I intended to write this follow-up post on my experience with Dr. Whitcomb and his Neurologic Relief Centers Technique last Monday, but have been sidelined by a bad flare-up. Yes, I do attribute my flare to the workshop and testing technique, but even so, I intend to give you a fair account of the workshop, although as with everything on my blog, it will be full of my opinions. It may be a lot to follow, so I hope I have managed to present a readable review.

The logistics of the day went like this:

I was initially invited to the workshop by a local acupuncturist who I will call “Dr. J.” The workshop began at 1PM on Friday, July 24. The local acupuncturist as well as several other local chiropractors actually paid for a training session with Whitcomb. They spent all of Thursday and Friday morning training to learn his technique. Then at 1PM on Friday, myself and the other patients whom each practitioner invited arrived for a lecture by Whitcomb. After the hour long presentation, we broke off with the practitioner who invited us to be tested to see if the technique would benefit us.

So What is This Technique?

The technique involves several minutes of firm pressure to either the anterior or posterior neck trigger points. The pressure is intended to release the tension on the nerves that travel through the meninges, and relive the pain and symptoms this tension causes. Whitcomb attributes most symptoms of FM to this compression. His name for this is meningeal compression, which he uses interchangeably with Fibromyalgia.

I brought three of my support group members with me. As you can imagine, given my impression of Paul Whitcomb and his clinic, I approached this event with a healthy amount of skepticism. Adding to my skepticism was the information one of my resourceful members shared with me about Whitcomb. He is still under investigation by the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners. There is still a possibility that he may lose his license for charges of administering “excessive treatment” and making “sensational statements which are intended to deceive the public.” He has recently closed his practice in South Lake Tahoe and is traveling nationwide to teach his technique. The reason he gave during the presentation for this move is to eliminate the need for patients to travel to him.

Whitcomb’s Presentation

The presentation Whitcomb gave was full of dramatizations: “Fibromyalgia patients are closest to prisoners of war.” “The Fibromyalgia patients who came to my clinic did not want to continue living.” “Eighteen percent of Fibromyalgia patients commit suicide.” I am really curious to know where he got that number, but unfortunately he did not allow for Q & A. He never once described Fibromyalgia patients as type A, as givers, or as overachievers, which in my experience is closer to the truth. Instead he painted a very bleak and desperate picture of us. Most of his claims were dramatic and over-the-top. He did not share anything about FM that I did not already know, but he did supply us with many statistics about his practice and the tremendous results he gets; such as 85% of his patients remain symptom free, only 6% lost the benefit of his correction and treatment after leaving his clinic. It makes me wonder why he would choose to close up shop.

As we moved on to the testing part of the workshop, we were all required to sign a waiver agreeing to let our test be recorded on video and used at their discretion. I refused, as did the other members of my group. I attended this workshop to research and share as much information as I could about Whitcomb’s technique. I would not agree to have my image shown in support of it and without my knowledge. Dr. J expressed our concern and they agreed to let him test us without being filmed.

I think because we were not being filmed, Whitcomb basically left Dr. J on his own, while paying closer attention to the chiropractors he trained and their patients who were being filmed. Also, Whitcomb unfairly sold Dr. J on training with him. He told Dr. J that “the test is the technique,” but then during the presentation he said just the opposite, because the chiros learning the technique also learned a particular adjustment that an acupuncturist like Dr. J is not legally qualified to perform. When I questioned Dr. J about this he said, “Yeah, I guess he kind of fooled me there.” So the “technique” that Dr. J paid to learn and implement into his practice is not complete. I really feel like Whitcomb snowballed Dr. J and any other non-chiro who paid to learn his technique.

And Now I Share Why I Have Been in a Flare

My first instinct was to not be tested, and I wish I had followed it. Instead I sat and watched many patients receive the technique and seemingly have instant improvements. One older gentleman with Parkinson’s had a noticeable reduction in his tremors. Another man was able to lift his arm above his head for the first time in months. I should note that we were not all fibromyalgia patients in the room, although the presentation was geared specifically to FM. After observing for some time, I was just too curious to opt out, so I hopped up on the table and let Dr. J proceed. After a short palpation he concluded I was sorest and tightest at the trigger points on the side of my neck below my ears. I concurred with this assessment.

