What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know about Fibromyalgia: Why Doctors Cant or Wont Treat Chronic Pain

Questions for Your Doctor: Fibromyalgia

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Virtually every one of my patients with fibromyalgia has had Candida overgrowth. Magnesium, vitamin D and B12 deficiency are the most common vitamin deficiencies I see in those who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I've had several patients completely reverse their fibromyalgia symptoms with magnesium alone. The best way to measure magnesium is a red blood cell RBC magnesium level, which can be tested through any conventional lab. There are more bacteria in us and on us then there are of our own cells. When these bacteria get out of balance through use of antibiotics or a sugar-rich diet, we can lose our ability to digest and absorb nutrients, particularly B You must " fix the gut " first in anyone with fibromyalgia.

Mycotoxins are very toxic substances produced by molds. Conventional environmental mold testing only tests for levels of mold spores and does not test for mycotoxins. I use a urine mycotoxin test in my clinic to determine if someone has been exposed to toxic molds. I recommend that all my patients find a biological dentist and have their mercury amalgam fillings removed. Mercury is toxic to our bodies and can be one piece of the puzzle for those with fibromyalgia.

I then recommend heavy metal testing using a pre- and post-DMPS urine challenge test. Adrenal fatigue is a result of the chronic stress. Chronic pain is a stress to the adrenal glands, though it's typically not the initial adrenal stressor.

The initial stressor is usually something such as food intolerances, Candida, mercury toxicity, vitamin deficiencies or mycotoxins. My goal is to support the adrenals with adaptogenic herbs while we search for the root cause of the stress and correct it. This is a genetic test you can get though any conventional lab. The more mutations you have to the MTHFR gene the less able you are to methylate and detoxify toxins, such as mercury and lead. The more mutations you have at this gene the higher your requirements for methyl-B6, methyl-B12 and folinic acid in order to keep your detoxification pathways working properly.

Glutathione gets recycled in our body — unless our toxic burden gets too high, or we lack GSTM1 and GSTP1, the enzymes needed to recycle and produce glutathione. Taking glutathione or the precursors NAC, alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle often help dramatically with fatigue. As you can see from the above list, many of these causes are interrelated, and often there's no single root cause of fibromyalgia. Because getting to the root can be complex, I recommend that you find a functional medicine physician in your area to help uncover the root cause for you.

You don't need to suffer needlessly or mask your symptoms with pain medications and antidepressants. There are doctors likes myself who can help you! Integrative Health integrative health. Group 8 Created with Sketch. By Amy Myers, M. It is astounding to me at the lack of compassion and understanding that the medical community has towards people with chronic pain. I have come to believe that everyone compares their own pain to what other people say and are unable to imagine that there is more severe pain than what they themselves experience.

I would think someone that was intelligent enough to make it through medical school, should also be intelligent enough to imagine that a patient coming in and telling you their experience is true. And that it just might be worse than what the doctor themselves experienced. And yet doctors are encouraged now to only believe established text book diagnosises.

Complex Diagnosis

As if everything about the medical body has already been discovered. So now just the plain act of stating that I am in pain, and that I need help with it, makes the doctors compartmentalize me, putting me into an unfavorable category, as though I do not deserve medical treatment since MY ailment happens to be pain. And yet I have never used my medication to get high, I have never sold it, I have never taken more than the amount prescribed, I am None of the things I hear on the news. Yet I am labeled a possible criminal because I ended up with a disease I neither asked for nor wanted. Because being in chronic pain makes you so desperate to not be in chronic pain, many of us have tried many many many things.

And the only thing that helps pain is to either cure the cause or to give you medicine that numbs it. So not all pain can be cured. Sometimes the only option is to numb it. And sometimes the treatment for the cause isnt an already known treatment. Chronic, severe, intractable pain is a real medical problem. It is crucial that doctors be trained in it, but instead they are being trained in things like the pain is all in the mind, that you can overcome it with things like positive thinking.

True pain cannot be overcome by positive thinking. Positive thinking can keep you from killing yourself over it, but it certainly cannot make the pain LESS. If that were so then we would be able to cure ourselves of cancer, broken legs, diabetes and heart disease soley with positive thinking, without any sort of medical intervention. Thank you for your article. Thank you for having the courage to say publically your on chronic pain treatment via opiods.

