Saturday May 19, 2012
One of the classes of drugs frequently prescribed for fibromyalgia is anti-epileptic drugs. The first drug approved for this condition, Lyrica (pregabalin), was from this class.
Anti-epileptics work well for a lot of us, but, like all drugs, they come with possible side effects and other risks. To learn more about the dangers and benefits of these medications, see:
Have you taken meds from this class? How did they work for you? Leave your comments below!
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Friday May 18, 2012
It's a question I get all the time - why isn't fibromyalgia classified as an autoimmune disease when the immune system is clearly involved?
Yes, we do have evidence for immune dysregulation in many cases of this illness, but that doesn't mean it's autoimmune. To understand why immune-system involvement isn't the same as autoimmunity, you have to understand what each term means as well as what is (and isn't) known to be part of fibromyalgia.
You can find the answer to this question here: Why Isn't Fibromyalgia an Autoimmune Disease?
You will come across some healthcare workers who inaccurately lump fibromyalgia in with autoimmune conditions. Watch out for them - they'll recommend treatments that generally don't work for us (anti-inflammatories) and may actually make us worse (steroids, immune suppressants.)
Have you been given inappropriate treatments or bad advice based on this misconception? Leave your comments below!
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Wednesday May 16, 2012
What you eat - or don't - can have a big impact on your fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms.
There's no single diet that works for all of us - our symptoms and dysfunctions are too varied for that - but some things are more likely to help us than others. Sometimes simple dietary tweaks work, while other times it takes major changes. We just have to figure out what works for each of us.
A recent Readers Respond comment demonstrates just how effective dietary changes can be:
"Per recommendations from this article, I eliminated sugar, alcohol chocolate and cut back on caffeine 2 weeks ago. I noticed less pain and good mood. The following week I added the gluten-free recommendation to the experiment. I feel I've been given a new lease on life, achiness almost totally gone, sustained energy levels and great mood. To keep sustained energy levels I need to be mindful of including a protein with each meal. As a vegetarian now leaning towards veganism I find gluten-free somewhat challenging but so worth the effort! I feel like a new person. It appears I am gluten sensitive, per a lifetime of symptoms. Grateful gluten is one of the recommended items for the Fibromyalgia elimination diet, otherwise I'd still be in pain. (As a side bonus, my girlfriend, also doing the diet, has found similar results including adult acne is clearing up!)" ~Dimples
I know I feel better when I eat more fruits and vegetables and less sugar and processed foods. I've written a lot about being gluten intolerant, but oddly enough, that sensitivity now appears to be gone.
If you haven't experimented with your diet, it could be something to try. These articles can help you get started:
What dietary changes have you tried? Did they help? Leave your comments below!
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Monday May 14, 2012
Research Brief
New research demonstrated that the brains of people with fibromyalgia have physiological dysregulation in the pain inhibition network.
Pain inhibition is a process by which repeated painful stimuli, in a health person, hurts progressively less. Previous studies have shown that this network doesn't work properly in fibromyalgia, meaning that repeated stimuli hurts progressively more in people with the illness.
The new study used functional MRI on people with fibromyalgia and healthy controls while they experienced pain.
The brains of participants with fibromyalgia showed less connectivity between the amygdala, hippocampus and brainstem than the control group. Additionally, the thalamus had lower connectivity to the orbitofontal cortex in the fibromyalgia group.
This study helps shed light on the mechanisms behind fibromyalgia pain and how it is maintained. It also may provide an objective measure of pain dysregulation that doctors could use to support a fibromyalgia diagnosis.
Learn More:
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