The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s clearance allows Lilly to sell Cymbalta for symptoms of fibromyalgia, a little-understood ailment that causes debilitating pain and fatigue.

Cymbalta, which Lilly expects to be its top-selling drug in the United States this year, is also used to treat depression, anxiety and diabetic pain.

The medicine generated $2.1 billion in sales last year, and will compete with Pfizer Inc.’s pain medicine Lyrica, which was approved for fibromyalgia in June 2007.

Lyrica, also sold for nerve pain from shingles and diabetes, had sales of $1.8 billion in 2007. It is the only other medicine approved for fibromyalgia.

As many as 4 percent of Americans have the ailment, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

Cymbalta is in a family of medicines known as serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, which act on two brain chemicals to ease depression.

The drug reduced chronic pain by half in 33 percent to 36 percent of patients who took it for six months, compared with 22 percent on a placebo, Lilly reported at a medical conference in August.

Forest Laboratories Inc. and Cypress Bioscience Inc. also have asked the FDA for permission to market their drug for fibromyalgia, milnacipran, and expect a decision by October 2008.

About 90 percent of fibromyalgia patients are female. Symptoms include headache, irritable bowel syndrome, and hand and foot numbness.

“It’s a real disease,” Dr. Madelaine Wohlreich told IBJ in February. Wohlreich is a psychiatrist who is leading the team of Lilly researchers studying Cymbalta for fibromyalgia. She added, “There’s a lot about the disease of fibromyalgia that we do not understand.”

Although Cymbalta’s exact mechanism of action is unknown, Wohlreich thinks the drug affects fibromyalgia by helping the brain “quiet down” pain messages coming from a patient’s body. With fibromyalgia, the brain’s ability to block out pain messages appears not to work correctly.

-Newswire

Besides the comfort of heat on your aches and pains, the great thing about these homemade heat packs is that you can make a simple one in just a couple minutes. If you want to go fancy, you can also give them away as gifts. A gift that keeps on giving.

The simplest no-sew versions require a clean tube sock. You must fill the sock with rice or dried beans, then tie the end with a knot or rubber band. Alternatively, you may take a colorful cotton bandanna, fill it with dried beans, and knot the four corners together. Voila!

For all these projects, you are best off using dried beans or regular long grain rice, and don’t overfill. Three quarters full is enough.

You can purchase flannel or fleece fabric when it is on sale, or look for cheap tea towels. You may even have fabric in the house already you can use, or old jeans, a flannel shirt, or flannel sheets that are partially worn and no longer usable.

Huge bags of rice and beans are available for a reasonable price at stores like Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Costco, etc.

If you feel it necessary, make a paper pattern first from a piece of newspaper. Go simple for your first one with a square or rectangle. Once you decide on the size, cut out the material. With material pieces right side to right side, sew a 1/4 ” seam around all four sides, leaving a 2 inch space or so on one side open. Turn inside out and fill with the rice, using a funnel. (You can make a larger mouth funnel by cutting the bottom half off a plastic soft drink bottle). Sew the opening closed, and you’re done! If you make larger ones, you may want to “quilt” them in 3 or 4 sections to hold the rice or beans in place. If using a tea towel, just fold it in half, and sew along the three sides.

You can add scent to your project in a few ways. The easiest would be to purchase essential oils of your choice, and add a few drops to the rice before filling. You can also use dried lavender buds, and place a few of them in with the rice. If you have some herbal tea on hand, just open the bag, and place the tea leaves in the rice. The scent will wear off after a few uses, but you can revive it by putting a drop or two of essential oil on the material before heating.

Now that you’ve made your first one, you can also make more elaborate projects for gifts, or just to pamper yourself!

Try tracing the outline of your foot, and make two very flat ones with rice and fleece. Warm them in the microwave, and put them inside your slippers on a cold day when your feet ache. The warmth and “massage” from the rice is so soothing!

You can make almost any shape or size you desire. Buy a teddy bear pattern at the fabric store (or make your own), and make one for a child’s gift. Make adult gifts using pretty towels and ribbon ties. You get the idea. Make them as small or large (as long as it fits in the microwave) as you like. You can customize the shapes to fit the parts of you that need them most. You can even add Velcro, to fit them to your wrist or head. I even know someone who uses large ones to warm the bed!

