*** DOMINIE'S NEWSLETTER (PAGE
2) ***
NOVEMBER 2003
DISCLAIMER: I am not a
medical doctor. I am a fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome survivor. The
purpose of this newsletter 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
newsletter.
12. LOW BODY
TEMPERATURE AND FMS SYMPTOMS
From a newsletter reader--
"I have been receiving your newsletters for
over a year and I really
appreciate the info. After hearing my saga of
the past few years, my pharmacist referred me to http://www.wilsonssyndrome.com I couldn't believe my eyes. Most all of the
symptoms associated with FMS and CFS could also be caused by a low body
temperature due to a deficiency in one particular thyroid hormone that is not a
part of regular testing. I have been taking synthroid for years to no
avail, but I always new there was something else wrong. I do have a lower
temperature and have contacted a local endocrinologist about following Dr.
Wilson's protocol of T3 therapy. It just might be something your readers
should check out and talk to their doctors about. It is easy to check your
temperature for several weeks to see if you are a candidate."
13.
GUAIFENESIN THERAPY
From a newsletter reader--
"I've been on guai for more than 3 years now
and have NO side effects. I take it 4 times a day for the pain and I'm
mostly pain free when I stick to taking it every 4 hours. I take 600 mg
every four hours. I believe that fibro is an immune system problem
along with other problems. It's really complicated and different in almost
every person. I haven't totally followed the Guai Protocol and gotten off
all salicyclates. In Dr. R. paul St. Amand's book "What your Dr. may not
tell you about Fibromyalgia", he talks about people reversing the disease with
guai.....I at least know that it helps me with the pain and since I haven't done
the total guai protocol, not sure about reversal. I plan on trying to get
off all salicylates soon to see if it makes a difference. This news about
it being available over the counter is great except that I got word that it's
way more expensive....and not available yet. I'm a firm believer in
guai!!!" [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: My email
for the past 7 years has run about 50/50 regarding whether or not guaifenesin
helped fibro symptoms. This recent letter I received was from someone
who has been helped by guaifenesin.]
14. CALCIUM,
MAGNESIUM AND FMS
From a newsletter reader--
"Just wanted to pass on to you and your
readers, three months ago I started taking 500 mg daily of powdered Magnesium
Taurinate. I sprinkle it in a small glass of water, as it has no flavor,
stir well and drink at bedtime each night. My fibro muscle pain is almost
completely gone! It must be Magnesium TARINATE to work and it takes three
months for optimal effects. I also take Calcium 600 mg supplements twice a
day with food (1200 mg daily). Between the magnesium and calcium, I
feel my overall health and Fibromyalgia have improved considerably."
15. MENOPAUSE
RELIEF
Below are some of the suggestions I
received from newsletter readers for relief from hot flashes, night sweats,
dizziness, etc. associated with menopause or "change of life."
(Sorry I couldn't include all the responses....my deepest thanks to ALL who
replied!...)
REPLY #1 - "One word for you:
NATURAL PROGESTERONE!!!!!! THE BOOK: WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL
YOU ABOUT MENOPAUSE. SAVED MY LIFE!!!!!!!!! 90% less pain.
Mood is gone!!!!!!"
REPLY #2 - "A friend just recently gave me a bottle of
Black cohosh for my menopause. I have to say the hot flashes have subsided for
me. It's a natural whole herb."
REPLY #3 - "Did you know the 'symptoms' we
often think are normal during menopause are unknown in some parts of the world?
This indicates to me , not that we are lacking in something, but that there is ,
perhaps ,something in the Western diet that may cause this. I have always
eaten very little meat and no dairy ( these things are filled with antibiotics
and hormones which were fed to the animals). I also ate alot of soy products
(tofu) instead. I did not do this for the reason of menopause, it was just the
diet I preferred...and while I am in far from perfect health, having suffered
from fibromyalgia for many years, I went through menopause with not ONE hot
flash, night sweat or any of the typical problems..and that was well over 5
years ago. My normal drink is and has been been a tea (hot or cold) made
from dried raspberrie leaves. It has a very pleasant taste, you can add fruit in
the summer if you like it sweeter( though I enjoy it plain) and I began drinking
this almost 30 years ago when expecting my firt child. I NEVER had any pain in
labor ( though I also studied breathing techniques) and I still continue to use
this tea..I do think it somehow helps the female system to function
normally." [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: I agree with this reader
about the antibiotics and hormones in animal products. See
http://www.notmilk.com
I don't eat dairy products and only eat meat in moderation. I used to eat
a lot of tofu (I am half Chinese), however I discovered that too much soy makes
my muscles sore for some reason. I am trying to find out where this reader
gets the raspberry tea!!]
