A detailed guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), including its symptoms, causes, and effective treatment strategies to improve energy and well-being.
Fibromyalgia symptoms can mask the presence ofchronicinflammatory disease affecting the joints of the pelvis and spine, according to new research.
The study, titled “Prevalence of Axial Spondyloarthritis Among Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study With Application of the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society Classification Criteria,” was published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.It highlights the importance of vigilant management of fibromyalgia symptoms by doctors and patients, taking into account the possible underlying presence of inflammatory disorders.
Unlike other rheumatologic diseases, fibromyalgia is non-inflammatory in nature, and recent reports suggest that it is caused by uncontrolled hyper-activation of the pain-associated nervous response.
Fibromyalgia patients can present a broad spectrum of symptoms, including chronic nocturnal back pain, morning stiffness, and disturbed sleep. However, these are also symptoms of an inflammatory condition called axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).
The spA is a chronic inflammatory condition involving the spine, pelvis, and surrounding joints. Although SpA and fibromyalgia are very different diseases, they can overlap and share similar symptoms.
Aiming to determine the incidence of SpA among fibromyalgia patients, a total of 99 patients with fibromyalgia underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation for the identification of structural alterations common in SpA chronic inflammation1, such as bone erosion and spine deformations (sclerosis).
About 8% of patients presented symptoms of inflammation in pelvic joints, while 17% and 25% presented bone erosion and sclerosis, respectively. Despite the frequency of these symptoms, only 10% of fibromyalgia patients were positively SpA diagnosed,accordingto the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria.
“When approaching the clinical conundrum of differentiating between ‘pure’ fibromyalgia and those cases with an unsuspected underlying inflammatory disease, the physician must attempt to rely[on] onclinical judgment and on available diagnostictools,” the study’s authors, from medical centers in Tel Aviv, Israel, wrote.
Through blood tests that evaluate levels of a protein associated with inflammation, known as CRP, the authors found that the diagnosis of SpA was positively associated with increased CRP levels and physical function limitation. This result suggests that CRP could be used as a diagnostic tool for SpA among fibromyalgia patients.
“These results underscore the importance of recognizing the overlap between inflammatory and centralized pain in each patient and call for increased clinical vigilance in the process of differential diagnosis,” the authors concluded.
During a pain flare, feeling anything touch your body can be excruciating. On those days, you’ll likely reach for soft, comfortable clothes that don’t add to your pain. Hello leggings, goodbye tailored pants.
While you could just throw on an old T-shirt, wearing something that’s fashionable and comfortable can help boost your mood and make you feel more confident if you have to run out to the pharmacy or go to work. Luckily, there are many brands out there that offer a variety of comfortable and fashionable options.
LuLaRoe bills itself as “where fashion meets comfort,” and indeed, the company offers a selection of loose-fitting tops and T-shirts, stretch-knit dresses, A-line skirts, and leggings (their most popular item). Unlike many clothing collections designed for comfort, these pieces come in a variety of vibrant colors and patterns. A pair of leggings usually retails for $25.
“In the past few weeks, I’ve been buying more and more LuLaRoe clothing,” Samantha Carter told The Mighty. “The leggings provide the support that isn’t constricting when I’m dealing with an interstitial cystitis flare or muscle spasms relating to other pelvic issues, and the tops and dresses are loose and flowy, so they don’t irritate my skin when my nerves start going bonkers from my fibromyalgia and complex regional pain syndrome — even when everything else I wear feels like it’s constantly scratching a sunburn I don’t really have.”
A bad pain day sometimes means all you can tolerate is the basics — T-shirt, underwear, and maybe leggings or sweatpants. Hanes offers wardrobe staples in soft and comfortable cotton and jersey. As an added bonus, many of their shirts are tagless. Most items cost between $3.99 and $20.
Not all women like the idea of wearing maternity clothes when they’re not pregnant (especially those struggling with infertility). But if you’reOK with it, maternity clothes can provide comfort to those dealing with chronic pain, weight fluctuations, skin sensitivity, and bloating. Motherhood Maternity offers tunic tops (retailing for around $30), maxi skirts ($35), and jeans with stretch waistbands ($50).