There is a huge hole in the medical community lacking information and compassion around how to treat people in chronic pain. Thank you for your willingness to share your very needed to hear story. Wake up Medical field.!!!! Your story just described my life and thousands of other chronic pain patients as well. My journey has been with Arachnoiditis. We DO suffer and all we need is someone to tell us why. It all should start in medical school but as you say, they receive less training than a vegetarian which is disgraceful.

Thank you for writing your story and sharing with others. Chronic pain patients need to be heard and believed. This is a connective tissue disorder that can affect multiple systems including the intestines, any joints, skin. I would suggest googling the condition. Unfortunately for you, you also have endometriosis, which possibly could be part of it.

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My daughter has hypermobile Ehlers Danslos syndrome. She has dysautonomia, joint laxity, scoliosis, fatigue, gut issues, stretchy skin, migraines, and looks perfectly normal and healthy. My mom at 93 is bent over and twisted. Also, mast cell activation disorder is common in people with EDS. You can look that one up, too. Most days are difficult.

Thankfully I have an amazing doc that has committed to helping me but I also know that he is only able to do so much. Standards need to change and more research needs to be done on rare diseases like Arachnoiditis so maybe those of us who suffer can get more relief and maybe one day a cure. In I began with aches and pains ,. Yes the work itself was stressful but I had been doing it for 25 years. I found a Doctor,Jane Gilbert,in Bethesda who welcomed me to the fibromyalgia society!

She was a consultant to the Army and said the Fibro looked to be similar to soldiers coming back from the Gulf War. We tried a number of options and then she moved to CA. When the Tramadol stopped working I went on Lyrica for a week and had disastrous side effects pushing me back into severe episode of fibro. I had the same reaction. I then turned to my friend Tylenol.

I recently switched from Pradaxa to Eliquis because of the expense of Pradaxa. After three weeks on the Eliquis I am now back in a constant state of pain and fatigue. It might sound like I sit around and feel sorry for myself. I am 77 and lead a relatively busy life-travel,bridge, tutoring and Board memberships. I would suggest to physicians and friends of fibro patients they show as much support and love as possible given that a major symptom of fibro especially undiagnosed fibro, is whining. The best thing besides an empathetic Dr.

I have been blessed to receive physical therapy from two highly trained women at the Elements Center in DC. They can feel the tightness in the muscle covers which cause the pain. I have sensitive trigger points galore and gentle stretching and strengthening usually bring relief. Therefore, I strongly recommend to Laura Kiesel the following: My husband is a cardiologist and, as a physician, he became my informed advocate — one who refused to accept the absurd comments from several physicians who dismissed my pain when they failed to identify its cause.

It is imperative that your family member or primary physician support YOU even if they are told by non-pain-certified physicians that you look well and have had normal exams and test results in their specialty. They must believe that your chronic pain is REAL, not a result of some neurotic condition.

After we eliminated the various conditions that could be causing my pain and the doctors who dismissed it with the same absurd comments that Laura Kiesel has been subjected to, my husband found one of the few academic physicians who were actually specialists in pain — and there were very few in — when I had my second chronic episode. At that time, my pain was indeed episodic.

It would occur every few years and last for 6 months to 1. In , it became chronic. My pain is neuropathic and thank goodness I currently respond to Neurontin, which is an epilepsy drug that was discovered to work for pain as well. It has provided relief for thousands of people who, like me, suffer from chronic neuropathic pain.

As I said, Ms Kiesel should definitely contact an academic hospital system with a full pain and palliative care department. Pain and Palliative Care Dept. After 16 years as founding chairman of one of the first departments of its kind in the nation, Dr. Portenoy left the department and is now director of the new hospice institute at Metropolitan Jewish Health System in NY.

He no longer sees patients; however, the pain department he founded is excellent; 2 New Jersey: Capital Institute for Neurosciences and Pain Management: Jorge Alvarez and was very satisfied; and 3 Philadelphia: Cruciani became co-chairman with Dr. Portenoy at the Beth Israel Dept. I hope the above information will be useful to at least some individuals who suffer from chronic pain.

