"I have been an avid reader of your newsletters for years. I have to tell you this newsletter www.fms-help.com/011810.htm has to be one of your best!!"

"The biggest messages I get from your newsletters are: 1) loving God and putting my faith there, 2) recognizing and trying to combat my perfectionism, 3) Being easy and understanding on myself for having this disease, and 4) Finding what works for me in terms of working with MD, herbs, vitamins, etc. One day at a time."

"Blessings to you and your family and thank you for all the work you do educating us fibromites and CFIDS sufferers."

"I’ve had fibro since 2000 and now it looks like I may be becoming diabetic. (My dad is a Type 1 diabetic and it runs in the family on his side.) I googled “fibromyalgia and diabetes” and found this site: http://www.fibromyalgiapedia.com/fibromyalgia-and-diabetes/ - Snippet: "Fibromyalgia and diabetes occur together nearly four times more often than would be expected. Research has found that tight control of blood sugars in diabetics greatly reduces the risk of developing fibromyalgia."] Along with the possibility of dealing with diabetes on top of the fibro, my numbers for cardiovascular disease look terrible. I’m having a hard time finding anything to bring my LDLs into line. The statins I’ve tried cause – yep – muscle pain and I can’t stick with them. I would be very grateful if you could ask your readers a) how they manage their LDLs without muscle pain/statins and b) if they also have diabetes."

"re: www.fms-help.com/011213.htm, Topic 38: Yes I heard about Ambien. They showed a lady on TV too dopey to drive safely in the morning. I did not like the commercial. I take Ambien and it does not make me sleepy in morning. IF I don’t take it (addiction) I have BAD dreams... Mine is 10 mg. but I usually break it in half at nights... What they don’t realize is that with ALL meds is EVERYONE reacts differently...Plus drug companies need to keep making their big bucks. with new meds and more new meds."

FROM DOM: I've been using Ambien (zolpidem) for 20 years with no problem. I can't, however, used Ambien CR (controlled release) because it stays in my system too long.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." - Titus 2:11-13 (KJV)

"I worked in Division of Immunizations in the Department of Health. And yes, I do believe in children being immunized! I thank God for immunizations. Look at what kids died from 50-100 yrs. ago. I also got a shingles shot (I NEVER could handle that pain) and pneumonia...and flu!!! for sure!! Now if I were a parent and convinced an immunization shot caused harm to my child?? I believe human children are as different as human adults. Perhaps for a very small minority it may disagree with them; just as some people are allergic to many things, while others it does not bother at all."

FROM DOM: I've been advised by my doctor to NOT have a shingles shot due to CFIDS. I have had shingles twice (dreadful experience, especially the first time about 4 years ago). I also don't take flu shots, because my immune system is weird. I haven't had the flu for decades. Have had other illnesses though, mostly respiratory or virus-related. I take a lot of supplements and use essential oils...maybe this is what spares me some of the miseries of life. (A list of everything I have found helpful is at www.fms-help.com/what.htm.)

"Re: www.fms-help.com/011213.htm, Topic 31: I was the same, my mother 29 was very ill during her pregnancy with me. Initially she didn't know that she was pregnant, had her tubes tied, then untied, Dr. told her I was a cyst, she insisted that she was pregnant. They knew she had some type of an infection, she was so ill they they did a spinal tap believing it to be Menengitis, but it came back negative. She had an emergency cesarean and I was not breathing for quite some time. Months later I was hospitalized for weeks while on oxygen. Repeated inner ear and upper respiratory infections followed. Lost my hearing and balance in one ear, have weak immune system, and following a horrible pregnancy myself, now have Fibro."

