*** DOMINIE'S NEWSLETTER (PAGE
1) ***
OCTOBER 2003
www.fms-help.com/October2003.htm
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.
Scroll down further on this page to
read the articles for topics 1-14:
1. LETTERS FROM READERS
2. SAUNAS AND FMS
3. TYPE A PERSONALITY AND FIBRO
4. MAGNESIUM FOR MUSCLE TENSION
5. STRESSED OUT
6. TENDINITIS AND FIBROMYALGIA
7. NEURONTIN (revisited)
8. VITAMINS AND MINERALS
9. FMS OR CFS?
10. SEROTONIN AND FMS
11. PROTEIN HELPS BRAIN
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
12. SIT COM STAR WITH FIBROMYALGIA
13. A.D.D. AND FIBROMYALGIA
14. SOUND AND THE PARASYMPATHETIC
RESPONSE
15. FOODS AND INFLAMMATION
16. FOLIC ACID AND DEPRESSION
17. KIDS' ALLERGIES
18. ZOLOFT AND OXYCONTIN
19. LOWER MUSCLE COLLAGEN IN FIBRO
PATIENTS
20. CAN A CANCER DRUG HELP
CFS?
21. COSTCO HAS LOWEST PRICES ON DRUGS (AND
WHY)
22. CONSTIPATION A PROBLEM?
23.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFT CORNER
24.
DOMINIE'S PERSONAL UPDATE
==========================================
1.
LETTERS FROM READERS
"Thank you so much for taking the time to put
your marital harmony manual http://www.fms-help.com/marriage1.htm on
the internet. I am so blessed to have read it tonight. I have
printed out a copy to read as when I am discouraged. I wish I could have
had it this past year. I suppose the Lord knows the timing better than
me. It has been a very rough year and I have a feeling the Lord is not
through yet. This will come in handy to say the least."
"I share your newsletter and now website
http://www.fms-help.com with anybody that
I learn has Fibromyalgia or any of the other related illnesses. There is so much
information, it's amazing!"
"Just want you to know that the immune
balancer has helped me tremendously. I started
employment in a new position this past February, and have not missed one day due
to sickness. That is a record for me! During the Spring and Fall
allergy seasons, I have needed to add Allegra D and decongestants at times, but
at least I am able to keep going with less symptoms." [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: I'm SO glad to hear
this!! I too have enjoyed incredibly better health since I starting taking
the immune balancer 2 years ago.]
"Thanks for all the great info and wonderful
service you provide."
"I'm just thankful that when I found out that
I was a Fibromyalgia victim, your site http://www.fms-help.com was about the
only one that really gave an in-depth hands-on report on the syndrome."
"I must agree
Terri Beens article [MY NAME IS FIBROMYALGIA] is superb http://www.fms-help.com/mnif.htm and I am
sure anyone who has Fibromyalgia would agree with every word. Hopefully
anyone who does not who reads this may understand that a bit
more."
2.
SAUNAS AND FMS
From correspondence with a
doctor--
"The sauna idea came because I heard of
Mycobacterium as part of the the (FMS) problem, so if you recreate a safe
but long state of fever, I suppose you can kill the bug and feel more
relaxed after that."
3.
TYPE A PERSONALITY AND FIBRO
From a newsletter reader--
"I am 50 years old and was diagnosed with
fibromyalgia July of this year. I quit my job last May of 2002 because of
so much physical pain and mental stress I was having. Didn't know what was going
on with me. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2000 and I thought that
maybe that was my problem. I thought after I quit my job maybe a few months
of rest would cure me. I was wrong. Still had lots of pain. I
starting seeing Dr's to see what was going on with me. The first one I went
to said I need to get a new bed exercise more. The 2nd one said I also need to
exercise more, lose weight and get back to work and that I had chronic pain
syndrome. He said that he would put me on narcotic to help with
pain. The last Dr. I saw a couple of months ago who is a woman Dr. knew
what was wrong with me, it was fibromyalgia. Up until 2 months ago I knew
nothing about this disease. It was a relief for me to know that I wasn't
crazy and that I did indeed have a reason for feeling so bad. I have
worked most of my life and a type A personality. Never saying no to
anything and going the extra mile for family,friends, etc. Always
trying to keep a smile, caring for others and letting myself and my health and
welfare be put on the side lines." [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: This is so typical of many of
us with fibro....we need to take good care of ourselves, not just
others!]