He used metal rods with soft ends to place steady, firm pressure on my neck for five minutes. It did not take long for me to begin to feel nauseous. I tried to breath through it. Dr. J frequently check with me to see if I had a reduction in pain. I had rated my pain a 6 on the 1-10 scale, with 10 being worst. That day my neck, head, shoulders, upper back and hips were painful. I did not feel any change as I laid there. He asked me to focus on my hips. Laying still I felt no difference, but when I moved my hips, I eventually felt a reduction in pain. After the test, upon standing, my right hip was free from pain, and my left was improved. There was no improvement to my neck, head, shoulders or upper back.

I remained nauseous for sometime after the test. I had driven my members, and did not feel well enough to drive right away, so it gave us an opportunity to stay and talk about the workshop. The test had zero effect on two of my members, and two of us had a slight decrease in our symptoms. For one member the pressure was too painful to bear. Her pain level had been very low to start the day, and after her reaction to the test, Whitcomb remarked he wasn’t sure why she was even being tested if she had no pain. He told the second member who did not experience any relief that she was just being difficult. When I remarked to him that I did not experience any relief in my upper body he said I just needed to have the test performed longer. We all felt underwhelmed by the experience. It did nothing to change my opinion of him that his care for FM patients is motivated most heavily by his bottom line.

Conclusion

The proposed follow-up with Dr. J was to involve an initial consultation, and then three consecutive days of treatment, which would require three visits each day. After the three days of visits he would reevaluate and propose further treatment. It is expected to take weeks or months for complete healing, and then there is likely to be maintenance to assure the meningeal release holds. Given that I have been in a flare since receiving the test at the workshop, and that the improvement I felt in my hips lasted only an hour or two, I called Dr. J and told him I was not interested in pursuing this treatment. He then told me hed decided not to implement the technique into his practice, and that he too was underwhelmed by the experience. I have to say I think he made a very wise decision.

So there you have my experience and my opinion on the matter. I feel like a little guinea pig, but I am happy to have had this experience to share. When Whitcomb had his Web site up, there were a lot of testimonials of people who swear by his technique. One of my members who attended the workshop has personally spoken with several of his former patients who claim to be symptoms free. She was considering attending his clinic and did a tremendous amount of research. She was the most hopeful of us last Friday that his technique would benefit her, but unfortunately she was one of the two it did not.

If Whitcomb comes to your community to teach his technique, I cannot recommend that you attend his workshop, but as we all know, what works for one will not for the other. Even after this particularly bad flare, I still plan to keep an open mind about treatment options available and useful to us. But I most certainly will not be having my meninges released anytime soon!

NOTE: On Tuesday October 27, FibroHaven was moved from a WordPress domain to its own URL. In doing so the comments of each and every post have been affected. They are no longer chronological or nested (if they were a direct reply to a previous comment). It happened on each post, but because this particular post has been so active it is especially troublesome to try and follow the comments logically. I apologize for this confusion and we are trying to fix it, but it appears it may not be possible.

I can assure you no censoring or editing of comments has occurred. If you are interested and brave enough, feel free to read the comments and try to piece them together. I do warn you against taking things out of context as that has already happened. To avoid any more confusion, I am turning off comments on this post until the issue is resolved. If you have something you absolutely must say in response to this, feel free to email me at fibrohaven@gmail.com.

Cheers,

Dannette

10/28/09

Fibromyalgia is a Puzzle!

Do you remember the press release I shared with you about Dr. Sarkozi and his new book The Missing Pieces of the Fibromyalgia Puzzle? Well he is the guest speaker at my support group meeting tonight. I am very pleased to have been able to schedule him.

