patient has lab values and conditions specific only to them. In addition, each doctor, uses his or her personal education, knowledge base and experience, to develop a diagnosis and Treatment Plan, for each individual, based on their data only. Therefore, to say that ALL of the 17 Fibro and Fatigue Centers (and Affiliate) are bad places to be treated, for Fibromyalgia and related conditions, is simply ludicrous. The problem encountered by Dr. Steven's patient, could have happened at any one, of the tens of thousands, of doctor's offices across this country.

Please don't judge the many, by what occurred with the few. Each situation needs to be evaluated by the specific details of that case. Personally, I am leery, of ANY conventional drugs, and would have asked my doctor, to find a natural alternative, to the drug in question. A good rule of thumb, is to go online and look up the side-effects and drug interactions, of ANY drug your doctor wants to prescribe for you. Purchasing the book, "From Fatigued to Fantastic", would be another place to get started, with being proactive about your own healthcare, regarding your Fibromyalgia and related conditions. Gone is the day, in which the doctor is god, and we leave all decisions to him. We need to be proactive about our own health care.

Regarding the statement, that, “many patients . . . say they were lured to those places by the statistics they provide practically guaranteeing a cure.” . . . As an RN, and former patient of Fibro and Fatigue Centers, I have yet to come across a medical doctor, who guarantees a cure. It is possible, that these patients wanted a cure so badly, they heard, what they wanted to hear. There are too many factors, related to medical conditions, to make a blanket statement, guaranteeing a cure. It is not "Standard Practice", for any medical professional, to make such a statement. In the case, of the clinic, where I was treated, I was told they had an 80% success rate, based on “subjective data”, collected from patients. This does NOT guarantee a cure. In addition, I was told that the success of any treatment, is determined by the patient’s adherence to the Treatment Plan. I was also told that the patients who have the least success, with the program, are the ones who were NOT consistent with taking the recommended supplements, nutraceuticals and bioidentical hormones. No one can guarantee a cure . . . especially when the patient doesn’t consistently take recommended treatments. I also have to wonder, just how many, of those complaining that it “didn’t work”, actually were consistent, with totally following the Treatment Plan, and stuck with it long enough to see results. Had I given up after three months, I would have cheated myself out of achieving a 75% improvement in my health, which I consider to be a HUGE success!"

5. CALIFORNIA APPROVES PESTICIDE LINKED TO CANCER

From a reader--

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101202/ap_on_bi_ge/us_farm_pesticide

6. MAYO CLINIC & FIBRO CARE

"In response to the topic at www.fms-help.com/120210.htm: I went to the Mayo Clinic in Jax in Feb 2010 desperately seeking help for my fibro. It had been so bad I had spent almost 14 months in bed, exhausted and the pain was unbearable. My regular doctor has been great and has tried many treatments with me and listens to my suggestions for treatment as I am always researching new options for relief. I thought Mayo was the best, so why don't I try it out? Number 1- you have to wait 4-6 weeks to get a appointment (as well as follow up appointments)- not good for someone who needs frequent visits. I spent about 45 minutes to a hour with a Rheumatologist. He told me I had Fibromyalgia (as if i didn't already know it) and gave me 2 medication options. Lyrica and Sevella. I have tried both and the side effects were not worth the little to no pain relief. I had tried other drugs prescribed like Cymbalta and Ultram, etc.....but nothing helped. He suggested pain management (which I already receive) and physical therapy (which I already receive). He just did not seem to be sympathetic to my needs. He wanted to make a follow up appt- which would of been in April! I left there disgusted, misunderstood and ripped off $500.00 for the consultation. I my as well of went to a dentist for advice on my fibro."

7. THE REAL DIRT ON SEWAGE SLUDGE

http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/9712/sludge.htm - Snippet: "Hold your nose! Waste from households and industries treated at a sewage plant may be spread on a farmer's field near you. Unfortunately, it may contain heavy metals and other nasty surprises that could end up on your dinner plate. The safe disposal of hazardous waste has been a challenge for both industry and governments for decades. Under increasing assault by environmental groups for dumping waste into landfills, oceans, rivers and lakes, or burning it in incinerators, corporations and governments seem to have agreed upon a new solution. They rename the waste as fertilizer or dust suppressant and spread it on farmers’ fields and country roads. The code word for this practice is “beneficial use”. While it may be an environmentally sound example of recycling, in many cases it’s merely relocating pathogens rather than disposing of them. Although many different industries are “recycling” their toxic waste in this manner, one of the most controversial substances is sewage sludge, which is widely used as a soil amendment by farmers in both the United States and Canada."

