Fibromyalgia: A female reader has recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and would welcome any suggestions on how to deal with the condition naturally.  She eats a healthy diet, does a moderate amount of exercise and takes no medication.  Her doctor believes the condition is brought on by lack of sleep/disturbed sleeping patterns and has advised her to take sleeping tablets for six weeks.  Do readers have any other ideas?

“Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder of soft tissues,” says one reader.  “The pain, ubiquitous and continuous, interrupts sleep patterns so that the fourth stage of sleep is never attained, and thus the body cannot rejuvenate and heal.”  He also points out that “fibromyalgia is an acid condition in which the liver is toxic.”  He therefore suggests you start with a liver cleanse and then adjust your diet to accommodate more alkaline foods and less acidic foods.  Acid-causing foods include milk, cheese, white bread, white sugar, butter, chicken, eggs, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, papaya and peanuts.  Alkaline foods include alfalfa, almonds, artichokes, asparagus, avocado, green beans, lima beans, beetroot, red cabbage, carrots, cayenne pepper, celery, cucumber, garlic, onions and spinach.  Supplementing the diet with vitamin C, omega-3 oils, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) and proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain and pancreatin will also help, he says.  For more advice on following an alkaline diet, he recommends the book Sick and Tired by Robert and Shelley Young (Woodland Publishing, 1999).

Other readers agree that diet is crucial in treating this condition.  John reckons cutting out wheat might help (it worked for him), while Chris suggests trying the Paleolithic, or Stone Age, diet.  There’s plenty of information about this diet on the Web.  In addition, Chris recommends supplementing with pharmaceutical-grade fish oils and probiotics (non-dairy), as well as starting some deep breathing exercises. 

According to Andrea, however, fibromyalgia could be brought on by exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) – from a mobile or DECT cordless phone, for example. 

“EMFs are known to interrupt healthy sleep patterns and cause a variety of symptoms, often similar to fibromyalgia,” she says.  “If the symptoms have been brought on by exposure to EMFs, they may be reversible by switching off the sources of exposure.” 
Other suggestions this week include homeopathy, osteopathy and the products Fibralgia and Zambroza from www.rosiehealth.co.uk. 

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One possibility would be that the fibromyalgia is brought on by exposure to electromagnetic frequencies, such as from a cordless DECT phone a mobile phone or a wirelessLAN network in the house or workplace. This is known to interrupt healthy sleep patterns and cause a variety of symptoms, often similar to fibromyalgia. If the symptoms have been brought on by exposure to EMFs, they may be reversible by switching off the sources of exposure. Supplementation with Melatonin (instead of sleeping pills) could also be useful.

Andrea Klein, London

My cousin battled with Fibromyalgia for years - she was in a great deal of pain much of the time, walked with a stick and eventually became registered disabled.

I have heard that some people have had help from products called Fibralgia and Zambroza.  www.rosiehealth.co.uk

