Low

Saturday morning and as P says I should be happy the weekend ( and thus himself) are here but feel pretty down.

Woke with a stye to pile on top of hayfever swollen eyes, lush, not...

Still off the booze though feel the ghost of temptation today. Will fight.

Interesting stuff on this board... which of my health care professionals are in the dark ages blaming it all on my mind and which , if any believe I have pain, tiredness, etc, etc, etc, etc ad infinitum?


HealthBoards - Anyone with severe back pain & breathing problems?: "Fibro-(FMS) characterized by pain amplification, musculoskeletal discomfort and systemic symptoms. It is a central nervous system sensitization. It may also be inherited, note the words, may be. It is NOT a musculoskeletal disorder, not progressive, not chronic myofascial pain, nor does mental illness have anything to do with it (although some professionals argue strongly that it does-they live in the fibro dark ages). Clinical evidence as old as 1995 shows that FMS represents a distinct rheumatic disorder and should not be regarded as a somatic illness secondary to psychiatric disorder. (Dunne, F. J. and C. A. Dunne, 1995)

Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP)-Likely the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain in medical practice. Fascia (with the first syllable pronounced like the 'a' in fashion) is the sticky white film you see when skinning chicken you purchase at the store to eat) It gives shape to and supports all your body's musculature and is three-dimensional, holding in place all your organs and skeleton, too. Your muscles are all permeated with their own fascial network too. Kinda complex to explain."

Thursday aches

Rizla provides "Inspiration comes from every experience of life"

Ripped stomach, but not as in six pack , just soooo sore. Couldn't sleep past 4am.

Upside, still off the booze and no immediate desires felt for a drink despite mothers visit and P fretting about looking after H while G is away...maybe should take him wandering to prevent him wandering.

Wednesday, still on the wagon....

...despite a visit from mother which prompted me to check up on fibro in childhood. No conclusive reports - as expected...

UpToDate Fibromyalgia in children and adolescents: " Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood disease characterized most frequently by chronic and diffuse musculoskeletal pain, severe fatigue, and non-refreshing sleep. Initially described in adults, the disorder also affects children and adolescents [1-4]. Physical examination reveals well-defined areas of the body that are especially sensitive to pressure, referred to as tender points. Affected individuals are predominantly female and in early adolescence at the onset of the disease. The disease may interfere with normal functioning and therefore needs prompt diagnosis and treatment."

We actually managed to talk briefly about some of the painful events of the past...may write tomorrow....

Do supplements help fibromyalgia?

Guaifenesin is one such remedy whose name crops up often. Various studies have been done, the one below concludes: "The guaifenesin treatment also has major psychological benefits. The main one being the ability to picture one's pains in a more optimistic positive light. One's normal response to pain is to reduce activity, as pain is usually a signal to the body that an injury has occurred. Unfortunately, inactivity leads to unconditioned muscles, which is a major problem in many people with fibromyalgia. Constant pain and inactivity can then lead to other problems, such as myofascial pain. Gentle exercies and stretching can be beneficial to both problems. If one is assured that pain is not indicative of an injury, one is more likely to keep active. While on the guaifenesin treatment, pain can be attributed to the reversal process, and is thus thought to be a good sign. Pain is less frightening. Combining this outlook, with increased physical activity, and a possible neurological effect on pain and muscles, could lead to a significant improvement of fibromyalgia."

The author does warn that it does not work for everyone.




The Role of Guaifenesin in Fibromyalgia.: "The Truths and Myths of the use of Guaifenesin for Fibromyalgia (or) Guaifenesin: One Medicine, Several Effects by Mark London"

Fibromyalgia Patients May Benefit From Cough Remedy, UF Study Finds

immunesupport.com: "The underlying cause of fibromyalgia remains unknown, but in the past 25 years substantial progress has been made toward understanding the mechanisms behind specific features of fibromyalgia, Staud said. One is central sensitization, a feature of many chronic pain conditions in which the central nervous system - the brain and spinal cord - somehow magnifies pain signals to abnormally high levels, said Staud, who is affiliated with UF's McKnight Brain Institute.
Central sensitization is associated with wind-up, a phenomenon in which repeated touches - even handshakes or pats on the back - generate lingering pain that increases with each new contact, he said. A normal form of achy, lingering pain known as secondary pain affects anyone who suffers an injury.
The UF researchers - Staud, neuroscientist Charles Vierck, Ph.D., psychologist Michael Robinson, Ph.D., and Donald Price, Ph.D. - were surprised to learn that dextromethorphan eased fibromyalgia patients' wind-up pain to the same degree it soothed secondary pain induced in healthy volunteers, Staud said. The results indicate a long-suspected cause of wind-up may not exist.
Previous studies at other institutions had shown that dextromethorphan blocks the action of a chemical messenger called N-methyl-D-aspartate, or NMDA, which relays pain impulses in the spinal cord. Many fibromyalgia researchers have theorized that wind-up is caused by abnormalities in the spinal-cord structures that process NMDA.
The UF results suggest those structures function normally but that pain impulses are more amplified in fibromyalgia than in healthy participants, Staud said.
'This has refocused much of our research now,' he said. Future UF studies will attempt to pinpoint where the pain impulses are originating. "

Monday....3 weeks, no booze...

...and still feel shit.

Bone tired, all sorts of joint and muscle pains, hayfever and now weepy every morning.

Being nagged to go back to docs ASAP...

Mother visiting Wednesday.

Weekend was difficult, went to Thirsk races so as to do something different and stay out of the flea pit etc...so what's the first thing P wants when we get to town and no taxi available... a drink in the flea pit, and then he couldnt understand why it was torture to me ..he asked so I told him and he didnt like it. Anyway, I stuck to blackcurrant then and on Sunday in the local - despite his "hints" that a drink might relax me.

Bloody hayfever on top!

Off to the gym to do (gentle) circuits - must take painkillers first.

What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know About FMS and CMP

About FMS and CMP

What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know by Devin J. Starlanyl

This information may be freely copied and distributed only if unaltered, with complete original content including: © Devin Starlanyl, 2003.

Please read “What Everyone on Your Health Care Team Should Know.”

The combination of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic myofascial pain (CMP) can cause diagnostic confusion and complicate treatment. Central sensitization of FMS may be maintained by peripheral stimulation such as myofascial TrPs (Staud, Smitherman 2002; Borg-Stein 2002). Myofascial TrPs may be more painful due to the central sensitization of FMS. It is important that both conditions are addressed so that the cycle is interrupted. “The most aggressive challenges of the FMS concept have been from legal defenses of insurance carriers motivated by economic concerns. Other forms of critique have presented as psychiatric dogma, uninformed posturing, suspicion of malingering, ignorance of nociceptive physiology, and occasionally have resulted from honest misunderstanding” (Rau, Russell 2000).

Fibromyalgia is real. Your patient may have multiple hormonal and autonomic imbalances, leading to profound physiological and clinical consequences (Adler, Manfredsdottir, Creskoff 2002). It should not be taken lightly. It’s associated with dysautonomia (Raj, Bruillard, Simpson 2000). “Chronic imbalance of the autonomic nervous system is a prevalent and potent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events, including mortality”(Curtis, O’Keefe 2002).

Myofascial trigger points (TrPs) are associated with autonomic concomitants, as well as proprioceptive disturbances (Simons, Travell, Simons 1999), and these and other TrP symptoms such as eye-twitching may be mistaken as psychogenic. Ask your patients about restricted range of motion with pain at the end of the motion, and the presence of nodules or painful lumps and ropy bands in their muscles.

Some TrP symptoms mimic neurological disorders (Simons, Travell, Simons 1999), and FMS symptoms can as well. Patients with specific patterns of referred pain, indication of nerve, lymph, or blood vessel TrP entrapment, or proprioceptive disturbances should be evaluated for CMP. Patients with diffuse body wide aches of long duration, and with allodynia and/or hyperalgesia should be evaluated for FMS (Starlanyl, Copeland 2001).

Think about how you would feel if you were no longer able to practice your profession . . . if you lost the ability to control your muscles, and sometimes even to think clearly . . . if you couldn’t function in your family role . . . if you were in severe pain, and your ankles were buckling, and you couldn’t even pick up a glass of water without spilling it, and yet your family, your friends and even your doctors thought you were crazy because you looked okay. This is what life is like for many people with FMS and CMP.

Acute pain that diminishes in the course of healing is something most of us can endure. Recurrent or persistent pain, especially when its cause is not recognized, can be intolerable (Gritchnik and Ferrante 1991; Hitchcock, Ferrell and McCaffery 1994). It can lead to frustration, depression, and progressive disability.

There is no specific personality type for patients with CMP (Nelson, Novy 1996) or FMS (Johannson 1993). These and many other studies indicate that “emotional disturbance in pain patients is more likely to be a consequence than a cause of chronic pain”(Gamsa 1990). Cognitive complaints are common in many chronic pain states. In FMS, these deficits are often called “fibrofog” and have been documented (Park, Glass, Minear et al. 2001).

Free-floating anxiety, panic attacks, rapid mood swings, irritability without known cause, difficulty concentrating, inability to recognize familiar surroundings can all part of fibrofog and may be due to neurotransmitter imbalance, but may be complicated by many factors. Pain processing eats up thought processing networks and thus interferes with thinking, reasoning, and remembering (Grisart and Plaghki, 1999).

Pain can disrupt cognitive performances that depend on intact speed and capacity of information processing (Grigsby, Rosenberg, Busenbark 1995). Fibromyalgia can cause slowed psychomotor speed in tasks that require sustained effort (Landro, Stiles, Sletvold 1997). “Sensory overload” is what I call the sense that information and other stimuli are coming so fast the brain can’t handle it. Some patients may go into a fugue state at this point, staring into space until the brain integrates the information. This can even happen during a conversation, mid-sentence. Simple tasks such as putting on socks can be interrupted by fugues, but the patient can often be taught to recognize them and push a mental reset button to resume activities or learn to close down some sensory input such as shutting off the radio or avoiding crowds and cities.

