Fibro blog Chronic Fatigue Syndrome blog How to heal Fibro and CFS

The Friday podcast of the Health Matters Show featured Celeste Cooper, Part 1, in the first part of a lengthy interview that she did with me in honor of 2013 Awareness Day for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It was fantastic! Today I bring you Part 2, equally fascinating material that broaches additional topics concerning awareness and how you can start to improve your health.

If you need information on who my interview guest is, please go back to “Part 1″ and check out Celeste Cooper’s credentials. This dear lady is well respected in her field!

Now it’s time to click on the audio podcast today (below) and hear her explain how she approaches chronic pain and illness, particularly in how to balance the mental, emotional and spiritual components. By successfully doing this, you and I will be better able to survive the illness while remaining happier, more well-rounded and living with less stress. All equally great goals!

(Today’s podcast is 38 minutes 56 seconds. Enjoy!)
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Both Fibromyalgia awareness and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome awareness are incredibly important topics to patients, their loved ones and the medical profession. That statement was never truer than right now.

Today as we all begin celebrating Awareness day and week, I’m bring you some very special interviews. Truly, I am so excited! Today’s Health Matters Show Friday podcast features Celeste Cooper with the part 1 of a two-part series.

Along with covering both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, both Celeste’s interview and the one that follows (*interview number 3, May 12th) also feature information on neuro-endocrine related illnesses (term: NEID) and the grass roots, volunteer organization known as PANDORA. You’ll hear about this in detail if you listen to all three of the audio podcasts this weekend.

Normally I only offer 1 podcast on Friday of each week. But due to the nature of Awareness day falling on Sunday this year, I decided to do three shows and bring you that much more material.

Celeste Cooper is a retired nurse, originally certified in emergency nursing. She specialized in hospital-wide education and designed programs for the Missouri State Board of Nursing and ran a training center for the American Heart Association.

The author of several books, such as Broken Body Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See Saw of Chronic Pain, Celeste is considered a renowned author, lecturer, Fibromyalgia expert and has appeared or contributed to Dr. Oz, Harpo Studios, Jeff Arnold, and Discovery Communications, plus she advocates for all chronic pain patients as a participant in the Pain Alliance. Counting her personal health problems, trials, setbacks and successes, surely Celeste Cooper is a very valid person to speak to us today.

(Today’s podcast is 24 minutes, 37 seconds.)
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Spread the good word: Awareness Day Interviews Are Coming!

Yes that’s right. I’m preparing the files and information now.

If you come back to the blog and podcast this week in particular, you can catch some fantastic information that’s being shared for Awareness Day and Week. As we all celebrate increased awareness for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the good that increased exposure can do, know that there are many, many suffering from the illnesses and more.

I vow to increase awareness by sharing the good words and resources that I find. I appreciate you doing likewise by sharing my posts and podcasts to come. Importantly too, many people are going to great lengths to put out great material. My guests are some of the best and you’ll find this out for yourself by returning to the website!

Thanks so much, Cinda Crawford
Your host of the Health Matters Show

*PLEAST SHARE THIS INFORMATION!

The reason why there’s no cure for CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is because doctors, scientists and whoever have not nailed down the cause of what is going wrong in the human body. For CFS patients, certainly many abnormalities have been found so far in immune cells, blood cells, organ and system functions and the body’s semi-nebulous, hard-to-pin-down body systems of fatigue and sleep.

However, if no one gets to the root of the underlying problem, then the ultimate cause of CFS (or causes) will not be found, identified and considered for impact on a patient’s body, mind and spirit. That truth goes for absolutely anyone and everyone who is sick with the illness. That truth also applies to many other hard-to-diagnose illnesses. There certainly are many of them. The closest cousin to CFS is Fibromyalgia, lurking in the shadows with a little of some CFS symptoms and a whole lot of just a few. Like I said, kissing cousins, maybe even siblings…still without a cure either.

This last FDA meeting, which began April 25th, focused on symptomatology, not causes of what is wrong. *See the link below.

Of course, every CFS person would like to get rid of all of their symptoms, but at what cost? Fifteen more drugs that you can’t afford and/or may overload your system with an abundance of drug side effects? Symptom relief is good, but it is not the end-all of the problem. We’re starting at the wrong end of this problem!

