Dear Fibromyalgia

Tag: chronic pain

A comprehensive guide on chronic pain, its causes, symptoms, and effective management strategies to improve your quality of life.

Wearable Tech Emerging For Chronic Pain Relief

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.

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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.

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10/29/2023
Dyskinesia And Fibromyalgia: Causes and Treatment

We still don’t know what causes fibromyalgia. But we often treat it with a class of drugs that are usually used to treat disorders like seizures. While these drugs can help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia, they can also cause a range of side effects, including dyskinesia.

Dyskinesia is a condition that causes frequent, uncontrollable movements of the limbs. And it can become very difficult to manage if you suffer from it for a long time. So what exactly is dyskinesia, what’s the link to fibromyalgia, and what can you do to treat it?

What Is Dyskinesia?

Tardive dyskinesia, or TD, is a common side effect of drugs used to treat seizures. One in particular that we should look at when it comes to fibromyalgia is Gabapentin. Gabapentin works by calming the interaction between nerves in the brain. This is effective for treating seizures which are caused by rapid-firing interactions between these nerves. But it’s also frequently used to treat fibromyalgia.

Gabapentin can work to manage many of the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Interestingly, in addition to the pain, it’s often prescribed to treat some of the chronic itchings that come along with fibromyalgia. It’s a symptom we don’t often think of when it comes to fibromyalgia, but chronic itching can be one of the worst elements of the condition if you suffer from it.

Because chronic itching seems to be the result of interactions between the nerves, Gabapentin can help to treat the itching.

But it can also lead to dyskinesia. Dyskinesia is basically an uncontrollable tendency to jerk your legs or arms. But it can also include other less obvious things like a tendency to purse or smack your lips together. The condition is usually worse when you have been resting, which can make the sleep issues caused by fibromyalgia even worse. But in addition, TD can cause you to jerk your head, blink your eyes, or even stick out your tongue without really realizing that you are doing it.

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Dyskinesia And Fibromyalgia

It’s believed that TD is caused by low levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Low levels of dopamine are actually quite common in people with fibromyalgia, though we don’t know why. But TD seems to be more of a side effect of medications used to treat fibromyalgia than a complication of fibromyalgia itself.

The most likely reason that someone would develop TD is if they’ve been taking a drug like an SSRI or anti-seizure medication for at least three months. And we know that the majority of people who suffer from both TD and fibromyalgia tend to be older women.

So, people who have fibromyalgia currently being treated with these kinds of drugs have an elevated risk of developing it. And there are many anecdotal accounts of people who have developed it as a result of their fibromyalgia medication. If you’re interested, you can likely ask around within the fibromyalgia community and find people who have had a similar experience.

How Is It Treated?

The best way to cure TD is to simply stop taking the medications that cause it. Of course, this isn’t always an option. Many people depend on those medications to keep their fibromyalgia symptoms in check. And you should never stop taking a medication on your own without first consulting a doctor.

If you think you’re suffering from TD, you can go to a doctor for a test. The doctor will determine if you’re suffering from involuntary movements. They may decide that it is the result of your medication, or it’s possible that you’re suffering from another condition that causes involuntary movements. There are a number of these conditions including cerebral palsy, brain tumors, or Parkinson’s disease. Going to a doctor is a good way to eliminate some of these other possibilities.

There’s no medication that’s currently approved by the FDA to treat TD, but some psychiatric drugs might help. Others have reported success with treating the condition with dietary supplements like Gingko, but the scientific evidence for this is somewhat limited.

If the TD is really debilitating, you may have to judge with your doctor whether the benefits you get from the medication are worth the side effects. It’s an unfortunate position to be in, but we don’t really have any other good alternatives at the moment.

So, let us know. Do you suffer from TD? Is it related to your fibromyalgia medication? How did you decide what you needed to do? Did any supplements help you? Tell us in the comments.

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10/27/2023
Link Between Achalasia and Fibromyalgia. Have a Look.

Achalasia is a rare disease. So rare in fact, that you may never have heard of it. But for people who suffer from the condition, it’s very real and often extremely painful. And it actually has a fair amount of relevance for people with fibromyalgia.

That’s because people with fibromyalgia often deal with persistent heartburn. and achalasia can mimic many of the symptoms of that condition. So it’s possible that if you have fibromyalgia and you’re dealing with frequent chest pains, you may actually have achalasia. And learning to recognize the signs can help prevent misdiagnoses and help you get effective treatment.