I reccomend you to have a look on www.diagnosesupport.com In this website there is plenty of information regarding fibromialgia and CFS.Fibromialgia is more characterized by pain, and CFS is more a debilitating fatigue illness. Although both share common symptoms. You can also check my blog: www.pochoams.blogspot.com , although mine focus on CFS.I also would reccommend to try the protocol of Dr. Pall, which is based on the intake of antioxidants to reduce the NO-ONO cycle, which explains most of these illness by an elevated level of nitric oxide in serum that creates a vicious cycle and ends up damaging our health at different levels.This supplemenst can be bought in the UK through the internet, but I can transcrip here the contents so you have an idea of what kind of antioxidants you need:MVM-A Antioxidant Protocol  # 75940 Serving Size  2 capsules Servings per container  90 Amount per serving:  Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid)  67 mg Vitamin D3 (as Cholecalciferol)  267 IU Vitamin K1 (as Phytonadione)  25 μg Thiamin (as Thiamin HCl, TTFD)  8 mg Riboflavin (as Riboflavin, Riboflavin-5Phosphate)  10 mg Niacin (as Niacinamide & Niacin)  18 mg Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCl, Pyridoxine5-Phosphate)  8 mg Folic Acid  400 μg Vitamin B12 (as Hydroxycobalamin)  30 μg Biotin  100 μg Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium  Pantothenate)  20 mg Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate, Sulfate,  Citrate)  83 mg Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)  50 μg Magnesium (as Magnesium Sulfate, Malate,  Glycinate)  40 mg Zinc (as Zinc Citrate)  7 mg Selenium (as Selenomethionine)  67 μg Copper (as Copper Sulfate)  0.4 mg Manganese (as Manganese Sulfate)  1.5 mg Chromium (as Chromium Trichloride)  50 μg Molybdenum (as Sodium Molybdate)  30 μg Glycine (as Magnesium Glycinate)  8 mg Strontium (as Strontium Carbonate)  7 mg Taurine  83 mg Boron (as Boron Citrate)  1 mg Acetyl L-Carnitine  100 mg Lipoic Acid  40 mg         CoQ-Gamma E with Tocotrienols &  Carotenoids  # 75930 Serving Size  1 softgel Servings per container  60 Amount per serving:  Vitamin A (as Beta-Carotene)  3490 IU Vitamin C (as Ascorbyl Palmitate)  17 mg Vitamin E (as D-alpha-Tocopherol)  23 IU Mixed Tocotrienols and Tocopherols  10 mg DeltaGOLD® Tocotrienols (90% GammaTocotrienols and 10% Delta-Tocotrienols)  40 mg Gamma-Tocopherol  100 mg Mixed Carotenoids  3 mg Lycopene  3 mg Lutein  3 mg Coenzyme Q10 Alpha-Lipoic Acid (R-Form)  75 mg   NAC Enhanced Antioxidant Formula  # 75960 Serving Size  1 tablet Servings per container  90 Amount per serving:  N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine  200 mg Trimethylglycine  300 mg Ribonucleic Acid  120 mg Alpha-Lipoic Acid  100 mg   FlaviNOxTM  # 75780 Serving Size  2 capsules Servings per container  45 Amount per serving:  Milk Thistle (Seed) Extract (Standardised to  80% Silymarin)  160 mg Bilberry (Berries) Extract (Standardised to  25% Anthocyanidins)  200 mg Ginkgo (Leaves) Extract (Standardised to  24% Flavonglycosides and 6% Terpene  Lactones)  80 mg Grape Seed Extract (Standardised to 50%  Polyphenols)  200 mg Green Tea Extract (Decaffeinated,  Standardised to 35% EGCG)  160 mg Cranberry Juice (Berries) Extract  200 mg Hawthorn (50% as Berry and 50% as  Leaves and Flowers) Extract (Standardised  to 1.8% Vitexin-2-O”-Rhamnoside)  200mg ORDER LINE - +44 (0) 8704 054 002    P&P IS FREE IN THE UK   REGARDLESS OF ORDER SIZE www.nuti-linkltd.co.uk

I have struggled for about 20 years with fibromyalgia, and in the last year I have found a number of strategies that help.  First of all, I can recommend two books: The Fibromyalgia Handbook by Harris McIlwain, MD and Debra Fulghum Bruce, Ph.D.; and Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual (2nd Edition) by Devin J. Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland (Paperback - Jun 30, 2001).  Both books suggest natural methods for dealing with fibromyalgia pain.  Moist heat and stretching, as often as twice a day, can be very helpful.  Moderate exercise, healthy diet and tools to manage good quality sleep are all part of a successful strategy for managing this condition.  I have also purchased a Migun thermal massage bed within the last year and I personally find a great deal of relief through using it daily.  Go to www.migun.com if you want to learn more about that.  Lastly, I have added high dose omega-3 oils, per Dr. Sears' protocol in the Anti-Inflammation Zone to my daily supplements.  These combined strategies/therapies have helped me to enjoy many more pain-free days.  Best wishes to you!!!