Patients may forget to do tasks they require to minimize physical symptoms. That, plus the additional stress brought about by fibrofog, can lead to flare. Although flare is part of FMS, myofascial TrPs can be activated or new ones can form at this time. Existing symptoms worsen, new symptoms may appear, and patients may require extra support, including bodywork and medication, until the central nervous system calms down. Perpetuating factors must be identified and brought under control.

Confusional states may be compounded by coexisting reactive hypoglycemia (RHG) (Hvidberg, Fanelli, Hershey, et al. 1996; Blackman, Towle, Lewis, et al. 1990; McCrimmon, Deary, Huntly, et al. 1996), a common perpetuator of both FMS and CMP. Chronic stimulation of the HPA axis, usually part of FMS, may contribute to the development of insulin resistance (Farias-Silva, Sampaio-Barros, Amaral et al. 2002). Check for the possible presence of RHG,insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome by asking about your patient’s diet and response to carbohydrates. If present, these conditions require immediate diet modification. In these cases, ensure sufficient protein intake and avoidance of excess carbohydrates in all meals and snacks.

What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know About FMS and CMP by Devin J. Starlanyl © 2003 Page 3

Fibrofog frustration can be doubly difficult for your patient because under its influence, the art of self-expression may be lost or damaged. Difficulty getting out known words, especially nouns and pronouns, difficulty distinguishing right from left and/or difficulty finding places or following directions and sequencing are common, as well as difficulty multitasking. Myofascial TrPs in the laryngeal muscles can create a slow, “halted” speech pattern, or garble sounds. Activation of other TrPs can cause the patient to appear clumsy, drop objects, or even fall down.

If your patient doesn’t show up on time for an appointment, it doesn’t necessarily signify that s/he is noncompliant. Your patient may simply be in a confusional state. Try to schedule appointments at the best time of day for the patient, and the same time every time, and teach patients with timing difficulties some memory aids. Patients experiencing fibrofog often take a hefty amount of abuse from people who are unaware of the reason behind their confused state of mind.

Neurotransmitters are imbalanced in FMS (Russell 1996) and in the endocrine system as well (Pillemer, Bradley, Crofford, et al. 1997). Too little serotonin may cause depression, but there may be many neurotransmitters,hormones and other informational substances imbalanced in FMS, and each of them can affect many others. Many of these informational imbalances may cause symptoms that appear psychological, and this may be part of the picture, but they may have a physiological basis as well.

Many patients with FMS and/or CMP have had repetitive trauma. Emotional symptoms as well as brain function may be affected whenever the cervical spine has been injured (Radanov, Bicik, Dvorak et al.1999). It doesn’t take a major auto accident to cause significant damage. Some brain-disconnects are a consequence of the trauma and not psychological at all (Radanov, Begre, Sturzeneggar et al. 1996).

Some researchers believe that impaired mental function in FMS is daytime sleepiness causing fatigue, in addition to the distraction of persistent pain (Cote, Moldofsky, 1997). Waking up feeling tired and unrefreshed may be a symptom of fragmented sleep disorder, which is common in FMS (Drewes, Gade, Nielsen et al.1995). Sleep deficit can further imbalance the HPA axis stress response (Meerlo, Koehl, van der Borght et al. 2002), so it is vital that this perpetuating factor be addressed. It is not enough that your patients spend eight hours in bed. When they wake, they need to have experienced restorative sleep. Question your patients carefully about sleep quality as well as quantity. They may need medication to regain restorative sleep, and it may take a while to find the right combination of medications, good sleep hygiene and diet that will allow this.

What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know About FMS and CMP by Devin J. Starlanyl © 2003 Page 4

Stress glucocorticoids affect memory acquisition and consolidation processes, as well as memory retrieval mechanisms (de Quervain, Roozendaal, and McGaugh, 1998). As the stress level goes up, fibrofog may rise. A few days of high cortisol levels at concentrations associated with physical and psychological stress can reversibly affect specific kinds of memory performance in even healthy individuals (Newcomer, Selke, Melson et al.1999).

Stress itself can be a major perpetuating factor for both FMS and CMP. Ask about over-the-counter supplements as well as prescribed medication, as they may have a profound psychological impact. For example, inositol may be of benefit for people with FMS and thyroid resistance but should not be taken patients who also have bipolar disorder because it will reverse the actions of lithium, carbamazepine and valproic acid (Williams, Cheng, Mudge et al. 2002).

Fibromyalgia is a disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). “Treatments for FMS should focus on interventions with direct or indirect effects on CNS functions that influence pain sensitivity” (Bradley, McKendree-Smith, Alarcon et al. 2002).

The most intensively studied medications that modulate neurotransmitters are psychoactive drugs. This does not mean that the patient’s condition is psychological. Take time to explain this to your patients. A written handout that the patient may show family members may be helpful to promote understanding.

Fibromyalgia patients usually need medication to help do what their bodies are not doing by themselves, just as diabetics may need insulin. More central acting medications that may be helpful to FMS patients are under development (Suzuki, Dickenson 2002). Patients with these conditions are often significantly under medicated for pain. The patient may pay for their doctor’s lack of current common chronic pain management practice. “Significant knowledge deficits regarding currently accepted principles of pain management practice as well as beliefs that could interfere with optimal care, mandate a need for educational interventions....

Unwarranted fear of addiction is a misunderstood and important concept that needs to be addressed” ( Lebovits, Florence, Bathina et al.1997).

Patients with FMS and CMP have symptoms that may be difficult to unravel and may take time and patience, but you can make a major impact on their lives. This can result in a “take up your bed and walk” phenomenon, and that is a rare enough experience in the medical world. Let’s make it more common.

References

Adler G.K, Manfredsdottir V.F., Creskoff F.W. 2002. Neuroendocrine abnormalities
in fibromyalgia. Curr Headache Rep 6(4):289-98.
Blackman, J.D., V.L. Towle, G.F. Lewis, J.P. Spire and K.S. Polonsky. 1990.
Hypoglycemic thresholds for cognitive dysfunction in humans. Diabetes 39:828–
835.
Borg-Stein J. 2002. Management of peripheral pain generators in fibromyalgia.
2002. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 28(2):305-17.
Bradley L.A., McKendree-Smith N.L. Alarcon G.S. et al. 2002. Is fibromyalgia a
neurologic disease? Curr Pain Headache Rep 6(2):106-14.
Curtis B.M., O’Keefe J.H. Jr. 2002. Autonomic tone as a cardiovascular risk factor:
the dangers of chronic fight or flight. Mayo Clin Proc 398-9;77(1):7-9.
de Quervain, D.J. Roozendaal B., McGaugh J.L. 1998. Stress and glucocorticoids
impair retrieval of long-term spatial memory. Nature 394(6695):787-90.
Drewes, A.M., K. Gade, K.D. Nielsen et al. 1995. Clustering of sleep electroencephalographic
patterns in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome. Brit J
Rheumatol 34(12):1151–1156.
Farias-Silva E., Sampaio-Barros M.M., Amaral M.E. et al. 2002. Subsensitivity to
insulin in adipocytes from rats submitted to foot-shock stress. Can J Physiol
Pharmacol 80(8):783-9.
Gamsa, A. 1990. Is emotional disturbance a precipitator or a consequence of
chronic pain? Pain 42(2):183–195.
Grigsby, J., N.L. Rosenberg, D. Busenbark. 1995. Chronic pain is associated with
deficits in information processing. Percept Mot Skills 81(2):403–410.
Grisart, J.M., L.H. Plaghki.1999. Impaired selective attention in chronic pain
patients. Eur J Pain 3(4):325-333.
Gritchnik, K.P., F.M. Ferrante. 1991. The difference between acute and chronic
pain. Mt Sinai J Med 58(3):217–220.
Hitchcock, L.S., B.R. Ferrell, M. McCaffery. 1994. The experience of chronic nonmalignant
pain. J Pain Sympt Manage 9(5):312–318.
What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know About FMS and CMP
by Devin J. Starlanyl © 2003 Page 6
Hvidberg, A., C.G. Fanelli, T. Hershey et al. 1996. Impact of recent antecedent
hypoglycemia on hypoglycemic cognitive dysfunction in nondiabetic humans.
Diabetes 45(8):1030–1036.
Johannson, V. 1993. Does a fibromyalgia personality exist? J Musculoskel Pain
1(3/4):245–252.
Landro, N.I., T.C. Stiles, H. Sletvold. 1997. Memory functioning in patients with
primary fibromyalgia and depression on healthy controls. J Psychosomatic
Research 42(3):297-306.
Lebovits A.H., Florence I, Bathina R. et al. 1997. Pain knowledge and attitudes of
health care providers: practice characteristic differences. Clin J Pain 13(3):237-
243.
McCrimmon, R.J., I.J. Deary, B.J.P. Huntly et al. 1996. Visual information
processing during controlled hypoglycaemia in humans. Brain 119(4):1277-1287.
Nelson, D.V., D.M. Novy. 1996. No unique psychological profile found for patients
with reflex sympathetic dystrophy or myofascial pain syndrome. Regional Anesth
21(3): 202–208.
Newcomer, J.W., G. Selke, A.K. Melson et al. 1999. Decreased memory
performance in healthy humans induced by stress-level cortisol treatment. Arch
Gen Psychiatry 56(6):527-33.
Pillemer S.R., Bradley L.A., Crofford L.J. et al. 1997. The neuroscience and
endocrinology of fibromyalgia. Arth Rheum 40(11):1928-1939.
Park D.C., Glass J.M., Minear M. et al. 2001. Cognitive function in fibromyalgia
patients. Arthritis Rheum 44(9):2125-33.
Radanov, B.P., Begre S., Sturzeneggar M. et al. 1996. Course of psychological
variables in whiplash injury — a 2 year follow up with age, gender and education
pair matched patients. Pain 64(3):429-434.
Radanov, B.P., I. Bicik, J. Dvorak et al. 1999. Relation between neuropsychological
and neuroimaging findings in patients with late whiplash syndrome. J Neurol
Neurosurg Psychiatry 66(4):485-9.
Raj S.R., Bruillard D., Simpson C.S. 2000. Dysautonomia among patients with
fibromyalgia: a noninvasive assessment. J Rheumatol 27(11):2660-5.
Rau, C.L., Russell I.J. 2000. Is fibromyalgia a distinct clinical syndrome? Curr Rev
Pain 4(4):287-294.
What Your Mental Health Worker Should Know About FMS and CMP
by Devin J. Starlanyl © 2003 Page 7
Russell I. J. 1996. Neurochemical pathogenesis of fibromyalgia syndrome. J
Musculoskel Pain 4(1-2):61-92.
Simons, D.G., J.G. Travell, L.S. Simons. 1998. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction:
The Trigger Point Manual, Volume 1, edition II: The Upper Body. Baltimore:
Williams and Wilkins
Starlanyl, D.J., M.E. Copeland. 2001. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A
Survival Manual. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
Staud R., Smitherman M.L. 2002. Peripheral and central sensitization in
fibromyalgia: pathogenic role. Curr Pain Headache Rep 6:259-266.
Suzuki R., Dickenson A.H. 2002. Neuropharmcologic targets and agents in
fibromyalgia. Curr Pain Headache Rep 6(4):267-73.
Williams R.S., Cheng L., Mudge A.W. et al. 2002. A common mechanism of action
for three mood-stabilizing drugs. Nature 417(6886):292-295.