8. TINNITUS (RINGING IN THE EARS)

"My friend's hubby who is a very healthy pharmacist .. has been dealing with tinnitus for over a year .. the last time I saw him (about 6 months ago), he was getting a hearing aid type of device put in the ear, which I beleive helped him alot. They are expensive though."

9. OMEGA 3's PREVENT & MAY REVERSE GUM DISEASE

http://www.naturalnews.com/030507_omega-3_fatty_acids_gum_disease.html

FROM DOM: However, get a GOOD quality Omega 3. Some are already rancid in the bottle! Write dombush@bellsouth.net for info on brand I use.

10. LOCAL FARMS

"www.localharvest.org is a FANTASTIC resource. food costs are going up because of the rising cost of oil and many other dynamics in the global economy, so it's good to know where local farms are and to support their existence. you can also find dry and home goods as well."

11. IS WI-FI FRYING OUR BRAINS?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1334291/Is-Wi-Fi-frying-brains-Fears-cloud-electrosmog-harm-humans.html - Snippet: "Fears that cloud of 'electrosmog' could be harming humans.....EMFS have also been shown to affect the brain, suppressing production of melatonin, the hormone controlling whether we feel happy or sad. In 2004, researchers at the University of Malaga found that significant exposure to EMFs increases the chances of developing depression 40-fold. They also linked electrosmog to headaches, irritability, unusual tiredness and sleeping disorders. This has been confirmed in research by the respected Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Sponsored by the leading mobile phone companies, it showed that using handsets just before going to bed caused people to take longer to reach deeper stages of sleep. They also spent less time in each of these stages, so interfering with the body’s ability to repair damage suffered during the day.

This is particularly alarming given the tendency for teenagers and children to sleep with their mobile phones under the pillows so that they can answer late-night texts from friends. Parents who allow their children to do so may be taking a significant gamble with their health."

12. SIMPLE THINGS TO PREVENT CANCER

Per Dr. Mercola: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/12/27/the-coming-cancer-explosion.aspx

Here are all of the simple steps you can take to virtually eliminate your cancer risk:

1. Normalize your vitamin D levels with safe amounts of sun exposure. This works primarily by optimizing your vitamin D level. Ideally, it would be best to monitor your vitamin D levels.

2. Control your insulin levels: Make certain that you limit your intake of processed foods and sugars as much as possible.

3. Get appropriate amounts of animal-based omega-3 fats.

4. Get appropriate exercise. One of the primary reasons exercise works is that it drives your insulin levels down. Controlling insulin levels is one of the most powerful ways to reduce your cancer risks.

5. Eat according to your nutritional type. The potent anti-cancer effects of this principle are very much underappreciated. When we treat cancer patients in our clinic this is one of the most powerful anti-cancer strategies we have.

6. Have a tool to permanently erase the neurological short-circuiting that can activate cancer genes. Even the CDC states that 85 percent of disease is caused by emotions. It is likely that this factor may be more important than all the other physical ones listed here, so make sure this is addressed. My particular favorite tool for this purpose, as you may know, is the Emotional Freedom Technique.

7. Only 25 percent of people eat enough vegetables, so by all means eat as many vegetables as you are comfortable with. Ideally, they should be fresh and organic. However, please understand that, frequently, fresh conventionally grown vegetables are healthier than organic ones that are older and wilted in the grocery store. They are certainly better than no vegetables at all, so don't use that as an excuse. If you are a carb nutritional type you may need up to 300 percent more vegetables than a protein nutritional type.

8. Make sure you are not in the two-thirds of the population who are overweight and maintain an ideal body weight.

9. Get enough high-quality sleep.

10. Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution.