REPLY #4 - "ISOFLAVONOIDS FROM SOY
does wonders!! for hot flashes, night sweats, etc."
REPLY #5 - "I've been taking Pro-Gest cream
by Emerita. I buy it from my local products store, but it can also be
bought online. It often comes in a two-pack in the stores, so it is
cheaper that way. I'm not sure if it helped with the hot flashes, as I am
now post-menopausal, but it seemed to. It's great stuff, though, for
adding lubrication, also, and just making you feel better. You simply
apply it to your skin twice a day. Another thing I know is that you should
be taking from 1200 to 1500 mgs of calcium per day. Here's a link to a
wonderful menopause forum: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/menopause"
REPLY #6 - "Menopause and FM hit me at the
same time, 18 years ago. After a year, and doing much research, I opted
for HRT. I continued researching and now have gone to natural progesterone
and cut out the estrogen (the latter was a very long, slow process).
I've learned that the progesterone alone controls hot flashes as well as the
estrogen did. In fact, maybe the estrogen never did have much to do with
it! Note that this is just my experience; everyone seems to respond
differently to hormones of any kind."
REPLY #7 - "I
use something called Transitions Herbs for Menopause, and I also use a spray
called Progest plus for my menopausal symptoms. They both seem to help. I tried
the Estroven, but didn't get much relief from it. The creams, and sprays seem to
work the best for me. I get them at the health food store."
REPLY #8 - "I
sell a product 'Nugest 900' by Nutraceutics, all natural - no estrogen,
that is formulated along Dr. Lee's recommendations for effective 'menopause'
support. You can read about the product at http://www.vou.com - see products, Nutraceutics. By the way this Nugest 900 is a
great product I use it myself. Another thought on the dizzies, hot flashes
and sweats. In my research and personal experience, whenever anyone
experiences these symptoms it is the immediate response to go to menopause and
hormonal imbalances. But upon second look, you will find that all of these
symptoms are also symptoms of FMS. So along with checking and changing
hormonal things, these symptoms would also be the response of the body to 'low
grade infection' and possibly vit. B deficiency (low iron is common with FMS
people). I personally experience the above symptoms. What I belive
is happening is the Yeast/Candida population has risen in the body to the point
that it is being consider a major invader and the body is defending itself by
causing temperature spikes and the resulting sweats to burn/kill them off.
When this occurs with me I up the Colloidal silver and take Essiac to counter
the infection symptoms and I get a bit more aggressive in my Candida program -
knowing that my diet usually has not been as good as it should be to keep the
Candida in check. Also, usually what is happening is I am having other
FMS/Candida type symptoms, traveling acheys, a little more brain fog, and
overall tireds."
REPLY #9 -
"You asked about menopause I'm going through that myself. All I know is
it's a imbalance in the body. I'm doing alot better since I gave up chocolate
completely. chocolate imbalances your estrogen. I wish I could help you more. Oh
chocolate also affects fibromyalgia that was the first reason I gave it
up."
REPLY #10 - "I wanted to let you know about
the success I have experienced with the symptoms of menopause. It is so sad that so many women are
whisked onto hormone treatment at the first sign of discomfort and then left on
it for the rest of their lives. The
truth is the body must go through this period of change and if one takes the
hormones whenever they stop they will experience the symptoms again, but there
is relief to lesson or dissipate the discomfort. There are so many safe alternatives
today that there is no need to be on dangerous hormones. I began having hot flashes,
night sweats, and pulse rate increases, the whole nine yards. I have always been estrogen
dominant (cramps, bloating, mood
swings, etc. before and during my periods) so I was using Femgest, a natural
progesterone cream that had alleviated most of the symptoms. Femgest also helps prevent
osteoporosis. I started using the
Femgest again along with Black Cohosh root (capsules). The two products take a few days to
work, but they really helped with all the symptoms. I do have a caution I bought a product
called Ladies Choice, which has a combination of natural ingredients in it, and
after a couple days I broke out in a horrible rash that itched so much I
couldn’t stand it. I researched the
ingredients and found out that one component, Vitex Agnus Castus, or Chaste
berry could cause the reaction that I experienced. I no longer have the symptoms, with the
exception of a slight hot flash when I get overheated which I can deal
with. I no longer need the Black
Cohosh and I only use the Femgest for a few days each month. I had even bought another product to try
Solaray’s Female Hormone Blend SP-7C which I was going to try if I had further
problems. It has a variety of
ingredients (not Vitex) that may help with the symptoms of menopause.