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome (FMS MPS) D Starlanyl

Excellent website: Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome

I am speechless...

Devin's Diagnostic: "Symptom List and Possible Causes
Childhood growing pains: [early TrPs]
'Traveling' nocturnal sinus stuffiness: [pterygoid, sternocleidomastoid, posterior digastric]
Allergies: (FMS)
Post nasal drip: (FMS), [pterygoid, sternocleidomastoid]
Drooling in sleep: [internal medial pterygoid]
Swollen glands: [digastric]
Difficulty swallowing: [digastric, pterygoid]
Dry cough: [lower end sternal sternocleidomastoid]
TMJ symptoms: [masseter, trapezius, temporalis, pterygoid]
Dizziness when turning head or changing field of view: [sternocleidomastoid], (H)
Runny nose: (FMS), [sternocleidomastoid, pterygoid]
Sore throat: [sternocleidomastoid, digastric, pterygoid]
Stiff neck: [levator scapulae]
Mold/yeast sensitivity: (FMS), (H)
Reflux esophagitis: [external oblique], (H)
Headaches/migraines: (FMS), [trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, temporalis, splenii, suboccipital, semispinalis capitis, frontalis, zygomaticus major, cutaneous facial, posterior cervical], (H)
Light and/or broken sleep pattern with unrefreshing sleep: (FMS)
Sweats: (FMS), (H)
Morning stiffness: (FMS), [multiple TrPs]
Fatigue: (FMS), [multiple TrPs], (H)
Shortness of breath: (FMS) [serratus anterior, diaphragm, other respiratory muscles], (H)
Painful weak grip that may let go: [infraspinatus, scaleni, hand extensors, brachioradialis]
Menstrual problems and/or pelvic pain: (FMS), [coccygeus, levator ani, obturator internus, high adductor magnus, abdominal obliques]
PMS: (FMS)
Loss of libido: (FMS)
Low back pain: "

Fed up

Not because of not drinking but because of...

Pain.... sciatica like in right hip so have to roll out of bed, tendonitis like pain in right shoulder again with manky, weak arm to boot...plus hot needles into elbows and knees.

Fatigue... have absolutly had to go back to bed the past two afternoons and slept both times but still fell asleep early downstairs watching TV with P ...woke both following mornings about 6am so small consolation is that sleep pattern is not totally buggered again.

Can the above really be due to past drinking habits? Fibromyalgia seems a much closer fit....

Fibromyalgia: "Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a condition where pain occurs in muscles and surrounding structures without any obvious tissue damage. The pain is usually widespread and people often experience fatigue. Fibromyalgia affects mostly women, between the ages of 35 to 60 years, from all nationalities and culture groups. It can also affect children.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can go up and down. Many people find the symptoms are at their worst first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe. There may be extended periods of time - perhaps even years - when symptoms disappear. Other people have pain every day. Or there may be variations between these two extremes. It is thought that around three to five per cent of Australians suffer from fibromyalgia.

Symptoms - commonThe symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary widely from mild, moderate to severe. The most common symptoms include any of the following:
Fatigue and exhaustion.
Pain - which may present in a variety of ways (such as aching, burning, throbbing or stabbing). The pain may be generalised or localised.
Sleep disturbance.
Headaches.
Stiffness, usually worse in the morning.
Symptoms - other
Some people with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as irritable bowel syndrome, cystitis, and swelling and numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. These symptoms tend to be worse first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The symptoms may be present every day, or recur in bouts lasting days, weeks or months, or any variation in between."

Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Specialists on Diet & Nutrition

immunesupport.com: Review of various (USA) "Diet & Nutritional Supplement Recommendations from Leading Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Physicians by Lee Ann Stiff ImmuneSupport.com"

Stiff provides a comprehensive review of the theories of the leading Fibro specialists as to causes and related diet advice including supplements.

Some highlights include:
Charles W. Lapp, M.D.: PWCs do not tolerate several items: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and excitotoxins like MSG and aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal). Saccharin (Sweet N’ Low) is satisfactory, however. These are remembered by the mnemonic SCATE. Many patients with loose stools may find that reducing dairy and gluten (wheat, barley, oats and rye) intake may help...

Mark J. Pellegrino, M.D., US leading experts on fibromyalgia. Dr. Pellegrino is the author of books and articles on FM, has FM himself, recommends specific dietary strategies for fatigue, namely a diet higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates...research supports that those with fibromyalgia have low or below normal levels of magnesium, thyroid, growth hormone, B-12 levels and serotonin, among others. If low or below normal deficiencies are identified, I recommend specific supplementation. For fatigue, I often recommend supplements that include magnesium and malic acid, colostrum, and NADH, among others. I also recommend specific dietary strategies for fatigue, namely a diet higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates...

Dr. Nicolson recommends a controlled diet, two-thirds of which is composed of vegetables, one-sixth starch and one-sixth protein. The vegetables should be green, orange, and yellow and the majority of vegetables eaten should be cooked. The starch should be whole grain and include complex carbohydrates. The protein can include chicken, fish, beans and lean, well-cooked meats. While some fruit is okay, a large concern of Dr. Nicolson is keeping dietary sugars low.

Stiff concludes: " talk to your healthcare provider or a qualified nutritionist familiar with FM and CFS about the changes you’d like to make in your own life. Will your most aggravating symptoms lessen or disappear altogether through changing your diet? You’ll never know until you try, but chances are, making simple changes to your diet and addressing your nutritional deficiencies will make you feel a whole lot better -- and will make your body stronger to continue on the road to wellness."

I personally am sure from a long process of ellimination that dairy and processed carbs are main culprits in worsening my fibromyalgia symptoms...i am curious to see how I will react to alcohol when I re-introduce it...18 days off the booze now....

Fibromyalgia hot books

Alcoholism, Merck Manual plus...

THE MERCK MANUAL, Sec. 15, Ch. 195, Drug Use And Dependence< : "Alcoholism is considered a chronic illness of undetermined etiology, with an insidious onset and with recognizable symptoms and signs proportionate to its severity. Consumption of large amounts of ethanol usually causes significant clinical toxicity and tissue damage, physical dependence, and a dangerous withdrawal syndrome. The term alcoholism also refers to the social impairment in the lives of alcoholics and their families. Usually, both aspects of alcoholism are recognized simultaneously, but occasionally one predominates to the apparent exclusion of the other. Ethanol is dangerous partly because it is weak. A satisfactory dose is measured in glassfuls, not micrograms or milligrams. Repeated consumption exposes many cells to toxicity.

An alcoholic is identified by severe dependence or addiction and a cumulative pattern of characteristic behaviors. Frequent intoxication is obvious and destructive; it interferes with the ability to socialize and to work. Eventually, drunkenness may lead to failed relationships as well as job loss due to work absenteeism. Alcoholics may incur physical injury, be apprehended for driving while intoxicated, or be arrested for drunkenness. Alcoholics may seek medical treatment for their drinking. Eventually, they may be hospitalized for delirium tremens or cirrhosis. The earlier in life these behaviors are evident, the more crippling the disorder. Women alcoholics are, in general, more likely to drink alone and are less likely to experience some of the social stigmas."

The DT's: Delirium tremens usually begins 48 to 72 h after alcohol withdrawal, with anxiety attacks, increasing confusion, poor sleep (with frightening dreams or nocturnal illusions), marked sweating, and profound depression. Fleeting hallucinations that arouse restlessness, fear, and even terror are common. Typical of the initial delirious, confused, and disoriented state is a return to a habitual activity; eg, the patient frequently imagines that he is back at work and attempts to perform some related activity...

Detoxification: First, alcohol is withdrawn. After correction of nutritional deficiencies associated with excessive alcohol intake (see Thiamine Deficiency and Dependency in Ch. 3), the patient's behavior must be changed to achieve sobriety. Maintaining sobriety is difficult. The patient should be warned that after a few weeks, when he has recovered from his last bout, he is likely to find an excuse to drink. He should also be told that he may be able to drink in a controlled manner for a few days or, rarely, for a few weeks, but he will most likely drink without control again."

Detoxification and withdrawal. Treatment may begin with a program of detoxification, usually taking about four to seven days. You may need to take sedating medications to prevent delirium tremens or other withdrawal seizures.
Medical assessment and treatment. Common medical problems related to alcoholism are high blood pressure, increased blood sugar, and liver and heart disease.
Psychological support and psychiatric treatment. Group and individual counseling and therapy support recovery from the psychological aspects of alcoholism. Sometimes, emotional symptoms of the disease may mimic psychiatric disorders.