One lady I knew had serious problems with fibromyalgia.  .  She took all sorts of medications which just added to her problems rather than helping.  I suggested she try the blood group diet because the lectins in our food can cause all sorts of problems (ie knee problems for blood group A have been alleviated by avoiding tomatoes). She is Blood Group B and they are advised to avoid chicken, which she was eating quite a lot.  She was overjoyed to report back to me that all her aches and pains were indeed gradually lessening once she gave up eating chicken.  It may be helpful for this, and any other reader.

 

The doctor is correct in that most fibromyalgia patients have been found, on examination, to have disturbed or inadequate sleep. However, sleeping pills are addictive and cause side-effects. Homeopathy has been found in a double-blind placebo controlled trial to be significantly better than placebo at reducing the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Go to a homeopath for an individualised prescription. It may also be useful to take a magnesium supplement, as there is likely to be a deficiency that will also exacerbate sleep problems, but go for a highly bioavailable one.

As a chiropractor I have treated many people with fibromyalgia over the past 12 years.  Some have responded really well to simple chiropractic.  Others to simple supplements like magnesium, malic acid and fish oil. Some have to exclude wheat or dairy. 

My approach now is to put everyone on the Paleolithic, or stone age diet, take pharmaceutical grade fish oils, a non dairy probiotic, drink vegetable juice and start some deep breathing exercises.

Every case is different, but the above will start you getting more healthy.

On the lack of sleep side, try blacking out your bedroom and watching the sunset and sunrise every day for a week at some local beauty spot, or your window/garden. 

Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder of soft tissues. (By contrast, arthritis occurs in the joints) The pain , ubiquitous and continuous, it interrupts sleep patterns so that the fourth stage of sleep in never attained, and thus the body cannot rejuvinate and heal. Fibromyalgia is an acid condition in which the liver is toxic. The best natural treatments for fibromyalgia are omega-3 fats such as flax seed, proteplytic enzymes such as bromelain and pancreatin, and MSM.

#1. Start with a liver cleanse. (This will probably make a world of difference for starters) If you are very toxic, you will know if you start feeling worse, slow down on the cleanse. What makes you feel worse is the body de-toxing too fast for the system to handle.

Acid causing foods: milk, cheese (no more pizza) avoid antibiotics, white bread, white sugar, butter, chicken, eggs,ketchup, liquor, mayo, mustard, papaya, peanuts etc.

Alkaline foods; alfalfa grass,almonds, artichokes, asparagus, avacado, green beans, lima beans, fresh red beets, red cabbage, carrots, cayanne pepper, celery +, fresh cucumber, garlic, fresh lemon, onions, fresh peas, red radish, spinich, tomatoes, turnips, wheat grass, zucchini.

#2. Eat less acidic foods and more alkaline-ash foods such as wheat sprouts or barley sprouts.

#3.Alkalinizing supplements: spiralina 4X dy.,vitamin C, minerals, Calcium, essential omegas.

 

 a book ref:"Sick and Tired" by Robert O. Young

Hope you find this useful, an alkaline body will never have cancer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My daughter has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  I've done a lot of research into it and discovered that one of teh common causes is a Candida Albicans overgrowth.  I actually dsicovered this when researching my own health problems.

In my own case, problems with constant pain began to emerge beause of scar tissue in my spine constricting nerves.  This was from an old injury.

Fine, I can learn to deal with and live with pain (maybe not when the degree of pain increases but, even at those times, I learn to thole it and hide until it eases).  However, many other apparently random symptoms began to appear.

For one thing, my asthma became much worse.  My health in general was going down hill fast.  I always felt ill, lethargic, unable to concentrate and with a foggy mind.  The pain in my joints did not, to my thinking, match the degree of arthritis showing on x-rays done on my joints: it was far too severe and I have always had a high pain threshold.  My gut was bloated and the flatulence had bcome incredibly embarrassing: sufficient to keep me form accepting invitaions (I never quite got the hang of passing wind in company with aplomb).  Mostly I had diarrhoea, when not, I was constipated.  My weight increased drastically around my middle in particular and I had to diet severely to get it down but it would not shift easily nor would it stay down.  I never awoke feeling as though I had slept; I took every bug going and took it severely.  I was also suffering from continual depression which was , at times, quite frighteningly severe.  On top of this, my skin became dry and itchy with a thickening in places and a rash: no cream my doctor presscribed nor any I purchased, could combat this dryness and itch.

