Real Causes of Fibro according to Doctors

10 Root Causes Of Fibromyalgia

1.     Gluten Intolerance

Gluten is often referred to as the “big masquerader” as it has been associated with over 55 diseases.  Its symptoms are rarely manifested as digestive issues, but rather as neurological issues like sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, behavioral issues, cognitive impairment, and pain.

2.     Candida Overgrowth

Candida is a genus of yeasts, a small amount of which thrives in the intestines. The problem arises when it overgrows and breaks down the wall of the intestines. Consequently, it penetrates the bloodstream, releasing toxic mater within the system and causes symptoms like pain, fatigue, and brain fog.  General, most patients with fibromyalgia has had Candida overgrowth.

3.     Thyroid

Most people with thyroid-related issue are not aware they have one, and up to 90 percent of them suffer from hypothyroidism.  In order to measure the function of the thyroid gland, the doctor has to check 6 different blood markers.  When assessing and diagnosing thyroid disorders, the physician needs to focus on the optimal range instead of the standard reference range.  Getting the thyroid levels in the optimal range typically relieves fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression, and brain fog.

4.     Nutrient Deficiencies

Fibromyalgia patients are often deficient in magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.  Interestingly, many doctors claim that boosting magnesium levels has helped them reverse the patient`s condition.  The best way to measure your magnesium level is measuring the red blood cell magnesium level that can be tested in any lab.

5.     Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Leaky Gut

Did you know that bacteria outnumber the human cells in the body? When they get out of balance, typically as a result of antibiotics and sugar-rich diet, one can lose their ability to both digest and absorb nutrients, especially vitamin B12.  Anyone diagnosed with fibromyalgia or any similar chronic disease needs to fix the gut first, as this is a vicious cycle in which everything is closely related.

6.     Adrenal Fatigue

Chronic stress, whether real or not, is the major cause of adrenal fatigue.  Chronic pain stresses out the adrenal glands, although in most cases it`s not the initial adrenal stressor.  Vitamin deficiencies, Candida, food intolerances, and mercury toxicity are the most common adrenal stressors and it is recommended to support the adrenals with adaptogenic herbs until science comes up with the root cause and the way in which it can be fixed.

7.     Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by toxic mold. It is estimated that about 25 percent of the population carries the gene that makes one susceptible to the detrimental effects of mycotoxins. Unfortunately, conventional environmental mold testing doesn’t test for mycotoxins but for levels of mold spores only.

8.     Mercury Toxicity

Mercury is highly toxic to our bodies and it is considered as potential cause of fibromyalgia and other chronic diseases like neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even cancer.   This is the reason why many doctors advise their patients to look for a biological dentist and get their mercury amalgam fillings removed.

9.     Glutathione Deficiency

Glutathione is an important antioxidant which plays a critical role in body`s detoxification process.  It gets recycled in the body, unless the toxic matter exceeds the normal amounts or the body lacks the enzymes required to produce and recycle glutathione.  It has been found that taking glutathione or the precursors like mill thistle and NAC helps treat fatigue.

10.  MTHFR Mutations

MTHFR is an enzyme required for methylation, an important metabolic process.  During this process both folate and folic acid are converted into active forms so that the body can utilize them.  Any MTHFR mutation makes the body less able to methylate and detoxify toxins like lead and mercury. The more mutations one has at this gene, the higher the requirements for folinic acic, methyl-B6 and methyl-B12 in order to maintain the detoxification process running normally.

Fibro

Yet, chronic pain and chronic illnesses are often invisible. In many cases there are no casts, visible rashes or runny nose involved.

Chronic pain sufferers often appear “normal,” perhaps only a bit more fragile or sad than average.

I suffered from chronic headaches for four-and-a-half years and from chronic hip pain for two-and-a-half years.

Often I looked depressed, uninterested and angry, when I was simply in pain.

There were many days I couldn’t get out of bed. Following a conversation became difficult at times.

I lost a job due to my pain. I canceled plans and ignored friends.

I felt misunderstood and alone. I was suffering. I know the answer was out there and eventually I healed myself.

Yet at the time I wanted to scream from the top of my lungs all the things all chronic pain sufferers want you to know:

1. Just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean I am not in pain.

2. It’s not all in my head.

3. It is not just the flu. It won’t just go away in a week.

4. Please, don’t ever say, “Just don’t think about it.” Being in constant pain this is impossible.

5. Hugs can do magic. So are nice messages. I need to know you are here for me.

6. Thank you for sharing the “magical cure” that you’ve read about online. Trust me, I’ve heard about it, and if it was any relevant, I have tried it.

7. I am trying extremely hard to live a normal life.

8. I try my darn best not to cancel plans and I would never cancel plans, if I had a choice.

9. I can’t just snap out of it.

10. Some days are better, some days are worse. Some days I may even feel close to normal, other days I can’t even get out of bed.

