Category Archives: Fibromyalgia

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – More Complex in Chronic Pain

POT’s is a syndrome where one is unable to maintain blood pressure standing and so often faint –  and is often associated with attacks of tachycardia. Finding this situation in a chronic pain patient, greatly complicates the situation, and makes … Continue reading

Posted in complex regional pain, Deficits, Depression, Fibromyalgia, mast cell disease | Leave a comment

Fibromyalgia and Going For Surgery Advice.

This advice is being circulated and I’m putting it here so it won’t be lost in ensuing weeks.

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Opioid and Tranquilizer Deadly Mix- How Did We End Up That Way? – Bipolar and/or PTSD

It has been said Opioids and tranquilizers can increase risk of overdose death five fold. In my population, there is a subgroup of cases with bipolar disorder. Indeed, a meta-anlysis found 21 – 25% of Fibromyalgia disorder have it and … Continue reading

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Some Fibromyalgias are Treatable Arthritis

I have a patient with psoriatic arthritis that had widespread pains. His rheumatologist told him it was “fibromyalgia” He developed such bad bronchitis I had to put him on steroids – at which point his “fibromyaglia” pains went away. He … Continue reading

Posted in arthritis, Back Pain, Fibromyalgia, Insurer issues, myofascial pain, pain mechanisms | Leave a comment

How Can You Tell If Duloxetine (Cymbalta) or Pregabalin (Lyrica) will Work?

Both duloxetine and pregabalin work by restoring brain down pain inhibition. Hence the work in people who have deficits in this system. There is a simple test to confirm functioning.

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Fibromyalgia Common in Thyroid Disease

In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, quoted FM rate is 30-40% ; present study found 62%.  Thyroid antibodies, abdominal girth, and duration disease among other things, contribute to FM possibility.

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Pain News – Short Snaps June 2017

June 2017 Pain News: I put them up as short snaps because not going to blog note them – hope you like. You will probably not find many in news elsewhere.

Posted in Abdominal pain, celiac, chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, Injection, Interstial Cystitis/Gynecologic, Knee, psychology, shoulder | Leave a comment

Reasons Why Vit D Helps Chronic Pain Coming Clearer – Vit D Genes

A Fokl DNA gene polymorphism in the Vitamin D receptor would reduce its sensitivity to vitamin D. Vitamin D supports many metabolic processes beyond calcium and gene variations are even associated with certain cancers.  In athletes, the FF Fokl genotype … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Drugs, Fibromyalgia, pain mechanisms, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Dry Eyes More Common In Certain Chronic Pains and Made Worse by Low Vitamin D – Replacement Helps

Prior I wrote about a Dry Eye- Mouth Syndrome (DEMS) that has some joint involvement. DEMS is associated with thyoid antibodies suggesting an autoimmune process (1). Now It was found more commonly in irritable bowel, chronic pelvic pain and irritable … Continue reading

Posted in Drugs, eyes, Fibromyalgia | Leave a comment

Twin Chronic Pain Study – Low DHEA Metabolite and High BMI and ?Cortisone

Twin study shows low Epiandrosterone, a metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Could supplementation help?

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Celiac is More Painful Than Thought – and What Does That Mean?

In seeing new pain patients, I became painfully aware that Celiac or at least gluten sensitivity has a definite presence- so much so that I always looked for it. Now, it looks like “anybody is fair game” now that even … Continue reading

Posted in Abdominal pain, celiac, Fibromyalgia, Leg Pains, neuropathic | 1 Comment

Why are Pain Severity Readings Omitted From Recent Fibromyalgia(FM) Studies?