Sticky red blood cells?????
Alcoholism: "Laboratory Tests. Tests for alcohol levels in the blood are not useful for diagnosing alcoholism because they reflect consumption at only one point in time and not long-term usage. Certain blood tests, however, may provide biologic markers that suggest medical problems associated with alcoholism or indications of alcohol abuse:
Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT). This compound is a marker for heavy drinking and can be helpful in monitoring patients for progress towards abstinence.
Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). This liver enzyme is very sensitive to alcohol and can be elevated after moderate alcohol intake and in chronic alcoholism.
Aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransaminases (ALT). These are liver enzymes and are markers for liver damage.
Testosterone. Male hormone levels in men with alcoholism may be low. (Such results sometimes persuade men with alcoholism to seek help.)
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV). This blood test measures the size of red blood cells, which increase with alcohol use over time."

Herbal extract kudzu helps cut binge drinking

Health News Article | Reuters.com: "Reuters Health - Heavy drinkers who tried the herbal extract kudzu for one week downed fewer drinks than people who received an inactive placebo treatment, according to new study findings released Monday.

Study author Dr. Scott E. Lukas of McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical Center in Massachusetts explained that during the experiment, people drank their first beer right away, but were less likely to want more beer if they had taken kudzu the previous week.

"This means that the first beer must have satisfied their initial desire for alcohol," Lukas suggested.

He said that kudzu may also help deliver blood to the brain, making people more satisfied with less alcohol. "
...researchers asked 14 men and women who averaged 25 drinks per week to try either the concentrated kudzu for one week or a placebo drug. Then each participant visited a small studio apartment, complete with an entertainment center, where they had free access to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for 90 minutes.
Participants had to place their drinks on a specially designed end table that measured how quickly they were downing the drink.
After 7 days on either kudzu or the placebo, each participant switched to the other for another 7 days, and returned to the studio apartment.
The investigators found that when people received kudzu, they drank 1.5 fewer beers during their time in the apartment, and took more, smaller sips to finish each drink."

Incapacity benefit overhaul at heart of welfare reforms

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society |: "Tuesday May 17, 2005 "The government today confirmed it will push ahead with reform of incapacity benefit - the most costly and controversial budget in the welfare system.

The incapacity benefit bill will split the current benefit in two, with the bulk of less-sick claimants facing a financial cut if they fail to attend interviews designed to prepare them for work. The claimants with more severe conditions - roughly 20% of those on benefit - will be placed on a new higher rate."

How will this affect those with chronic fatigue, psychiatric and other similar illnesses?

Sunny Wednesday

and I have woken up knackered...

Nothing much to report from Dr's visit except that she signed me off for two months. Just keep on doing what I am doing..gym, eat healithly and not partake of the demon drink maintaining that drink is the likely cause of all my aches pains and tiredness... no mention of fibromyalgia. Next blood test end of June.

Have to admit to having indulged in a few more refined carbs than is probably good for me - joints today feel like pin cushions.

BLT - bum, leg, tum - class was a sweaty one yesterday but new gym is a huge improvment on the council and works out cheaper as the monthly £28 includes any classes I want to do and use of sauna.

P is continuing to be very supportive, he has only had three and a half pints of beer in the past few weeks.

Already fretting about mothers visit next week and all the questions I still have.

Tuesday - still no booze

Hmmm, weekend entries seem to have gone awol, anyway, joint pains and tiredness still cruel with added joys of hayfever on top. Sunday went to the Tree - blackcuuant for me, P had 2 limes and one pint. Reckons feeling not so grim Monday mornings helps....

I have also been very tetchy, impossible to say if that is anxiety, stress, withdrawal, new tablets or what..

Off to see Dr B (GP) in 10 minutes then to the gym for BLT so have to be brief.

Drug and Alcohol Rehab and Treatment Alternatives...

Drug and Alcohol Rehab and Treatment Alternative at the St Jude Retreat House: "the treatment with the best overall score was by far brief intervention, followed by social skills training and motivational enhancements. Brief intervention is as simple as having the client agree to reduce his or her drinking or drugging or to refrain from drinking and drugging altogether. Motivational enhancement involves the client deciding what is important in his or her life and then adjusting his or her drinking and drugging accordingly. Both processes are far less confrontational than the methods generally employed in conventional treatment, and, actually, motivational enhancement is designed to be completely non-confrontational."

Sunday, still dry

Zero alcohol Thursday, Friday, Saturday and have still felt shite.

Mainly joint pain and sheer bone tiredness with low mood and sweats still. It really is such an effort to do anything...steeled myself to go to town yesterday with P as there was a fair bit of shopping needed and both thought getting out would be good for me.

My short fuse and extreme touchiness was a problem as he seemed to jump down my throat every time I said anything. But shopping done and a coffee and 2 blackcurrants for me two pints and an italian lager for him...things settled down, Maybe because he seemed to take on board how worried I am that my lack of libido along with the whole situation is going to destroy us.

Have been keeping to low carb, high fruit and veg apart from chinese take away treat last night but am probably drinking too much tea.

I must get things done ready for holidays...

Rizla quote: "Relax: the only person you can control is yourself."

Dry Tues & Wed

Somehow have not had time to update the past couple of days, must be all the appointments, new gym regime and maybe the good weather.

Back to see CBT nurse tuesday, seemed a little more sympathetic but still very keen to get me to the heavy counselling ASAP. She rang to ask and appointment is 16 weeks away. Conclusion today seemed to be keep on with more of the same, no alcohol although wine with meals on holiday got the nod, perhaps consider increased the anti depressants dose and that all my aches and pains are due to stress.

When I described the joint pains as "people sticking needles into me" the hallucinations/ schizo alarm visibly went off with her immediatly asking me who is sticking pins in me so I had to explain that is merely my description of the pains in my joints. Wonder what she would make of my T-Shirt of pain? A hair shirt perhaps???

I have signed up at the Ladies only gym and am confident that it is a good move. I feel much more at ease there and all classes are included in the monthly fee so it works out cheaper than the council gym & classes.

Have to go and choose some glasses today, my left eye is very short sigted. Hope they will help me line up the printer.

Hayfever is full on, had to buy anti-histamine eye drops, instant relief from swelling, running and pain.

Have kept to low carb - sweats and fibro pains are improving although feel 99% knackered.

Met P after gym/ work yesterday, he was obviously gagging for a pint so suggested it and went to Flea pit - blackcurrant for me - found it difficult that he seemed to want to stay longer than me especially after he accused me of being sarcastic when I tried to thank him for his support which had made possible a good day for me yesterday. Fair bit of "edge" wafting off him.

Our dentist really let himself down badly with his comments about the stains on my teeth having been there for years so the hygenist shouldn't be too bothered about them. To me that sums up the attitude of many in the health service.

Research: Treating depression may not necessarily alleviate chronic pain

Clinical Psychiatry News: "Researchers recommend treating pain and depression independently after finding that the sensory regions of the brain associated with pain are only weakly correlated with the emotional brain regions linked to depression.

Reporting in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism, Thorsten Giesecke (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA) and colleagues say that their findings indicate that treating an individual's depression by prescribing an antidepressant medication that has no analgesic properties 'will not necessarily have an impact on the sensory dimension of pain...'

..the researchers interviewed 53 patients with fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread pain and tenderness to touch, along with 42 healthy individuals, about the severity of their chronic pain and depressive symptoms.

In addition, both the fibromyalgia patients and controls participated in a pressure-pain sensitivity test, during which pressure was applied to the thumbnail.... significantly less pressure was needed to cause acute pain in the patients with fibromyalgia than was needed for controls. However, the investigators found that this heightened sensitivity to pain was unaffected by the extent of depressive symptoms or the presence of comorbid major depressive disorder.

Magnetic resonance imaging scans carried out before, during, and after the pressure-sensitivity tests showed that, while symptoms of depression and comorbid major depressive disorder were associated with the magnitude of pain-evoked neuronal activations in brain regions associated with emotional pain processing, they were not linked to the sensory aspects of pain processing, such as where the pain is and its intensity.

"It appears as though there are different and easily distinguished sensory and affective elements to each individual's pain experience," says the team. "There are strong data suggesting that these elements are somewhat independent of one another and respond differentially to both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions." "

Monday,Monday

Still zero alcohol...

Quiet day, still ache all over and needles being continually inserted into various joints plus a heavy foggy head. Mixed up writing is still evident..the thought of words - or numbers - I want to write are in my head but come out of the pen scrambled, way weird...

Anyway, menu today...low income becoming evident.

Eggs, scrambled with tomato
Pear & nuts
Cold chicken & salad.

Sunday, still dry

And that's not the weather which has thrown hail and thunder at us the past couple of days, but me. Achieved despite still feeling grim - low mood, uptight and pointless plus all the usual aches and pains. Knees are particularly exquisite this morning if you go for that sort of thing. Going upstairs is a chore but should feel better as the day goes by. Best time by far seems to be evenings for both mood and physical stuff...

However I took both co-prox and diclofenic at bedtime ...11 pm-ish, and fingers crossed, they seemed to help me sleep better, nightmares woke me and toilet trips but not pain or sweats so I will repeat tonight and hope

Seems I find the no booze far, far easier than does P, on his mind constantly although he has really made an effort the past couple of days.

Knackered all day, early night - 9pm

Menu

Zero alcohol
UK tea...
Blackcurrant & soda X 3 at Green Tree

Mushrooms and rye toast for breakfast

Roast chicken, stuffing, cabbage, peas and 2 small new potatoes

It's Saturday

4.30pm and just got round to starting this entry cos still fell like crap despite no alcohol since last Sunday.

Someone somewhere must have my voodoo doll out and is sticking long hot needles into my elbows, neck and wrists. They are also stretching and twanging rubber bands up my forearms. My pelvis is still stiff and I waddle untill they loosen up.

