AltMedAngel: Alternative Medicine Angel

Fibromyalgia is a cyclic and progressive illness that, in its early stages, has symptoms that appear together for only a few days at a time. As more areas of the body become involved, good and bad days intersperse and eventually cycle from bad to worse. There are no tests to diagnose fibromyalgia.  Following are some of the more common symptoms one might encounter.

Fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, apathy, listlessness, impaired memory & concentration, anxieties, suicidal thoughts, insomnia and frequent awakening from pain.

Pain and generalized morning stiffness in the muscles, tendons and ligaments arise from the shoulders, neck, upper & lower back, hips, knees, inner & outer elbows, wrists, and chest. Injured or old operative sites are often most affected. Joint pains with or without swelling, redness and heat are frequent.

Leaky gut, spastic colon or mucous colitis symptoms include nausea (often brief, repetitive waves), indigestion, gas, bloating, cramps, constipation alternating with diarrhea and sometimes mucus in the stools.

Pungent urine, frequent urination, bladder spasms, burning urination (dysuria) with or without repeated bladder infections and interstitial cystitis are common. Vulvodynia (or vulvar pain syndrome) includes vaginal spasms, irritation of the vaginal lips (vulvitis) or opening (vestibulitis) and painful intercourse (dyspareunia). It typically mimics a yeast infection but without the typical discharge. Intense PMS and cramping are common, and all symptoms of fibromyalgia are worse premenstrually.

Various rashes may appear with or without itching: hives, red blotches, tiny bumps or blisters, eczema, seborrheic or neurodermatitis. Nails are often brittle and poor quality. Hair falls out prematurely. The skin may give off sensations such as cold, heat (especially palms, soles and thighs), crawling, electric vibrations, prickling, super-sensitivity to touch, or flushing sometimes with heavy sweating.

Headaches (even migraines); dizziness, vertigo (spinning) or imbalance; dry eyes with itching or burning & blurred vision; nasal congestion & post-nasal drip; irritated tongue or abnormal tastes (bad, scalded or metallic); ringing or swishing sounds; numbness and tingling hands, feet or face; leg or foot cramps; weight gain; low grade fevers; greater susceptibility to infections & allergies; heightened sensitivity to sounds, lights, odors or chemicals; morning eyelid and hand swelling from fluid retention that gravitates to the lower legs where it stretches tissues causing restless leg syndrome.

This is a separate condition that can be induced or intensified by fibromyalgia. When this occurs it is known as fibroglycemia.  Forty percent of female and 20 percent of male fibromyalgics suffer from the combination of both conditions. Symptoms greatly overlap those of fibromyalgia, but sugar craving accompanied by tremors, sweating, anxiety, panic attacks, heart palpitations, faintness, and frontal headaches, especially if hunger-induced, are solid clues to the diagnosis. Hypoglycemia must be treated concurrently or the patient will not totally recover despite reversal of fibromyalgia.

For the causes and treatment for reversing this disease, go to the Library section of this web site for a book review on the most enlightening book, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia" by Dr. R. Paul Amand and Claudia Marek. From there you can link to their web site for a list of doctors who are familiar with his guaifenesin protocol.

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