So, what is Achalasia? Why is it a concern for people with fibromyalgia? And what can you do to treat it?

What Is Achalasia?

Achalasia is a condition where the muscles in the lower esophagus lose the ability to relax and contract. The ability of the esophagus to relax and contract is important in the process of digestion. When you swallow food, the esophagus expands to allow it to pass into the stomach. When you have achalasia, this normal process stops functioning correctly. And food can essentially get stuck in the esophagus. Obviously, this is often quite painful.

We don’t fully understand what causes the condition, but it probably has something to do with damage to the nerves that control the muscles in the esophagus.

The condition leads to a number of uncomfortable symptoms. There’s the obvious difficulty swallowing food or liquids. And when food gets trapped in the esophagus, your body may naturally regurgitate it. If this regurgitation occurs when you are lying down, the food may actually travel into the lungs, which can be dangerous.

And achalasia can also lead to sharp chest pains with no clear cause. This pain is a little different from heartburn, but people with the condition can have heartburn as well. That fact can sometimes make it difficult to diagnose the condition.

Achalasia is quite rare, but heartburn is very common. So, if you’re experiencing pain in the chest, a doctor will likely assume that you’re suffering from acid reflux. Luckily, there are a few tests that can determine if you have Achalasia. The doctor can take X-rays of the esophagus to look for contractions, or use an endoscopy tube to visually examine the esophagus.

People with fibromyalgia also have a higher risk of heartburn, which means that you may experience symptoms similar to achalasia.

Achalasia And Fibromyalgia

Having fibromyalgia makes you more likely to develop heartburn. The most likely explanation for this link is that having fibromyalgia makes it difficult to exercise. A condition that causes chronic fatigue and constant pain obviously makes getting regular cardio a challenge.

As a result, people with fibromyalgia often struggle with obesity. Those extra pounds put pressure on the stomach and esophagus, which can lead to acid reflux. Acid reflux causes chronic chest pain, which can sometimes be quite sharp. And these symptoms can be difficult to distinguish from achalasia.

If you’re experiencing chest pain, it’s always a good idea to see a doctor. It may even be a symptom of a more serious condition like heart problems.

What Are Your Treatment Options?

Your treatment will depend on which condition you have. If you have achalasia, there are a few options. Your doctor may perform a procedure where a balloon is inserted into the esophagus and inflated, forcing it to open. This procedure may need to be repeated several times if the condition reoccurs.

In addition, the doctor can inject muscle relaxants directly into the esophagus. This procedure may also need to be repeated regularly for best results.

There are also more permanent surgical procedures. The most common procedure is called a Heller myotomy and involves cutting away a portion of the esophagus, expanding the space for food to pass through. But this procedure can increase your risk of developing acid reflux. So, it may need to be combined with a procedure where a portion of the stomach is wrapped around the lower part of the esophagus, tightening the muscles to prevent reflux.

If you’re just suffering from acid reflux, your best bet is to lose weight. Losing just a few pounds can significantly improve your symptoms. But there are also a number of effective medications that reduce the amount of stomach acid you produce. Your doctor will be able to advise you on the best treatment program for you.

So, do you suffer from heartburn? Do you think it’s related to your fibromyalgia? Have you ever had achalasia? What did you do to treat it? Let us know in the comments.

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10/26/2023
7 Rules for Living With Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FMS) is not just about chronic pain and fatigue, although if you spoke to the majority of general practitioners, you would think those were the only symptoms people get. FMS is a complex, multifactorial condition and is a condition of exclusion. In other words, many, many conditions have to be excluded before a diagnosis can be made. It can, and in my case, it has, affected almost every system of my body from my skin and gastrointestinal tract to joints and muscles and not forgetting my brain. It has had a catastrophic effect on my career, which I loved. It has devastated my social life and family life will never be the same again.

This may all sound defeatist but the best thing I have done is to accept and adapt to the changes in my life. With this in mind, I have come up with a list of rules for myself. I haven’t just made them up from thin air, they have really just evolved organically over the years.

1. Understand your family and friends’ perspectives.

Living with FMS is tricky because it is such a complex condition. As well as living with this condition, I have researched it a lot! It’s difficult to understand, it’s difficult to explain and it’s difficult to describe.