Mood is pretty snappy and low...easily weepy.

Had a poor nights sleep last night, went to bed ~ 11pm after P got back from H's and started waking waking regularly from midnight on, gave up and got up and 5.30 am, no way could I have got back to sleep but can feel the different depth of tiredness today.

P went to town for bits of shopping so have had v quiet day, were hoping to go for a walk but weather has turned stormy. Good news is that he offerred to buy himself soft drinks for his lunch hour to try to knock pints on the head. No real prompting from me for that one...

Menu

English brekkie....organic sausage, tinned toms, bacon and egg.

Finished cauli cheese for lunch....

Not hungry later when made dinner for P so had a couple of pears and handful of nuts. Maybe too much cauli as guts were rolling and gurgling alarmingly but mebeverine seems to be keeping irritable bowel symptoms to a minimum number of dashes a day.

Dentists day

P is off with me today for a trip to the Dentists. He is still saying that he is up for no booze for at least this weekend....

Good news is I slept much better last night only waking a couple of times - needed toilet - and also because of bad dreams. Bad news still feel like shite, knackered, achey and dis-cordinated.

Definite problems navigating the pavement traffic yesterday on top of dyslexic writing stuff (numbers and words) wrong words coming out my mouth or not finding words I want to say, eg names of people I know well...clumsiness and return of slight incontinence.

Looked at glasses as P needs new pair, made appt for me as I am overdue and also still worry about blurred vision and the visual disturbances Dr B thinks are visual migraines...buggers sto me doing anything much although it is a bonus that I no longer get pain and sickness with migraines...although have had a sub-migraine headache now for what feels like months but is probably only a few weeks...plus ca change...

Did finally ring my mother after putting it off cos of S not wanting her to know and give her hard time about breaak up...also finally told her I am off work and about meds change and upcoming therapy. Got the usual "lets hope they find out what is wrong with you....end for now.

Todays Menu

No alcohol

Spinach & garlic omelette for breakfast

Americano coffee & cantucinni biscuit at The Cafe

Cauliflower cheese ( soya spread for fat. soya milk, non dairy parmesan cheese.)

Pear & nuts
Tea, herb teas, water...painkillers (co-prox) for headache, joint and muscle pains.

A few months, weeks , days on

Not sure how long I have been signed off now...was hoping to feel at least a bit better by now but it doesn't seem to be the case. Sleep seems to have improved a little but patchy, night before last was abysmal, had to get up 'cos legs had "gone" and was tossing and turning then later was waking every hour and fully awake from 4am...

The "dyslexic" hand writing is still evident ...I know what I want to write but the letters of the words come out garbled or order of numbers, am having some trouble finding words again and the odd ones are also garbled when I talk... which isnt often given my isolated life.

Second visit (v quick because bus was v late) with Mrs B the CBT specialist Tuesday at the surgery... the emphasis was full on getting me to go to alcohol counselling with the underlying message that "everything" is linked to my drinking too much...she seemed to think that I met Pete for an alcoholic drink every lunch time. Truth is we maybe meet once a fortnight at lunch and I have soft drinks, blackcurrant or coffee sometimes if I can get him to go the The Cafe with me.

Weekends are my weak point. As we almost always fail to plan to do anything different we drift into "let's have just one" when out shopping and after a couple I want a couple more... physically however about 8 units max and off home to sleep for me nowadays so I am not able to drink to the excesses of my youth...

Right now (Thurs) I have had no alcohol since Sunday and feel like shite...full on muscle aches, sweats, headache, bone tired etc etc.Cold turkey symptoms or?????

Anyway, I have promised myself and told P that I intend to stay sober till next appointment next Tuesday, ie no alcohol at all. As always he said yeah, I'm with you on that....

Menu Del Dia

Alcohol: Zero

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with asparagus & smoked salmon
Lunch: Pear...
Dinner: pan fried chicken (olive oil) with garlic, lardons and fresh herbs with steamed asparagus & 2 small new potatoes, stawberries & mixed berries with dairy free iced dessert
About 5 cups of tea, 1 americano coffee at the Cafe, 2 glasses blackcurrent & soda when wen to see Zoe. Lots of filtered water also.

All change: test results & new meds

Headline news has to be that one of my blood tests - blood count ...aka stcky red blood cells whatsts - showed some improvment according to Dr B, though exactly what that means I do not have a clue. Alas the liver enzyme result showed no change BUT I have to admit to not being able to cut my alcohol intake as muchas intended....anyaway onwards as there have been other changes that may prove majorly major in the long term.

Sub-headline news being that amongst other changes (details to follow) I am to start some heavyweight counselling for my long standing issues mainly re relationship with mother and still visceral reaction to Uncle John's abuse of Susie...updates to follow. This arose from a session with CBT specialist as part of new attempts by NHS and our surgery in particular to provide better care for long term mental health patients.

The initial session was pretty gruelling but that is to be expected I suppose. Until I get appointment for full on stuff I am to see the CBT lady which is OK by me and return to see GP in one month for sick note and to review new meds mentioned. The change was sanctioned by the Psychiatrist now attached to the surgery who also suggested I keep an alcohol diary...

Anti depressents now are 30mg Mirtazapine, seem to already be sleeping a bit better but have developed slight incontinence..more dreams and headaches. Early days though and am hopeful although sure it is going to be rocky road...again.

Have been off work something like 2 months now ( time memory as hazy as ever) and still feel knackered, maybe better weather will give some lift. I have been v remiss about the gym but the last month seems to have been spent waiting for various forms of workmen for the bathroom and kitchen which are still half done, only three months behind schedule but at least I am here I suppose.

UK eHealth Association

UK eHealth Association News camapaigner for effective use of technology for health

Fibromyalgia research links

MedlinePlus: Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgis info sheet

Info for Doctors re fibro

UKFibromyalgia website

UKFibromyalgia news and research. Some usefull information and links about fibromyalgia. Charges for phoning to listen to answers to common questions at 50p per minute, lasting about 5 mins seems to me to be blatent exploitation of sufferers...

Disability and sex: You Have an Rx for That Vibrator?

Wired News

Covers the Alabama laws making vibrators illegal as intro to the problems peopel with various disabilities have re sex....anyone else with fibromyalgia find low libido a problem? The story about tendonitis brought back memories of painful frigs before the injection in my shoulder...

: "Dr. Mitch Tepper, founder of SexualHealth.com, has long been an advocate of sexual rights for people with disabilities. Now he's spearheading a project to develop an interactive sexual health resource for people with mobility impairments like spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy."

gone to pot English Sayings

Ye Olde English Sayings

Just something I have been pndering....: "gone to pot - Time eventually wears everything down. For example, once great downtown department stores declined, went to pot and were replaced by suburban malls. If you've ever gone to a high school reunion, you know how just a few years, a few pounds, and a few gray hairs can make old classmates look like they've gone to pot, too. But why the pot? Is something cooking? Whatever counter-culture references the phrase may bring to mind, it actually is about the kitchen. In the Middle Ages, table scraps ended up in a big pot for stew. Once the centerpiece of a big meal, main courses were demoted to leftovers. Eventually 'going to pot', meaning going downhill, would be applied to anything, even the guy who sat behind you in homeroom years ago. Source: BREWER'S DICTIONARY OF PHRASE AND FABLE"

National Fibromyalgia Partnership

National Fibromyalgia Partnership

"NFP is the largest non-profit, membership organization for fibromyalgia (FM) in the United States. Based in the Washington, DC, area, it provides medically accurate information on FM to individuals with fibromyalgia and their families, health care professionals, and the general public "

My Fibromyalgia Experiences - About Fibromyalgia and Treatments

Sounds sooo familiar although my personal, preferred diagnosis would be Lupus (SLE) mainly due to the rashes I get...: My Fibromyalgia Experiences - About Fibromyalgia and Treatments: " was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a sleep disorder, and chronic headaches (the latter of which I, of course, already knew I had, and I suspected the rest, also) in May 1998"

Managing fibromyalgia

Discovery Health :: fibromyalgia

The entry concludes that: "Self-monitoring of fibromyalgia symptoms is important. People can document the severity of pain, fatigue, stiffness, and mood in a daily log. This information can help in treatment plans. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider."

Apologies to Discovery - they list Lupus under SLE: Discovery Health :: systemic lupus erythematosus

Treating fibromyalgia

Discovery Health :: fibromyalgia

Treatments listed include:

· acupuncture
· aerobic exercises
· antidepressants
· biofeedback
· chiropractic treatments
· heat or cold treatments
· hypnosis
· injections of local anesthesia medications or corticosteroids into tender points
· massage therapy
· occupational therapy
· stretching and range of motion exercises

Of the above I have been on antidepressants since 1991, have had injections, OT, pain killers, hot and cold, massage plus antispasmodics ( mebeverine) for irritable bowel plus a range of other medications to try to control symptoms.

Today I have an appointment with my GP to discuss a recent abdomen scan to try to identify the cause of the episodes acute pain in mid torso - mainly bottom right of rib cage. Dr thought this may have been gall stones but the technician said she could see non, nor could she identify any obvious cause of the pain. Must say that a scan has never hurt as much as that one!

Will update later today but we are both very concerned that it could be problems from my years of drimking too much alcohol - the one thing that could numb my pain - both physical and mental for at least a short while especially if almost comatose.

Diseases and Conditions :: A to B

Discovery Health

Has no entry for Lupus, on fibro it states "Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood condition that causes multiple tender points, called trigger points, in the muscles and soft tissues of the body. People who have fibromyalgia have chronic, widespread pain and stiffness in the muscles. Fatigue is a key factor in fibromyalgia....

People with fibromyalgia experience muscle pain and stiffness, especially in the morning. The pain is worse in the morning and worsens again at night. Other symptoms are as follows: · abdominal distress with constipation or diarrhea · depression · difficulty concentrating · fatigue, which is probably caused by disrupted sleep · headaches · tingling of the skin that involves numbness or burning...