I simply did not believe that all these "illnesses" had appeared because I was getting older.

I began refusing the commonly prescribed amounts of intravenous and oral steroid treatment for asthma.  I went for natural remedies for colds and flus rather than for prescribed antibiotics and I am sure that this practice made a difference although not, perhaps, a drastic one.

Fortunately I have an excellent GP.  We discussed my health problems and I explained my theories.  He listened.  He sacrificed his lunch break to search the internet for natural remedies I was contemplating trying for what my research had more or less convinced me was at the root of my health problems: Candida Albicans overgrowth,  The morning spit on a glass of water was extremely positive.

I am now feeling much better, clear headed - well, as much a dyslexic can be :-) - and experiencign an incredible decrease in joint and muscle pain.  The weight is dropping off me and my gut is functioning in accordance with a socila life. :-)  I sleep and feel refreshed: I have energy once again and, although I haven't quite given up on my preventor inhaler (1 x puff BD), I have not required the reliever for ages nor have I been taking the Singulair or Spiriva.

I feel as though I have been spring cleaned throughout my body and I haven't had any sign of depression for ages.  Oh, and my skin is lovely, despite my age. :-)

My daughter, the one diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia has positive for Candida Albicans overgrowth as have my other daughter and my son each of whom have presented with a number of the symptoms of Cand. Alb. overgrowth for which they have been receiving prescribed treatments for various ailments.

I would suggest that everyone research Candida Albicans overgrowth and do the spit test before going down the path of conventional (so they call them) prescription drugs which can actually cause or, at least, exacerbate the Candida Albicans overgrowth, which is apparently responsible for many diseases one being Fibromyalgia.

See the following site but, as one living in Britain, I  bought my products from the Finchey Clinic.  It's expensive and I'm on benefits  :o( but I just built up by buying what I neededin stages then started the cure and now buy alternately those things I need.  It's well worth it.

I'll be making sure my children get the cure too.

http://www.yeastinfection411.com/fivelac_FAQs.shtml#hydro_and_lhb

This site gives easy to understand information on symptoms.

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Maggie

• Well there you go. Fibromyalgia is caused by a lack of sleeping tablets! Is this junk medicine running amok or what?

Fibromyalgia is a real bugger, and the medical/pharmaceutical industry seems to be at a lost to put a finger on the cause. But you'd want to move heaven and earth to eat wisely, exercise appropriately, meditate and get the right amount of sleep. Maybe it's associated with lack of vitamin, mineral, omega 3 fats and glycoproteins. Maybe it needs a high dosage of Vitamin C. Start taking a coenzyme Q10 supplement.

Lay off wheat products - bread, biscuits, pasta and cake (the four major food groups!) It worked for me; definitely.

Steer clear of statins - cholesterol lowering drugs. One of the side effects is Coenzyme Q10 depletion.

Maybe it's related to something inside the mind - in which case find a good counsellor and go to some weekend personal development courses. A buddhist retreat mightn't go astray.

A good book?

I highly recommend Ray Strand's book, 'What your doctor doesn't know about nutritional medicine may be killing you.' Trust him, he's a doctor with a wife who had fibromyalgia. In the chapter on fibromyalgia he writes about bringing oxidative stress back under control. He has a recommended list of dietary supplements.

Some people have found their health improves when they follow the guidelines in the book 'Eat right for your blood type.' The doctors and dieticians freak out every time it's mentioned, but it's worth a try.

Minimizing Candida fungus wouldn't go astray either. It's fed by another group of foods, flour, alcohol, yeast and sugar and sucks vitality of of you. Take a good probiotic.

As a long shot, Percy Cerutty, Herb Elliott's coach didn't eat anything cooked for three years. It fixed him up. Maybe there's a lesson there.