Dr. Sarkozi is a rheumatologist specializing in the treatment of Fibromyalgia. His technique is a blend of traditional and complimentary treatment, which intends to promote effective self-managed wellness. I am looking forward to his presentation. I personally believe very strongly that our best health will not come from Western medicine alone, but in combination with the many alternative and complimentary treatments out there. You can be sure I will share with you the details of his presentation and my impression of his book.

Not Interested!

Interestingly, I have a few members in my group who are completely uninterested in hearing his presentation. To them it is just one more person claiming they have the answer. There are so many claims out there of “the” cure and “the” answer, which turn out not to be the answer at all – just a way for unscrupulous people to line their pockets off the desperation and determination of some very frustrated chronically ill people. I believe that every possibility needs to be explored and considered though, because what if it just happens to be even a part of “the” answers we are all so diligently searching for.

Free Your Mind and Your Meninges

I try very hard to keep an open mind. So hard in fact, on Friday I am going to a presentation for a new technique based on the teachings of one Dr. Whitcomb. You may remember I was none too pleased with this controversial chiropractor’s claims of a “cure” for Fibromyalgia. If you need a refresher you can read my rant here and here, but I warn you – I was in a BAD MOOD! (I just read back over both posts for the first time, and am shocked actually at the frustration and desperation behind my writing. I am just realizing that in the months that have passed, I have grown a lot through this blog, and am currently much more at peace and open-minded.)

The workshop I am going to on Friday is based on the belief that Fibromyalgia symptoms are caused by a build up of tension at the base of our skulls that causes irritation to the nerves. The build up can be caused by physical or emotional traumas (stress). The technique being taught in the workshop releases the tension in the meninges, thus releasing the irritation to the nerves.

What do you think? Does this sound like it could possibly be beneficial in the treatment of Fibromyalgia? I’m not sure either, and that is exactly why I owe it to myself, to my support group, and to everyone who reads this blog to check it out. Not sure if I am going to participate in the free demo, but I will certainly be taking notes. And you can be sure I will be reporting back on it as well.

I guess I can just say that she is someone I reached out to individually because she was interested in getting involved in something I am doing and reaping great health benefits from, and now the whole thing has blown up in my face. I am just stunned at how my support and good intentions are now being twisted into such ugliness. It goes back to The Law of Detatchment and the lesson I learned there – “Today I will commit myself to detachment. I will allow myself and those around me the freedom to be as they are. I will not ridgidly impose my idea of how things should be. I will not force solutions on problems, thereby creating new problems. I will participate in everything with detached involvement.”

Basically what it all boils down to is I tried to help someone before she was ready to face or accept any changes that would be required of her to take control of her health. She is not ready, and I am perfectly okay with that. I did not and do not judge her, I just let her know that the opportunity is still available to her and that I would gladly go with her (and I am just talking about going to a holistic chiropractor, nothing too scary) to help alleviate her anxiety.

Now I am being accused of not showing her understanding or compassion and of pushing her away. Really the email blind-sided me and blew me away! And this was my favorite line – “Just remember I and many others have FMS and cannot predict how we will feel on certain days.” Okay, really, because I was not aware of that! Seriously, I guess I am a little mad. Now I am pondering how to respond to her, realizing full well that she possibly could read this post before I reply to her email. I am mad and offended. I did miss a call from her one day, and because I did I gave her my private cell number for her to reach me and even that offended her. I am starting to think I just cannot win with her.

But then what does that mean for her future with the support group? She has really enjoyed and benefited from each meeting she has attended and I would hate for her to lose that over a misunderstanding, but I am at a loss of how to salvage this relationship. The last email I sent her was so positive and encouraging and yet she still thinks I am pushing her away. I get the feeling she is projecting a lot of personal stuff onto me, and I am not sure I can reason with her. I am not sure I have the energy to reason with her, because remember, I have Fibromyalgia “and cannot predict how I will feel on certain days.”

