Type 4 Diabetes

Dealing with Fibromyalgia

The decision to include fibromyalgia in my book came late in the year. As with most people, I had very little understanding of fibromyalgia and, to be honest, had the preconceived notion i that the disease was the exclusive province of women. How wrong I was.

While it is fact that far more women than men report and are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, it doesn't men are immune. And, there are some real questions being raised that could lead to many more men being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

My introduction to fibromyalgia came as I researched extensively for some clues about the aberrant insulin-adrenaline reaction that appears to be a critical part of the Type 4 Diabetes story. I first heard about this reaction from one of my doctors in a discussion he had with a researcher at the National Institutes of Health. My doctor knew nothing more, and I became naturally obsessed with learning more.

After months of research, I came across the writings of Dr. Paul St. Amand at UCLA. For decades, Dr. St. Amand has been treating himself and thousands of patients for fibromyalgia. Interesting side note: for all of his experience and expertise, Dr. St. Amand notes that even he was reluctant at first to talk much about his work into fibromyalgia with his colleagues in the large medical practice he operated.

Dr. St. Amand observed that many of his fibromyalgia patients suffered from symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar.). In the years that followed his first observations about the relationship between the two disorders, he longed for an explanation. Lacking evidence from other professionals, he arrived at the conclusion that the underlying cause was due to a sensitivity to carbs that leads to elevated insulin levels and rapidly decreasing glucose levels. This, in turn. triggers the release of excess adrenaline to halt the decline. Excessive adrenaline then sparks a serious of reactions including irregular heart beat, headaches and gastrointestinal problems. All of are symptoms of hypoglycemia, fibromyalgia — and autonomic neuropathy.

Think about it. If we understood this spent the time and money to research and understand this link, how many people would benefit?

What is fibromyalgia?

Just latching onto a concise, useful definition for fibromyalgia is often the first major challenge for people dealing with the disease. Despite the fact that the American Medical Association recognized fibromyalgia as a  true illness in 1987, too many doctors somehow "missed the memo."

In searching for medical definitions, I really put faith in Wikipedia as a simple, easy-to-locate source for anyone with even limited Internet access:

Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a chronic syndrome (constellation of signs and symptoms) characterized by diffuse or specific muscle, joint, or bone pain, fatigue, and a wide range of other symptoms. It is not contagious, and recent studies suggest that people with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed. It affects more females than males, with a ratio of 9:1 by ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria. Fibromyalgia is seen in 3% to 6% of the general population, and is most commonly diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 20 and 50. The nature of fibromyalgia is not well understood, with many frustrated physicians driven to accusing their patients of feigning illness. There are few, if any, treatments available. Although there is no cure, the disease itself is neither life-threatening nor progressive, though the degree of symptoms may vary greatly from day to day with periods of flares (severe worsening of symptoms) or remission.

The Link to Fibromyalgia

I can truly empathize with the many people who battle not only  fibromyalgia, but also those that still believe "It's just not real. It's all in her head." I have heard many similar comments about my discovery of a link between neuropathic pain, hypoglycemic complications and raising glucose levels. All too many times I have heard professionals tell me that "it's in my head." Which? The neuropathy or the elimination of all the pain and complications?

I have watched several close friends and relatives battle fibromyalgia over the years and struggle to get the information and support necessary to cope effectively. Hopefully, this book and blog will promote research that can improve all of their lives.

This week, I will be posting items that focus on fibromyalgia and the potential link to faulty glucose metabolism. For those that are looking for more information specifically about fibromyalgia, I invite you to visit The Fibromyalgia Research Blog