There’s a famous saying, “If you can’t explain it to a 6-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

If I can’t explain it, describe it and much less understand it, how can I expect other people to? Be patient with people — they will say things that hurt, they will expect more from you than you can achieve. They may think you are lazy and you will have to keep explaining yourself, but most of all, chances are they just want you to get better. They don’t understand it, because you don’t fully understand it yourself. I find the best way is to just be honest. Tell them if you can’t do something but also what you can do. Tell them when you are having a bad day or a flare-up, but also when your day is “good.” Tell them your symptoms, even on a good day, but don’t expect them to understand until you do!

2. Make it your new normal.

You have a chronic illness, it is not going to get better or go away. You may be lucky enough to have a recession, but the majority of us don’t. Learn to live with it, learn to manage it. Become self-aware and understand your symptoms. You may not fully understand the condition, but get to know the symptoms you have before a flare–up, for instance. I know if I get swollen glands, a fever, and a loss of appetite, there will be a flare-up in the next 48 hours. Most importantly, plan your day around your symptoms. I tend to have more energy after a shower in the morning. I generally need a nap in the middle of the day and my pain is at its worst in the evenings. This is my pattern generally, but I have to accept changes as they come and new symptoms as they arise. This is normal for me now. It’s all part of living with a chronic illness.

3. Treat yourself holistically.

Not only do I have fibromyalgia, I also have migraines, cluster headaches, and vertigo. I try not to keep them separate from each other. Treat yourself as a whole and not as a list of conditions. Your symptoms are part of you whether they come from one condition or another.

4. Create a new standard for yourself and be proud of your achievements.

Adjust your measuring stick. If you can’t do something like you used to, make what you can do your new standard and be proud of it. I know, if I tried to do a five-mile hike with the dog, not only would I be wiped out, the dog probably would, too. But, if we go for our 20-minute stroll in the park and we both feel good, even on a bad day. It may sound trivial to some, but every day, I am proud of myself for getting up and doing that walk. Don’t beat yourself up if you can no longer do the things you once used to.

Think about the boom and bust theory. We all do this, without realizing or without intention. On a good day, you do everything you can because you don’t know when your next good day will be. Then, the next day you are in pain and severely fatigued, so you do nothing in order to recover and hope for another good day soon. The theory is, do less on good days and more on bad days. The idea is to become time-focused instead of task-focused. In other words, set a time for activity instead of just your normal full task.

5. Plan for the crap to happen and accept that you will have horrible symptoms.

Life is not perfect. Sometimes you can plan and pace yourself meticulously but there will always be something that disrupts your life. Don’t let it faze you. Crap happens to everyone. We just have to accept what happens and expect that there will be bad days and flare-ups, it’s just part of having the condition. Make sure you have a well-equipped flare-up box. This should always be part of the plan.

6. Ask for help and accept help.

You can’t do it alone, you have to ask for help. This is one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned. You may think it’s a sign of weakness in asking for help, and that it has always been quicker and easier to just do it yourself. Unfortunately, this may no longer be the case. Asking is now obligatory. Accepting help can be equally difficult but it’s time for someone else to take the strain. Life with FMS is not easy. It isn’t often that people will ask you if you need help, so when they do, be gracious. Your loved ones will not want to see you struggling, they will want to help, so let them and show gratitude with a smile and a thank you. That’s all they want in return.

7. Don’t be afraid to let it define you.

I don’t mean go to bed and let it take over your life. I just think we shouldn’t be afraid to let people know we have a condition that impacts our life. Life is difficult enough without making it harder by ignoring issues that can bite. You should be able to tell others that there are things you can and cannot do because of the symptoms you have.

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10/25/2023
How Amitriptyline May Help People With Fibromyalgia

Over the years, various medications have undergone evaluation for use in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Those medications include muscle relaxants, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), sedatives, and tricylic antidepressants.

Tricylic antidepressants actually have some history in the treatment of fibromyalgia. In fact, several of these antidepressants are used in the treatment of the condition. Nortriptyline, doxepin, and amitriptyline are all used in the treatment of fibromyalgia. When used for fibromyalgia, in particular, it has been demonstrated in studies to be the most efficient antidepressant for treating the condition.

About amitriptyline for fibromyalgia

Amitriptyline is, as mentioned, a type of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) used for treating clinical depression. As a result, it’s considered the most common TCA used around the world.