“Motherhood Maternity Secret Fit Belly Jeans. I started wearing them during pregnancy and still love them because they don’t bother my back, actually the belly band puts slight pressure on my lower back which helps ease some pain,” Kristina Bentle told The Mighty. “Plus I love that they help with my hypersensitivity, they don’t dig into you like normal jeans. And I’m not running around in leggings 24/7.”
For the days when you’re able to put on a pair of shoes, you’ll likely want a brand that offers support but doesn’t constrain any part of your foot. “[Sketchers] is the only brand that doesn’t pinch my Achilles’ tendon or put shock into my kneecaps,” Jaime Robeson told The Mighty. Most pairs retail for around $50 to $70.
And1 is a men’s athletic brand that offers basketball shoes, shorts, sweatpants, and hoodies. Just because it’s a men’s brand doesn’t mean women can’t wear it, too. “I can buy oversized sweatpants, hoodies, shirts. Really cozy and keep me warm when I’m super cold,” Nicole Tyrrell shared. Most items retail for around $10 to $20.
Torrid features funky, trendy styles up to a size 30. Their leggings come in a variety of fun prints, including Disney and Harry Potter, and most of their tops and dresses feature a loose fit. Leggings cost about $25 to $30, dresses go for about $60, and tops are about $28 to $50.
“Yes, I am bigger, but not all Torrid’s line is large. They are edgy which is nice for me, they have leggings like LuLaRoe in funky colors and schemes. Pair the two and I feel comfortable and punk again,” Rebecca Stormcrowe said.
Old Navy combines classic items like T-shirts and jeans with natural fabrics and forgiving cuts. Most items come in a rainbow of colors and low prices (most pieces are less than $50, with some shirts as low as $6). “I shop a lot at Old Navy because so many of their clothes are cotton. Cotton and rayon are my go-to’s.” Amanda Coleman said.
PINK is Victoria’s Secret’s apparel collection and offers sweatshirts, leggings, sweatpants, and shorts with stretchy waistbands, as well as oversized shirts and tanks in feminine prints and colors. Most items sell for between $30 and $60. “I wear a lot of PINK clothing as it can be very loose and soft,” Kerri Donchez told The Mighty.
Chico’s blouses and dresses could easily be worn to work or out running errands on the days you’re able to leave home. Nancy Lea Martine Koontz gave The Mighty a tip and recommended shoppers go up a size since Chico’s sizing system is “weird.”
“The clothing is comfy, and even ordering a size larger still fits well, and isn’t uncomfortable as far as bottoms and tops go. They are a little pricey, however, you can get an app, Poshmark, which is a wonderful site that sells many name brand clothing at a discount (it’s kind of like an online consignment store),” Koontz said.
Yours offers a huge selection of everything from wraps to tunic dresses to knitwear, all in sizes 16 to 36. The styles are ideal for those who prefer looser clothing over more structured pieces. Dresses range from $20 to $100, blouses from $30 to $40, and pants around $30.
“Lots of roomy long T-shirts and batwing tops, jeggings. I don’t feel comfortable in clingy, tight-fitting clothes,” Libby Listens Bassnett told The Mighty.
Thyme is an herb from the mint family. This is a truly ancient herb, used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for ceremonial and ritualistic purposes. Through the Middle Ages where it was also used for religious and medicinal reasons. It is an incredibly potent yet simple herb affecting multiple systems in the body and capable of treating dozens of diseases. It contains one of the strongest antioxidants known and is proven to kill 98% of breast cancer cells.
Thyme contains thymol which is a natural antiseptic, antibacterial, and an expectorant, making this tea with honey and lemon a delicious remedy for all of you suffering from sore throats and coughs.
Wild thyme tea is recommended for cough, hangover, flu, and sore throat. Thyme has primarily been used for respiratory ailments for its infection-fighting and cough suppressive qualities. Thyme honey is ideal for sweetening herb teas. Blend thyme with nettle for allergies and mints for colds and congestion. It is also help’s if you have fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus & multiple sclerosis.