For those who do not live in or near the above centers, Google pain departments in or near your geographic area and make certain that any physician you see is preferably certified in Neurology and has completed a fellowship in the treatment of pain. I have had sciatic nerve pain for 25 years now and only medication helps take the edge off the pain so I can tolerate it.

To top it off the vertebra above my two herniated discs had a compression fracture and collapsed on itself. I need one and will get it from other sources. The sciatic nerve pain I endure on a daily basis is excruciating and that and my back problems caused me to have to take a disability retirement from work. I had a neurologist say I had minor nerve damage, but the pain I experience says otherwise, so I see an orthopedic surgeon.

I think there needs to be a new pain scale for sciatic nerve pain. It should go instead of because that scale comes woefully short of describing the nerve pain. It really sucks because people look at you and think you are fine, but if they had what I have, they would probably end it all. My Mom got sciatic nerve pain and is in misery.

It rules her life like it rules mine. Well I do and I hope that everyone gets relief from their chronic pain. This is part of the healing process. I have found cannabis oil helpful in pain reduction, especially neck pain. I know this is simply an anecdotal comment, but it works for me. Admittedly, I never tried WD or motor oil under the tongue; maybe those would work too, but I doubt it. CBD is now legal in all 50 states and I get it off of the internet.

I had a urine test for THC which came back negative for those of you afraid of a bad UA in a work environment. I am a very skeptical type and really not prone to much natural cure methodologies. A good friend with severe neck pain recommended 1: It also comes in a CBD formulation, and some folks apply both simultaneously. Unfortunately, it is not long lasting. It is shameful that in this day and age medical professionals are still focusing on body parts, rather than the whole person.

A holistic, vs a reductive, approach is needed. I teach yoga and have worked with many individuals with chronic illness, including fibromyalgia and MS. I am amazed at all this backbiting. Sorry, yes some people can find some kind of relief from chronic pain by going the natural route. But not all of us.

I also am a nurse with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia treatment to curb the invisible misery - CNN

I do some natural things, that work for me and also take medication. I exercise daily and walk as often as I can or ride my recumbent bike. No he does not work, but he does what he can everyday. Unfortunately folks, that is the key to overcoming chronic nerve pain. I too would like to see more research on chronic pain, especially to get away from the opoids, which just mask the pain.

I suffered for years from chronic back, neck, and intense shoulder pain. I got some relief from anti-inflammatories but they began to take a toll on my digestive system. MRI revealed spinal stenosis. Literature search on anti-inflammatory diets relieved a number of studies on fish oils and their effectiveness here is one example https: Other problems and family history lend to me a gluten free diet, which eventually helped with other issues.

While the science on gluten is limited you have to respect the movement by top athletes into the gluten free world. For me its long years and damage to the nerve conduit running through the tricept muscle right arm from known trauma on two occasions in the past.

Excellent doctors and diagnostic tests but no definite conclusion on what exactly is damaged or ways to rectify or repair the damage, went through excruciating burning pain 13 on a one to ten scale. The patient is not oblivious or uneducated and understands anatomy and the operation of the parts of the human body. My heart goes out to those who also suffer pain and reach dead ends, months of waiting and no results, also the concept what the patient tells you is not particularly important.

I live with my life and pain and have used tens, ice packs, mild codeine pain killers some people have a respect for medications that might give temporary relief acupuncture. Some of my ancestors where early very well known doctors and I grew up looking through medical books. One of my favorite places is the medical library in the hospital I was born in many years ago. We should not be critical of doctors as it is not there fault, rather its because the medical field just did not exist one minute, it grew over time and certain areas are still not well understood, perhaps to say we are only scratching the surface of medicine and the human body would be equally true now as two hundred years ago and two hundred years in the future.

One wish might be to take all the various terms for ailments we cannot diagnose concerning pain and explain they just mean that, like super natural just indicates beyond what we understand presently. I have watched my daughter for the past four years deal with Chronic Migraines. Right now her only saving grace is a Pain Management Doctor who tries every visit to help her find solutions to this goal. He is a blessing in her life and gives her hope, if nothing else, that there is one doctor who cares. Truly cares and believes her that she suffers this pain.

That if she has to go anywhere, her ice pack goes with her and sunglasses no matter what time of day. I think this is one thing the doctors need to learn that in the busyness of their days, they have to have their patients have hope.