Key Take-Aways

Heat packs take only a few minutes to make.

You don’t have to know how to sew.

They’re inexpensive.

Nothing feels better than heat when you’re achy and sore.

So why not try it today? Once you’ve completed your experiment, give us your feedback on the heat pack!

When you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition you’re faced with many challenges: medical, emotional, social, and professional, as you learn to manage your new life.

It’s been estimated that 25 million people in the United States, or 1 out of every 10, has a chronic disease that causes limitations. In a European study, it was reported that by the age of 50, more than a third of the workforce is managing a chronic condition, usually a musculoskeletal or cardiovascular disorder.

For employees weighing the decision of disclosing their illness to their employer and co-workers, there are mixed feelings. On the one hand, you may fear that it will be bad for your career. Your employer and colleagues may view you in a different light.

They may worry how this will affect the company and in turn them. On the other hand, if you decide not to disclose your illness you lose out on the protection, accommodation, and time off provided under the ADA and FMLA.

Should you do decide to tell approach the conversation with as much professionalism as you would bring to any other work related discussion.

You may need to miss work for doctor appointments and tests. Or you may feel you’re not able to meet your job requirements. Medications or pain may hinder your abilities, and you may tire easily. You will worry about how other people will react to you if they learn that you’re sick. Many people feel that as long as they have no major difficulty doing their job, they would prefer to keep it quiet and not risk being treated differently.

There’s some research on the subject. A study in the United Kingdom examined 610 staff members at a university who responded to a questionnaire about management of chronic illness at work. The authors’ state: “As a large number of chronic illnesses are hidden and not perceptible to others, receiving appropriate support from line managers and colleagues requires their knowledge and understanding of the employee’s illness. Unless employees choose to inform significant others at work as to the nature of their illness, such support may be lacking.” This same study also talks about the risks of disclosing, such as rejection, discrimination, loss of support, and even loss of employment.

Not long ago, having a chronic illness would end one’s career. Now with laws to support you, medicines, and changed attitudes among employers, it’s possible not only to hold a job, but to succeed in the career of your choice.

Should you do decide to tell, get all your ducks in a row and approach the conversation with as much professionalism as you would bring to any other work related discussion.

Make an appointment with your doctor to evaluate your situation and how it will affect your job performance. Know what accommodations you will need (time off, more frequent breaks, permission to work at home, a more ergonomic work station, etc) so that you can be specific. If there is some flexibility, and you can afford to you may want to consider part-time work to conserve your health.

If you reside in the United States, find out if you are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).The Act guarantees certain workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition. In other countries, especially in Europe, support is provided in case of ill health, so check the legal system in your country before disclosing your illness.

Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the U.K.’s Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) offer legal protections that make it easier to obtain special accommodations for disability-related problems. But, you are only protected if you disclose your disability. Know your legal rights before speaking with your employer. Talk to an attorney or a patient advocacy organization.

Try to think of solutions to challenges you face. Show your employer that you have thought seriously about how to preserve the quality of your work.

Once you have disclosed your condition, make things work by:

• Doing your best to schedule any absences ahead of time,

• Having something you can work on at home when you can’t make it to the office.

• Acknowledging co-workers who fill in for you in an emergency.

• Learning to manage your symptoms enough to make it through the workday.

• Requesting accommodations that allow you to do your job better. Update your supervisor as your needs change.

• Making the most of your strengths and talents.

• Be discrete who you tell, how much you tell, and when you tell. Remind your employer that any health information you provide is confidential.

Not long ago, having a chronic illness would end one’s career. Now with laws to support you, better medications, and changed attitudes among employers, it’s possible not only to hold a job, but to succeed in the career of your choice. Take a good look at your situation, and implement an agenda to help you do just that.

Ultimately, the final decision to disclose is yours and yours alone.

Ask yourself, “What do I have to gain by telling?” “What do I have to lose?”

But always be sure of your choice. Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.

________________________

About the Author:

Faith Stone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. In spite of her fibromyalgia, her columns appear here twice a month.