-1c Boiling Water -1tbs dry or 1T fresh Thyme -1tbs dry or 1T fresh sage -1-1 Ginger slices -Honey to taste
Directions: -Warm your teacup with hot water. -Pour away the water. -Put herbs in the cup. Add fresh boiling water and cover. -Leave to steep 3 to 5 minutes. Add more herbs for a stronger flavor. -Steeping too long will make the tea bitter. Use Honey or a natural herbal sweetener like Stevia. -Add ginger slices and/or lemon slices if desired.
Light and noise sensitivity in fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have been scientifically established since the early 1990s, but they’re still underrecognized and rarely make symptoms lists. Rest assured that you’re not alone in experiencing this symptom!
When I used to take my kids to daycare, some mornings the noise would hit me like a brick wall. In an instant, I’d have pain, nausea, dizziness, trembling, and a looming panic attack.
More than once, I had to call in sick as a result of it. I’ve had similar experiences with bright or flashing lights, or with visual chaos in general.
We don’t know the causes of light and noise sensitivity, but they’re often called “generalized hypervigilance.” That means our bodies are constantly on high alert. It’s also a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Hypervigilance is beneficial for people in potentially dangerous situations, such as soldiers or police officers, because it speeds up to several processes and helps with crisis response.
In FMS and ME/CFS, however, hypervigilance overwhelms us. We don’t know why, but possibilities include:
So far, we don’t have research showing that specific treatments alleviate light and noise sensitivity in FMS and ME/CFS.
In people with PTSD, treatment for the anxiety related to generalized hypervigilance can include mental-health counseling and medications, especially antidepressants.
Supplements for anxiety and stress may help you cope better with light and noise sensitivity as well. Some people also benefit from treatments such as massage or acupuncture.
Light and noise sensitivity can have a huge impact on your life. You may avoid certain situations and even fear them, which increases anxiety. It can also contribute to social isolation, which is common in people with FMS or ME/CFS and can worsen depression.
Some work environments are difficult to endure. I used to be a television news producer, which meant sitting under a lighting grid in a room with dozens of TVs and ringing phones. I went from thriving in the chaos to having regular anxiety attacks. I decided to leave the job. Other people may be able to get reasonable accommodation to lessen the impact of this symptom.
You might be able to eliminate or avoid many sources of excess noise and light, but you probably can’t eliminate all of them. Several simple things can help you deal with light and noise sensitivity in your daily life:
If fluorescent lights bother you, lightly tinted sunglasses or a hat with a brim may help.
In a noisy environment, earplugs or listening to music on headphones may help some people.
Deep breathing and other relaxation techniques can help you get through episodes of sensory overload due to light and noise.
Teach your family and friends about the impact that light and noise have on you so they understand your requests to turn off lights or turn down the volume.
If your computer screen bothers you, try adjusting the brightness and contrast.
Let’s be perfectly honest. Most doctors have a difficult time with chronic pain patients. One physician described it to us many years ago: “When I see a patient suffering severe chronic pain come in the front door I want to go out the back door.” That’s because there are few good options. Drugs like hydrocodone or oxycodone used to be prescribed in huge quantities. Now gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) are on the ascendency and opioids are shunned. The Opioid Epidemic: Doctors are dismayed by the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation. Over the last year, the drumbeat of headlines about opioid overdoses and deaths has scared a lot of physicians into cutting back on prescribing drugs like hydrocodone or oxycodone.
Many of the overdose deaths are caused by illicit fentanyl. People OD because they have no idea how potent the narcotics are that they are snorting, swallowing, or injecting. According to the CDC (Nov. 3, 2017):
“Preliminary estimates of U.S. drug overdose deaths exceeded 60,000 in 2016 and were partially driven by a fivefold increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone), from 3,105 in 2013 to approximately 20,000 in 2016. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50–100 times more potent than morphine, is primarily responsible for this rapid increase. In addition, fentanyl analogs such as acetylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl, and carfentanil are being detected increasingly in overdose deaths and the illicit opioid drug supply.”