The antidepressant was originally developed by Merck and was first synthesized in 1960. It was later approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April 1961.

This medication works as an inhibitor of the brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine. The medication’s mechanism of action acts strongly on the serotonin transporter, while it causes a moderate effect on the norepinephrine transporter. It doesn’t do anything to affect the dopamine transporter, however.

Amitriptyline is used for several medical conditions, including its FDA-approved use for major depressive disorder. That doesn’t stop other medical resources from claiming it plays a role in assisting recovery from other similar conditions.

Amitriptyline is even said to act more efficiently than other antidepressants when treating disorders. Interestingly enough, it is actually passed over for other newer antidepressants, since it is known to cause side effects and can get very toxic if consumed to overdose.

Antidepressants and fibromyalgia

Various medications are used to treat symptoms of fibromyalgia. The most common medications include painkillers, sleeping pills, and various antidepressants. Antidepressants are said to help treat fibromyalgia symptoms originating from the dysfunction of the brain’s regular functions.

Antidepressants, especially tricylic antidepressants, have been used in the treatment of fibromyalgia for years. Tricylic antidepressants are actually some of the oldest antidepressants on the market and have been utilized in fibromyalgia treatments for years.

Tricylic antidepressants like amitriptyline work by boosting the levels of the brain’s chemicals or neurotransmitters. When the levels of neurotransmitters are boosted, it prevents the brain from succumbing to impairment in its natural function. These antidepressants mainly boost the neurochemicals serotonin and norepinephrine. After taking these antidepressants, people with chronic pain typically feel much better, since they are known to have lower levels of those aforementioned neurotransmitters present in their brain.

Tricylic antidepressants also play a role in helping relax pain-ridden muscles. It also boosts the body’s natural painkiller, also known as endorphins. Even though these medications have positive results for conditions like fibromyalgia, they have various side effects that might make them hard to take on a regular basis.

Interestingly enough, the tricylic antidepressants that are prescribed for fibromyalgia include duloxetine, milnacipran and venlafaxine. Both duloxetine and milnacipran are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for fibromyalgia treatment.

Venlafaxine has less research and, therefore, evidence supporting it as an effective treatment. Other antidepressants that have been studied and proposed as potential fibromyalgia treatments include citalopram, paroxetine, and fluoxetine.

Amitriptyline falls in the category of relative untested tricylic antidepressants without further support as a fibromyalgia treatment. Though, it hasn’t stopped researchers from studying it and its potential as an effective treatment for fibromyalgia.

Studies on Amitriptyline

Antidepressants have been used to treat chronic pain disorders for years. Even though that’s true, only a limited amount of studies exist covering how tricylic antidepressants help people treat their fibromyalgia symptoms.

According to information collected about fibromyalgia and antidepressants, antidepressants like tricyclic antidepressants ‘produced mild to moderate improvements in [fibromyalgia] symptoms.’ In controlled studies, it was found that as much as ‘one-third to half of the monitored patients responded to medication-based treatment.

There was one study that had tested the effects of amitriptyline and fluoxetine on patients with fibromyalgia. Patients in that study were given 25 mg of amitriptyline, while others were given 20 mg of fluoxetine.

As a result, the patients found that either medication helped reduce their fibromyalgia symptoms. Patients who took both medications found that the combination was actually ‘twice as effective than just taking one medication alone.

The dosages used for amitriptyline for fibromyalgia are much lower than the usual doses for treating depression. In most cases, the dosage can be started at as low as 10 mg each day, taken 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep. This allows the patient to take advantage of the medication’s sedative effects without experiencing those same effects when awake.

Another study of amitriptyline followed 70 different patients with the condition with fibromyalgia. The study’s main purpose evaluated the effectiveness of a regular 50 mg dose for fibromyalgia.

The results of the study revealed some interesting data. The patients who had received the regular 50 mg dose for fibromyalgia saw a ‘significant improvement in their sleep quality, morning stiffness, and pain thresholds.’ The ‘tender point score’ taken at the time didn’t improve.

Newer studies concerning the drug for fibromyalgia patients follow the newest iteration of fibromyalgia criteria. A complication of data from other studies about the medication found that ‘amitriptyline for fibromyalgia can continue to be used for [neuropathic pain] treatment, but most patients won’t achieve enough pain relief.’