I have had members join and leave the group because it was not a good fit for them, and I am fine with that. I have never had issues with a participating member though, so I am at a loss. I know I cannot be all things to all people and still honor my own health, but my every intention toward her was pure, and my head is spinning over her reaction. What to do? What to do? At this point, I really have no idea what I am going to do.

So you are probably wondering, what is Takesumi and why should I be interested in it. In a previous post, I listed the several toxins and infections Dr Shores tested me positive for: 

• Heavy Metals
• Arsenec
• Borrelia Burgdorferi – lyme
• Chloroform
• Formaldehyde
• H-pylori

Takesumi, which is a carbonized bamboo supplement, is an effective and the most gentle way Dr. Shores knows to rid the body of toxins and infections. Here is a description fromMichael Lebowitz D.C.:

 Takesumi, on AK testing, fairly routinely blocks positive tests to toxic metals, chemicals, and often foods too. I look at it as a supreme detoxification product. It also appears to adsorb myco and endotoxins (and other bio-toxins) from various organisms, take the load off the liver and kidneys and thus act in an anti-aging fashion. Takesumi is also reported to adsorb radiation (radon, nuclear, etc.)

 

Michael Lebowitz D.C. has been a researcher in applied kinesiology and nutrition for over 30 years, and this statement was based on his clinical testing and research. Takesumi also has anti-fungal, anti-bacteria, anti-parasitic and anti-viral properties.

I began taking the Takesumi over two weeks ago. Some of the effects I have been feeling are headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, my skin (especially on my face) feeling hot, and some dehydration. I naturally drink a lot of water each day, but I have had to increase my water consumption considerably and I still wonder if I am drinking enough. Dr. Shores warned me about the side effects of doing a detox, and I am not experiencing anything out of the ordinary, but I am experiencing it for longer than anticipated. Although the effects sound similar to a fibromyalgia flare-up, they are not at that level of severity – thank goodness!

Now for the good news. My fibrofog is much diminished since starting the detox! Even though my body is feeling achy and fatigued, my brain is feeling as sharp as it has since the accident. I have been much more productive and organized, even with the headaches. Honestly if it were not for the improvement I am having with my cognitive function, I am not sure I would continue with the detox, but it has made me a believer and I am sticking with it in the hopes that I soon see other improvements as well. Another of my support group members, who is also on the detox under Dr. Shores supervision, has already tested negative for all of the infections he originally found in her, and she has been taking the Takesumi just a week longer than I have. That gives me even more hope. Every evening after I mix up the carbonized bamboo with some water I yell “TAKESUMI” in my loud ninja-warrior voice and then swallow it down. Silly, yes, but I am a warrior in my battle against fibromyalgia, and if I have to be a warrior, being a ninja is a pretty cool thing!

I will keep you posted on any changes and improvements I have with my detox. If you have any questions about the Takesumi, please leave them in the comments. Dr. Shores has been generous enough in the past to have direct dialogues with readers via the comments. If he is unavailable I can try to look into it myself. 

And now for my little disclaimer:

In a continuing effort to live well with Fibromyalgia I am going to be researching and trying new and different things to help improve my health.  I will report on my research and my own personal experiences, but I am not a doctor and therefore will not be telling anyone to try what I do. If you think you may benefit from my experiences, please check with a medical professional to see if it is right for you.

Bread, crackers, cereal, soy sauce, gravy, beer – just a few of the things I have eliminated completely from my diet since Dr Shores told me I am gluten intolerant. I look at that list and inherently I know they are all “bad” for me foods, but I did not exactly realize why. It is not a “fat” thing or a “carb” thing with my body, it’s a gluten thing. So how have I been feeling since eliminating glutens from my diet? Well – better!

The first thing I noticed was an increase in energy. I began feeling less fatigued and sluggish. Then I noticed that my head was feeling clearer, less foggy. If that is all eliminating gluten ever did for me I would be happy with the results, but eventually I also noticed that my back muscles were no longer on fire with pain and my shoulder muscles seemed less tense. Now I should note here that I began yoga at the same time I went off glutens, so it could be a combination of the two, but I am certain eliminating the gluten has been a major factor in my feeling better.