Fentanyl powder does not come from your local pharmacy. Most of it is illicit and is coming from foreign countries (CBS News; New York Times, Aug. 10, 2017). China and Mexico are major suppliers. It is being added to heroin or even counterfeit opioid pills that look like Percocet (CNN June 8, 2017) or Oxycontin. The government does not seem to know how to stem the flow of illicit fentanyl that is flooding the country. Doctors and Opioids: It is hardly any wonder that doctors have cut back on prescriptions for hydrocodone and oxycodone. Like the rest of us, they read horrifying reports about opioid deaths. The evening news often leads with graphic accounts of accidental overdoses. Federal guidelines and restrictions have made it harder for physicians to prescribe opioids. Gabapentinoids: What Are They?
As a result of the negative publicity and constraints about opioids, many people who are in severe pain have been left without relief. Consequently, physicians are searching for other drugs they can prescribe instead of narcotics. They may turn to gabapentinoids (gabapentin and pregabalin).
Gabapentin (Neurontin) and pregabalin (Lyrica) are both used to treat nerve pain. Doctors prescribed these medications three times more often in 2015 than they did in 2002, despite no radical change in the number of patients with neuropathic pain (JAMA Internal Medicine, online Jan. 2, 2018). The author advises his colleagues to use these drugs cautiously:
“The combination of a dearth of long-term safety data, small effect sizes, concern for increased risk of overdose in combination with opioid use, and high rates of off-label prescribing, which are associated with high rates of adverse effects, raises concern about the levels of gabapentinoid use. While individual clinical scenarios can be challenging, caution should be advised in the use of gabapentinoids, particularly for those individuals who are longterm opioid users, given the lack of proven long-term efficacy and the known and unknown risks of gabapentinoid use.”
A perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine goes even further (Aug. 3, 2017).
The authors note that guidelines from the CDC recommend acetaminophen and NSAIDs as first-line options for osteoarthritis and low back pain. The physicians point out that “acetaminophen is often ineffective, and NSAIDs are associated with adverse effects that limit their use…” They go on to say:
“The CDC guidelines also recommend gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin) as first-line agents for neuropathic pain. We believe, however, that gabapentinoids are being prescribed excessively — partly in response to the opioid epidemic”
They conclude:
“Patients who are in pain deserve empathy, understanding, time, and attention. We believe some of them may benefit from a therapeutic trial of gabapentin or pregabalin for off-label indications, and we support robust efforts to limit opioid prescribing. Nevertheless, clinicians shouldn’t assume that gabapentinoids are an effective approach for most pain syndromes or a routinely appropriate substitute for opioids.”
Gabapentin Side Effects: The history of gabapentin (Neurontin) is fascinating. It was originally approved by the FDA for treating epilepsy in 1993. There is a tale of woe and intrigue about how the company that marketed Neurontin got into trouble with the FDA for illegal off-label marketing practices. We won’t go into that here, but you can read all about it in this article: Surprising Gabapentin Side Effects Gabapentin has become a go-to drug for doctors who are trying to control chronic pain problems. At last count, dispensed prescriptions have gone from 39 million in 2012 to 51 million in 2014 to 64 million in 2016 (Quintiles IMS, May 2017, now IQVIA Institute).
Gabapentin can cause depression, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, digestive tract upset, trouble with balance, cognitive difficulties, and visual problems. The official prescribing information warns:
“Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including gabapentin, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.”
Are you experiencing constant muscle pain and fatigue? There is a good chance that you are suffering from fibromyalgia. As many as 5 million Americans that are aged 18 or older are affected by it. Women are the primary targets of this chronic disease, affecting up to 90% of them, and it’s very hard to treat.
For many years, research has pointed to this pain and fatigue just being “in the patient’s head.” It’s been characterized as a psychosomatic disorder, which means that it’s caused by mental factors that attribute to a person’s imagination.
Many people complain about pain in their neck, shoulders, back, and legs. But no research has been able to pinpoint what is causing this pain. Until now! Recent research has finally determined that this pain is in fact not just an imagination, but actually caused by a sensory nerve in blood vessels found in the palms!
Scientists at Integrated Tissue Dynamics were responsible for the study. They found that the fibres that were supposed to be only responsible for the blood flow in the skin are also responsible for sensing touch and pain.
In order to be sure about their findings, the team conducted a second study to see if they could locate any pathology in the blood vessels that could also contribute. After analyzing skin samples they collected from women who suffered from fibromyalgia, they discovered that there was a large increase in sensory fibres at certain sites within blood vessels of the skin.
