Website created!...

CFS/FIBROMYALGIA MAIN-PAGE

PAGE INTRO: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia affect millions of Americans and many more world wide. The Debilitating fatigue and joint/muscle pain, can seriously reduce the quality-of-life for those who experience these syndromes. Aspects of these illnesses can include viral components, hormonal and nutritional deficiencies and adrenal fatigue (low cortisol levels). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are real illnesses recognized by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. While they are separately recognized illnesses, they have 75% crossover similarities. 
-Jim Lowrance-
_________________________________________________________________________________

Q. I. male - TX     Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

As a college student in the 1990s, I woke up one morning and literally, that day found I was totally exhausted and drained of energy. I just barely functioned enough to complete my required studies and tests. I felt so drained after cramming for tests or taking them that it took me two days to rest up from them. I went to the campus clinic and was told I had depression but I knew better. My mom set an appointment for me with her doctor and he performed tests on me for 6 months and I mean for everything under the sun that might be wrong with me. The test findings that stuck out were my virus counts which were through the roof. I had an Epstein-Barr virus number in the 100s and an HV6 virus count also in the 100s. The doctor said this showed that my immune system was not functioning normally and he started me on immune boosting drugs and vitamins. I improved about 40% after a little over four months and have since improved about 60%and hoping for more improvement. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is real and let no one tell you otherwise. My doctor told me that some people heal from it while others only recover partially and have symptoms for many years. He assured me that younger people who get CFS recover better and more complete than do middle age people and older. 

Jim Lowrance ARTICLE HERE>> A Brief Look at Anxiety Depersonalization




________________________________________________________________________________________       

C.B. female - ID   Fibromyalgia


When I was in my mid thirties, I started having some joint pain that started in my knees and I thought it was from doing to much gardening on my hands and knees. I didn’t think much about it until I noticed more muscle stiffness and aches as months and years went by. One morning I woke up and I felt this stiffness throughout my body and began to wonder if I might have some kind of arthritis affecting me. I started taking pain relief over the counter medicines which helped some but the muscle pain continued to worsen overall and after a while I was taking the highest dose of brand name pain medicines you could buy off the shelf. I knew then it was time to see a doctor and ask about tests for arthritis. The doctor I ended up with told me my problem was just from aging and going through the menopause age but I knew it was far more serious and I asked him if tests for arthritis might be a good idea. He told me that without any joint swelling or redness around my joints, these type tests were of no purpose. I went home that day greatly disappointed because my hope was in being prescribed something to help with the pain that had spread all over by body. I was watching a documentary about a man who went through almost exactly what I was going through and it got my attention when they diagnosed him with fibromyalgia. I made a new appointment with a different doctor whose specialty was diabetes but who was known for being more thorough with patients. He listened to my story and started a physical exam of me and he started to press his finger in different areas of my muscles and this caused remarkable pain on some of these spots. He didn’t even have to ask me when I had pain because I would jump and wince when some of these spots were pressed against. He had an expression of recognition on his face at that point and when I questioned him he said that it was almost certain I had fibromyalgia. I was relieved in one sense and scared in another. He had me get blood tests for arthritis and autoimmune problems and these were negative I had a mild elevation in inflammation shown on the test results and a mildly high creatinine kinase blood level which indicated mild muscle damage with a small degree of inflammation. He told me that many fibromyalgia patients have no positive lab findings but that my physical exam and medical history was certain for my having it. My doctor is treating me with analgesic drugs for pain and inflammation and he has me on a low dose of anti-seizure medication which also helps with pain. I may also have an antidepressant added to my treatment if these other drugs are not completely successful in relieving the pain. At this point I’m just hoping for the best with the treatment I’m already on.

Jim Lowrance ARTICLE HERE>> Mitral Valve Prolapse and Thyroid Disease

___________________________________________________________________

Jim Lowrance
Reply to reader-question about Epstein-Barr Virus & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


The Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) subject is one of real interest to me, especially since searching and researching on the subject. I found lots of medical studies that associate EBV with lots of conditions and diseases not the least of which is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/CFS. A few of these studies state that in people with deficiencies in their immune systems, the virus can "reactivate" (re-surge in phases) and also "replicate" (increase in phases). Not many doctors recognize these facts but they are true non-the-less and EBV has been linked to causing autoimmune diseases as well, such as autoimmune thyroid diseases.

In my opinion, EBV has been active in my system since having my having  monolucleosis as a child. I also believe it is responsible for my autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's thyroiditis). Another interesting fact is sub-clinical to moderate thyroid hormone deficiency being found commonly in people with CFS. My lymph glands in my neck swell as well and feel mildly sore, in phases and have at least a mild swelling in them all of the time. My CFS symptoms also flare in phases and these can be more severe when I work extra hard or experience increased stress.
  
Here are quotes/links you might find interesting:

"Reactivation of EBV infection is a common finding in immunocompromised individuals."Research link, click here> http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/10/2099

"Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually resolve in 1 or 2 months, EBV remains dormant or latent in a few cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the person's life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and is commonly found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of illness....It is important to note that symptoms related to infectious mononucleosis caused by EBV infection seldom last for more than 4 months. When such an illness lasts more than 6 months, it is frequently called chronic EBV infection. However, valid laboratory evidence for continued active EBV infection is seldom found in these patients. The illness should be investigated further to determine if it meets the criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS. This process includes ruling out other causes of chronic illness or fatigue."
Research link>> http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm (U.S. National Institutes of Health-Centers for Disease Control)

I would also refer you to my audio on CFS, it is full-length but only .99cents and plays on your computer via a download link Amazon provides when you order it. I put a lot of effort into it and the knowledge I've gained from research. I go into info about EBV on it as well. Not to glorify my own work but I believe it's a good resource for education on CFS and also includes my own story/experience with CFS.

Click here>> My Thyroid Disease Story in a Nutshell
________________________________________________________________________

My Response/Question-“Medical Tests for causes of Widespread Body Pain”

If you haven't been thoroughly worked up on blood testing, I would get with a doctor who can order it. You need tested for thyroid problems (commonly cause fibromyalgic symptoms) and for systemic inflammation or autoimmunity ("ANA and ESR" tests). You also need tested specifically for Rheumatoid Arthritis via a "Rheumatoid Factor" blood test. They should also add a CBC (complete blood count) and a test of your glucose (to detect possible diabetes). None of these are really expensive and once getting these done, if nothing is found wrong, I would also be tested for vitamin B12 level. Low B12 can cause neurological and body ache symptoms even before anemia sets in (pernicious anemia). Lastly, if all other tests are normal, you should have sex and adrenal hormones tested as well in my opinion. I'm not a doctor, just a well-studied layperson who has corresponded with 100s of people but know for a fact that blood testing is the single greatest diagnostic tool that exists. Depression or anxiety usually cause vague body aches but not full blown joint/muscle pain. Doctors who say it does are usually simply, not wanting to take the time to thoroughly evaluate patients with body pain symptoms. You might also have to consider the possibility of having fibromyalgia (FMS). When other causes are ruled out, FMS can be detected if you’re found to have “tender points” at various areas where your muscles connect to cartilidge and muscle.

I have an audio, full length at Amazon that plays on your computer via a download link, on the subject of CFS/Fibromyalgia.