FROM DOM: Wow. I wonder how many of us have these kinds of stories of our gestation and infancy. As a child I had repeated respiratory infections, ear infections, low immune function, missed a lot of school, asthma, sore throats, etc. After I got married, I was unable to get pregnant due to endometriosis, for which I finally had a complete hysterectomy at age 34. I can only imagine that pregnancy might not have gone well for me either. Thanks so much for sharing. Any comments, write dombush@bellsouth.net. One more thought: The topic of healthy mother/healthy baby is very interesting. However, I know lots of children born with birth defects or genetic defects to young healthy moms. So who knows?!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22594347 - Snippet: "Scand J Gastroenterol. 2012 Sep;8-9(47):914-9. doi: .3109/00365521.2012.690045. Epub 2012 May 18. Functional bowel symptoms, fibromyalgia and fatigue: a food-induced triad? Berstad A, Undseth R, Lind R, Valeur J. Source: Department of Medicine, Unger-Vetlesen's Institute, Lovisenberg Diakonale Hospital, Oslo, 0440, Norway. Arnold.Berstad@med.uib.no
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Patients with perceived food hypersensitivity typically present with multiple health complaints. We aimed to assess the severity of their intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 84 patients referred to our outpatient clinic for investigation of perceived food hypersensitivity were enrolled consecutively. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria. Severity and impact of bowel symptoms, fatigue and musculoskeletal pain were evaluated by using the following questionnaires: The IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS), the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS), the FibroFatigue Scale (FFS), and visual analogue scales (VAS) for scoring of musculoskeletal pain.
RESULTS: All but one patient were diagnosed with IBS, 58% with severe symptoms. Extra-intestinal symptoms suggestive of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia were demonstrated in 85% and 71%, respectively. Neither IgE-mediated food allergy nor organic pathology could explain the patients' symptoms. Nevertheless, malabsorption of fat was demonstrated in 10 of 38 subjects.
CONCLUSIONS: Perceived food hypersensitivity may be associated with severe, debilitating illness. The comorbid triad of IBS, chronic fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain is striking and may point to a common underlying cause."

"My allergic (anaphylaxis) reactions to mold have lessened from involving the cardiac, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems to only symptoms of the skin. This is an improvement I’m told, and one that I gained in a manner of months. I’m taking a professional grade probiotic through my dietitian. I’m also pursuing self-acupressure: http://www.all-about-acupuncture.com/acupuncture-intro-introduction.html I was reading about alternative care for allergies and probiotics and acupuncture came up a lot (no needles, please). I’ve also read that one can gain almost as good of benefits from self-acupressure as having acupuncture treatments and that it is easy to do. This site is free, unless you want to print the info. I’d be interested in knowing if anyone else has tried self-acupressure or any other alternative treatments for allergies, in particular, mold. It seems to be ‘The Beast’ among your readers. Thank you."

"Your birth story www.fms-help.com/011213.htm sounds a lot like mine. I was almost 12 lbs and born at home and my aunt told me who was there at the time that the doctor and nurse who delivered me said they were taking me to Childrens Hospital so my mother wouldn’t see me die. My aunt said my face was grotesque from all the force they had to use with the forceps to deliver me. A long and torturous birth she said. They had baptized me 3 times. Once at home by the nurse and doctor, and once when my father came into the hospital that night and again when they finally took me home which I think was 3 weeks later and was done in Church. My name was supposed to be Patricia but the priest advised my mother whereas she had prayed to the Blessed Mother so much that Mary would be a more appropriate name.. This was l931 so they had no way of knowing what was wrong with me. My father gave me a transfusion as I could not hold anything in my stomach. Then they were thinking it was maybe an upside down stomach and wanted to surgery but my father wouldn’t sign the papers and I guess mother’s milk which was brought in every day finally worked. They wanted my family to bring me back every 7 years or so as I was a case history that they had a lot of interest in. So with all the stuff going on I’m sure I got a very weakened immune system to start with like yourself. The body certainly remembers even though we can’t and it stays with us I am sure. I had never heard your birth story before and found it so interesting."

"I have had fibromyalgia, chemical sensitivities, etc for. Past 20 years. I recently started with a new primary physician. I told her I had great difficulty taking many medications due to side effects. She ordered a blood test for the MTHFR gene. The test came back positive for two gene mutations. The mutations apparently involve an inability to metabolize folic acid and B12. As I researched what these mutations involved, I found it was possibly related to many of my chronic health problems, including fibromyalgia and chemical sensitivities. Some combination of these mutations show up in about 40% of the population. This information may help many of your readers to address some of their own health issues. Here is a link to one article about the mutations: http://www.mthfrsupport.com."

"I would love to see Dr. Byron Hyde and really find out what is going on, but totally unable to pay these costs. I hope I don't just one day die from 'unknown causes,' because I didn't have the money or support to
get the care that I needed. I think Dr. Hyde is fabulous and knowledgeable and cares to get to the bottom of the issue rather then shying away and thinking we are crazy. However the cost is just not feasible with my financial status. I need to pray; God has to help steer me in the right direction, so I can have my life back. Maybe a miracle will happen."

FROM DOM: Nick Vujicic's story on the Oprah show--born in Australia without arms or legs, Nick endured torment from other children and tried to drown himself at age 10. By God's grace, loving parents, and his acceptance of the Lord Jesus as his Savior, Nick is now a powerful motivational speaker and writer known throughout the world. He is married to a beautiful, loving wife and they are expecting a baby boy. (And yes, the ultrasound show arms and legs!) As Nick says, "God dealt the chips." It's what we make of them.