Two important studies on approaches to help Fibromyalgia (FM) have omitted changes in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) readings in their results. Giving reading of skin tenderness adds differences with each muscle site tested and can exaggerate total difference. Suspicion is, … Continue reading

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Fibromyalgia (FM) – Mitochondrial Dysfunction Helped by Metformin and Weight Loss

Adenosine Monophosphate activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) regulates cell metabolism  i.e “AMPK has a central regulatory role in cell metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative stress response”. Recent study of FM fibroblasts found AMPK downregulated.”AMPK down-regulation [is] at least in part responsible … Continue reading

Posted in Depression, Drugs, Fibromyalgia | 1 Comment

Widespread Pain and Dizzy – Ear Canalithiasis? (rocks) and Repositioning Them Helps Whiplash, TMJ, and Fibromylagia

Study suggests dizzy whiplash and widespread pain cases could respond well to middle ear grit repositioning measure.  This is being able to see way outside the box…

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Manual Med, Neck, TMJ | Leave a comment

Duloxetine For Fibromyalgia – Mixed Results

Initial study showed benefit only in first 6 weeks more than placebo and not after: Study glowingly mentions early effects but fails to mention lack of lasting effects Comment – I recently reviewed a back study that cleverly disguised their … Continue reading

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Fibromyalgia – Responses to Methotrexate and Steroids

Old McGill study found initial impressions of doctors and rheumatologist were wrong 2/3 of time and in particular inflammatory arthritis cases are missed. Fitzcharles, M‐A et al. “Inaccuracy in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome: analysis of referrals.” Rheumatology 42.2 (2003): … Continue reading

Posted in Fibromyalgia | 2 Comments

New Help for Some Fibromyalgia (FM) – Gluten Sensitivity Management

Over the past couple years there is growing evidence that maybe 1/3 of Fibromyalgia patients with IBS actually suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity and respond to gluten free diet – some within a few month, and some “gradually… over many … Continue reading

Posted in Fibromyalgia | 3 Comments

Fibromyalgia Hypervigilance May Exist – and My Model

With help of  EEG (scalp)sensors, one can measure a brain response to a stimulus- often auditory.  Often the brain reaction diminishes with a repeat stimulus – called sensory gating. If one were hypervigilant, you would expect the brain response to … Continue reading

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Fibromyalgia Look Alike – Myotonia Congenita

Myotonia Congenita is a rare neuromuscular disease manifest by “painful muscle cramps or myalgia as well as transient muscle weakness following myotonic stiffness”. Article describes 2 cases – one that got worse with pregnancy which is what Fibromyalgia also does. … Continue reading

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Vitamin D – Could High Doses Help Pains?

4000 u/d vitamin D  lessening  Chronic Musculoskeletal Pains

Posted in Back Pain, Deficits, Drugs, Fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, pain mechanisms | 4 Comments

Neuropathic Pain 2015 and…

Mayo clinic has a review but lacks imagination

Posted in Botox, Drugs, Fibromyalgia, neuropathic | Leave a comment

Fibromyalgia (FM) Falls – Stiff Ankles Contribute

A study found falls in FM related to reduced dorsiflexion (bringing toes and foot up). The question is how does one fix that.

Posted in ankle, Fibromyalgia, Leg Pains, Manual Med, myofascial pain | 1 Comment

Donepezil reduces stress induced widespread pain in mice so…

Donepezil (aricept) is used as an anticholinergic to help dementia. In the animal model repeated use can “cure” “ICS[Intermittent Cold Stress]-induced hyperalgesia [increased pain] and allodynia[touch pain] even after the cessation of drug treatments”

Posted in Drugs, elderly, Fibromyalgia | Leave a comment

Breathtaking Option for Treatment Resistant Fibromyalgia

A Water pill, Spironolactone 100-200 mg/day, can dramatically relieve pain in potentially 1/2 of Fibromyalgia cases and reduce morphine needs. -NOT CONFIRMED

Posted in Drugs, Fibromyalgia, neuropathic | 2 Comments

No Evidence of Hypervigilance in Fibromylagia (FM)

Implications have been made that victims of FM are nuts and think too much of their pain. Now it seems that subjects with FM are no better in awareness of changes in tactile stimulation – suggesting hypervigilance is not present.

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