4. MAGNESIUM
FOR MUSCLE TENSION
From immunesupport.com's Tip of the
Day--
"Some researchers believe magnesium holds the
key to resolving many types of chronic pain. In the body, magnesium converts
vitamin D, which the body needs to take advantage of bone-strengthening calcium,
into a form that it can use efficiently. By contributing to increased bone
density, the mineral may help stall the onset of osteoporosis. Magnesium may
also help to ease tension headaches, muscle cramps, muscle strains, and muscle
tension. If you have a magnesium deficiency, you may experience excessive muscle
tension, which may trigger muscle spasms, restlessness, tics, and
twitches." (Source: The Women's Guide to Ending Pain: An 8-Step Program,
by Howard S. Smith, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, M.S. Published by John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.) [NOTE FROM
DOMINIE: See my tip about magnesium at http://www.fms-help.com/tips1.htm#20 ]
5. STRESSED
OUT
From immunesupport.com's Tip of the
Day--
"If your fibromyalgia leaves you feeling
"stressed out" frequently, exercise can help desensitize your body to stress. A
study published in February 2002 in Arthritis Care and Research confirms that a
combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training helps women with
fibromyalgia increase their strength and endurance, and reduce their fatigue,
pain, stiffness, and depression." (Source: The Women's Guide to Ending
Pain: An 8-Step Program, by Howard S. Smith, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, M.S.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: This is generally good advice,
but I can remember when even the slightest physical activity caused days and
even weeks of severe fibromyalgia pain. If this is the case with you,
please read my 100 Tips for Coping with Fibromyalgia and Insomnia at
http://www.fms-help.com/tips.htm and also my personal fibro story at
http://www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm The only people who understand what it's like to
have this illness are those of us who have it!]
6. TENDINITIS AND
FIBROMYALGIA
From immunesupport.com's weekly
bulletin--
The aim of this study was to evaluate the
role of common tendinitis in fibromyalgia. Twenty female patients with primary
fibromyalgia syndrome, 20 with secondary fibromyalgia syndrome and 20 female
controls, matched by age and body mass index, participated in the
study.
http://go1.warp9ems.com/go.pl?tu=34554153-15826
7.
NEURONTIN (revisited)
In the last couple issues of the newsletter,
readers have been writing in about their experiences (positive and negative)
with Neurontin.
Here is another comment
I received--
"I have been taking neurontin for my
fibromyalgia and the neuropathy from whatever (radiation, diabetes,
fibro) I do not take as much as the MD wants me to take (which would
be l200 - l800 mgs per day). I h ave found when I have the burning,
searing, pain in my back and shoulders just 300 mgs. of it helps me
quickly. If I take 600 mgs. at one time it makes me too drowsy. It
seems that neurontin is being prescribed for a lot of health problems and not
just as a seizure drug. I have found some good results from taking some
neurontin."
8.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Some people find help with vitamins and
minerals, herbs or immune system balancers. Anything we can do to
naturally supply our bodies with what it needs to stay healthy is better than
using drugs when there is a function breakdown. Fortunately, we have the
internet to do research and become informed about the many options available to
us. I sure wish the internet had been available back in 1982 when I was
first diagnosed! I had to rely on the few paragraphs I found in the Merck
Manual in the public library for an understanding of my newly diagnosed
condition (then called "fibrositis"). For an interesting starting
place on the net, check out my 100 Tips for Coping at www.fms-help.com/tips.htm
9.
FMS OR CFS?
From immunesupport.com's
newsletter--
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia:
Important Similarities &
Differences -- Dr. Charles Shepherd writes, "In
view of all the recent discussion about areas of overlap between ME, Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, and fibromyalgia syndrome, here are what I believe are some of
the key areas of similarity and difference." http://go1.warp9ems.com/go.pl?tu=31915365-14960
[NOTE FROM DOMINIE: I developed FMS in
1982. My fibromyalgia story is at http://www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm Five years later in 1987, I developed CFIDS after
a lingering viral illness. My CFIDS story is at
http://www.fms-help.com/fatigue.htm These accounts maybe helpful to read if you're
trying to compare symptoms.]
10.