The thing that cinched it for me is my hands. The joints in my hands had been so painful for the better part of a year. So much so that I was certain I was developing arthritis in them. I had a hard time gripping and opening things; my coordination was off – I dropped things often; and my hands frequently woke me up throughout the night with throbbing and aching pains. Well my hands are feeling much better. It was a gradual improvement, probably the last thing I really noticed. I still have some pain and stiffness in them, but there is a noticeable improvement.

So all that after only ten days. I’m sold and so is my husband. He has been doing it with me and he is feeling better too – more energy, better brain function. This began as a two to three week trial to see how my body responded. After ten days I am firmly committed to it as a new way of eating – not for now – for life. Don’t let me kid you, it is not easy! I think what I miss more than the taste of gluten foods is the convenience of them. There will be much less grab-and-go eating and much more careful preparation of food. I am fortunate to have several excellent markets to chose from to help me with my shopping – Trader Joes, Jimbos and Henry’s Markets all offer extensive selection of gluten free foods. 

And if feeling better was not enough (which it is), I have also lost 3 lbs in the ten days, but it feels like I have lost more. Dr Shores suspected I was gluten intolerant because I carry my weight around my face and midsection – two common indicators. These are the areas I am feeling the most difference in because I am no longer bloated or puffy. Now that is what I call a BONUS!

I don’t know if eliminating gluten can help everyone with Fibromyalgia; I doubt it given the multiplicity of people who suffer with it, but if you suspect it may help you, I recommend you ask your doctor to test you. If you would like to research it further here is a link to WebMD. I am so new to this I cannot offer any great advice or resources, but I am open to anyone who has some for me!

On Wednesday my support group had our laughter meditation (referred to as laughter yoga in my previous post) session with Sarito Sun, Laughter Healer and Coach, Hypnotherapist and Meditation Instructor. Now I have to admit I was a little skeptical about the evening. I watched the videos on laughter yoga and I wondered if I would be too self-conscious to let myself go enough and enjoy the experience. Turns out I had no problem at all letting go. If only I had a video of the evening to share with you how fun and freeing it was. Fifteen group members were in attendance, and for about a half hour, all fifteen of us were laughing, and moving, and smiling in a state of pure joy. And it all started off with a few simple laughter exercises which forced us to “fake” laugh. It did not take long until the laughter and joy became real.

It was such a treat to look around the room and see the happy expressions on everyone’s face. Some members literally had to drag themselves to the meeting that evening they were in such a bad way, but everyone was able to participate and we all left feeling a little lighter, and little happier. The half hour of laughter did not cure any of us, and it truthfully may have only distracted us from our pain and fatigue, but it was a beautiful gift none the less. Sarito brought a guest with her who shared his experience of recovery through the use of laughter meditation. In his experience, 30 minutes of laughter a day – fake or  not – can reduce pain symptoms and improve sleep and fatigue. After my half hour experience I can only say it is the most fun I have had in my quest to improve my health, and it is definitely worth trying. I am smiling right now as I relive the evening to share with you!

On Friday I had my first appointment with Dr. Shores, the holistic chiropractor who spoke at a previous support group meeting and also contributed to my blog. It was an enlightening appointment. Through Bio-response testing he was able to determine I have several issues which are likely contributing to, our may be the cause of my Fibromyalgia.

Here is the breakdown of what Dr. Shores believes to be my greatest issues:

40% – Structural. Due most likely to the slip and fall which initially brought on my Fibromyalgia, and the car accident which gave my FM superpowers (post still coming – I promise!)

30% – Grain Intolerance & Dairy Allergy. Turns out I am gluten intolerant. This is the thing I most feared learning. I think I have suspected it for some time but did not want to face having to drastically change my diet - eliminating all wheat and grain based foods. Again through Bio-response Dr. Shores demonstrated how the gluten intolerance was partially responsible for my muscle pain. In my understanding my body treats the gluten as an infection, and it draws the “infection” away from my digestive tract and into my muscle to help my body eliminate it. This causes muscle pain, inflammation and spasms. YES, YES, & YES!!! He also believes my dairy allergy should clear up if I eliminate gluten from my diet. This is going to be a huge lifestyle change for me, and I am certain I will be writing about it. Anyone out there with suggestion or advice, I gladly welcome it.

