----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fibromyalgia
Community Newsletter #24
Wednesday, July 17, 2002
Subscription update: 1741 subscribers and 21 new subscribers.
Welcome!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Members of the FMS community have generously contributed
almost $400.00 in order to keep the site and newsletter running, but we still
need your help. Please help keep the FMS Community alive by making a
contribution if you are able; any amount will help. Please go to
http://www.fmscommunity.org/contributions.htm to see how you can pitch in.
AOL users: <a href="http://www.fmscommunity.org/contributions.htm">Read it
here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Featured Link: Napping Improves Skills, Prevents Burnout
Evidence is mounting that catching a few more minutes of sleep each night or
taking a midday nap will enhance information processing and learning.
Check it out:
http://www.wellnessjunction.com/athome/selfcare/0711news.htm AOL users: <a
href="
http://www.wellnessjunction.com/athome/selfcare/0711news.htm">Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's news:
1) *A Summer Seminar* With Susan Levine M.D.
2) Interview with CEO of FMS organization
3) Basic nutrition for FMS survivors
4) Antidepressants in pain management
5) Breast pain: Common but often manageable
6) Management of Fibromyalgia: What Are the Best Treatment Choices?
7) FMS conference planned for WV in September
8) Does fibromyalgia affect the outcomes of local steroid treatment in patients
with carpal tunnel syndrome?
9) Book offers insight into grief process of prolonged illness
10) Top 10 Tips for a Low-Stress Vacation
11) Treating Bacterial Infections Can Help Asthmatics
12) Facts about addiction to pain medication
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1)
*A Summer Seminar* With Susan Levine, M.D.
The Connecticut CFIDS & FM Association, Inc. Presents
*A Summer Seminar* With Susan Levine M.D.
Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Dr. Levine will speak on :
The General Overview of Practical Treatments of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome &
Fibromyalgia
Location: The Tully Health Center of Stamford Hospital
32 Strawberry Hill Court, Stamford, Connecticut Wednesday Evening July 17th,
2002 from 7pm to 9pm
I-95 Northbound:
Get off exit 8. Make a left at the light onto Atlantic St. Atlantic St.
turns into Bedford Bedford St. Keep going until you get to the POLICE STATION,
Make a right onto Hoyt St. Make a left onto the very first light onto Morgan St.
(at the corner of Brooks Pharmacy). Go all the Way to the end of the street and
make a right at the stop sign onto Strawberry Hill Court. The Tully Health
Center is at the top of the hill on the right.
I-95 Southbound:
Get off exit 8 . At traffic light make aright onto Elm St. Elm St. turn into
Grove ST. Grove ST. turns into Strawberry Hill Ave. Turn left onto Strawberry
Hill Court. The Tully Health Center is the first Building on the left.
Merritt Parkway Northbound:
Get off exit 34. Make a right onto Long Ridge Road go straight until you get to
Summer St. Make a right. Make a left onto Third St. (at the corner of the
Stamford Diner). Go straight over traffic light this will turn into Strawberry
Hill Court. Go past the Athletic Club and Westfield CT and Go up the hill. You
will see a large sign that says Tully Health Center. Immediately turn right.
Merritt Parkway Southbound:
Get off exit 35. Make a left onto High Ridge Rd. High Ridge Rd. turns into
Summer St. Make a left onto Third St. (at the corner of the Stamford Diner). Go
straight over traffic light this will turn into Strawberry Hill Court. Go past
the Athletic Club and Westfield CT and go up the hill. You will see a large sign
that says Tully Health Center.
Immediately turn right.
Please No Perfume or Hair Spray.
Jan Diamond Beagl-@aol.com Connecticut CFIDS & FM Association, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2)
Interview with CEO of FMS organization
I had the pleasure of meeting Sabrina Dudley Johnson, the founder and CEO of
Fibromyalgia Awareness Creating Education and Self-Help (FACES), over a year ago
in Chicago, IL when she co-hosted the FAME 2001 Conference with Lynne Matallana.
Sabrina, a disabled police officer whose FMS results from a line of duty injury,
has continued to work with inner city populations and minorities to bring an
understanding of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction.