No one knows for sure what causes fibromyalgia, but there are several theories:

· autoimmune disorders, or a condition in which the body creates antibodies against its own tissues
· endocrine abnormalities, which are problems with various glands in the body
· biochemical abnormalities in the central nervous system
· impaired blood flow to the brain
· stress
· mechanical stresses to the cervical and lumbar spine
· history of abuse as a child


Also of especial interest to me "autoimmune disorders may be triggered by a transfer of cells between the fetus and the mother during pregnancy" - maybe mothers toxaemia theory has something to it...

Monday wisdom from Barefoot

Now his Observer column is no more I have to make do with snippets like these....

Barefoot Dr: What's the Best Way to Erase Painful Memories?

Barefoot Doctor: "Short of a lobotomy, there is no way to erase memories. Some people claim to be able to do it with hypnosis but if that's true it would be dangerous.

Painful memories need sitting with, accepting and forgiving until they no longer make you feel hurt. Erasing or suppressing them only makes the pain go underground and work its way to the surface again in a more insidious and harmful fashion until you agree to open your heart and forgive yourself, or whoever or whatever caused you the pain initially. That's what you call healing yourself."

I certainly have issues in this area!

Food Standards Agency - Sudan I product list 18 February 2005

food.gov.uk/

The account managers for the Co-Op's no colourings, additives campaign must be celebrating like never before over this huge gaffe..

Yahoo!

Directory Suggest a Site

"Your Site Has Been Submitted"
Cat: Online Journals and Diaries > Individuals
Directory > Social Science > Communications > Writing > Journals and Diaries > Online Journals and Diaries > Individuals

Dettol baths

Sunday evening a memory of frequently being bathed in Detoll came to me. I have no idea what triggered it nor my mothers motives for doing such a thing.

I asked Pete if had ever been treated similarly which seemed to make him very uncomfortable and really lost for words. He eventually mumbled something about maybe once after some injuries. Not very convincingly.

The rash on my arms is quite noticable today - too much chocolate? The Xmas diversions from my diet regime are proving difficult to put right, carb and sugar cravings being very strong. I also managed just one alcohol free day last week, well, suppose if I aim for 2 this week then 3 next I will get to a position where a couple of drinks a couple of days a week will be sustainable. With our habits it is hard.

Experience

"By three methods we may learn wisdom. First, by reflection, which is
noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience,
which is the bitterest." -- Confucius


So true, even mother now actually asks if all the years of ill health could have been avoided if she had not persisted with feeding me dairy products, Although of course she does take any responsibilty herself stating that nobody knew any different and "THEY" did not help her - all despite knowing dad was brought up on goats milk.

I don't have time to waste on being bitter and asking what could have been so onwards with the quest for health..

Second gym session due on Wednesday, the initial assessment showed I am mostly ok apart from lung capacity so will monitor that.

The blood tests for prenicious aneamia were negative so now it is 6 months of almost teetotel to see if that clears the dodgy blood test results.

I must also get back to the Patrick Holford diet advice and juicing as I have scoffed way too much of all the wrong stuff over xmas..

Well, monday, monday again

Still no clue about what is going on with work, asked G to get in touch as the only contact has been to be cc'd in on a couple of emails...

Didnt manage to stay off the booze totally - one glass wine after the Xmas spectacular at the Orchards (pathos a gogo) two on Saturday with dinner, two at the Green Tree and two with dinner Sunday...Monday, Tuesday to go..

Mother is dearest is landing tomorrow - just a cup of tea and a biscuit will do...hmmmm

All the above done while feeling 100% premenstrual - headache, belly-ache & everything else ache plus the blues big style - but no show yet

P is quite excited about blood tests so fingers crossed Dr B is on the right track with pernicious anemia, it would be such a gift to have some spark back.

Enlarged red blood cells

Yup, back on the trail of the cause of sticky red blood cells. At least Dr B seems willing to investigate further - suggested it may be pernicious anaemia - unlike Dr V who really ripped into me saying they were caused by my drinking...next set of blood tests next week may show who is right...Whatever, I am intending to go dry for the next few days and see what the results are.

Seems I was wrong to blame the Stowford press for last weeks rash as a repeat of the daily diet did not cause it to flare up again.

Pretty much pain free at present, just knackered but what's new? It would be wonderful to get some energy so fingers crossed...

Travel Industry News

Selection of the top travel industry news for totaltravel.com and partners keeping up to date with this and the other blogs takes up a fair bit of time.

Am awaiting call or other communication as to what I am going to be doing in my work from now on....bit of stress to say the least especially as I let my paranoid parrot on my shoulder get me thinking that my job is in danger...for reasons other than ill health, stupid mind gaames in my head which don't help health at all. After rash etc was so bad yesterday it set me thinking that I have Lupus or something similar to tie togethr and give a plan of action for dealing with all the stupid ailments that keep dragging me down. I must remember to mention fibromyalgia and possibility of maybe seeing a rheumatologist or othe r specialist to confirm ( or not) Dr B's tentative diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Back to today: Food cravings are a bit stong and I succumbed and had a bacon bun - brown - but still the most bread I have eaten for ages. The idea of the syeak pudding in the cupboard is making my mouth water but I reckon that would be asking for trouble so lunch will probably be the rest of the runner beans...not quite as exciting but hey ho...

Caffeine, wine and celery soup

Could succumbing to the temptation of an esspresso ( double) followed by a few glasses of Iceland's Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet really have made me so hyper that I stayed up till 12.30 for the first time in ages and awoke before 5am and was unable to get back to sleep...

In addition the rash on my face and upper arms was in full bloom and feeling hot, tight and itchy like sunburn...a bit nauseous all day and knackered so day off work was used to do a bit of housework with the featherduster...

Reckon I had better go back to my original intention of keeping a detailed food diary though there is not much time from today until I se DR B next Tuesday..

Sooo
A few cups of brown tea with soya milk
loads of water
spinach omelette
black pudding
1 americano coffee couple of biscuits

Tea: Sausages, runner beans bit of potato with oil & vinegar

Fell to sleep on sofa before the end of Emmerdale...

Prizes and laxatives

Well, now then, Senokot have a seasonal raffle with the top prize being a nutritionist consultation... Senokot Raffle "Win a personal health check with a qualified nutritional therapist £500 towards a course of consultations, supplements and diagnostic tests with a BANT registered nutritional therapist in your local area "

Yup, I have been rabbit dropping constipated on and off ( more on the pot with zero results) but thats probably more than enough info...My preferred remedy when totaly needed is Andrews which does not not trigger the IB spasms plus loads more fruit and veg.

The past week in particular and past couple of months have seen the rise of a new pain...bottom of rib cage on right hand back. Last Friday it reached a new crescendo of exquisite torture and succumbed to going to see Dr B again ( tried Dr Myers about a month ago with no joy, he didnt seem too impressed by Drs B's suggested diagnosis of fibro...) Anyway, blood and urine tests taken and awaiting an appointment for a scan. Also visited Osteopath but did not get same relief as from first visit for left rib cage. He said he could not find stuck ribs like on the left but did feel the constipation...

Time and tests may tell but this in particular has caused problems at home with Partner getting very angry with me and it all getting me down. I thought I had made such good progress towards health earlier this year so this has hit pretty hard. The pressure to not be ill because of the work situation and P being angry def does not help...

A useful and vocal website run by Dominie Bush is organising a campaign in the USA to raise awareness of fibro - note the recent fibromyaligia awareness week here in the UK showed zero results in Goole alerts .. not anywhere in the media and public eye, vey dissapointing...

Dominie says "P.S. Please visit my FMS/CFIDS site at http://www.fms-help.com where you will find my personal FMS/CFIDS story, my 100 Tips for Coping, information about the exciting Million Letter Campaign--plus lots of compassion, encouragement and practical helps for living with this illness! "

The H Factor: "The H Factor
The biggest health breakthrough of the century: Patrick Holford & Dr James Braly"

Following the advise of my osteopath I bought the above book - the changes to my diet after putting the two together may seem like a lot of effort and maybe expense but the improvement in my health and energy levels is nothing short of amazing....

No more "T" shirt of pain from the neck down, an awful sensation as if my whole upper torso was bruised, the gentlest touch, bra or handbag strap on my shoulder would be unbearable.

No more brain fog

Migraines down to very rare from 2 or more a week

Much less joint pain

No more hot sweats, especially no boiling head waking me up drenched in sweat through the night

Body clock reset so I more often than not now sleep through until the alarm goes off in the morning - what a change from waking every hour or two and unable to sleep from 4am on...

Weight stable at ~9st

Far less irritable bowel and other gastric problems

Plus so many other improvments which often make me wonder how I put up with it all for soooo long.

Bottom line - don't expect any magic cure from anywhere - take control of what you eat and drink ( plus step up that activity and exercise bit by bit) and see if like me you start to see changes.

The web site Patrick Holford has loads of great articles and advice.

Fibromyalgia - Fibromyalgia treatment UK: Norah Wickerson claims "that 'Fibromyalgia' is actually three conditions in one, with the root of the problem being Reactive Hypoglycaemia, which most sufferers are not even aware that they have. By controlling this condition with the diet I recommend, the other conditions of Chronic Myofascial Pain and Fibromyalgia can be more easily treated with hands-on physiotherapy techniques and simple exercises."

Changing my diet to very low carb - I already ate next to zero additives or pre-prepared meals apart from bread - and still staying off dairy produce has brought about huge changes in my well being. A big plus is my weight is staying at around 9st while eating lots of things I like....

Google AdSense - Thank You:Applied for Adsense in response to "invite" on blogger HP.....lets see what happens "Frequently Asked Questions "

Time for an update I guess, so much for my intention of keeping a daily food and symptoms diary but a number of things have become apparent since I first visted the osteopath...