How ironic is it that about 75% of chronic pain sufferers are women, and women seem to be responsible for 95% of all the household chores? Why do we still feel we have to do everything we once did, even though our circumstances have changed? Sometimes we just have no other choice: either we live alone, or we don’t have enough support. But there are a few things I’ve learned along the way to have a cleaner, more organized home, even though you’ll never see my place on the pages of House Beautiful.

It seems like a daunting task to get started especially if you’ve let things go for too long. So expect this to be a process, not an overnight feat.

Of course it’s a daunting task to get started, especially if you’ve let things go for too long. I understand, I did that too. And Rome wasn’t built in a day, as they say. So expect this to be a process, not an overnight feat.

Once you get started, not only will you feel a major sense of accomplishment, but when you’re done, things will be easier to keep up, and that will take a lot of stress off you. I’m writing under the assumption that YOU will be the one who will be doing most of it. If possible, consider delegating any of your chores to a partner, a child, a helpful friend, or even hired help if you can afford it.

Step 1: The List

The first step isn’t cleaning at all. Sit down and make a list. What tasks are the most important to you? Does the clutter drive you crazy? Is that dirty bathroom making you nuts? Write down, in order, the projects you’d like to tackle. You may be thinking “My whole house is a disaster!” That’s okay, mine was too, just write it down. Your list can be simple- Clean kitchen, Clean bathroom, or you can go into details.

Step 2: The Purge

A lot of us have years of accumulated junk; knick knacks, clothes we never wear, pots and pans we never use, etc. Please seriously consider either donating it, having a garage sale, or just throwing it away! This especially applies to those things that never seem to have a place to be put away. Believe me, getting rid of the junk is the biggest relief of the whole process. You’ll never have to dust those stupid things again. Or try to find room in your cupboards.

Seriously consider getting rid of things you no longer use or just take up space. Clutter is the most overwhelming task of them all, and the most distracting. It’s what makes you not know where to begin.

Clutter is the most overwhelming task of them all, and the most distracting. It’s what makes you not know where to begin. So consider decluttering, at least some of it, and the rest will be so much easier.

Step 3: The Process

When you’ve made peace with getting rid of some of that stuff (or decided you can’t bear to part with it), the next step is mental. You must give yourself permission to take breaks during this “process”. Breaks during the time you are working are essential! You must pace yourself and not overdo any of it! Decide that you will work for a certain amount of time, then rest for a little while. I like to work in 20 minute segments. If I feel I can continue, I do. If not, I sit for a little while. Sometimes, I just can’t get up and get going at all again that day- THAT’S OKAY! You’ve lived like this for awhile now, a little more won’t hurt you.

Sometimes the breaks can extend into days or weeks, because you’re not well, and that’s okay too. Don’t expect more of yourself than you’re capable of, and don’t push just to get it done. It will all get done eventually. The only promise you must make to yourself is that if you take breaks that last for awhile, you will not add to your clutter during this time. Don’t bring in more stuff than you can take care of. Doing so will just set you back and frustrate you.

Breaks during the time you are working are essential! You must pace yourself and not overdo any of it! Decide that you will work for a certain amount of time, then rest for a little while.

Step 4: Arrange & Rearrange

Now we’re ready to really get started. But, we’re still not going to clean! Go through the house, room by room (however long it takes is okay), and put things away. Find a place for whatever you’re keeping, and put it where it will eventually go. Rearrange your knick knacks how you’d like them. Put those important papers on your kitchen table in a small bin. Hang up (or put in the laundry) all those clothes lying around in the bedroom. Rearrange the appliances on the kitchen counter so they’re more efficient. Arrange (or put away) the shoes in the back hall, straighten up those books or magazines. You get the idea. No cleaning yet, but finding a home for everything will make it look so much neater, and it will be easier to take care of once you start.

Step 5: The Pact

As you finish in each room, make a pact with yourself that even if you do nothing else all day, each room you’ve picked up will stay picked up until you get to the cleaning part. Otherwise, you’ll have to start over. Unless you’re desperately ill, you can take a moment to put away anything you’ve used. If you have a family, get them in this habit too.

Finally, we’re getting to the cleaning part. Your house is hopefully now decluttered and straightened up. It may be dirty, but it looks a lot more manageable, doesn’t it? Get out that list and recheck your priorities. Once things are in their place, they may have changed. The kitchen may look livable to you now, but your bedroom may not. Reorder what you want to accomplish.