Fibromyalgia: A Puzzling and Painful Condition

I had chronic pain for 30 years following a whiplash injury. Went to dozens of doctors and chiropractors to no avail. It sounds like you just needed some internal simple changes, at least for now, to improve your life and I hope you are grateful. I have spent the last 20 years trying to find out why I am in so much pain in so many places so much of the time.

I have tried everything from diet, acupuncture, various exercises, chiropractic, all kinds of doctors and tests and medications and nothing changed but I got worse.

I have scoliosis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, RLS, Fibromyalgia, a hiatel hernia and carpal tunnel. I did have a long term career I loved , a brand new home, lots of friends , a very active social life , a great body , do I need to go on? It was all gone just like that and I was so healthy before. So who really knows the answer or has the right to say who is in pain and who is not trying to help themselves!

Spend some time researching this online. It is a connective tissue disorder. I am 76 going on 77 -1st July.. I did leg press machines kgms x 30 times x 13 sets!!! JOKHAN, I am very impressed with your vitality and would like to ask — what is the dosage of your tumeric ginger and cinnamon used in your drinks? Do you buy on-line for special and pure forms? How much do you spend on them monthly? My pain cannot even be voiced in just a page like these others. I am going on 47 this year and as everyone thinks I looks so good for my age — this article mean a lot to me!

You need a doctor who has suffered the same to be able to appreciate the conditions suffered, and to want to probe further…. Fibromyalgia is one of the few diseases for which there are no medical tests to aid with the diagnosis. Unfortunately, most of the sociopaths in our society have discovered this fact. And some pretty groovy opiates too. This causes doctors to try to avoid rendering this diagnosis for anyone.

Unfortunately, people with real chronic pain are treated like the others. The answer is to arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can about chronic pain syndrome before you see the doctor. Know what treatment options are available. Insist on a specific course of treatment, based on your research. I imagine half or more of the people replying here have EDS and have not been diagnosed because of the Zebra effect- i. When you hear hoof beats you think horses not zebras. However diet can help somewhat to help repair collagen and to control gastroparesis and to deal with MCAD.

How could anyone be well while abdominal organs are deprived of blood and oxygen? Anyone would get sick if their digestive system is chronically compromised. Doctors are not informed.

How can we justify spending tens of thousands of dollars on the wrong scans and tests and brushing patients off, leading one to the corners of the web to research on their own? And once a patient starts becoming knowledgeable of medical conditions and terminology, they likely get treated as though the condition is a result of a mental disorder. Perhaps an issue undiagnosed for years compromised digestion leads to depression symptoms as well.

Many of these treatments ie antidepressants can lead to more and more problems, which cascade into new diagnoses and treatments. Anyone can figure out treatments for symptoms with the information available online. Solving the problem diagnosing is the difficult part and is what is not being done. From a rational perspective, especially considering all the money that is wasted and lives ruined, this is crazy.

Sometimes it takes actually listening to the patient instead of mindlessly assigning meaningless diagnoses according to probability. So easy to not have to solve the problem and just label someone with a mental disorder instead! Doctors have no business blaming patients or allowing people to needlessly suffer because they are poorly trained and uniformed. This starts and often ends with primary care. And please-let them be doctors, not administrative workers doing clerical tasks. Liz P, Thanks for your post. I had chronic pain for years with confirmed dx of GERD, osteoporosis, shoulder pain from an old injury, inability to wear anything tight, stomach bloating and back pain.

I made several changes in my diet choice of foods, timing of intake, limited portions portions over the years. Constant body movement with activities like house cleaning, cooking, etc has helped me tremendously. Where i used to sit a lot with minimal movement, i now take care of everything around the house. No more back support, pain meds, etc. I wear very loose clothing, no hra even. It worked for me. No gurantee that it would work for others, but some improvement is guranteed. It also helped me to get out of the cycle of pain meds and doctor visits.

Liz P, Thanks for the suggestions you have made.

The diet and constant movement of the body to do anything, from sweeping to toilet cleaning after i fired my maid, resulted in tremendous improvement in my chronic pain. Timing of my food intake, my choice of food items, and portions of food that I consume seem to have helped too.

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