11. Boil, poach or steam your foods, rather than frying or charbroiling them.

13. HULDA CLARK'S ZAPPERS

"If CFS and Fibro are caused by a viral disease would one of your readers try Hulda

Clark's Zapper and report back to others? She claims zapping and her herbals

kill all virus and bacterial infections. The zapper only takes 3 sessions of 7 minutes

each and you don't feel a thing. The zapper frequency kills all infections of the blood and lymph

and the herbals kill the organisms that are not killed by the zapper, tissue, organs etc.

(herbal wormwood, black walnut, cloves). It takes three sessions as Hulda found that parasites sometimes

harbor virus and once the parasites killed, live virus is released. 3x zapping kills them all! I no longer have

any symptoms so i would not be a good subject for a study of CFS/Fibro and the zapper.

e-mail us at alumcreek@aol.com if anyone has any questions. We have had our

machine aprox 3 years now. Here is the place to buy Hulda Clark Zappers http://www.healthysigns.com.

The people are wonderful and helpful. We had lots of questions in the beginning.

Here are some testimonials about the zapper: http://drhuldaclarkzapper.wordpress.com."

FROM DOM: Good question! Could the zapper be used to kill the viruses that cause FMS/CFIDS and other illnesses? I have owned Dr. Clark's fascinating book, "The Cure for All Diseases," for many years now. Dr. Clark passed away last year in 2009 at the age of 80. Here's a snippet about the cause of her death - www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/clark.html-- "Immediately after Clark's death, her supporters claimed that she had died of "complications from a spinal cord injury." But a few weeks later, the Dr. Clark Information Center Web site revealed that she had multiple myeloma. The site states: Clark's symptoms began with arm pain due to deterioration of a neck vertebra, but she was "unable to use her Syncrometer techniques to investigate, because her hands and arms did not work well enough. The blood tests showed that Clark was anemic, and she "saw that she had reduced kidney function," "but her health deterioration was a mystery." After "living with severe hip pain for several months, she underwent hip replacement surgery but continued to have pain for more than six months before finding a medication that could control the pain. Later she was scheduled for neck surgery, but preoperative blood tests found hypercalcemia and further evaluation led to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma." Sadly, even the most brilliant of medical researchers will die from something! However, I am deeply thankful for the brilliant minds who research and find ways to alleviate the sufferings of humanity.

14. AMERICAN RED CROSS STATEMENT ON XMRV & CFS

"The American Red Cross will be adding this flyer to their donor arrival packet. This is a community victory and we thank everyone whose collaborative efforts made our nation's blood safer--

Congratulations to all advocates who have engaged with the American Red Cross through letter-writing, Facebook and YouTube to bring the blood safety issues to greater attention and for prompting the ARC to more clearly state its current policy in the statement released on Friday.

American Red Cross Statement on XMRV and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome--

Snippet: "WASHINGTON, Friday, December 03, 2010 — At present, there are no specific federal recommendations regarding deferral of individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or other diseases that have been associated with Murine Leukemia Virus-related virus (XMRV) infection. Nevertheless, in the interest of patient and donor safety, the American Red Cross will defer indefinitely any donor who reveals during the donor interview that they have been diagnosed with CFS."

15. AIRPORT SECURITY SOLUTION

16. NEW HIV-LIKE VIRUS IN THE BLOOD SUPPLY

http://mcwpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Virus-Ad-for-Web1.pdf - "The purpose of this ad is to get the attention of reporters so that they will do reporting on CFS/ME and XMRV. We have much pleasure in announcing that the Virus Ad will go forward for publication in The Washington Post. It will appear in the Dec. 6 issue. This striking, accurate and bold ad received 51% of the patient votes. A total of 431 patients participated in the voting. We thank all who worked so hard in donating their time in the design of these hard-hitting ads. Many patients said that they had trouble deciding because they were all good, in their own way. Patient feedback a few weeks ago contributed greatly to the end result."

17. MEN WITH FIBRO

Are you male and have fibro? You are not alone! See www.menwithfibro.com and www.fms-help.com/men.htm

======================================

Closing comments: Well, that's all for now! A list of things I use to stay functional despite FMS/CFIDS is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm. There is no "cure" - just ways I have learned to "manage" symptoms. This month I have really been enjoying playing Christmas music with my piano students at the LABC School of Music www.fms-help.com/students.htm. And at church, we are busy preparing for a Christmas program.

Your fellow fibromite,

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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.