Various studies collected in the complication lasted as long as 6 weeks (on average). They also tested anywhere from 15 to as many as 100 participants, with four of the studies hosting over 100 participants. Each study administered doses between 15 mg to 125 mg.

Some studies gradually increased the dose during selected intervals of the study trial. Overall, no concrete evidence was found to support amitriptyline as an effective treatment for fibromyalgia. Some studies did find that it may play a role in reducing some neuropathic pain, such as the pain associated with fibromyalgia.

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10/24/2023
Tom Petty’s Cause of Death: Accidental Overdose Medication Opioid Chronic Pain

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.”

Full Statement from Dana and Adria Petty

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.

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10/23/2023
BLUE BADGE PARKING PERMITS TO BE ROLLED OUT TO PEOPLE WITH HIDDEN DISABILITIES, GOVERNMENT PROPOSES

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.”

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10/22/2023
How does Medical Cannabis Help Fibromyalgia?

Cannabis, also known by many other names, is a derivative of the Cannabis plant that is popularly used as a psychoactive drug and medication. This controversial drug, which many would know it as weed or marijuana, has taken a bad rap due to it being exploited for recreational purposes. However, apart from being the star of a party, Cannabis has many medical purposes including treating fibromyalgia.

What is Medical Cannabis

This refers to cannabis in the form of medication, rather than for recreational purposes. It is said to be useful in treating several diseases and medical problems, ranging from nausea resulting from chemotherapy to glaucoma’s high ocular pressure. Cannabis contains a wide variety of chemicals that has many applications. Fibromyalgia is one medical condition that it has proved to be highly effective in.

How does Medical Cannabis Work?

The Cannabis plant contains a wide variety of compounds that can affect both the brain and the rest of the body. The body is affected by a category of compounds termed cannabinoids that bind and interact with the brain’s cannabinoid receptors. Of them, the most well-known cannabinoid is THC, which is responsible for cannabis’ classic effects, among the 85 other cannabinoids in this plant.

Where fibromyalgia is concerned, however, THC is the most important cannabinoid as it binds with the brain’s cannabinoid receptors that help to relieve the pain associated with fibromyalgia. THC also helps the patient relax and get over their feeling of exhaustion.

How is Medical Cannabis Administered?

Patients use a vaporizer in order to heat cannabis to the point of vaporization of the active ingredients of the plant. This provides the same effect and relief as smoking cannabis but eliminates the risks of smoking. Hence, medical cannabis is a more controlled and low-risk treatment as compared to its recreational form.

How does Medical Cannabis Help Fibromyalgia?

Cannabis helps fibromyalgia patients by helping ease muscle stiffness and pain. For this, a strong variant of cannabis is recommended. However, it should be used with care and in controlled dosage as prescribed by a doctor as it could cause side effects like heavy drowsiness. Researchers on patients with fibromyalgia found that those who took cannabis were significantly better in mind and body than those who did not take it. They also found that it relieved fibromyalgia patients of pain to the extent of 50%.

Nabilone an Alternative to Medical Cannabis for Fibromyalgia

Looking at the map above, it is obvious that not all of us are fortunate to live in a medical marijuana legalized state. However, the good news for those who reside in places that do not legalize the use of medical marijuana is, a synthetic medical marijuana pill, Nabilone, was found to work successfully in reducing the pain and anxiety of fibromyalgia comparably. Well, the bad news is, in areas where medical marijuana is legal, many find that it is more economical and effective than Nabilone.

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10/21/2023
Chronic Pain Patient Abandoned by Doctor Dies

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 survey of 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.”

Tammi says she has been comforted by an outpouring of love and support from her family, friends, and community. Doug’s suicide surprised many.

“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.”

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References:

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10/19/2023
What We Need to Remember as Lady Gaga Starts Touring After Her Fibro Flare

In the past few months, we have seen Lady Gaga open up more than ever about her journey with chronic pain, with her Netflix documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two” offering us a look behind the curtain at how difficult it can be to find treatments that work and face the uncertainty and unpredictability of life with chronic illness.

But after confirming her fibromyalgia diagnosis in September and canceling several performances and tour dates due to chronic pain, Lady Gaga is back in action.

As a long-time fan of Gaga, it has been so exciting to see her almost-daily updates on Instagram and Twitter. Not only is she back on the road for her Joanne World Tour, but in the past few weeks, she has also managed to join all five former living presidents for a hurricane relief concert, partner with former Vice President Joe Biden to advocate for sexual assault survivors, become a brand ambassador for Tudor, oh – and get engaged to CAA talent agent Christian Carino. All of which she does wearing high fashion and a smile on her face.