"I am enjoying Joni’s devotionals every day. Today hit home about when we are tested and really down to the wire. Talk is cheap."

FROM DOM: I highly recommend Joni Eareckson Tada's daily devotionals. The sign up is located at http://www.joniandfriends.org/daily-devotional/. Joni became a quadriplegic after a diving accident when she was just 17. Joni became suicidal as her young, athletic life was drastically destroyed. However, as the years went by, God gave Joni a lot to do! She sings, speaks, writes, draws and has an organization called Joni and Friends that helps disabled people around the world. (BTW, one of Donnie's relatives met Joni at a Christian book convention and says she is even more beautiful in person than on TV. Joni has such a beautiful spirit and her insights are so profound.)

"I had the misfortune of strong itchy reaction to the flu vaccine last 2 years, so now I fear going."

FROM DOM: If you have FMS/CFIDS and would like to comment on your experience with flu shots, please write dombush@bellsouth.net. This topic has been mentioned in many past newsletters. Use search box below.

"Your husband is right. You don’t know when to let up on yourself and rest up."

FROM DOM: Guilty as charged. I'm a Type A workaholic. My new year's resolution is to de-stress myself and let God be God.

"I was wondering if anyone on your list could relate to this. My husband's computer does this weird thing where the sound surges and gets stuck for two split seconds. The sound seems to go through my entire body, and it happens, especially with migraines. I've heard of sound doing weird things to people who have migraines, but I don't know about this."

"My journey started 2 years ago now with the advent of health insurance and it continues to be a challenge. I thought I might share with others, in case they have this, yet another, disturbing chronic illness; Heart Disease (please see the bottom of email for details). Early in 2012 I went to an internist to have someone that would give a "second look" on all the different doctors I have been to in the last 2 years now, I started with a Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist who diagnosed my fibro, a Spine/Pain Specialist, a Cardiologist, Neurologist, Gynecologist, Neurosurgeon, Orthosurgeon, Aquatherapist, Sleep Study Technician, Enterologist, Gastroenterologist, Internist and a Fibro/CFS M.D. specialist. I may have even left one or two out!! However, I have had every major symptom of Fibro there is to have and that is the reason for going to these specialists. I was in full blown fibromyalgia syndrome after having worked through the 2008-9 downturn as a financial consultant.

The last session with the physical medicine/rehab doctor I went to at the end of 2011, he wrote down the term, "CFIDS" to which he gave me no explanation. At this point he released me to the care of my pain specialist as they basically did the same thing. I was going to a spine/pain specialist for trigger point injections and dry needling to relieve the "knotting" of muscle fibers known as myofascial pain syndrome. Along the way, we found other problems with my spine which I will not go into.
However, the combination of a change in diet eliminating dairy & wheat primarily (a nutritionists book who had fibro as a guide) gabapentin, cymbalta, flexeril and tramadol----only when necessary now, aquatherapy, and dry needling (no need for steroids as the doc says it has the same effect), has proven to be successful for my Fibro pain management ......YAY!!!!

Fast forward to a car accident and very serious fall from a flight of stairs and numerous virus'....Epp Barr, Parvo 6, HHV6, and most acutely Cytomegalovirus, which was caught on I believe a sailing trip, I had another uphill battle. I believe knowledge is power, and thank the Lord he guided me to the right doctor's to know what I was dealing with in black and white blood tests. I read everything you sent, 3 other books and numerous studies on the internet. That is how I knew what to test for and went to a functional medicine doctor trained in treating fibro and cfs. She put me on the Myer's Cocktails specifically aimed at boosting my vitamin/mineral deficiencies and supplements to combat my low serotonin, adrenal/pituitary exhaustion, and thyroid problems.....to name the major few!! I also diligently took your i26 immune supplement during my 6 month battle with the Cytomegalorvirus (and still) and I can tell you it made a HUGE difference. YIKES!!!! Can you say I'm exhausted already?!!!

Just recently I had major blood tests drawn. I am happy to say the virus' remain dormant without my having to take the antiviral available only in Canada. Also, all my CBC levels are now in check except for that pesky thryoid----it's still a puzzle as to why my free T3 and T4 test are out of line when TSH is in line. I'm sure my fibro doc could address this, but unforunately, she is no longer accepting any insurance! So, I rely on my internist, who is board certified, to try and figure it out.

