Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Paradoxical heat sensation

Yup, a nice new symptom to worry about "Paradoxical heat sensation" according to google is more usually associated with multiple sclerosis or uremic polyneuropathy, one has to search very hard to find any mention of fibromyalgia...too tired to read this article now, will have to come back to it - if I remember...Entrez PubMed: "Quantitative and qualitative perceptual analysis of cold dysesthesia and hyperalgesia in fibromyalgia...

The combination of cold hyperesthesia, cold dysesthesia, and multimodal hyperalgesia suggests a selective pathophysiology at a particular level of integration, possibly in the insular cortex. It is suggested that the aberrations revealed by the supraliminal sensory evaluation may be generic for FMS. Particularly, the aberrations established in all patients for perceived quality and intensity in the cold sensory channel may be an additional diagnostic criterion.
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Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog: Doctors using Google part 2: A day in my life

World changing, life saving? Information.....Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog: Doctors using Google part 2: A day in my life: "Doctors using Google part 2: A day in my life"

Saturday, January 21, 2006

A Hummingbirds Guide to M.E. A site I will be re-visiting

A Hummingbirds Guide to M.E. :: Information on severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: "About the term ME/ICD-CFS...
*Note: The term ME/ICD-CFS may not be widely known as yet but it is used to ensure the distinction between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) as classified in the World Health Organisations International Classification of Diseases (as another name for the severely debilitating organic neurological disorder Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and the - politically and financially motivated - vague, all encompassing and broadly defined 'fatiguing' version of CFS - two entirely different problems."

depression & fibromyalgia occur together

Major depression, fibromyalgia and work status PDF
"CONCLUSIONS: Fibromyalgia and major depression commonly co-occur and may be related to each other at a pathophysiological level. However, each syndrome is independently and negatively associated with labour force participation.
A strength of this study is that it was conducted in a large probability sample from the general population. The main limitations are its cross-sectional nature, and its reliance on self-reported diagnoses of fibromyalgia.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Cough suppressant may ease fibromyalgia pain - PakTribune

News re fibromyalgia treatments Cough suppressant may ease fibromyalgia pain - PakTribune: "A medication normally used to quiet a stubborn cough may also help ease the chronic pain of fibromyalgia, a small study suggests.

Researchers found that the cough suppressant, dextromethorphan, temporarily diminished pain perception in both fibromyalgia patients and healthy adults. The benefit appears to stem from the fact that dextromethorphan blocks the action of a chemical messenger known as NMDA, which helps relay pain signals to the brain.....

Fibromyalgia is a disorder marked by widespread muscle pain and tenderness, fatigue and sleep problems. To be diagnosed with the condition, a person must have pain or tenderness in a number of specific "tender points" on the body.

The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but researchers generally believe that people with the condition have "amplified" pain signals due to abnormal sensory processing in the central nervous system.

One theory has held that fibromyalgia "wind-up" pain -- in which repeated touches create pain that intensifies with each new contact -- is caused by an abnormality in the spinal cord structures that process NMDA.

But in the new study, dextromethorphan was as effective at easing pain in the 14 women with fibromyalgia as it was for 10 women without the condition.

Since dextromethorphan acts on NMDA receptors, the findings suggest that people with fibromyalgia do not have a "radically altered" NMDA system, according to Staud’s team."

fibromyalgia symptoms treatment with a single dose of dextromethorphan, however, reduced the women’s pain response to the tests -- with women with fibromyalgia benefiting as much as those without the condition.

According to Staud, dextromethorphan could eventually find a place in the repertoire of treatments for chronic pain.

"What this really means for chronic pain patients is that they need to use a whole host of different interventions to decrease the pain they have," he said. "And in this, dextromethorphan may have a role in the future."

New Year new fibromyalgia symptom free me

I wish.....am now on 100mg nortryptoline and not too sure although I am sleeping better and in a bit less pain I have a few side effects including lack of judgement and burning feelings down my left side especially in my face. Due a review with my GP last week so will update after that..