There’s no doubt Lady Gaga is a captivating performer. Even just looking at photos of her, I am in such awe of her style, beauty, and poise.

And yet, simply watching her jet around the country to attend various events with important people and put on high-energy, kickass performances makes me tired.

As someone with an autoimmune disease, my energy tanks are constantly low, even after a restful weekend or long vacation. I don’t think I could make it through a single day in Gaga’s shoes. Her schedule seems like it would be hectic, exhausting, and stressful for someone in peak health, let alone someone with a chronic illness.

While I love following Gaga on social media to see what she’ll pull out of her sleeve next, it can also be difficult to watch someone with a similarly taxing health condition accomplish so much more than I believe I ever could.

Lady Gaga puts on incredible performances every other night, and I barely have enough energy after work to heat up leftovers for dinner.

Lady Gaga travels all over the country to meet and work with some of the most important people alive right now, and I’m in too much pain to walk my dog around the block.

So the thoughts go. It’s all too easy to look at snapshots of a celebrity’s life and think, wow, I must be really lazy or unmotivated because I could never achieve that.

This comparison game is dangerous, but it becomes especially tricky with celebrities like Lady Gaga or Selena Gomez who have been open about their chronic illness battles. I generally don’t lose sleep comparing myself to celebrities; I know they lead very different lives with access to far more money and resources than I have. But then, when they are open and vulnerable about health difficulties, it creates common ground between us. Watching Gaga’s documentary, I felt like I was connecting with another human being over similar struggles.

It’s those moments of relatability and understanding that make it hard to see Gaga go back to being a performer and superstar. In my experience, a bad flare-up usually isn’t followed by such a demanding and intensive schedule.

But, while those of us with chronic illness know the end of a flare-up doesn’t equate to being “healthy” or “back to normal,” for those who aren’t familiar with fibromyalgia or chronic pain, Gaga’s dynamic return may give the impression that her health issues have been totally resolved and that it’s possible for anyone to simply “bounce back” after devoting some time to their health.

Whether you’re a chronic warrior struggling with Lady Gaga’s return or a fan being introduced to the “chronic life” for the first time through Gaga, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Gaga is likely not “cured.” If Lady Gaga is feeling better and has found treatments that work for her, that is fantastic and I am thrilled for her. I sincerely wish she wouldn’t have to ever deal with chronic pain again, but unfortunately, that is just not a common reality of fibromyalgia. As those with chronic illness know, these conditions are lifelong and unpredictable.

2. Celebrities tend to have far more access to money and resources than most chronic warriors do. It is likely that Gaga has been able to find enough relief to continue performing in part because of her fame and access to the best doctors. She is probably able to afford treatment options or medical equipment that many of us cannot, and she may also have access to luxuries such as a private chef, personal trainers, massage therapists, etc. that help keep up with her health as well as her busy schedule.

3. Even within the chronic illness community, we are all different and have varying abilities. Just because one person with fibromyalgia is able to do X, Y, Z doesn’t mean another person with fibromyalgia can also do X, Y, Z. (Maybe they can do A, B, C instead!) Just because Lady Gaga performed at the Super Bowl doesn’t mean everyone with fibro can leap off the roof of a football stadium (or have a job, go to school, or any other activity society thinks they “should” be able to do) if they just “put their mind to it.” People are unique, and so are their conditions and abilities.

4. Your accomplishments are just as amazing as Lady Gaga’s. Maybe you were able to take a shower today, or talk on the phone with a loved one, or keep yourself hydrated. Comparing yourself with someone else – healthy or sick – is silly, because they are a totally different person with totally different life experiences. There’s no good that can come from thinking about what you can’t do. Focus on what you can do, no matter how small it may seem, and celebrate that. If you’re doing the best you can, I’m proud of you – and I think Gaga would be too.

Although Lady Gaga seems to have recovered from her recent flare-up, I hope she continues to be honest about her chronic pain journey and serves as a voice and an advocate for the community. And I hope people recognize that Gaga is just one person with fibromyalgia, and what’s possible for her may not be possible for someone else. For now, I will try to resist the comparison trap and continue to cheer her on, one chronic warrior to another.

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

10/18/2023