(Today’s podcast is 7 minutes 39 seconds.)
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You ask the question, “Why am I so tired?” You’d like an answer, even if it means that there is something wrong with your health.

Today, scientists have uncovered a biological breakthrough that offers fresh hope for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) sufferers. Yippee!

A recent study revealed that the muscle cells of patients suffering from ME (also in some circles known as CFS or ME/CFS) were abnormal. This likely could be the cause of why they are so overwhelmingly tired and cannot cope with prolonged, physical activity.

An analysis of muscle biopsies suggested that the cells had undergone substantial changes making them less able to cope with exertion.

(Audio podcast 9 minutes 9 seconds)
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Are B-Cells to blame for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)? According to the following new info, B-cell dysfunction may play an important role and the following information will explain part of what’s going on.

The ravages of chronic fatigue syndrome may be the result of an overlooked but essential part of the body’s own immune system.

The original article that is the basis for this post was written by Jill Neimark of Discover Magazine, April 03, 2013.
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A bloodspot-based Fibromyalgia test (diagnostic test) for Fibromyalgia symptoms and related disorders has been met with some interesting success. Conducted by Kevin V. Hackshaw, L. E. Rodriguez-Saona, Marcal Plans Pujolras, Lauren Nicole Bell and Tony Buffington, analysts, their accepted manuscript is now in 2013 publication.

The aim of the study they conducted was to investigate the ability of a rapid biomarker-based method for diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome (a.k.a. FM, FMS, Fibro) using mid-infrared microspectroscopy (IRMS) to differentiate patients with FM from those with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to identify molecular species associated with the spectral patterns.

How can this help you? Will there be a Fibromyalgia test soon? Let’s see.

(Today’s audio podcast is 8 minutes 8 seconds.)
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Did you know that viruses can play a big role in ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? They can. Many people who get so sick with the symptoms of ME/CFS may not realize that a viral-related cause could be at play. And no matter whether you have sudden onset or gradual onset of the illness, if your immune system is not performing in an optimal manner, you could fall victim to the effects of such really troublesome viruses.

Take my health, for instance, when I got sick in 1990. I had so many viruses that my doctor quit testing me, quit counting the viruses and told me to go home to bed! Well that was twenty-three years ago when little to no helpful medicines were available and even less research. Only now are physicians learning more about the interaction between two specific, problem viruses that could be causing you big problems: Cytomegalovirus and HHV-6, Human Herpes Virus-6 and tag-along, HHV-7.

Today, I find it so exciting is that a new medicine, Cidofovir or HPMPC/ Vistide is indicating that a a huge improvement is possible in such patients who have these viruses. That is wonderful news because they are fairly common, they’re tough to get rid of and they can make you feel like a Mack truck just ran over you!!

This is exciting to me and surely for so many other folks with viral-related illnesses. Thank you for joining me today for the Health Matters Show today. Continue listening and reading to get more of this potentially explosive information.

Cinda Crawford, your host

(Today’s audio podcast is 9 minutes.)
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I’m sitting here wondering what you would like to read, listen to and participate in for Awareness Day.

It will be here soon………..MAY 12th!

It is only a few short weeks away and I want to offer you something of real value!

So tell me, what kind of information really appeals to you? Speak up today and reveal exactly “what” you like.

DO YOU PREFER:

1) Audio interviews? (*If so, what topics are important to you?)
2) Video interviews? (Same approach. Please send me the title of your most important topic.)
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What is a caregiver? Who is skilled enough to be a caregiver? Who needs a caregiver? Allow me to introduce Florence Nightingale.

Florence Nightingale was a famous woman who believed in serving others’ health needs and honoring the medical profession that she regarded so highly.

It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm. Florence Nightingale

As a person who has experienced great, long term illness, one of which was Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I am drawn to the legacy and person of Florence Nightingale. Not only did she dedicate her life to serving others’ medical needs, but she herself also was thought to have suffered with a similar illness, possibly even CFS itself!

Note: Keep reading to get all of today’s incredible information provided by the Health Matters Show blog post and podcast. Namely, 1) A moving, personal account of someone who has been a caregiver, 2) The Florence Nightingale Pledge, and 3) your very own “FREE” copy of “The Caregiver’s Guide”.