Try to think of new ways to do things so as to not aggravate your pain.

Step 6: Cleaning

Now you can tackle the actual cleaning. We all know how to clean, so I won’t tell you what to do, but give you some ideas you can implement to make things easier. As you organize closets and cabinets, make sure the items you use most frequently are within easy reach for you. If you have the room, keep duplicate cleaning supplies where you will use them. For instance, you may want to have glass cleaner in both the bathroom and kitchen. Keep the bathroom cleaners in the bathroom, so they are right there for you to use. Obviously keeping in mind the safety of children and pets first.

Alternate between hard chores and easy ones. Don’t try to tackle all the hard tasks at once. Also try to alternate between chores you do sitting or standing. And try to do as much as you can sitting down. Pull the junk drawer out and set it at your kitchen table to organize it. Fold your laundry while sitting on the couch. Buy one of those long handled scrubbers so you’re not bending over the tub. Every time you leave a room, take something with you and put it where it belongs. Try to think of new ways to do things so as to not aggravate your pain.

Every day, take just a few minutes to keep the areas you’ve finished picked up, or better yet, try to get in the habit of putting things away as soon as you’re done using them.

Break up tasks that make you hurt most. Vacuum just the living room one day, and save the family room for another. Wash just half of the kitchen floor. Never think you have to finish it all- you don’t. We’re so used to feeling like we have to complete each task, but you must remember that there is no time frame, and eventually it will all get done. Every day, take just a few minutes to keep the areas you’ve finished picked up, or better yet, try to get in the habit of putting things away as soon as you’re done using them.

Once the visible areas of your home are done, then look at taking on things like drawers and closets. Doing the things you see when entering your home are the most rewarding, so save the closed areas for last.

It’s not going to be easy, but if you keep at it a little at a time, before you know it, everything will be organized and clean. It will make your day to day cleaning a breeze, cut your stress level, and make it a pleasure to be home.

________________________

About the Author:

Faith Stone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. In spite of her fibromyalgia, her columns appear here twice a month.

Mine too. But I’d never say them out loud…

I know, no matter how bad I think I have it, someone out there has got it a lot worse! I was taught in eighth grade about Rose Kennedy, who had eleven children, six of whom died before she did. I wondered, “Why her? How could she still get up in the morning?” As a mother myself now, I could not even imagine it. I will never forget my lesson in school that day, and the following words from Mrs. Kennedy written on the chalkboard:

“I have always believed that God never gives a cross to bear larger than we can carry. No matter what, he wants us to be happy, not sad. Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t we?”

I will never forget thinking to myself ‘If this woman doesn’t say ‘why me’ or ‘what did I do to deserve this?’, then I certainly never will’.

To this day, I hate to hear others who don’t have near as many problems as so many others, saying the words “Why me?” I feel like telling them to walk in someone else’s shoes for a while and gain some perspective on what life is all about.

One of my biggest problems is also a blessing. I tend to over-analyze things. So I have spent a great deal of time pondering these two issues.

There are two ways to look at the first question, ‘Why Me?” I prefer to think of it as each time we are put through any experience good or bad, it teaches us a lesson that we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. Fate, destiny, karma–whatever you want to call it—it has to teach us somehow right? For example, I don’t think I truly learned the meaning of patience in its entirety until I went shopping in a crowded store, surrounded by screaming kids (including two in my own cart) and got in line behind a 100 year old woman with 60 items in her cart with coupons for every one of them.

Another way to look at it, if you prefer, is why is it about you that gives you a free pass through life? Why NOT you? Why SHOULD it be everyone but you? ‘Why Me’ implies that you have it tougher than others for some unknown reason and thus do not deserve any tribulation in your life. But why do you think that about yourself? Do you think you are the only person in the world with problems or are yours just worse than everyone else’s?

The second question, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’, really bothers me. Do people honestly believe that they did something to deserve whatever ill has befallen them? IF that were the case, how would one explain sick babies? Poor innocent children? What could they have possibly done to piss off the Gods of Fate? NOTHING. Therefore, it stands to reason that when something bad happens to you, it’s not anything that you necessarily deserved. It just happened. You can either dwell on it or deal with it. But the sooner you face it, the sooner you can deal with it. And the sooner you deal with it, the sooner you can move past it.