30% – Toxin/Infection – Dr. Shores’ presentation on heavy metal toxins is one of the things that most intrigued me about his philosophy of wellness. After hearing him speak about how metal filings constantly release fumes and the fumes go straight to our brains, I suspected he was right in that this could be a cause/contributing factor to fibrofog. It turns out I tested positive for all of the following:

• Heavy Metals
• Arsenec
• Borrelia Burgdorferi – lyme
• Chloroform
• Formaldehyde
• H-pylori

Although this list looks overwhelming, Dr. Shores assured me not to panic. In his estimation the thing I should be most concerned with, and will get the most improvement from correcting is the gluten intolerance. As part of my treatment I will be taking a supplement to help my body detox, but I am beginning with eliminating the gluten.

He also used his special gentle adjusting instrument (which I can never remember the name of) to correct some of my structural issues. I have been walking around for as long as I can remember with my right leg slightly shorter than my left. With just a few adjustments it was corrected. I stood up and could tell instantly. It was a weird sensation! I will report back soon about how I am doing with his treatment and recommendations. I think I may finally be on to something.

And if the laughter and the holistic healing weren’t enough, Saturday brought me another great tool for my arsenal in my battle against Fibromyalgia. One of my newest group members is also a certified yoga instructor. She arranged to teach a special gentle yoga class for group members at the Wellness Center. Yoga helped relieve her Fibromyalgia symptoms so much that she became an instructor in order to share and encourage other FM sufferers to try it for themselves. Eight brave members attended and we were lead through gentle movements and also taught modifications of movements that we could take with us into most any yoga class.

I had taken yoga once before and it was an awful experience. The instructor was not gentle or nurturing and seemed put-out that a newbie was in her class. Saturday was a completely opposite experience and I am now a yoga convert. It was like my muscles were waking up from a long cryogenic freeze. I loved it so much that I took another class on Sunday with a different instructor. I was able to modify several of the movements and keep up for the most part. I was not the most graceful participant, but I continued to enjoy the awakening my muscles experienced the day before. I cannot think of a better way to describe it. I know my muscles thanked me, and after taking it easy for a couple of days I am heading back tomorrow. I have had no negative effects or a flare-up like I did from the H2O Cardio class. 

So that happened! I don’t know if it was the laughter, or the adjustment, or the yoga, but I am feeling better – better than I have since taking the H2O Cardio class. My mind is finally clear enough to write a post, and my muscles are not burning with fire after sitting at my desk for a couple of hours to write it. Woo hoo!

From Dr. David Shores, DC

A Comprehensive Holistic Approach To Fibromyalgia And Chronic Pain

Dannette from Fibromyalgia Haven asked me to write a guest article for her site when I spoke at her fibromyalgia support group in January.

Having worked with many fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and chronic pain patients I thought I would share a recent case to demonstrate what I find and how I proceed.

Late December 08 a new patient presented to my office with the diagnosis of fibromyalgia that began in 04. Her primary complaint was severe muscle and joint pain. She also reported severe joint swelling in all the major joints of her body and water retention. Her joint pain and swelling was at it’s worst in the morning. She had a history of multiple traumas. Neurologic testing showed multiple cervical and lumbar nerve compressions. Bio-response testing showed multiple severe heavy metal toxicity, more than seven chronic infections and several vitamin deficiencies along with several structural problem.

We supplemented her with the deficient vitamins only and gave her a nutritional supplement to chelate or remove the heavy metals and a nutritional supplement to aid her body in clearing the infections. She was monitored weekly and adjusted with an instrument  to handle the structural and neurological problems. As of today 2/2/09 she reports that her symptoms are eighty percent resolved with virtually all of the morning stiffness and pain gone. We expect further improvement as she continues on her program.