For the glycoproteins, contact your local Mannatech dealer and get started on a program. It's not cheap, but then again, what's the price of getting better? Slightly more, I'd suggest than a bottle of sleeping tablets!

Finally, take note of Andrew Weil's maxim, 'don't go to doctors for things doctors can't cure.'

John Miller

www.fitandhealthyonline.com

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia myself in 2001 and I have had healing on a regular basis ever since. Healing has given me great relief, it has increased my energy levels, helped me to deal with the deal with emotions brought up by the illness and helped me to view myself and my life in a different way. I see the illness as a wake-up call, the Universe's way of telling me that things were not on track and I needed to make changes to myself and my lifestyle.  

Alongside the healing I found a good nutritionist who has been invaluable. I cut out wheat, dairy products, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and yeast and found that my symptoms improved, some people with Fibromyalgia also have problems with the nightshade family including potatoes, tomatoes, and aubergines. (Over a period of time I have now re-introduced many of those foods in small amounts, without a problem). She worked with me to get rid of my underlying Candida problem using herbal suppplements and to supplement with B vitamins, Magnesium, Potassium to name a few. Each person is different, so it's best to see a qualified nutritionist to discover your own particular needs.

I also found Cranio-Sacral Osteopathy to be of great benefit, as it is more gentle than conventional Osteopathy or Chiropractic. This helped to correct structural imbalances in my legs, hips and back (which had all been broken in an accident many years ago). After treatment for a few months my energy levels improved and I no longer had the feeling of being run over by a truck on waking up in the night and in the morning!

As far as sleeping goes you may find that your system is very sensitive to medication, and herbal remedies or supplements may be better for you. Try Valerian (I found even that a bit too strong) or Passiflora herbal tinctures. Beware of Melatonin, I tried this and found that as I was supplementing with it my body got lazy and stopped producing its own, so I became dependant on it and had to go through a hellish couple of weeks where I only slept every alternate night until my body started producing it's own again. Instead I would try 5HTP this is the substance that breaks down into Serotonin and then Melatonin within the body in a more natural way.

I find that if I overstimulate myself in the evenings with TV, computers or even al lot of conversation this prevents me from sleeping. I also eat my main meal at lunchtime and try not to eat much after about 8pm. I don't eat chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) after 6pm as the caffeine in it can keep me awake!

Everybody is different, so take the aspects of everyone's advice that seem to speak to you and see how you get on. The life I had before was good, but it's very different now, I am now a healer myself and find my life richer and more fullfilling than it was before I had Fibromyalgia. See this as the beginning of a new life, not the end of the old one.

www.reikinottingham.co.uk 

 

 

 

I agree here that what we do physically, ie: nutritionally and structurally is of utmost importance.  But of equal importance is what we do to our mind as we are an organism that is hugely influenced by how we think and what we believe in.

Sleeplessness in my professional opinion, if not caused physically ie:physical pain, hormonal anomalies etc, is often attributable to unresolved stuff going on at a time when the mind and body should be resting in its' natural cycle. This unresolved stuff comes from a place of our conditioning: many feel angry or anxious about something when they are in bed at night but are programmed to feel they shouldn't or can't do anything about it. As a Hypnotherapist/psychotherapist I have treated many in an integrative way using CBT and Gestalt style talk therapy to understand our motivations for staying awake, and hypnosis sometimes for analysis and then often for relaxation.  Once we have cleared out the rubbish, sleep will return quite naturally.

I have a treatment programme for people with ME/CFS and often treat people with FM as well.  We look at the underlying issues and what the body is trying to say to us that we just aren't listening to.  For more information go to: www.openmindtherapy.co.uk and look under Research and Development.  The site will soon be revamped but you will find some interesting articles here and some of my observations on ME/CFS that in my opinion, are of equal relevance to the sufferer of FM.  I also train therapists how to do what I do.  See the site for more information.

 

I would get my nutritional status ascertained. York Blood test would help with foods/allergies that may be problematic. Would also get  doctor to think about giving you regular B12 injections.