I look at both of these questions as negative thoughts and avoidance behaviors. Instead of worrying over WHY something happened, decide what you are going to do about it. Make a plan. Be proactive. Rather than worrying about things for which you may never find an answer, I believe it’s far more productive to face the truth and start taking action. Based on personal experience, taking action will make you feel better, too. You deserve to be happy, so work hard on getting that back!

Learn to look at the big picture. Does it really matter WHY your car got a flat tire today of all days? No. All that matters is that you fix it. Remember it’s not just you that goes through hard times even though it may feel that way at times. You are not alone. But if you don’t face up to your challenges, you may end up alone.

______________________
About the Author:

Maddy Cooke is a FOG Magazine columnist. Her column, “It’s a Maddy Mad World”, appears in this section every two weeks. You can also find her writings on bipolar disorder and fibromyalgia at WannaBeNormal.com.

I was going to go into what needs one once a bill passes with you today. Instead I think I’ll share with you what it’s personally like for me as an advocate. By that I mean, what do I do? How do I do it? And “What does it all mean to me?”

I’ve already shared with you why I became involved as an advocate. So now indulge me as I tell you how I got started.

Upon deciding to become an advocate, I spent the next week or so trying to figure out what to do next. To tell the truth, I had no idea how to start. Sound familiar?

I’m sure it does. That’s one of the first questions I get. How do I get involved? That is such a difficult question to answer. Mainly because it’s up to the individual to decide how involved they want to be, how much effort they want to expend. For me, complete involvement is the only option. I want to be at the forefront of the progress we are making. Does this make me sound vain? It really shouldn’t. I don’t do this for wealth or to have my name known. I do it because I want to make a difference in people’s lives.

I want to know that this illness became something good for me. I have goals I want to achieve. Nothing short of full involvement will guarantee that I achieve those goals. What are those goals you ask?

• I want to see Fibromyalgia become a household name

• I want to educate those who still believes “it’s all in your head”

• I want to guarantee that doctors all recognize Fibromyalgia

• I want to help further the progress in the medical treatment of Fibromyalgia

• I want to see the (U.S.) Social Security Disability Benefits system completely reformed to meet the needs of those who qualify so that they don’t have to go through what my parents went through

Those are the main goals I have. Are my goals unattainable? Am I overly ambitious? Am I setting myself up to fail? While some people would say yes, I don’t believe it. I believe that through perseverance and dedication these are attainable goals. I’m not insane enough to think that it will be an easy process or one that can be accomplished quickly. However, I do believe that it can and will be done.

So what was the first thing I did as an advocate? Well, as boring as it sounds, I researched everything I could find out about the disease. I read all the books in publication, I read everything I could find on the internet. Once I had completely educated myself on the disease, I made a list of everything I could think of that needed to be done in the area of Fibromyalgia. I made lists of conflicting information regarding FMS. Finally I made lists of everyone who recognized FMS –but more importantly, those who didn’t.

From there I began writing to the CDC (Centers for Disease and Infection Control) and the WHO (World Health Organization). Why did I start with those two organizations? That’s an easy one. The CDC and the WHO are 2 of the leading health organizations out there and neither one had any information on FMS listed on their website. I wanted to know why this was happening and what needed to happen in order for FMS to be added.

I have followed it up with letters and emails and phone calls to Senators, Congressmen, and Representatives trying to gain their assistance in our fight for the rights of people with Fibromyalgia. While I have been mildly successful, my fight is far from over. Until all of my goals have been accomplished I will continue to fight for you.
Until next time, live life with hope and faith.

_________

About the Author:

Kelly Cozzone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. Besides writing, she is an ardent disability advocate in the state of South Carolina, where her efforts have changed lives.

Do you sometimes feel spacey? Do you often find that while others are talking around you nothing is sinking in? Do you lose your train of thought mid-sentence?

These are but a few of the questions you can ask yourself if you suspect you have those terrible ‘brain fog’ experiences, says Dr. Keddy.

If the answer to these questions is “yes”, then you, like millions of others share a frustrating syndrome that is, like fibromyalgia itself, invisible.