I find this case to be typical of many with fibromyalgia. In most cases there are a multitude of problems including structural, toxins, nutritional, infection and emotional. When the problems are addresed in the correct order and with great care, many with chronic pain improve tremendously. For more information please go to www.drshores.typepad.com

David Shores DC

1524 Encinitas Blvd

Encinitas, Ca 92024

760-753-4300

Disclaimer: This information is for education purposes only. The doctor does not diagnose or treat any medical conditions. The doctors goal is to restore proper function and thus restore self healing.

Personally I was very interested in Dr. Shores’ approach. It makes sense to me (especially after listening to his comprehensive presentation) that Fibromyalgia can stem from “a multitude of problems including structural, toxins, nutritional, infection and emotional.” A lot of my current research is based on what I learned from Dr. Shores, i.e heavy metal toxicity (post coming soon). As part of my unending quest to improve my health I will be working with Dr. Shores. I will write regular posts about my sessions and my response to his treatment in an effort to help us all benefit from his knowledge and expertise.

Thank you for your time and contribution Dr. Shores.

Some days I just get mad.  Today is one of those days.  Hell, I’m not mad; I am pissed.  I need to stop censoring myself just because I don’t want to offend anyone reading this.  I am pissed!

I’m pissed that I still have hope – hope that somewhere inside me there is still a vibrant healthy person, but everyday I feel myself slipping further and further away from her.  I am pissed that I cannot just wake up in the morning and take control of my day.  I am pissed that I can’t always finish the laundry when it needs to be done or scrub the damn toilet.  I am pissed that my head and neck hurt so bad I’m half expecting an alien to rupture out at any minute.  I am pissed that my dog has so much unreleased energy he is becoming neurotic and I can’t walk him.  I am pissed that I have so many damn limitations in my life.  I am pissed because I don’t believe my life will be like this forever, and yet I have no idea how to change it.  I have hope; hope with no place to direct it.

And then I see on the local news that there is a Chiropractor who claims to have the cure for Fibromyalgia.  He has the cure, and if you give him your life savings to come to his clinic for treatment you will no longer suffer from FM.  So she does it.  A lady here in San Diego, at her wits end because she cannot live another day with the pain and fatigue of FM, she gives him her life savings and she goes to his clinic for weeks of treatment and guess what?  She still hurts!  She hurts and now she is broke and more stressed which will lead to more pain.  She placed her hope in him and he let her because he is trying to capitalize on a condition that is misunderstood and under-researched.  He is a snake oil salesman!

Dr. Whitcomb claims he “figured out a long time ago what was causing it and how to treat it.” Well great!  Then why not share it with the few researchers who are actually trying to discover a cause and treatment for Fibromyalgia?  And why not make all of the information on your website simple and easy for everyone to access?  Why not share your miracle cure with the world if what you are truly after is helping people and healing people?  Why?  Because you are not, because what you are really after is the $7,000 – $12,000 you charge for treatment.

And you have plenty of testimony from people you have helped.  Well sure, daily massage and chiropractic adjustment can help alleviate chronic pain and reverse chronic symptoms, and I am sure the patients you did help suffered from those aliments, but that is different from Fibromyalgia.  You cannot take five minutes to diagnose someone with chronic pain as having Fibromyalgia, and then help their symptoms, and then declare you have found the cure to Fibromyalgia.  How can you have the cure when just last month legitimate researchers proved there are blood flow problems in the brains of people with Fibromyalgia.  Does your great cure address this?  Did you already know this and decide not to share?  Do you even realize that you can have chronic pain and not have Fibromyalgia?  You are a charlatan! 

And now I am even more pissed!  I am pissed that you took her hope and capitalized on it.  What does she do with her hope now if she has any?  How will she know where to place it, and whom she can trust with it?  You took that from her.  You took her hope and deposited it your bank account.  Great!  Now you can advertise your “cure” even more.  Buy yourself a soapbox and a covered wagon with your profits.  And don’t forget the damn top hat!