This leads me to my recent battle. After months of chronic migraines from my concussions and the thought I might have M.S. due to tingling in the feet and arms/hands, and aphasia (I would make up words, could not form complete sentences, stop mid sentence and forget, and had a terrible time with short term memory), we did a brain scan. My parents then decided to drive out and stay a month to help me get through it. Thank God, I do not show any lesions and the mri showed no abnormalities. The neurosurgeon did tell me I could have symptoms 3 years before it showed on a brain scan, but I believe my symptoms are injury related and from the devil itself----fibromyalgia. There are many symptoms that cross over into M.S. and I think your readers should know this before a pain psychologist or some other doctor frightens the heck out of you, such as in my case, and needlessly runs more tests. (Although in my case, due to the 3 months of migraines, it needed to be done).

After taking on that battle and successfully getting rid of the migraines, I was ready to deal with one major factor that also kept sending me to the ER. My chest pains. Due to the cyto virus, it was suspected that I had inflammation around my heart because the virus dug in and persisted after a sinus surgery making me even more vulnerable. BTW, NO SURGERY, or any type of procedure is minimal when it comes to us fibromites!!!! Doctors do not recognize the risk factors that we have and it us up to us to be our own voice of reason and use these as an ultimate last resort. Every antiobiotic, medicine, procedure, out patient/in patient surgery, is VERY HARD on our bodies. I broke out in hives after my sinus surgery and would have waited to get stronger if I had it to do over again. I think I was so used to being SICK ALL THE TIME, that I didn't know I had a virus or infection or that my body was screaming for rest, and most especially, a balanced immune system.

My internist sent me back to my original Cardiologist who did my Ultrasound, Echocardiogram Stress (which I failed terrbily) and finally IV Catherization or Angiogram. A couple days before Christmas, with my father in towe (he's had triple bypass surgery), I summoned the courage to go back to her and face the ugly truth that I have and have had all my life, Small Vessel Disease. This has been disheartening as I have fought so hard to get my fibro into remission, but to awake and fight another day. I was suffering from the sweats all the time, a very rapid resting heart rate...97 on average over a 24 hour period, dizzy/lightheadedness, nausea, weakness, and ongoing chest pains. Again, I believe the Good Lord put an extremely knowledgeable doctor in my path to save me from heart failure or a heart attack. I could have been one really fattening fast food encounter away from a heart attack, literally.

After going on a new medicinal regimen, my energy went up 50 percent!! Hallelujah! It has since leveled off, most especially due to cold and flu season (I got the shot...don't you know it!). Before the shot, I had a 5 day virus that leveled me overnight. When asking my internist, what caused this? I take immune, protein, and vitamin supplements, I follow my doctor's medicinal regimens, what gives? Her response to me was, "Who knows, anything can upset the balance when you have fibromyalgia (most especially stress)...it's just a virus that you caught."

So, my new reality is I have 3 chronic illnesses that I will need to deal with the rest of my life: 1. Fibro 2. CFIDS 3. Small Vessel Disease of the Heart or Microvasular Disease. Come to find out, my birth mother had all 3!! Both my fibro doc and internist agreed that the mitochondrial aspect of fibro could be respionsible for this inherited disposition.....WOW. Also, I read that CFIDS can be as much as 80 percent inherited in one study. Don't know if that's true, BUT, when talking at length to my new birth siblings, she had all the markers of having it....to the tee. They would say, you are exactly like our mom (I was the first born). This was both reassuring and frightening knowing that she died of congestive heart failure at age 64 before I could meet her.

However, for the good of your readers, I would go to a Cardiologist if you are age 40+ (or younger if have fibro/and or cfids) and get an EKG to at least get a baseline, so you know in the future if Fibro or CFIDS is affecting your heart. I was lucky enough to come across a pamphlet in my Fibro Doc's office from the Cleveland Clinic stating that many people with inflammation from the effects of Fibro (in my case, fibro and myositis diagnosed), can cause a serious heart condition called Ischemic Heart Disease. Please tell your readers about this. It saved my life."

FROM DOM: Thanks to readers who requested my Christmas CD www.fms-help.com/CD.htm. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

"Fibromyalgia in Danger of Being Labeled a Mental Disorder"
By Karen Lee Richards, Health Guide Wednesday, January 09, 2013

People who have fibromyalgia, ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), chronic pain and any number of other chronic illnesses are in serious danger of being labeled as having a mental disorder.

The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly known as the DSM-5, is about to go to the printers and is scheduled to be released in May 2013. The DSM is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and contains the diagnostic codes used by doctors for mental disorders.