These nerves are part of the arteriole-venule shunts, which are responsible for heat regulation in our body by controlling the blood flow in our blood vessels. In warm conditions, the shunts shut down which forces blood into the skin surface so it can be released.
In cold conditions, the shunts open up and allow the veins to conserve heat, thus our hands and feet become cold.
The lead scientist on the study, Dr. Albrecht, explains that this excess sensory innovation may be because of painful hands that fibromyalgia patients experience.
“Since the sensory fibres are responsible for opening the shunts, they would become particularly active during cold conditions, which are very bothersome times for fibromyalgia patients.”
The research team also came to another conclusion; they explain that our hands and feet usually contain more blood than they needed, so they’re used as reservoirs for blood which can be delivered throughout the body. Because of the pathology that occurs in these shuts, the blood flow is usually mismanaged.
President of Integrated Tissue Dynamics, Dr. Rice, elaborated on their findings, “The pathology discovered among these shunts in the hands could be interfering with blood flow to the muscles throughout the body. This mismanaged blood flow could be the root cause of muscle pain and achiness and the sense of fatigue that fibromyalgia patients experience.”
These findings are a step in the right direction for those suffering from fibromyalgia; it offers a proper treatment instead of the usual painkillers and antidepressants.
So if you’re suffering from fibromyalgia, or know someone that is, it’s good to finally know that you’re not crazy, and you can certainly be sure that fibromyalgia is real!
Causes ofFibromyalgia: Doctors are not completely sure of what actually causes a person to get fibromyalgia, a variety of factors may work together.
Genetics: In most cases, fibromyalgia runs in the family, so there could be a certain genetic mutation that can cause you to be more susceptible to the disorder.
Physical or Emotional Trauma: Fibromyalgia can sometimes be triggered by physical trauma, like a severe car accident. Psychological stress can also be a triggering factor as well.
Just because there is a new breakthrough that has discovered what might cause the pain for fibromyalgia patients, doesn’t mean that they should stop doing certain things that keep it from acting up. You need to continue taking care of yourself and layout a program that helps with that.
You should first try and reduce the amount of stress in your life. This could mean putting some time aside to just relax. Getting enough sleep is another key point. Since fatigue is one of the main characteristics, getting enough sleep is essential. Also, you should try and exercise regularly. It may hurt at first but it will eventually reduce the pain significantly.
The opioid crisis has revealed another real ongoing problem: a lot of people have chronic pain. For example, Lady Gaga recently revealed that she suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says afflicts 4 million people (or 2% of the adult population). This number may actually be an underestimate because determining the real number of people that have fibromyalgia can be a pain.
Fibromyalgia is frequently underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Many people, including doctors, are not fully aware of the condition. People may try to maintain a “Poker Face” when afflicted with the symptoms of fibromyalgia, such as pain and stiffness throughout their body, fatigue, depression, anxiety, difficulties sleeping, memory problems, and headaches. Or they may attribute the symptoms to something else. Also, until the FM/a Test was approved by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, no simple test for fibromyalgia was available.
The Netflix documentary ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two‘ revealed Lady Gag’s struggles with fibromyalgia. Here Lady Gaga is pictured during the premiere during the film’s premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
While fibromyalgia is certainly not the only reason someone may be started on opioids, a publication in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology discussed how fibromyalgia has contributed to the increase in opioid medication prescriptions since 2004. Opioid medications, if you haven’t heard, can be quite addictive and lead to the use of other drugs like heroin. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more alternatives to opioid medications to help manage chronic pain.
Enter the wearable movement. While some wearables may seem unnecessary (e.g., the No More Woof headset supposedly translates dog barks into English so that you can know when your dog is saying “what an idiot”), wearable technology for pain relief is an intriguing emerging area.
It may sound a bit like a late-night infomercial or something from a mystical healer: wear this band around your leg to decrease the pain throughout your whole body. But there is real scientific reasoning behind devices such as NeuroMetrix’s Quell that received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for over-the-counter use in July 2014.