For the estimated 10 million Americans living with fibromyalgia, there is nothing “simple” about it. The daily battle with widespread pain, fatigue, and mental fog can be debilitating. Trying to be a productive person under these conditions is a challenge.

Fibromyalgia sufferers struggle every day coping with this “new” version of their lives. Gone is the independent, productive person you once were. In place is someone left wondering, “How am I going to contribute today?” And it is not simply how am I going to contribute to my job, to my home, and to my family, but how am I going to contribute to my physical and emotional wellbeing?

One of the best ways to begin managing the daily stress and rigors of living with Fibromyalgia is to start simple. Below are 4 simple yet highly effective daily habits to adopt.

1. Drink Plenty of Water

Common Sense? Yes. But this is one of the most important things you can do to help manage your fibromyalgia.

Begin each day with a glass of water. You are naturally dehydrated in the morning. A glass of water will help quench that thirst and also help eliminate the toxins your body has been processing throughout the night.

Continue drinking water throughout the day. A basic guideline for daily water intake is eight 8-ounce glasses, but try to drink more. Water detoxifies your body, which can help your muscle to recover from flare-ups. Water will also:

• Reduce Headaches and Dizziness
• Increase Mental Clarity
• Improve Your Energy

Helpful Hint:  Try squeezing fresh lemon in your water for added health benefits. Lemon water has been shown to help with digestive problems, alleviate cold and flu symptoms and can even aide in weight loss.

2. Avoid Toxic Foods and Beverages

Toxic foods are acid forming foods. Studies have shown an acidic diet will interfere with your body’s ability to absorb minerals and nutrients. It will also make a body more susceptible to fatigue and illness. Some of the most common items to avoid are:

• Coffee
• Soda
• Alcohol
• White Sugar
• Salt
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Processed Foods
• Junk/Fast Food

Eating right is one of the best ways to manage fibromyalgia. If you do partake in anything from the list, increase your water intake even more to help flush the toxins from your system more quickly.

Note: There is more and more evidence that gluten-intolerance may be a major contributing factor in many chronic illnesses, including fibromyalgia. I will examine the possibilities more closely in an upcoming post.

3. Move Your Body

Researchers have proven that gentle exercise, such as walking, yoga, or aquatic therapy, may be the most beneficial way to improve Fibromyalgia symptoms. This may seem counterintuitive given the amount of pain everyday movements can cause, but experts believe exercise can actually help break the pain cycle. Here are some of the listed benefits of exercise with fibromyalgia:

• Increased oxygen flow to the muscles, which helps diminish pain and spasms
• Improved quality of sleep, which helps battle daily fatigue and mental fog
• Decreased anxiety and depression, conditions common in people with FM

Start slow. It may not be possible to exercise during a flare-up and that is okay. The key is to gradually and consistently start moving. Start with simple stretches so you can begin to feel the benefits of movement, and from there work up to a more physical workout. You will begin to see improvement in your symptoms and your overall outlook on life.

4. Avoid Self-imposed Guilt

Yes you have fibromyalgia. Yes you have pain and discomfort and a whole host of other issues. You cannot and should not deny this. But do not fall victim to the diagnosis. Get the most you can out of each day and leave the rest for another day.

If your major accomplishment for the day is that you took a shower, cooked dinner, and had a semi-intelligent conversation with your husband – embrace it! Celebrate it! Don’t think about what you did not accomplish. Don’t get bogged down in the endless muck of what you can no longer do. Guilt is self-punishment, and do you not suffer enough without adding to it?

Do not compare your reality now to your pre-fibromyalgia reality. You did not have the pain then that you do now. This is your new reality with all of the very realistic challenges you face daily. It is not your fault, but you are the only one who can make the best of it. Start one day at a time. Start with acceptance, and the need to change, to adapt. Leave the blame and the anger behind and start living your new life. Start simply. Take baby steps to avoid the painful leaps.