The problem with the DSM-5 is they have added a new diagnostic category called “Somatic Symptom Disorder.” According to the diagnostic criteria, a person can be diagnosed with Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) if for at least six months, they have had one or more symptoms that are distressing and/or disruptive to their daily life, and they have one of the following reactions:

Are you as shocked as I am? Almost everyone who has fibromyalgia or other chronic pain issues has had at least one of these reactions – especially during the time before they get an accurate diagnosis. Personally, I think it would be abnormal not to have serious concerns about your health when you're experiencing symptoms severe enough to disrupt your daily life and you don't know what is causing them.

According to these criteria, someone diagnosed with cancer could be labeled as having SSD because they have a high level of anxiety about their health. Or someone with diabetes could be diagnosed with SSD because they devote excessive time and energy to their symptoms. Ridiculous!

Basically what this would mean is that if any one doctor at any point in time feels like you're a little too concerned about your symptoms or your health, he can diagnose you with SSD and you will forever after be labeled as having a mental disorder. And once you have that label, how seriously do you think future doctors are going to take your symptoms? How much time do you think doctors will spend trying to identify the physical cause of your pain if they think you have a mental disorder that makes you overly concerned about your health?
I think this new diagnostic category has the potential to be extremely detrimental – not only to fibromyalgia, ME/CFS and chronic pain patients – but to all patients who develop any kind of chronic illness.

What You Can Do
Since the DSM-5 is so close to being released, the options we have to try to stop the inclusion of SSD are very limited. Our best hope is through Allen Frances, MD, who was the chair of the DSM-4 Task Force. He has written an excellent article in Psychology Today on the dangers of adding SSD to the DSM-5: Mislabeling Medical Illness As Mental Disorder. I encourage you to click on the link to his article and make a brief comment supporting his stand. The more page views and comments he has, the better his chance of persuading the editors of the DSM-5 to make a last-minute change.

Author and ME/CFS patient Toni Bernhard, J.D. has also written a very good article for Psychology Today on this subject: Physical Illnesses May Soon Be Labeled “Mental Disorders.”

FROM DOM: So beautiful! But warning: it's a tear-jerker - especially as I think of friends and special pets I have lost.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/01/18/intermittent-fasting-approach.aspx - Snippet: "Two new health books reveal how intermittent fasting can help you normalize your weight, prevent many chronic diseases, and increase longevity. The ‘8-hour diet’ is a type of scheduled eating plan where you simply restrict your normal daily eating to an eight hour window of time, without cutting calories. Research has shown that this simple lifestyle tweak can significantly modify body composition, including reduce fat mass. High intensity interval training has been shown to be highly synergistic with intermittent fasting, and both techniques provide many of the same health benefits. Research has shown that intermittent fasting quickly improves insulin’s ability to manage blood sugar, and that fluctuations in food consumption appear to be REQUIRED for optimal metabolic function.

"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it."
1 Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)

Have you ever looked at someone going through a tough time and thought, Boy, I'm glad that's not me. I could never handle that situation. Sure you have. I have, too. And I'll tell you someone else who thinks that: my friend Charlene. She was recently in the hospital, having temporarily lost control of her muscles. She had to be fed and had to wear an
indwelling catheter. That meant no trips to the bathroom (she carried her bathroom with her) and lots of discomfort.

Charlene later told me, "Joni, I don't know how you do it. I'm glad you're the quadriplegic rather than me. I love my independence."

I couldn't believe my ears. Charlene is blind and deaf. She was saying, "Hey, I can do the deaf-blind thing. But that's it; no quadriplegic stuff for me."

Which just goes to show that God will never push you passed your limit. He hand-tailors your trials. Don't think you can do the deaf-blind thing? The quadriplegic thing? Well, if you're neither deaf, blind or paralyzed, chances are, you are right. And if, by some quirk, you lose your hearing or the ability to walk, God will then give you immediate grace to match your need. As Romans 11:33 says, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" God knows - and He is the only one who knows - what you can bear.
______________________

No, God hasn't called you to be a quadriplegic, and you probably will never be blind and deaf. But He has called you to bear up under the burden He has placed on your shoulders. He thinks you can do it. Fact is, you can. And if you think you can't, take heart: that's when His grace shows up best.

Father God, enable me to bear up under my burden by Your grace. Help me to remember You have handpicked my circumstances to accomplish Your purposes for my life. May I humbly submit to Your choice for me.

"You will never believe this! Can't imagine how they could possibly keep up with the action to film this. THERE IS NOT A WORD SPOKEN, BUT I GUARANTEE IT WILL HOLD YOUR ATTENTION. A brilliant cinematographic production (a cliff-hanger...but a happy ending): http://www.flixxy.com/game-of-survival.htm."

II Corinthians 1: 4 - "Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Visit Dominie's FMS/CFIDS Homepage at www.fms-help.com for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers and their families.