Brain fog is not just an issue for those of us who suffer from fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue but can occur at different stages of life. For example, many new mothers complain about those same ‘symptoms’ but usually they are the result of lack of sleep and hormonal changes. Yet again, menopausal women often report brain fog associated with this time of their lives, no doubt due to hormonal changes, or hot flashes that result in lack of sleep.

Some people with diseases like multiple sclerosis also find that often they are plagued with a sensation of muddled thinking. And then there are the effects of the aging process when we seem to be perpetually forgetting things, like a person’s name, or words, or the names of objects, and we ask ourselves if we are developing the dreaded Alzheimer’s Disease.

It is reasonable to attribute much of that cloudy sensation (that some of the women whom I interviewed laughingly called ‘brain farts’) to a sleeping disorder or the poor quality of sleep that accompanies fibromyalgia. I suspect, however, that this fuzzy thinking is primarily the result of an over stimulated nervous system that can cause adrenal exhaustion. It seems to be worse at times of stress, over-tiredness or excitement.

What do I believe is the cause of this “brain fart” in the fibromyalgia sufferer? I think it begins in the adrenal glands, those little things that sit atop the kidneys.

The adrenal glands produce the hormone Cortisol which is a major hormone affecting the stress response of our bodies. Many of us believe that fibromyalgia is caused by an inability to calm the nervous system so that we are continuously hyper-aroused, rather than in a restful, calm state. The end result of this is an under-stimulation of the adrenal glands and subsequent loss of output of Cortisol, and finally, adrenal exhaustion.

Among the several effects of this condition are the severe chronic and acute aches and pains of fibromyalgia and, in particular, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) which can cause spacy thinking, lack of clarity of thought, dizziness and the other general characteristics of brain fog. Needless to say, fatigue goes hand-in-hand with this whole process.

There are ways to somewhat counteract these unwelcome episodes, among which are avoiding stimulants like caffeine and increasing the intake of complex carbohydrates like grains while avoiding sugars like those found in candy and soft drinks. But, aside from food and drink, how do we cope with these flare-ups on a daily basis?

This foggy sensation gives the person a feeling of muddled and confused thinking which can be embarrassing. We are often forced into asking people to repeat the conversation and even then becoming frustrated with ourselves and why we just cannot ‘get it’! Learning new things, like a foreign language, catching on to simple jokes, or mastering new games like bridge and chess can be challenging. Couple this with aging and it often requires time out just to settle the mind.

How do we deal with all these invisible symptoms of fibromyalgia? I still cannot adequately answer this question in spite of living 40 years with fibromyalgia. Those of us dealing with this demon are usually taking pain medication like Lyrica or Neurontin. Others, who may be depressed because of the pain and/or sleep deprivation, are often on traditional or complementary herbs or pharmaceuticals for depression. However, what does a person do for brain fog, that elusive peculiar sensation of not always being in charge of your thoughts? The need to find answers to this question is critical because there is currently no medicine to treat this symptom.

Because we often look well it is not easy to explain to others how we suffer from pain, sleeping problems, perhaps depression, maybe intestinal disorders among a host of other chronic challenges. But, to add to that, we often lack concentration that directly affects others who expect more of us since we look so healthy!

In the absence of a proven remedy, I believe it is humor and the ability to laugh at ourselves that could save us at times when we lose our train of thought and appear spaced out to others.

Most importantly, gentle exercise, walking, strengthening weights if done slowly, Tai Chi, Pilates, or whatever best suits our life style and abilities certainly help.

I have written extensively on the particular challenges I have faced in incorporating these treatments into my daily life. It is my hope that you can learn from my years of experience as a fellow fibromyalgia sufferer and improve your quality of life.
________________________

About the Author:

Barbara Keddy, Ph.D., is author of the book “Women and Fibromyalgia: Living with an Invisible Dis-ease” which details her experiences with and knowledge of fibromyalgia. You can learn more about her at her web-site http://womenandfibromyalgia.com

Why is recognizing May 12th as “Fibromyalgia Awareness Day” important? There are several reasons.

First and foremost, Fibromyalgia must become known as a “true” illness. While we who suffer from this awful disease already understand this, there are many more people out there who still haven’t come around to our way of thinking.