The Quell device is a band that looks a bit like a blood pressure cuff that you wear around your upper calf. The device does not utilize any medications but instead generates electric signals that stimulate your body to produce naturally occurring substances (endogenous opioids) that can then inhibit nerve signals that lead to feeling pain. In other words, the device helps activate your body’s natural system for regulating pain.
Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., Founder and CEO of NeuroMetrix, Inc. explained that “fibromyalgia is believed to result from problems with the central nervous system. There is no injury per se in the peripheral nerves. The balance between positive and negative signals regulating the pain neurons may be off. The nerve signals that inhibit pain signals may be decreased. The Quell device can help boost this part of the system.”
Of course, you don’t just put on the band and presto your pain disappears. As Dr. Gozani related, you typically have to wear the device for a week or two before noticing the reduction in pain. Typically, people will wear the band for 6 to 8 hours a day. The device periodically cycles on and off and can also collect information on your activity and pain levels to help you adjust the device and manage your pain. The device offers the option of tapping into the Quell Health Cloud, which stores data on the usage, sleep, pain levels, and activity for many different users and thus can provide analysis that can in turn help with pain management.
Neurometrix reported that Quell contributed $3.0M out of NeuroMetrix’s $4.3M in revenue in the second quarter of 2017 and that they shipped their 100,000th Quell device in July 2017. Quell device shipments in the second quarter of this year were almost ten times what they were in the second quarter two years prior.
There are certainly many advantages of replacing medications with wearables. For example, addiction is less of an issue (e.g., wearing many bands all over your body probably won’t help). Finding and using ways to stimulate and modulate your body’s pain regulating mechanisms is certainly not a new approach to pain control. This is the basis of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and some physical therapy and alternative medicine approaches such as needling.
But developing wearables so that you can go about your daily activities while receiving non-medication pain treatments is new and opens up a whole new avenue of potential ways to manage pain. Furthermore, having such devices interface with digital platforms could help better track pain management, combine treatments, generate data to provide scientific insights, and interface with other types of wearables. Who knows, someday maybe your dog can help you more with your pain management.
After months of speculation, a medical examiner has ruled that Tom Petty died of an accidental overdose, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The Hall of Fame musician had taken several pain medications, including Fentanyl, oxycodone, and generic Xanax. Other medications included generic Restoril (a sleep aid) and generic Celexa (which treats depression).
The Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, and more pay tribute to a genius craftsman who never stopped believing in the power of rock & roll
The coroner’s office listed Petty’s official cause of death as “multisystem organ failure due to resuscitated cardiopulmonary arrest due to mixed drug toxicity,” noting the singer suffered from coronary artery atherosclerosis and emphysema.
Petty had been prescribed the drugs to treat emphysema, knee issues, and a fractured hip, his family said in a statement accompanying the results. Petty’s coronary artery disease had been a persistent problem throughout his final tour.
“Despite this painful injury, he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury,” Petty’s wife Dana and daughter Adria wrote in the statement. “On the day he died, he was informed his hip had graduated to a full-on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his overuse of medication.”
Petty was found unconscious and not breathing at his Malibu home on October 2nd. He was rushed to a hospital where he was placed on life support. Although he had a pulse, doctors found no brain activity when he arrived and the decision was made to pull life support. He died hours later.
The singer had recently completed a 40th-anniversary tour with his band, the Heartbreakers. It was intended to be his “last trip around the country,” though he told Rolling Stone he wasn’t going to stop playing. “I need something to do, or I tend to be a nuisance around the house,” he said.
Petty said he’d experimented with cocaine over the years (“[It] was never a good look,” he told Men’s Journal) and drinking (“I didn’t like the taste or the buzz,” he said). But it was in the late Nineties, when he was in his late 40s and two decades after he’d become a superstar, that he developed an addiction to heroin after a bitter divorce from his first wife. “Tried to go cold turkey, and that wouldn’t work,” he said in author Warren Zanes’ book Petty: The Biography. “It’s an ugly fucking thing.” He sought out treatment for his addiction and remarried in 2001.
“Using heroin went against my grain,” Petty said in the book. “I didn’t want to be enslaved to anything. So I was always trying to figure out how to do less, and then that wouldn’t work. Tried to go cold turkey, and that wouldn’t work. It’s an ugly fucking thing.”