The link is to an interview I was fortunate to be able to conduct with her
regarding her advocacy efforts and how they began.
We look forward to your feedback.
Kindest Regards, Anne-Marie Vidal
Check it out: http://www.ourfm-cfidsworld.org/html/interviews.html AOL users: <a
href="
http://www.ourfm-cfidsworld.org/html/interviews.html">Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
3)
Basic nutrition for FMS survivors
According to Hal Blatman, MD, DAAPM, there are three basic nutritional concepts:
1. Do not put poison into the body.
2. Make sure there are raw materials to build new parts (and repair old ones).
3. Make sure there is enough octane to run the engines.
Check it out: http://www.fmaware.org/newsletter/applied_nutrition.htm AOL users:
<a href=http://www.fmaware.org/newsletter/applied_nutrition.htm>Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
4)
Antidepressants in pain management.
Carter GT, Sullivan MD.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of
Medicine, Seattle 98195, USA. gtca-@u.washington.edu
Antidepressants exhibit a number of pharmacological mechanisms, including
norepinephrine and serotonin modulation, direct and indirect effects on opioid
receptors, inhibition of histamine, cholinergic and N-methyl-D-aspartate
receptors, and inhibition of ion channel activity.
Although it is not entirely clear which mechanisms produce analgesia and to what
extent, the available animal and clinical trials data indicates that tricyclic
antidepressants are effective in treating many types of pain. The newer
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors also appear to be effective for chronic
headache and other non-neuropathic forms of chronic pain but are not as well
studied. This article reviews the current basic and clinical research on
antidepressants in pain management.
PMID: 12054096 [PubMed - in process]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
5)
Breast pain: Common but often manageable
Ignoring your breast pain hasn't worked - even a child's hug makes you wince.
Now you're worried, wondering if something is seriously wrong.
Breast pain is a common problem, affecting women of all ages. But while it can
be worrisome and uncomfortable, it rarely signals a serious problem.
Check it out: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ00351&si=1369 AOL users:
<a href=http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ00351&si=1369>Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
6)
Management of Fibromyalgia: What Are the Best Treatment Choices?
In the last decade, numerous studies of fibromyalgia with different new,
possibly pain-modulating substances, have been undertaken on the basis of
neurophysiological research. Several of these studies show promising results,
and hopefully this field of research will be expanded and lead to efficacious
new drugs.
Check it out:
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/bulletinarticle.cfm?ID=3711
AOL users: <a href="http://www.immunesupport.com/library/bulletinarticle.cfm?ID=3711">
Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
7)
FMS conference planned for WV in September
West Liberty State College and the Wheeling CFIDS/FMS Support Group are
sponsoring "FIBROMYALGIA: Coping, New Discoveries and Treatments" on Saturday,
September 28, 2002. The conference will be held at the Ramada Plaza City Center
Hotel in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Our speakers are: Jennifer Watkins, Miss PA 2001; Julie Kelly, MS, RN, a
rheumatology nurse clinician at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN;
and featured speaker Jacob B. Teitelbaum, director of the Annapolis Research
Center for Effective FMS/CFS Therapies. Dr. G.P.
"Jeep" Naum of Wheeling will be the emcee and there will also be a panel
discussion in the afternoon.
Contact Janette Henthorn at West Liberty State College via email:
hent-@wlsc.edu or call 304-277-2562 for more information regarding this event.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
8)
Does fibromyalgia affect the outcomes of local steroid treatment in patients
with carpal tunnel syndrome?
Rheumatol Int 2002 Jul;22(3):112-5
Selami Akkus [1, 5], Suleyman Kutluhan [2], Galip Akhan [2], Ercan Tunc [3],
Mustafa Ozturk [4] and Hasan Rifat Koyuncuoglu [2]
(1) Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Suleyman Demirel
University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey (2) Department of Neurology, Suleyman
Demirel University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey (3) Department of
Rheumatology, Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey (4)
Department of Public Health, Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Isparta,
Turkey (5) P.K.: 74, 31040 Isparta, Turkey mailto:selami-@hotmail.com
PMID: 12111086
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are common diseases in adult
women. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of FM on the outcome
of local steroid treatment in patients with CTS.