And why should they? We are patients. But by having a government accept this and recognize it officially through, for example, Bill 883 in South Carolina., the notion that fibromyalgia is “all in our head” becomes less credible, even preposterous.

It is way too easy for a doctor or family member to use the excuse that FMS isn’t real as a way of dismissing our symptoms. It’s also extremely difficult to get a doctor to treat any symptom which they can classify as “drug-seeking” behavior. I’m sure that many of you who suffer severely from pain that cannot be attributed to an “injury” have got the “look”. You know, the one your doctor gives you when he or she believes you are exaggerating the pain. Generally those doctors are the stubborn ones who still hold onto the notion that FMS isn’t real.

How wonderful would it be to no longer have to face that look? How great would it be to sit in the office of a doctor who truly wants to treat your symptoms and alleviate the debilitating pain? In order for that to become the norm– instead of the exception – it is imperative that FMS become formally recognized.

Will that solve the problem? Will that be the turning point?

While it certainly won’t solve the problem, it most assuredly will be the turning point. It will be one of the watershed moments on the route to unlocking the mystery that is Fibromyalgia.

And secondly, it is important that Fibromyalgia become formally recognized at the federal level. Why?

This is where the major funding occurs. Not necessarily from the federal government but mainly from private research companies. This must occur in stages. In order to obtain results at a federal level, we must first succeed at a state level. That means we need ONE state to take the lead for the rest of the country. One state brave enough to say this has gone on long enough and we need to get to the bottom of Fibromyalgia. We have that in South Carolina. I have found a Senator willing to stand up and be heard.

This will be the boost we need. The hope? Other states will follow South Carolina’s lead. We were so close in North Carolina. However, at the last minute, everything fell apart. Once Bill 883 is enacted into law, politicians won’t have to “take a risk” and stick their neck out to bring about legislative change.

Instead we will be able to explain to them that they will simply be following suit. In order words, once Bill 883 passes in South Carolina, when we approach the 49 other states, we will have even more pressure to place on politicians in other states to follow suit.

So where does all this lead? Hopefully it will all lead to funding, to research, to more effective medications, and to treatments that actually work. That is why I work so hard. That is why I wake up every morning looking for the most up to date information on Fibromyalgia that I can find. That is why I spend hours on the phone with politicians, the CDC, the WHO, and local doctors.

I have been in contact either by phone or mail with every single Senator and Representative in South Carolina. This is something I do on a regular basis. It keeps Bill 883 and my voice at the forefront of their minds. As in most things, “Out of sight is out of mind”, and in the advocacy business, one needs to be heard. This is why I spend so much time preparing.

So, the bill passes, what’s next? We’ll delve into that next time. Until then, live life with hope and faith.

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About the Author:

Kelly Cozzone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. Besides writing, she is an ardent disability advocate in the state of South Carolina, where her efforts have changed lives.

A recent University of Iowa study reveals a biological link between pain and fatigue and may help explain why more women than men are diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Working with mice, the researchers, led by Kathleen Sluka, Ph.D., professor in the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, found that a protein involved in muscle pain works in conjunction with the male hormone testosterone to protect against muscle fatigue.

Chronic pain and fatigue often occur together — as many as three in four people with chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain report having fatigue; and as many as 94 percent of people with chronic fatigue syndromes report muscle pain. Women make up the majority of patients with these conditions.

To probe the link between pain and fatigue, and the influence of sex, the UI team compared exercise-induced muscle fatigue in male and female mice with and without ASIC3 — an acid-activated ion channel protein that the team has shown to be involved in musculoskeletal pain.

A task involving three one-hour runs produced different levels of fatigue in the different groups of mice as measured by the temporary loss of muscle strength caused by the exercise.

Male mice with ASIC3 were less fatigued by the task than female mice. However, male mice without the ASIC3 protein showed levels of fatigue that were similar to the female mice and were greater than for the normal males.

In addition, when female mice with ASIC3 were given testosterone, their muscles became as resistant to fatigue as the normal male mice. In contrast, the muscle strength of female mice without the protein was not boosted by testosterone.

“The differences in fatigue between males and females depends on both the presence of testosterone and the activation of ASIC3 channels, which suggests that they are interacting somehow to protect against fatigue,” Sluka said. “These differences may help explain some of the underlying differences we see in chronic pain conditions that include fatigue with respect to the predominance of women over men.”