Since his death, several artists have paid tribute to Petty onstage. Country artist Jason Aldean dedicated some of his time as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live to sing “I Won’t Back Down.” Bob Dylan performed Petty’s “Learning to Fly” at a concert in Broomfield, Colorado. And Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, and others sang “Refugee” at a benefit show in Seattle. Petty’s Greatest Hits album subsequently made it to the Number Two spot on the Billboard chart after his death.
He was laid to rest on October 16th at a private service in Pacific Palisades, California.
Petty’s family said they hope the musician’s death leads to a broader understanding of the opioid crisis. “As a family, we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives,” they wrote. “Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.”
Our family sat together this morning with the medical examiner – coroner’s office and we were informed of their final analysis that Tom Petty passed away due to an accidental drug overdose as a result of taking a variety of medications.
Unfortunately, Tom’s body suffered from many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems, and most significantly a fractured hip.
Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury.
On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full-on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his overuse of medication.
We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.
As a family, we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives. Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.
On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career. He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.
We continue to mourn with you and marvel at Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker’s incredible positive impact on music and the world. And we thank you all for your love and support over the last months.
Thank you also for respecting the memory of a man who was truly great during his time on this planet both publicly and privately.
We would be grateful if you could respect the privacy of the entire Heartbreaker family during this difficult time.
People with hidden disabilities could soon be entitled to blue badge parking permits under Department for Transport (DfT) plans. The Government said the proposals would make it easier for people with conditions such as dementia, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, and autism to travel to work, socialize, and access shops and services.
It is hoped the move – which would be the biggest change to the blue badge scheme since it was introduced in 1970 – would help create parity in the treatment of physical and mental health.
The DfT said councils have different interpretations of existing rules with only some recognizing hidden disabilities.
The new policy is designed to provide “clear and consistent” guidelines. Around 2.4 million disabled people in England have a blue badge.
This enables them to park free of charge in pay and display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines, while in London they exempt holders from having to pay the congestion charge.
Around three out of four blue badge holders say they would go out less often if they did not have one, according to the DfT.
Transport minister Jesse Norman said: “Blue badges give people with disabilities the freedom to get jobs, see friends or go to the shops with as much ease as possible.
“We want to try to extend this to people with invisible disabilities, so they can enjoy the freedom to get out and about, where and when they want.”
The changes being put to an eight-week public consultation also include blue badge assessments being carried out by a greater variety of healthcare professionals who can spot if mental health is causing mobility issues.
Sarah Lambert, head of policy at the National Autistic Society, welcomed the proposal and said amending parking permit access could be “a lifeline” for many autistic people, who often do not qualify under current regulations.
Autistic people can suffer anxiety from not being able to park in a predictable place close to their destination, and some can “experience too much information” from the environment around them on public transport, Ms. Lambert said.
“We hope the Government will make this important change and we look forward to working with them to make sure that autistic people and their families benefit.”
This will be the first Christmas that Tammi Hale spends without her husband Doug in over 30 years.
The 53-year old Vermont man, who suffered chronic pain from interstitial cystitis, committed suicide in October after his doctor abruptly cut him off from opioid pain medication.
“His primary care provider kept trying to wean him off his opioid therapy, which worked at higher doses,” says Tammi. “My husband ran out (of medication) early a few times, so the doctor cut him off completely one day. Six weeks later he took his life as no medical establishment would treat his chronic pain.”
We’re telling Doug Hale’s story, as we have those of other pain patients who’ve committed suicide because their deaths have been ignored or lost in the public debate over the nation’s so-called opioid epidemic. Patients who were safely taking high doses of opioids for years are suddenly being cut off or tapered to lower doses. Some are being abandoned by their doctors.
“I believe it will get worse with time. The docs are simply more interested in not risking their licenses than in treating chronic pain,” Tammi wrote to Pain News Network in a series of emails about her husband’s death.
Depression and suicidal thoughts are common for many people living with chronic pain and illness. According to a recent surveyof over a thousand pain patients, nearly half have contemplated suicide.