Anyway, the bottom line is each
woman needs to find out what works for her we are fearfully and wonderfully made
and very complex but there is a place to start on the quest for relief. I also learned a great deal when I was
told that I had to have my gallbladder taken out two years ago. (I don’t care to
have any of my body parts removed when God made man he said it was good and I
don’t think he made any mistakes by putting in wrong or obsolete parts) I have managed to hold on to everything
intact with the exception of my tonsils I was too young to protest when my
parents had them removed. A good
website to check out is www.sensiblehealth.com
This is Julia
Chang’s website where I found the Gold Coin Grass that
prepared my gallbladder for a flush that got rid of the large stones that were
causing me so much pain. You can
also learn a great deal about estrogen dominance, menopause and other common
problems on her Website. I hope
this is helpful. Thank you again
for all that you do to help those of us with
Fibromyalgia."
REPLY #12 - "I was having bad hot flashes
and some night sweats and my Dr (holistic MD) put me on "Adrenal Cortex
Fractions", "Nutrigyn", and I'm also on
Progesterone Cream and Testosterone
Gel...my hot flashes are pretty much
gone! :) I still am struggling
with many other things, but at least my
hot flashes are
gone!"
16. CHINESE
MEDICINE'S VIEW OF INSOMNIA AND DEPRESSION
This is a fascinating page--got this link
from the site recommended by the newsletter reader in #16 (Reply #10)
above--
Below is a snippet from this
page--
"According to Chinese medicine chronic sleep disorders are
usually caused by Yin-Yang imbalance resulting from weak liver, spleen,
heart or kidneys. Since these organs affect one another, they all have to be
taken care of, especially the heart and the liver. According to Chinese
medicine, the liver filters all our blood through the night, especially between
1-3 am. A weak or congested liver means that it has to struggle through
the night. Poor quality sleep or even insomnia may result in more severe
cases. With my organs healthier, they are more in harmony. I sleep
well now and rarely have to get up at night even though I am approaching
60. Best of all I feel refreshed in the morning. For people with
sleep problems, taking the Chinese herbal tinctures Chinese Bitters in
the morning and Coptis at night has been found to be very helpful in
improving the quality of sleep. For some people, taking Curcuma at
night instead of Coptis may be more effective......Once the bile is
flowing properly, Coptis may not be needed any more. It usually
takes 1-2 bottles of Coptis. Indications of proper bile flow
include better quality sleep and normal bowel movements with good bile color in
the stool." [NOTE FROM DOMINIE:
My oldest uncle in China, now 92, has been an herb doctor most of his life,
except for the 14 years he was sentenced to hard labor in a Communist
prison camp when they took over his village many decades ago. This
interest in helping people with their health must run in my family--at least
with me and my uncle!]
17. SPIRITUAL UPLIFT
CORNER
A newsletter reader sent me a
wonderful book called "The Purpose Driven Life"
(subtitled..."What on Earth am I Here For?") by Rick Warren,
published by Zondervan. It's a 40 day spiritual journey--with a
chapter for every day. If I could only have 2 books on my shelf, I think
it would be the Bible and this book!! The insights are profound about the
Christian life and our daily experience. "And above all things have fervent charity (love)
among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of
sins." I Peter 4:8
18. DOMINIE'S
PERSONAL UPDATE
Well, another month has come and
gone. I hope you and your family have been well in body, mind and
spirit. I will be 52 on November 7! Except for menopausal hot
flashes (which many have been so kind to write me with advice), I am doing
fine. See www.fms-help.com/what.htm for what I
use/do for my health.
For sleep, see my sleep page
at www.fms-help.com/sleep.htm
I also continue to sleep on a magnetic mattress
topper (be careful if you buy one of these--they are expensive and you
should do your homework first. The company I bought from went out of
business) and I use Hearos foam ear plugs from
Wal-Mart. They are wonderful for blocking out unwanted noise. My
black sleep mask has disappeared out of the laundry room (it might be the work
of Buster, our rat terrier puppy). Anyway....I need to either buy or make
another one, because the sun is coming up earlier since the time change in
October.
Well, that's all for now. Be sure to
visit my site at http://www.fms-help.com for lots of good
ideas for dealing with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. My site
also contains my personal FMS story and helpful articles, including my marriage
booklet for Christian wives. (Look for the links to these in the YELLOW
BOX.)
Yours for better health,
Dominie
Bush
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