(Today’s podcast is 6 minutes 17 seconds.)
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One of the toughest symptom challenges with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is managing chronic pain. (It is a symptom that accompanies certain conditions.) When it comes to information or strategies for managing such chronic pain, the public at-large and the people most affected by horrible pain symptoms on a regular basis (a.k.a. the patients) are pretty much in the dark. Why? What strategies improve symptoms? What medicines help? By now, surely doctors know what works best to manage chronic pain in Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, RSD, Lupus, Lyme disease and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, don’t they?

It’s time that we knew. Check out the upcoming NIH Pain Consortium Symposium that will be held May 29 – 30, 2013.

The theme of this year’s symposium will be “Integrated Self-Management Strategies for Chronic Pain”. Topics will include:

• Self-Management Strategies in community health care settings
• Tailored self-management strategies for patients and caregivers, plus
• Predictors and indicators of outcomes in integrated self-management strategies.

*See specific details below, plus two important publication links and a very special offer coming up next week!

(Today’s audio podcast is 8 minutes 22 seconds.)
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Hi folks,

The Health Matters Show is changing, but I only have a small piece of the puzzle in place so far. The process will eventually include an entire revamping of most everything. Stay tuned…more is to come. For now, expect to find blog posts for the “Health Matters Show blog and podcast” coming out at 2:00 PM East Coast time on Fridays. That’s a better time of day for people in the US who have tough mornings and for other folks who will be getting off work soon to begin their weekend. For others in different time zones, the blog and podcast are available, too.

I want to make this service the best it can be for you, the people who need it. I also want to feel as if my effort really pay off for me and the audience who so graciously follows me. Please let me know anything you think I “should change” and how (if you have a hunch)… and anything you’d like me to “add” to what I do. Yes, feel free to send that along, also. All options are on the table.

(Think song lyrics…)
The times they are a-changing,
Cinda Crawford, your host

If your doctor has the new Somatic Symptom Disorder information and doesn’t know what is wrong with you, there’s a possibility that you could be mislabeled and misdiagnosed as mentally ill- in error. Yes, such is the new horrible situation for you and thousands more like you that you could be classed as having a mental illness when that is not what’s wrong at all!

According to the British Medical Journal 2013, the revised listing for Somatic Symptom Disorder according to new DSM-5 guidelines surely will mean that we can expect more confusion than ever between diagnoses of physical and mental symptoms. And surely there was enough already for people with symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome!

How many times have you heard people say 1) “it’s all in your head“? How many times have people 2) looked at you funny, 3) discounted your memory recall of an event or 4) your opinion because they no longer have faith in you? How many times have you been 5) accused of sounding “out of this world” or crazy? More times than these five examples for sure. Situations like this occur when our family, friends, co-workers or medical doctors don’t know enough about our physical illnesses to understand what we’re going through. They don’t see that there are physical causes in making you appear to be mentally ill.

I urge you to take the time today to read up on this important topic (below) and then leave your own comment. I shudder to think how easily details about Somatic Symptom Disorder cold blow up in our lives and cause a national (if not, international) disaster!

This new condition (a.k.a. Somatic Symptom Disorder) suggested in the bible of mental health diagnoses lacks specificity, says Allen Frances.

(Today’s audio podcast is 5 minutes 38 seconds. Don’t miss it!)
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What are the causes of chronic fatigue? They can be many, some subtle, some not. Some are so obvious you wonder why you didn’t consider them in the first place. The more elusive causes of chronic fatigue are ones that you may need help to remember and then overcome and conquer.

Today, let’s first compare the subtle and fairly obvious prompts for chronic fatigue by defining the term. (Later in the post, we’ll investigate many of the unobvious reasons…ones that you may not have considered, but with a little work, could experience great change and more energy!)

Simply stated, chronic fatigue is when the overwhelming symptom of fatigue becomes a chronic body condition. In other words, much of the time, you’re chronically tired, pooped and downright exhausted!

I know this sounds common and in many ways, it is. “Chronic fatigue” is the number one reason why people schedule a doctor visit. *Hang on and check out what is to come. There’s more below and even more in the audio podcast itself. Be sure to listen because it includes facts and figures that you won’t find on the blog.

(Today’s audio podcast is 22 minutes and 21 seconds. Enjoy!)
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