SEROTONIN AND FMS
From immunesupport.com's Tip of the
Day--
Like other rheumatic diseases, fibromyalgia
could be the result of a genetic tendency. When a woman with this tendency is
exposed to certain emotional or physical stressors (like a traumatic crisis or
serious illness), there is a change in her body's response to stress. Scientists
theorize that one of these body changes is a low level of the hormone CRH
(corticotropin-releasing hormone), resulting in higher sensitivity to pain and
more fatigue, including the fatigue one experiences after exercise. This
hypersensitivity to pain may in part be from low levels of serotonin. Lower
levels of serotonin cause a lower pain threshold and disordered sleep. The end
result may be the chronic widespread pain of fibromyalgia. Some studies show
that women have approximately seven times less serotonin in the brain, which may
explain why FMS is more prevalent in women. Abnormal transport of serum
tryptophan (a precursor for serotonin) has also been described in clinical
findings. (Source: The Women's Guide to Ending Pain: An 8-Step Program, by
Howard S. Smith, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, M.S. Published by John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.) [NOTE FROM DOMINIE: See my 100 Tips for Coping with
Fibromyalgia and Insomnia at http://www.fms-help.com/tips.htm Remember that I am not a doctor....just an
FMS/CFIDS survivor.]
11.
PROTEIN HELPS BRAIN NEUROTRANSMITTERS
From immunesupport.com's Tip of the
Day--
If pain leaves you feeling fatigued and
lifeless, you may want to increase the amount of protein you eat, particularly
foods like tuna, chicken, or turkey that are rich in an amino acid called
tyrosine. When we eat protein food, this increases tyrosine, which boosts the
levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two brain neurotransmitters that increase
a feeling of alertness and boost concentration. (Source: The Women's Guide
to Ending Pain: An 8-Step Program, by Howard S. Smith, M.D., and Debra Fulghum
Bruce, M.S. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
12.
SIT COM STAR WITH FIBROMYALGIA
Check out this site about A.J. Langer, an
actress with FMS who is speaking out! - http://srino.com/aj/aj_langer_fm_aware.html However, she does not wish to be an advocate for people
with fibromyalgia, according to the article. This information was sent in
by Terri Been, author of "My Name is Fibromyalgia," which helps
people understand what it's like to have FMS. With Terri's kind
permission, you can read her article on my site at http://www.fms-help.com/mnif.htm
13.
A.D.D. AND FIBROMYALGIA
14.
SOUND AND THE PARASYMPATHETIC RESPONSE
From immunesupport.com's Tip of the
Day--
Perhaps the most popular relaxation modality
is music therapy. Whether New Age, rock, jazz, or classical, many people find
that music distracts them from the painful moment, helping to reduce mental
stress. In fact, in some hospitals, staff members give patients tapes of
soothing music and reassuring voice-overs to use during surgical procedures. In
clinical studies, both doctors and patients agreed that listening to music
produced greater decreases in peaks of tension, and produced greater compliance
with relaxation practice. While the studies are limited, it's thought that music
therapy can help to improve mood and pain tolerance. This therapy is thought to
enhance the parasympathetic response through the effects of sound, encouraging
relaxation at a deep level. (Source: The Women's Guide to Ending Pain: An 8-Step
Program, by Howard S. Smith, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, M.S. Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) [NOTE FROM
DOMINIE: On several occasions in the past, despite my lifelong sleep
disorder, I found that having my husband read to me in bed helped me fall asleep
within just a few minutes, as opposed to a few hours! There was something
about his low resonating voice that calmed and relaxed me at a deep level in my
brain. Now if only I could get him to read to me every night!!.....but he
doesn't like it when I fall asleep when he is reading--it seems like an
insult....actually, it is a great compliment!!! I need my bedtime
story!! Maybe I should make a tape of his voice?? Another thing that
used to help me was listening to the scriptures on tape read by a low male
voice. I used to wear headphones and would drift off to sleep that
way. Listening to music sometimes does the same thing for me, but not
always. I have to distract myself to go to sleep. If I think about
going to sleep I will stay awake. Another trick I read about is to think
about your toes, then roll your eyes upwards, then think about your toes, then
roll your eyes upwards. Do this slowly, and before you know it, you will
be yawning and relaxing. Think of a cat rolling her eyes up into her head
as she becomes sleepy. Another thing I do to invite sleep is to think back
into the past of a happy peaceful memory....the further back into the past I go,
the more I start to feel relaxed and sleepy. I think it is because the
past is certain, it is done and cannot be changed. The future is uncertain
and I am prone to worry and anxiety, so it is better for me to think about
the past and not the present or future when falling
asleep.]