White bread definitly causes major fibro symptoms... t-shirt of pain, joint and tendon pain plus brain fog and extreme tiredness.

Skipping breakfast or having it late brings on visual migraines.

Sex in any position other that missionary puts my back out.

On very low carbs but eating as much as I want of protein, fruit and veg my weight has dropped to 9st and seems to be staying steady - a welcome side effect as the main aim of changes is to avaid fibro symptoms...

FMS Factsheet PDF
Syndrome Description
FMS is a chronic, body-wide pain disorder coupled with other symptoms, such as severe daytime fatigue, unrefreshed sleep (likely due to a number of sleep anomalies), irritable bowel, chronic headaches, morning stiffness, cognitive or memory impairments, reduced coordination and decreased
physical endurance.

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain Information Rec to ostepoath re treating tender points....covers Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic myofascial pain (CMP) are real conditions, and they are not the same.

Been neglecting the blog a bit but not my diet...also doing best to get walking in... bit disappointed that started a period last week & everything seems to have flared up still... shoulder especially, t-shirt pain & abcess on root canal.

Mr Simpson, dentist should be posting me a prescription so hope the antibiotics will sort it again cos it makes me feel pretty grotty.

Not long till Menorca... 8 working days...

Barefoot Doctor Bit: Is It OK To Break State Laws You Disagree With?

Barefoot Doctor: "Generally you should do all you can to obey the state laws as these are implicitly conditional in you accepting to be a citizen. You can always leave if you don't like or agree with the laws and move somewhere where you like the laws better.

Without laws and the underlying threat of force to deter non-compliance, society would swiftly degenerate into total chaos, especially regarding laws concerning violating another person or their property in any way.

However laws relating to your own personal behaviour such as what drugs you take, are obviously something people adhere to at their own discretion, adding the proviso that they're not careless or unfortunate enough to get caught.

The rule of thumb is to respect the world of law (on the grounds of its usually healthy overall social regulating function plus implicit threat) while avoiding it if at all possible (it being rather smelly, dull and dreary to get involved with). Or in other words, try not to break too many laws if you can possibly help it though if you do, apply discretion, stealth, good sense and respect for other people and their property. And most importantly, don't get caught."

MJD back Iin AU days... 

Words About Words
---------------------------------
The truth is rarely pure and never simple.

Oscar Wilde, Irish playwright, poet, and novelist,The Importance
of Being Earnest, 1895

Monday still tired/ achey ..only got 4 hours work in ( not over productive either) went to see if tanning booths paid for still valid...they were...so plan to catch bus every other day to Stonecross & walk from there to town as am sure the walk all the way last tuesday knackered me for at least 2 days.

Tried to look for a holiday for us but have asked P to help...too much

Regimen;

Celery J then OJ
2 eggs scrambled with tomato ( olive oil)
Asparagus, Smoked salmon & xtra light mayo
Mushroom curry, brown rice, shami kebab (3oz) & salad
0 alcohol

Still v tired Sunday.Bit of gardening in the morning , went to the Lion for Sunday dinner...eventually, Cafe closed, Woodies closed, Tithe bar non-smoking upstairs for the carvery, P didnt want chinese so walked up & down the HIgh St a fair bit. I had to come home & back to bed - gave the Tree a miss but Pete went

Intake:
Celery then OJ in the morning
Salmon & prawn salad, with french type dressing, Roast lamb veg (plain boiled) Y pud, couple of roasties & ONE glass of wine. Cannot remember if we had anything else to eat on the evening but think not...

7am Sunday morning....

Tired yesterday morning, went to town for couple of beers & a bet then home for a bed picnic of tesco ready roasted spare ribs & barbecued chicken....sex then sleep.

Pete reckoned he would never buy that food again.. the flavour lingered & made him feel sick...i agree, it is probably full of additives..flavour colour etc. Lemon salt water helped him feel a little better.

Anyway, libido showed a glimmer after much effort. Fell asleep 6.30ish but woke midnight with back-ache (unaccustomed bed exercise???) Pete got up for a while also, watched J Ross then he went back to bed.

I stayed up till 4 & sorted out problem with BT yahoo mail ...login changed & all mail dumped in bulk box....didnt miss anything terribly important. Wages still not through from Monday invoice & no sign of de Bossman....emailed & voice mailed....

Review of Sat morning...

Still pretty tired,

Hot water & lemon
celery juice / OJ
mushrooms & one slice bacon

Started new vitamins yesterday (FrI) .. Optimmum Nutrition ...

Finding the Right Tapping Points: "TH = Top of Head
EB = Beginning of the Eye Brow
SE = Side of the Eye
UE = Under the Eye
UN = Under the Nose
Ch = Chin
CB = Beginning of the Collar Bone
UA = Under the Arm
WR = Inside of Wrists"

More positive thinking: Everyone has made negative choices in the past, we all have. The good news is that we all have a choice. You can always choose to let go of the old pattern. You can choose different and more supportive and nourishing thoughts. Letting go of your old negative pattern with love, allows you to move into the new pattern with ease.

Please always avoid punishing yourself and beating yourself up.The thoughts you think and the words you say are constantly creating your future. Your beliefs shape your life. The things you say are extension of your thoughts. This is why it is so important to never, ever berate yourself.

Always tell yourself you are doing the best you can. Remember, you need to always forgive yourself for not being perfect.


Goal Setting: Your Consistent Thoughts Become Your Reality

All personal growth reduces down to the above sentence. Dreams don't necessarily come true but they DO take you in directions.
Your habitual vocabulary has a subtle and powerful ability to condition your mental system. Which is a better statement, "I can't" or "I don't know how yet"? Shifting your vocabulary will shift your entire outlook.

You get what you focus on. Pessimists see what is wrong in the world. Optimists see opportunity. Yet, it's the same world. What do you see? Whatever it is, it's a reflection of your consistent thoughts.

well thursday was a washout too... woken by dawn chorus (?) tired & achy all over...brain fog, plus feverish feeling. Could it be down to walk on tuesday or someething I ate?

Anyway,Thusday morning I had to go back to bed & take 2 co-prox after P went to work & slept till 10.30, got sweet FA else done apart from bus to Nettos stop & walk around town in a daze.

Thursdays Menu
Juice
Huevos revueltos
Fruit & nuts
organic salmon & green beans with tomato & garlic
2 glasses red wine.
Made one cup of black tea but only drank 2-3 mouthfulls & forgot about it...bought herbal detox tea from spiceman on wed...getting to quite like it.

Friday woke 4am again but made myself go back to sleep, woke 6 with back/ shoulder/ headache...

Menu du Jour:
Breakfast: Hot water & lemon & 2 co-prox & aches eased @ 8.30 + 1pt salty water
Tortilla de espinacas y ajo, juice - celery & orange/grapefruit
Finished the salmon & beans for tea.

met Pete @ lunchtime after Osteo visit & both took the afternoon off.

Michael (Osteo) worked a bit on my back, shoulder & neck & talked a lot about colonic cleansing & his fuure plans. Suggested monthly visit.

I started with a mineral water the 4 1/2 beers plus extra water. Pete omitted the water & had 5 pints & no food ... he woke with bad headache when Greta rang to say Dad was "wandering" ...school bell rings for end of break, get round there....H was in fine form, told us he had walked almost as far as the circus @ the rugby club but got bored & came back. I also felt fine & was up for a visit to the crown on way home but Pete just wanted to get to bed ...still had headache so I had a small whisky & lemonade & messed about on computer. Went to bed about midnight, woke early -4 am - read 7 dozed till 6 then up ...

Popular Anti-Aging Techniques: Find Out Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don't 5/19/04: "Mark Twain said close to 100 years ago, life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18."

Woke feeling like I have a hangover, aching joints, esp shoulder & IBS still niggling ( rabbit pellets) ...no booze yesterday though so was it the walk into town? or something I ate?

Took 45mins to walk to town, resisted catching the bus 1/2 way but had to have a rest on the stone sign...stich & phone calls & got just one blister ... felt overwhelming fatigue after dinner & had to lie down on bench in garden.& pass on going to Petes dads with him...

Breakfast..juice, mushrooms & 2 small slices rye bread, hot lemon water, 1 cup of tea..
blackcurrent & soda at Masons
Some nuts

Dinner chicken breast with white wine, herbs, mushrooms & shallots... & one potato..

Amazing occurance...Pete agreed to order new sofas...from Argos but hope thay should be lovely...30 days delivery though.

Hi G,

Hope you don't thhink I was being ignorant not replying to your get well type message below but didnt really want to copy Lynton etc in.

The osteopath worked a miracle getting rid of the pain that had kept me awake for 2 weeks looking & feeling like Edward Munch's screamer....nice! Really wierd though that daylight hours it went away....

He also proved a treasure trove of information about the ongoing underlying problem ( fibromyalgia) which as well as chronic fatigue, if am having a bad day the aches etc are a bit like the beer monster has been jumping up & down on me ( highly unlikely given the lowly intake of 4 units of alcohol the past 10 days) or a bad dose of full on flu....fingers, nipples, everything aches, painkillers don't do much but the brain fog also makes it near impossible to think so making me feel pretty useless.

Anyway, visit again tomorrow, am making further diet changes & at least the severe pain has gone...

Enjoy the beach life

Cheers

J
----- Original Message -----
From: G
To: 'J'
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 10:34 AM
Subject: RE: Area descriptions
Yo,

We need this job doing pretty smartish. Lynton has been briefed and I would have thought that the key phrases at area level would be self-selecting (i.e. biggies from the localities). HOWEVER, I demur to your superior knowledge on this matter – if you think it will be worth your time creating and Lynton’s time wading through a more detailed guide, then go for it. Though I would have thought just getting something reasonable in there quickly was the way to go.

Life in Be-right-on is cool (well actually quite warm actually) and it felt slightly strange going to the beach again – it’s not something I thought I’d ever do in England. Hope you are recovered – I only got sketchy details from Mike, but it didn’t sound at all pleasant, so do take care of yourself.