The study, which was published in the Feb. 28 issue of the American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, indicates that muscle pain and fatigue are not independent conditions and may share a common pathway that is disrupted in chronic muscle pain conditions. The team plans to continue their studies and investigate whether pain enhances fatigue more in females than males.

“Our long-term goal is to come up with better treatments for chronic musculoskeletal pain,” Sluka said. “But the fatigue that is typically associated with chronic widespread pain is also big clinical problem — it leaves people unable to work or engage in social activities. If we could find a way to reduce fatigue, we could really improve quality of life for these patients.”

Source: http://www.uiowa.edu/

I first became acquainted with the concept of a Gratitude Journal after seeing Simple Abundance author Sarah Ban Breathnach on Oprah. The theory behind a gratitude journal is basic: You write down five things (or more) that you are grateful for every day. As Ban Breathnach explains, “If you give thanks for five gifts every day, in two months you may not look at your life in the same way as you might now.”

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie.

Once you regularly express things you are grateful for, it trains your brain to begin focusing on things you like about your life instead of the things you don’t. Often time’s depression comes from a routine of negative thoughts so a gratitude journal re-programs your mind to think more positively. Your whole perspective on life will change.

Of course there will be times, when life seems very dark, that it will seem there is nothing to be grateful enough to write about. Even if all you can find that day to be thankful for is just the food on your table or that you made it through another day, write it down, and sincerely be appreciative of it. There will be nights you have to dig deep, but after you practice, it will get easier to appreciate the simple joys of life.

“Other days–rough ones–I might think that I don’t have five things to be grateful for, so I’ll write down my basics: my health, my husband and daughter, their health, my animals, my home, my friends, and the comfortable bed that I’m about to get into, as well as the fact that the day’s over. That’s okay. Real life isn’t always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgment of what is working in our lives can help us not only survive, but surmount our difficulties.”~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

There have been several studies on the effects of keeping daily or weekly Gratitude Journals.

In an experimental comparison, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events.

A related benefit was observed in the realm of personal goal attainment: Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions.

In a sample of adults with neuromuscular disease, a 21-day gratitude intervention resulted in greater amounts of high energy positive moods, a greater sense of feeling connected to others, more optimistic ratings of one’s life, and better sleep duration and sleep quality, relative to a control group.

A daily gratitude intervention (self-guided exercises) with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison (ways in which participants thought they were better off than others). There was no difference in levels of unpleasant emotions reported in the three groups.

Participants in the daily gratitude condition were more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or having offered emotional support to another, relative to the hassles or social comparison condition.

“As you focus on the abundance rather than on the lack in your life, you will be designing a wonderful new blueprint for the future. And you have set in motion an ancient spiritual law; the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.”~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

If you are interested in trying this, promise yourself you will give it you best effort for just one month, and see if you notice the improvement in your outlook. I’m willing to bet that after the month is over, you’ll continue the practice.

To get started:

• Choose a blank notebook or journal to write in every night. It can be anything from a plain spiral notebook, to one of the beautiful bound blank page books available. Or if you prefer, you can do it on your computer, or even online. Ban Breathnach’s website has an online journal, as do other sites like Fibrotalk.com.

• Keep your eyes open for things happening during day for which you are grateful. Make mental notes or jot them down. You will begin to notice how the Gratitude Journal shifts your focus to a more positive outlook.

• Write down at least five things you’re grateful for every night preferably before bedtime. Look back on the day and include anything, small or large, that made you feel gratitude. The warm sun on your face, the love of your family or pets, or even just that you made it out of bed. Start with simple sentences, and increase them into paragraphs as the mood hits.

• Every day, try to look for the positive angle. Try to view obstacles as an opportunity to appreciate what you do have. Some days it will be harder than others, but begin using positive energy to draw more positive energy to you. When it happens, make note of it.

• You may enjoy personalizing your gratitude journal. Use photos, your own artwork, clippings from magazines, poetry, or anything else that makes you smile.

About the Author:

Faith Stone is a regular contributor to Fog Magazine. In spite of her fibromyalgia, her columns appear here twice a month.