Fibromyalgia

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Chin up. There is hope, if only support from other sufferers at present, with hope of a cure or treatment in the future.

I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (FMS) by Dr. John Marshall, Rheumatologist, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I have been searching the internet for more information. These pages consists of information I have found through searching, professional sites as well as sites of other sufferers of FMS. I was very surprised at the number of sites on the internet on the subject of FMS. The following are some of the questions that I had about the syndrome and what I feel the answers are at this point. Please visit the links throughout these pages and if you have FMS and have a website and would like to exchange links, please contact me.

If any of this information is copyrighted and should not be here or proper recognition for the material was not given, please let me know by email and I will give the recognition you so greatly deserve or remove it. The decision will be yours.

Who is affected by this illness?
Statistics show that 3 to 6 percent of the American population has symptoms that point to Fibromyalgia. (2) It is estimated anywhere from six to twelve million people suffer from the devastating effects of this illness. Seventy five percent of suffers are woman. The illness usually affects people between the ages of 20 to 60, often times striking when a person is in their 20's or 30's. It can however, affect people of all ages.

Thumperworks - Excellant info on Fibromyalgia

What are the Symptoms?
90-100%
Generalized Pain
Fatigue
Stiffness
Morning Fatigue

70-90%
Post-Exertional Malaise
Sleep Disturbances
Morning Stiffness
Headaches
Tenderness
Swollen Feeling in Tissues
Numbness & Tingling
Cognitive Impairment
Dizziness
Sensitivity to Noise, Smell & Stress
Dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramping)
Dry Mouth

50-70%
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Blurred Vision
Affective Lability (mood Swings)
Heart Palpitations
Cold Extremities
Feverous Feeling
Allergies

15-50%
Restless Legs
Muscle Twitches
Itchy Skin
Hearing Disturbances
Night Sweats
Migraines
Breathing Problems
Infection Proneness
Skin Manifestations (rashes)Interstital cystitis
TMJ Dysfunction
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Below 15%
Major Depression (concurrent)

-- Based on over 1,500 patients --

Information based on a speech by Robert Olin, M.D., Ph.D., as found in the Fibromyalgia Newsletter

Another list of symptoms and how to deal with them.

Links
Fibromyalgia Network
FMS Links
The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc.
Living With FM & MPS
HealingWell.com
Co-Cure
Fibro - Info for Friends, Family & You
FibroFog (Scary)

Books on Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Survival Manual by Devin J. Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland M.A. M.S., © copyright 1996, the authors. All rights reserved.

What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia (AKA FMS) originally named fibrositis, is a mysteriously debilitating syndrome that attacks women more often than men. It is not physically damaging to the body in any way, but is characterized by the constant presence of widespread pain that often moves about the body. Fibromyalgia can be so severe that it is often incapacitating.

In 1987, the American Medical Association (AMA), recognized FMS as a true illness and a major cause of disability. Now, nearly ten years later, it is still, unfortunately, too often dismissed as the "newest fad disease", and most physicians still lack the training to diagnose and treat it.

There are over 6 million Americans with Fibromyalgia - 90% of which are women but many are being mis-diagnosed; therefore, the true numbers are unknown.

FMS is not a catchall, "wastebasket" diagnosis. FMS is a specific, chronic non-degenerative, non-progressive, non-inflammatory, truly systemic pain condition. Diseases have known causes and well-understood mechanisms for producing symptoms. FMS is called a syndrome, which means it is a specific set of signs and symptoms that occur together. Don't let this fool you into thinking that FMS is any less serious or potentially disabling than a disease. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other serious afflictions are also classified as syndromes. Lab tests for fibromyalgia are valid only to rule out other conditions. There is no blood test that can accurately identify FMS.

FMS is not new. It was first described by William Balfour, a surgeon at the University of Edinburgh, in 1816. The medical profession called it many different names, including chronic rheumatism, myalgia, pressure point syndrome, and fibrositis. The condition was also thought to be psychological by some physicians, but that notion must now be relegated to the Dark Ages of medicine.

FMS is also associated with Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

What is the cause of Fibromyalgia? From my search and visiting some of the webpages of other sufferers of FMS, it seems that in most cases it starts after physical or emotional trauma. Some of the reasons that I have read about are auto accident, accident on the job, divorce, and death of loved one. Then there are some that the sufferer is not able to connect it to any particular situation.

Is there a cure?
At present, there is no cure, only 'possible connections' (see below). The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc. "is the only charitable organization whose primary mission is to seed research in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Close to 90% of all contributions to AFSA go directly to funding research. Not one cent of your contributions pay for a researcher's University/Institution overhead costs or other extraneous expenses that might whittle away at your donation dollars. AFSA's board and its medical advisory committee work tirelessly as volunteers (not paid employees) to solicit budget-conscious, superior quality research applications. Our main objective is to advance the science of FMS and CFS, as well as provide better therapeutic interventions for all patients." Please consider a contribution.

How Do I Live With It? Of the information I found around the internet, it seems that diet, low-impact aerobic exercise such as walking or swimming, medication to help obtain Level 4 sleep seem to be stressed the most, and when there is a flare-up, give into it and rest. From visiting quite a few of the personal websites, it seems that a large number of sufferers are self medicating, possible because of lack of knowledge of FMS in the medical profession. It seems that herbal medicines that work on one person, not all of them work on the next person. It appears that the best way of this is to add one or two herbal medications at a time. Of the ones I read about on these personal pages, it seems that DHEA is possibly the most widely used and gives the most relief. But other are taken with it.

Below is one of the diets that I found.
The Fibromyalgia Diet: 40/30/30 This diet was recommended by Dr. Devin Starlanyl, MD in her book Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Survival Manual, Chapter 24.

Avoid the following:
1. refined sugar
2. alcohol
3. caffeine
4. foods high in saturated fats
5. high-calorie, high-fat, low-food-value junk food

Dr. August has studied the intricate relationships between FMS, nutrition, and electrolytic imbalance and has successfully brought her own FMS into remission. A moderate diet containing the following ratio (based on percentages of calories, not grams): 40%carbohydrate/30%protein/30%fat for each meal and snack has enabled many people with FMS/MPS to reach their optimum weight with maximum health benefit.

It is also very important to drink lots of water! The water will help to flush toxins out of your body. Drink at LEAST 8 glasses (8oz ea.) of water every day!

Another source of diet information.
Nutrition for Fibromyalgia and Related Conditions

Possible Connections:
It is believed that approximately 85% of people with Fibromyalgia are felt to have Reactive Hypoglycemia. There are also other 'possible connections. More...