Forty-eight female patients with CTS and 26 female patients with CTS who also
met the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for FM were
enrolled the study. All patients underwent single steroid injections into the
carpal tunnel. Response to injection was measured using Boston Questionnaire (BQ)
and electrophysiological tests.
The BQ scores and electrophysiological findings showed significant improvement 3
months after the treatment in both groups ( P<0.001).
However, less improvement in BQ symptom severity scores was observed in the FM
group than the other group ( P<0.05). Bilateral CTS was also more common in the
FM group ( P<0.05).
The present data suggest that FM must be kept in mind in patients with CTS
giving poor response to local steroid treatment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
9)
Book offers insight into grief process of prolonged illness
Living With Grief When Illness Is Prolonged Edited by Kenneth J. Doka Paperback
Published by the Hospice Foundation Of America Distributed by Taylor and Francis
Publication date: April 1997 ISBN: 1560327030
Synopsis:
A compilation of articles by the Hospice Foundation of America about loss and
grief that occurs during prolonged illness. Chronic illness and prolonged dying
create special tensions that can be a terrible burden both for the person who is
ill and those affected by the illness.
Changes in role relationships have psychological and practical ripple effects
throughout the extended family.
This book is distributed to participants in the Hospice Foundation of America's
annual bereavement teleconference, a major professional training event. It is
also sold separately for use by both professionals and non-professionals with an
interest in bereavement and loss. Articles cover disease-specific issues such as
AIDS and Alzheimer's Disease as well as general material.
Editor Ken Doka is a respected author and editor in thanatology circles.
You may order this book either from Amazon.com or directly from the Hospice
Foundation of America, which offers quantity discounts for bulk orders.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
10)
Top 10 Tips for a Low-Stress Vacation
Many of us look forward to vacation time all year long, only to find that after
the trip we're just as stressed, or more so, than before.
Traveling, altered schedules, and new situations can all lead to stress.
If you're seeking a relaxing holiday, the following tips can help make your
vacation as enjoyable, and stress-free, as possible.
Check it out: http://stress.about.com/cs/copingskills/tp/aa061002a.htm AOL
users: <a href="
http://stress.about.com/cs/copingskills/tp/aa061002a.htm">Read it here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
11)
Treating Bacterial Infections Can Help Asthmatics
A new study indicates that many patients with asthma may have bacterial
infections in their lungs, and that treatment with antibiotics can improve their
ability to breathe. Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center
report in the June issue of the journal Chest>/i> that 31 of 55 chronic, stable
asthmatics showed evidence of infection with mycoplasma or chlamydia bacteria.
After six weeks of treatment with the antibiotic clarithromycin, these patients
demonstrated clinically significant improvements in their lung function.
Check it out:
http://www.prohealthnetwork.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=403 AOL users: <a
href=http://www.prohealthnetwork.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=403>Read it
here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
12)
Facts about addiction to pain medication
The possibility of addiction is one of the biggest fears of people who have
chronic pain. And there's good reason. The National Institute on Drug Abuse
estimates that in 1999, 2.6 million people age 12 and older took prescription
pain medications for nonmedical reasons. It's unlikely they all were addicted,
but developing an addiction is indeed possible.
Check it out: http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=PN00056&si=1401 AOL users:
<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=PN00056&si=1401">Read it
here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have enjoyed this newsletter, please go to
http://www.fmscommunity.org/contributions.htm to see how you can help The
Fibromyalgia Community stay alive.
AOL users: <a href="http://www.fmscommunity.org/contributions.htm">Read it
here</a>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Designed, developed and owned by
The Fibromyalgia Community,
a
CSSA Partner, (a 501(c)3
non-profit corporation)
maintained by
Chip Davis and
Jane Kohler
The Fibromyalgia Community website is a privately owned site.
Copyright (C)
1997-2004 The Fibromyalgia Community.
All Rights Reserved.
Page Updated:
July 31, 2004
Health
Information Disclaimer