But the problem appears to have grown worse as physicians comply with the “voluntary” prescribing guidelines released in March by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have been adopted as law in several states. Many doctors now fear prosecution and loss of their medical licenses if they overprescribe opioids. Some have chosen not to prescribe them at all.
While federal and state authorities track the number of drug overdose deaths, no one seems to be following the number of patients who are dying by suicide or from cascading medical problems caused by untreated chronic pain. Some in the pain community call this “passive genocide.” Tammi Hale compares it to the Holocaust.
“The Nazis eliminated the sick and the weak first, right? Makes you wonder,” she says. “I realize my comments are harsh, but I believe the public needs to be aware of the dangers any one of us could be facing with this silent epidemic.”
Doctor Insisted on Weaning
Doug Hale began facing a life with intractable chronic pain in 1999 after a surgery left him with interstitial cystitis, a painful inflammation of the bladder. According to his wife, Doug tried physical therapy, antidepressants, epidurals, nerve blocks, TENS, cognitive behavioral therapy, and several different medications before finally turning to opioids for pain relief. High doses of methadone and oxycodone for breakthrough pain were found to be effective.
But a few years ago, Doug’s primary care provider (PCP) started urging him to wean to a lower dose.
“The PCP insisted on weaning. Although Doug clearly had documented malabsorption issues, the PCP persisted on weaning. The pressure to wean was unbelievable,” says Tammi.
“It came to a head in May of 2016. The PCP gave Doug one month to wean completely from 120mg/day of methadone and 20 mg/day of oxy. We knew this was impossible.”
Tammi says Doug checked himself into a 7-day detox program, where he was weaned to 40 mg of methadone a day. The doctor agreed to prescribe that amount, but it was not enough to relieve Doug’s pain. He started taking extra doses.
“He ran out a week early in late August. The PCP abandoned Doug, stating ‘I’m not going to risk my license for you. The methadone clinic can deal with you.’”
But the methadone clinic refused to treat Doug because they saw him as a chronic pain patient, not as an addict. “Had he turned to street drugs they could have treated him, but because he didn’t break the rules they couldn’t help,” Tammi explained.
Doug tried to detox at home, which Tammi calls a “brutal” experience. On October 10th, after being turned down by other healthcare providers, Doug went to his former doctor one last time to beg for help and was refused. The doctor said again that he didn’t want to risk his license.
“Doug left the office still thrashing in pain and despondent,” Tammi recalls. “The next day, my dear, sweet thoughtful husband of 32 years; a father, son, brother, uncle, and friend, well-loved by many, dragged a chair to a remote spot in our back yard. A spot we could not see from the house, the road, or by the neighbors.
“He shot himself in the head to escape his pain. He made sure we could still live in our home and not be plagued by gruesome memories. I just wish the medical establishment had an ounce of the compassion that he did.”
“Can’t take the chronic pain anymore. No one except my wife has helped me. The doctors are mostly puppets trying to lower expenses.”— Doug Hale
“Can’t take the chronic pain anymore. No one except my wife has helped me,” Doug wrote in a suicide note. “The doctors are mostly puppets trying to lower expenses, and (do not accept) any responsibility. Besides people will die and doctors have seen it all. So why help me.”
“Doug did make vague references about suicide during the summer due to the desperation and pain. He was just such a tough guy, he survived so much that my reaction, and others after the fact, was no. Not Doug. He’s like the bionic man. Too much of a warrior to give up,” said Tammi.
“At his memorial, so many people commented on what an inspiration he was to them. To graciously bear the path of pain and his never-give-up attitude made them reevaluate their own daily issues. I guess you could say his legacy was love and to never quit.”
Tammi consulted with a medical malpractice attorney after Doug’s death, who told her the chances of winning a lawsuit against the doctor were slim. The cost of legal action would have also been prohibitive, after so many years of dealing with Doug’s medical expenses.
Tammi and Doug may never get their day in court, but she is determined to share his story in the hope that patients, doctors, and regulators learn from it.
“My promise to him was to share with others. He was thrown away like a piece of trash, but his life and the life of all humans are precious. All patients deserve to be treated respectfully,” she wrote. “Hopefully some changes will come in time before the holocaust grows too much larger.”
