NEWSBRIEF: The Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) is now allowing a laboratory to temporarily offer the tests researchers used in the study linking XMRV to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS).

The chosen lab is Viral Immune Pathology Diagnostics (VIP Dx), in Reno, NV, which is also where the WPI is located. The institute says net proceeds from the test will be dedicated to further research.

For more information about the test kit, go to the VIP Dx website. At this time, this is the only lab test associated with the WPI research, although many companies are advertising XMRV tests online.

Pros & Cons of Testing

While the prospect of a positive test for something -- anything -- has a lot of appeal for those of us with a diagnosis of exclusion, does that mean you should jump at the opportunity to get tested for XMRV? There are good reasons on both sides of the argument.

The Pros include:

• Validation of your illness, for yourself, your family and friends, and maybe your doctors (more on doctors below).
• Further data & money for research, which may get us closer to a diagnostic test, better treatments and a vaccine.
• Possible directions for your own treatment (more on this below, too).
• Confirmation of the need for precautions, since the retrovirus may be transmissible through bodily fluids.

The Cons include:

• The high cost of the test kit, which ranges from $400 - $650, depending on which test you get.
• The possible lack of acceptance of results from a test that's still considered unproven by the greater medical community.
• The lack of any proven, or even tested, treatments for XMRV and the conditions it may cause.

This is one of those decisions that everyone needs to make for their own reasons, based on their own situation. Also, keep in mind that the published XMRV study only looked at ME/CFS, and the possible connection to FMS is extremely preliminary at this point.

Will you get the test? Have you done it already? What was the result? What factors played into your decision, either for or against it? Leave your comments below!

Also See: The XMRV Discovery Series index

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Whether you call it fibro fog, brain fog, cognitive dysfunction, or "wow, I feel stupid today," the loss of brain function we experience with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) can be just as debilitating as our pain and fatigue. But what can you do about it?

We don't know a lot about our cognitive dysfunction (big surprise), but researchers are learning more about how the brain functions, malfunctions and ages. And it seems like every time I read about some new discovery, it shows the benefits of cognitive training.

My mother always used to say, "The brain is like a muscle -- if you don't use it, you'll lose it." Apparently, she was more right than she could have known. Research on the aging brain, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's all shows that using the brain in certain ways improves cognitive function. We have evidence that part of the problem in FMS is premature brain aging and gray-matter loss, and cognitive training is showing a lot of promise -- for slowing, stopping, and even reversing these problems. It's also being used to combat learning disorders, and what we call fibro fog may actually be several distinct learning disorders (such as dysphasia and dyscalculia.)

Some doctors, especially neuropsychologists, are setting up programs for their patients with cognitive problems. Frequently, it involves computer software that you use from home. However, you can also do some of this work on your own.

Research does show that playing computer games can actually improve brain function. Some websites and even the Nintendo DS game system are now offering games specifically aimed at improving cognitive function. It's worked for me -- early on in my fibro life, I turned to online computer games to fill the copious amounts of time I spent on the couch. I firmly believe that Sudoku kept my logic skills from degrading. Later, Boggle seemed to help with word retrieval. More recently, I've used Tetris and a bouncing-ball game called Oooze to improve my spacial abilities. All of these games have helped me pick up my mental speed. I do still have fibro fog issues, but they're nowhere as severe as they used to be. And if I notice I'm backsliding in a particular area, I go back to the game that helped before -- and I've found that it gets me back on track.

Have you used cognitive training, either through a treatment program or on your own? What was the result? What kinds of games and activities have helped you regain your cognitive function? Leave your comments below!

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Have you noticed that math is a lot harder, or that you have more trouble keeping track of time since you developed fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS)? I know I have, and I've heard the same thing from a lot of people.

Many months ago, in my forum, someone mentioned dyscalculia -- a learning disability that deals with math. It's similar to dysphasia, which includes those word-finding difficulties so many of us have, so it made sense to me that we could also have dyscalculia. I didn't research it until now, and when I looked at a symptoms list I had a real "a-ha!" moment.

Dyscalculia not only impairs math and number abilities (forgetting concepts, transposing numbers), it also involves:

• Difficulties with time: inability to remember schedules, keep track of time, or remember a sequence of events.
• Spacial problems: impaired direction sense and memory of how things are laid out, leading to frequently getting lost or becoming disoriented.
• Difficulty sight-reading music or learning instrument fingerings.
• Bad memory for names.

When I read those things, a light went on. It's incredibly common for us to get lost, or forget how to get where we're going. Who among us hasn't lost their car in a parking lot? I used to have a pretty good ability to sight-read and learn new music, but now I really struggle with it.

As a TV news producer, I was responsible for timing my newscast, and adjusting content on the fly to make up for being too long or too short. Now, I've lost the ability to do the mental math necessary for that, and I also have trouble gauging the flow of time. Things are constantly creeping up on me. I remember getting frustrated with my husband for "nagging" me about doing laundry, when I'd done several loads "a few days ago." When I did a load for him, I counted 17 shirts. 17. It had been 2.5 weeks since I'd done laundry, and I'd have sworn it was maybe five days.

Research shows that dyscalculia involves dysfunction in a specific part of the brain -- all of those problems come from the same cause. To me, this is huge because now I know that many of my dysfunctions have the same root cause; they're ONE problem instead of SIX unrelated ones. I've been doing cognitive training to recover my mental abilities, and this knowledge gives me a much simpler plan of attack for improving my math, time sense, direction sense, musical ability, name recall, etc. -- if I can improve one of these areas, it should spill over into the other, because it all comes from one part of the brain.

Dyscalculia isn't something you can take a pill for, it's something you have to live with. The good news is that it is a recognized learning disability, just like dyslexia or dysphasia. If it causes problems for you at work/school, you can talk to your boss/teacher about having this learning disability without having to disclose that you have FMS or ME/CFS, or trying to explain brain fog. Learning disabilities are covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act, so if you can actually be diagnosed with dyscalculia you can request reasonable accommodation.

The term dyscalculia doesn't get a lot of use even in schools, so it might be easier to say you have a "learning disability in applied math."

Does dyscalculia seem to fit you? Have you found ways to improve these skills? How have these problems impacted your life? Leave your comment below!

Dyscalculia Resources

• Dyscalculia Symptoms (site is under construction & not fully functional, but it's the best symptom list I found)
• Dyscalculia Basics
• Cognitive Training Changes the Brain

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NEWSBRIEF: If you take Ultram ER for round-the-clock fibromyalgia pain treatment, you'll soon have a generic option of the same drug.

Par Pharmaceuticals says the FDA has approved its extended-release tramadol product, in both 100 mg and 200 mg dosages. The company says it plans to start shipping the drug right away.

If you're interested in switching to the new generic drug, which will likely be much less expensive, you'll need to talk to your doctor. Tramadol is not specifically approved for fibromyalgia pain but it is sometimes prescribed off-label for fibromyalgia.

Also See: Ultram Drug Profile

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