Well Women guide to Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is often referred to as the “invisible” condition as it is hard to diagnose. It affects millions of people worldwide and like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid conditions and chronic fatigue syndrome, it affects mainly women. My friend runs a Fibromyalgia Tried and Tested Group and the group has been testing various products last year and the final report has now been written detailing all the results. It also provides details of our new treatment protocol. You can view the document in pdf here. (You will need adobe reader)
In order to diagnose, a doctor will apply pressure to certain trigger points, usually the neck, rib cage, hips, knees and shoulder area. If tenderness and pain is present in 11 out of 18 specific places on both sides of the body, then fibromyalgia is confirmed. The usual tests such as X-rays, MRI scans, blood and urine tests generally show no evidence of anything being wrong. Like chronic fatigue syndrome, it is frustrating to have so many symptoms and no conclusive biochemical or diagnostic evidence to show for it. There is also thought to be a link between chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, but although the symptoms are similar in some ways, it is the fatigue in CFS that is paramount, whilst in fibromyalgia, the pain and inflammation is the main cause for distress. There is no know cause, but plenty of medical suppositions as usual, and stress or a traumatic event is thought to contribute to the disorder. Treatment Generally the treatment is symptomatic and due to the fact that the underlying cause is not being treated, the patient continues to remain unwell. However, it is also now being thought that it could also be due to a hypo metabolism situation, caused by insufficient thyroid hormone, adrenal insufficiency, sex hormone imbalances, exposure to chemical contaminants, nutritional deficiencies, as well as other problems and even problems relating to prescription medication. The metabolism issue is also thought to pertain to chronic fatigue syndrome, M.E and depression. It all depends on the effect slow metabolism has on the affected person, and how symptoms will manifest themselves. Fitness levels are of course a contributory factor to metabolism, but correcting fitness alone will not result in the person becoming well, especially when there may be other factors contributing to their illness.
There are very many similarities in the symptoms of hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia with the exception of the widespread pain. Hypothyroid patients generally have muscle spasms, cramps and non location specific aches and pains. Doctor John Lowe has been researching and treating Fibromyalgia for over 15 years. He has discovered that of his patients:
“44% had evidence of central hypothyroidism due to problems in the pituitary and hypothalamus glands and these in turn caused the thyroid to produce incorrect amounts of thyroid hormone. 12% had evidence of primary hypothyroidism resulting from problems with the thyroid gland. 44% had normal results when tested for thyroid function, but still displayed all the symptoms of hypothyroidism” He also found that 56% of his fibromyalgia patients with abnormal blood results, when treated with synthetic T4, did not respond to treatment, but when given desiccated thyroid hormone like Armour thyroid or a synthetic T4/T3 combination enough to suppress their TSH levels below the normally accepted range, 91% recovered. The effective dose was usually the equivalent of 200-400mg of synthetic T4. The remaining group of 44% of fibromyalgia patients showing normal blood results, 75% were treated with T3 plus metabolic rehabilitation (aerobic exercise plus trigger point treatment) and recovered. Dr Lowe concludes that these ‘euthyroid’ patients suffer from what is known as thyroid hormone resistance. The remaining 25% of the group failed to respond to treatment and Dr lowe concluded that the hypothyroid symptoms presented were due to physical processes un related to hypothyroidism. Conclusion Doctor Lowe was able to reduce the symptoms of 85% of the group to or beyond the point where they no longer satisfied the ACR criteria for fibromyalgia.
Dr Jacob Teitelbaum's treatment protocol for fibromyalgia states that treatment for thyroid dysfunction plays a major part. It showed that thyroid disease plays a major part in the treatment of Chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and M.E sufferers. All of the 38 in his treatment group were also treated for nutitional deficiencies and put on multivitamins which clarified that this needs addressing too. Many supplements are absolutely necessary to normal thyroid function and general wellness.
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Adrenal insufficiency should also be considered and treated. If this is the case, then you will need to be treated with low dose cortisol or adrenal glandulars. Above all, think about things like medication that may be disrupting your metabolism. Check your diet to see whether it may be deficient in nutritional vitamins, minerals, omega’s or amino acids. An organic diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables is highly recommended. Most important of all, don’t rely on doctors. Do your research. Read books and educate yourself about your condition . Here is an important article about fibromyalgia which discusses potential causes and associated conditions. Also, please take a look at Anita Murray's Site about Fibromyalgia Anita is a professional health coach with many qualifications. She is also a former sufferer of Fibromyalgia, so knows exactly what it is like. On her site you can get valuable information about the condition and also benefit from her coaching programs, designed to "uncover your unique motivations and bring clarity and accountability to your health and lifestyle goals." You can read about her personal experience with the condition and how she has coped. You can also request her E-book which has 8 strategies to support you on your journey or sign up for her free E-course. Anita is running free teleclasses and you can book a class through her site. It's a great idea to motivate you towards getting well and can only benefit you in the long run. There is no one more qualified to help and motivate you than someone who had been through it and conquered it. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Remember, knowledge is power and the best people to learn from are those who actually have the condition and have, through research, found ways of managing their illnesses and going forward in leaps and bounds on the road to wellness. Supplements to help? Like Autoimmune Disease, Fibromyalgia will be helped by Plant Sterols and Sterolins as there is also an autoimmune component. Zell Oxygen is considered to be an essential supplement for all Chronic Illness Serrapeptase digests dead tissue throughout the body and will be helpful for chronic inflammation.
Latest 13 April 2008 I have been contacted by a lady, herself a Fibromyalgia Sufferer who has sponsorship for a "Get Well" project and who is looking for 16 volunteers in the Surrey and Susses area to participate. This will involve testing new products for Fibromyalgia Sufferers that are not readily available, so if you think you would like to be part of this project, then please contact me using my contact form and I will pass your details to her. She can then provide you with more information. Please Click here for the latest news on this.
Please Click HERE to see books about the condition
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The most common symptom is widespread chronic muscle pain and joint stiffness and it accounts for 1 in 8 visits to a rheumatologist in the UK alone.
Simply correcting thyroid hormone imbalance alone will not result in making the person well if adrenal insufficiency is also part of the cause and therefore all hormonal factors must be corrected and as well as fitness and diet for the person to maintain wellness.