Must dash, let me know what you think about descriptions…


From: J [Sent: 18 May 2004 10:19
To: G
Subject: Re: Area descriptions

Hi G...

Were the quick tips re writing keywords & descriptions enough to be getting on with or do you want a step by step in depth guide with links to resources?

Cheers
J
----- Original Message -----
From: g
To: j
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2004 12:40 PM
Subject: Area descriptions

Hi J,

L is going through writing the descriptions for the area index pages (example: http://www.totaltravel.co.uk/travel/london/essex/). They have a maximum of 600 characters. Any tips for writing from the SEO perspective?

Ta and hope you are feeling better now.

G

Buteyko Training Services providing you with a wealth of health & information: "Buteyko Breathing "

Bought a pair of trainers yesterday, intention being to walk to town as often as possible...

Have been keeping to the water & salt "cure" & diet changes but 2 days of work see me knackered & achy again. 2 beers tuesday evening knocked me out, not helped by Pete having a full scale moaning paddy about the changes at work...early night. He woke me 4am going to toilet & couldnt get back to sleep. Dawn chorus woke me today & ditto.

Risked some ice cream with strawberries last night ... result a visual migraine at 10pm bed time, great...

Tue/ Wed
grilled mushrooms with 1 slice grilled bacon 1 slice rye bread, juice, aspargus, ham, salad.
One cup of normal tea only, rest green tea or water & lemon.Fresh fruit juices

IBS has been making itself noticed...cramps, rabbit pellets & bloated plus sore bum..what fun

What a difference since visit to Ostoe on friday! Started "water cure" & rice milk instead of soya...more energy, less tired & NO pain in back ( well, odd bit of stiffness & twinges but nothing compared to before) actually awake Saturday & Sunday evenings....although IBS has flared up a bit...

Must remember to ask about:

Rec vitamins
rec exercise pilates?
fasting...colon cleanse...
Number of appointments?


TOMATO-VEGGIE JUICE:

Makes 16 ounces

2 ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 handful fresh spinach
1 large organic carrot
1/4 vidalia onion
1 large rib celery
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 small shots Texas hot sauce
1/4 cup filtered water

Friday
Cannot remember days food etc, home made pizza night

Saturday
Fish & 1/2 chips
~ 8 units

Sunday

Duck & chorizo salad & Roast lamb @ Lion
~ 6 units

Bodywork: "CLEANSING THE COLON AND BODY WITH THE ULTIMATE FAST"

Phwwoorr -- headache & irritible bowel pain after osteo massage....(not migraine though)

Bowel Cleanse intestinal cleanser parasites cleanse master cleanse juicing flax seed oil: "30 people who are using Basic PLUS and all of them agree that product is worth money.
Should I do parasites cleanse at the same time? Yes, the best way to cleanse bowel is if you do it together with parasite killing herbs. Find more about Parasites cleanse here.
To learn more about bowel cleanse, you should read: Bowel Cleanse FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions,
Articles and Recepies for Cleansing Bowel, and you should hang around Bowel Cleanse Forum, and read messages posted, or ask for help and support. You should also Join BOWEL CLEANSE email support group. You can read previously posted email messages here: Messages
You should also read this book (whole book is online): The Master Cleanser - (Lemonade Diet), and those articles: The Key to Excellent Health: Cleansing the Colon by RICHARD ANDERSON, N.D and The Bentonite Cure - Cleanse Yourself Internally With Liquid Clay"

The Water Cure recipe drinking water, chlorine, minerals: "The Water Cure Recipe:
Drink 1/2 your body weight of water in ounces, daily. Example 180 lb = 90 oz. of water daily. Divide that into 8 or 10 oz. glasses and that's how many glasses you will need to drink, daily. Use 1/4 tsp. of salt for every quart of water you drink. Use salt liberally with food. As long as you drink the water, you can use the salt. Avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. These are diuretics and will dehydrate you. Every 6 oz. of caffeine or alcohol requires an additional 10 to 12 oz. of water to re-hydrate you"

134lb approx = 77oz, 16oz = 1 pint so need 5 pints day.....1 quart = 2 pints (or 1 litre)

Natural Health Expertise with a Nutrition and Lifestyle Focus: "Begin Your Journey to Independent Health

Stay informed of all sides on the latest medical news and health information & discover how to prevent disease, optimize health and weight, and live longer. Mercola.com's 30,000 pages and the free health e-newsletter will show you how..."

PAge as taken to osteopaths today...seems I have a problem with bottom 3 ribs left back which are causing the pain...also seems really clued up re fibro & stategies for coping & improving - main first one to cut out the soya milk as it causes problems for many people. Also mentioned loads of other possibilities inc jkeep up water intake but filter it & add 1/4 tsp maldon sea salt for minerals, take a mega vitamin supplement to inc vit c...more to follow.

So shall see if any improvment in sleep tonight & other stuff over time...heres my spec..
Symptoms
Severe pain left flank past two weeks, at night only – wakes me up, typically within 2 hours of going to bed & then cannot sleep again, cannot stay in bed… Pain alleviated by standing, moving. Made tolerable by seat pad (heat & vibrating massage) diclofenac eventually kicks I think. Doesn’t happen if manage to sleep during day. EG Thursday asleep 2 hours 3pm – 5pm with no pain.
Meds
Every night
Dothiepin 150mg antidepressant
Zirtek antihistamine

As needed
Co-proxamol
Diclofenac
Mebeverine – very rarely since dairy free

Recent history:

Diagnosed fibromyalgia April – upper torso T- shirt of pain, tired, tired, tired, joint/ muscle pains, brain fog…….advice…to exercise – whatever suits, minimal alcohol, keep a diary… explains history of joint pains, numbness, tingling, weakness etc?

Also visual disturbance said to be classic migraine. ( Had frequent full 2-3 day migraines with vomiting, pain etc until given beta blockers during final exams at Uni 1990. rare reoccurrence since of full type but visual problems ~ past 4 years.

4 * antibiotics January on…
2 for mouth abscesses – erythromycin, Metrodiazanole
2 for UTI – Trimethoprim?

Novocaine injection right shoulder for tendonitis after 6months of futile physio – exercise & ultrasound

History:
· Mirena coil – 21/2 years, side effects are wonderful for alleviating PMS & associated worsening of all aches & pains
· Chest infection after holiday in Greece October 2003
· Polyp removed from bowel following ~2 years severe digestive problems ..IBS & sickness & diarrhoea. Dairy problems became apparent, switch to soya & dairy free made huge difference.
· Major endogenous depression 1990(?) … hospital 6months. Curtailed post graduate studies
· Allergic to penicillin


He also recommended a couple of books & websites...

Two weeks of next to no sleep on a night due to excrutiating pain in my left flank... approx over left kidney I reckon. Cannot stay in bed...grabs & stabs with cramps in waves...

so wierd that it does not bother me during the day, could it be a reaction to the nightly dose of antidepressants I wonder?

Tues 3rd May, saw Dr B, sent urine for testing came back clear as .....(Had some urinary tract infection earlier this year.. 1st symptom was peeing blood

Thurs 13th MAY re results as above .. reckons most likely a pulled muscle also sent for chest X Ray & asked if bowels ok ... which they are apart from constipation due to pain killing meds (fibogel needed despite juice/ fruit intake)

I have cut out alcohol..well 5 units over past 2 weeks , 1 glass wine last sat, 1/2 beer sunday & 3 x 1/2 beer with meal out tuesday...Have also stopped all supplements in case ....

Made appointmment for tommorrow with osteopath to follow up pulled muscle suggestion rather than wait a month to see the surgery physio.

Dr B was adamant that any kidney problem whatsoever would have shown in urine test...???
But a little digging on Prodigy & NHS Direct show that is not always the case
eg Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome (LPHS)
http://www.med.sc.edu:85/2003-infectpdf/03-07UTI.pdf Chronic interstitial nephritis...resembling chronic bacterial pyelonephritis but in which evidence foran etiologic role for bacterial infection is lacking. DrugsΧnot only prescription drugs but also non-prescription drugs as in analgesic nephropathyΧare common causes of chronic interstitial nephritis.

Colony counts less than < 105 CFU/mL of urine can be significant in at least 4
situations:Patients with pyelonephritisΧin whom the bacteria are multiplying mainly in
the kidneys rather than in the urinary bladderΧ not infrequently show colony counts less than <10 4 CFU/mL.
• Patients with symptoms of lower urinary tract infection have low colony
counts, which may indicate the “urethral syndrome” (see above).
• Low colony counts can also be important in patients with prostatitis and
epididymitis.
• Low colony counts can be important in patients with fungal urinary tract
infection.

Slashdot | Websites For The Frugal?: "fwc writes 'Like most people, I like being able to get the most benefit out of my money. In pursuit of this, I use several websites which help stretch my dollar even more. For instance, I have found Airfare, Hotel, Car Rental, Cruise and Vacation Deals - SmarterLiving.com which I consult for good travel-related deals. I also use SlickDeals.net [Home] - Your Daily Source for the BEST Deals on the Net! and Offers from FatWallet.com! to make sure I don't miss those almost-too-good-to-be-true deals. When looking for the best price on a specific item, I usually consult Froogle, pricewatch � - The Web's first and best price comparison search engine, and Shopper.com. I also use a collection of online stores which sell stuff dirt cheap, such as newegg, PC Surplus Online, and of course half.com. Recently, I was looking for some tools at Harbor Freight's Website and a friend suggested that I might want to also look at Homier's. I was pleasantly suprised to find that they have some prices which are even lower than at any other site which I have found. This makes me wonder what other sites are out there I haven't found yet which are in the same category.' I know http://www.techbargains.com/ has 'saved' me money on some things I might not otherwise have bought. Where have you been best led? "

Well, embarked on a make myself feel better prgram...exercise vids, juicer, low/ no alcohol...feel a bit less tired but not amazingly. Maybe should use this to keep food & symptoms diary??