11. I do care about you. I want to know about your life and dreams. I want you to be happy and healthy.

12. My chronic pain is different from the other people’s chronic pain. All illnesses and pain symptoms are unique. Our experiences may differ, but we are all in pain and can relate to one another.

13. Please, don’t try to convince me to have drink and to “live a little.” All I want is to live a little—actually, to live a lot. A drink, however, is the last thing on my mind.

14. If I look all depressed or bored, it means I am actually in tremendous pain and trying my best to appear to be happy and normal.

15. I can’t really explain how chronic pain feels. Yet, I can’t say, “You will know once you have it” because I would never ever want anyone to feel so much suffering.

16. I need a lot of sleep. But sleeping can be difficult with so much pain and often still leaves me exhausted.

17. Just because I have chronic pain it doesn’t mean that I know how to manage it or to live with it.

18. Sometimes it feels like I am in a prison, living someone else’s life.

19. I still have interests, passions, goals and dreams.

20. I don’t want you to forget about me. I don’t want you to give up on me.

21. I haven’t given up on healing yet. Deep inside I know there is (or will be) an answer out there.

CFS

. It’s not about being tired.

Yes, I’m tired. However, someone with CFS can be so fatigued it can feel like you have run a marathon with the flu. And that’s on a good day. It’s a type of tiredness that is beyond what you could start to articulate. This complex disease can affect all parts of your life and many bodily systems. A cognitive brain fog clouds your thinking, nausea doubles you over day in and day out, joint and muscle pain throbs and burns and you can’t move, the constant flu-like state, the dizziness when you try to stand and the respiratory distress from when your body is so exhausted that the simple task of breathing becomes a labored affair.

Unfortunately, it’s not a case of getting more sleep. I could have a lovely 12 hours of sleep at night and wake up feeling like I have been hit by a truck. Or I could be kept awake by pain or insomnia all night and function no differently the next day. Sometimes I wish I was simply tired.

2. What you see is not what it appears to be.

CFS is an invisible illness. Looking good doesn’t equal feeling good. I often wish people would see past the well-presented, mostly articulate and smiling woman in front of them. Even close family and friends haven’t seen the full extent of this disease on my life, especially when my symptoms flare in full force. You won’t see me out of the house when this is the case.

If, however, I have enough energy to go out on a certain day, I will factor in the energy required for everything from dressing well to putting makeup on to cover the bags under my eyes.

What you won’t see is the five minutes I sat on the floor of the shower when standing in the heat got too much. The three times I had to lay down to rest before leaving the house. The pain throbbing through my body as I moved, and the headache pounding right behind my eyes as I tried to keep up with the conversation around me. You won’t see the rest of the afternoon I spent in bed after being out of the house for just an hour.

3. The battle takes place every day.

With a fatigue-based disease such as CFS, a person only has a certain pool of cognitive, physical and emotional energy that can be accessed each day. Most days, I hope this energy reservoir will extend to having a shower, dressing and eating. But some days it won’t. I have long since outsourced my shopping, cleaning, washing and the majority of my cooking. Some days I run out of energy to eat. Other days I can get out and have a coffee with a friend. Then there is the countless medical appointments that need to be endured.

It’s about finding balance, making choices about what I will use my energy on and then dealing with the consequences if I use up too much energy. If I use too much energy, the delayed fatigue will kick in, my body will crash and I will be unable to do anything besides lying in bed for many hours or days. Unfortunately, there are unexpected curve balls, and the carefully balanced week or day gets thrown out the window. Instead, you’re left trying to make your energy ends meet while rapidly trying to steal energy for the days ahead.

4. It’s expensive.

I’m not just talking about the financial strain of medical bills, medication, supplements, specific diet and being too unwell to work. I’m talking about the huge cost on the rest of your life. It can take a toll it on your career or dreams, as others around you get the promotion you always wanted or get married while you find it difficult just to make it out of bed each day.

Then there’s the cost of not being able to care for children, spouses, family and friends. Not being able to be physically present to witness special moments in the lives of those close to you. The strain on relationships when you feel you just need to keep taking and not being able to give in return. Friendships drift apart since you have to keep turning down invites. Soon, they stop asking altogether.

Lastly, there’s the cost on your self-esteem, as the once fit and healthy body gains weight, reacts to medication and may only be able to walk as far as the mailbox each day.

5. You can’t do it alone.

You can’t survive chronic fatigue syndrome alone. It’s lonely, it’s isolating and it’s a battle each and every day. People don’t buy you flowers when you have a chronic illness, and people can get sick of hearing about a disease that continues to affect your life day in and day out. You need people on your side. People who are willing to be in there for the long haul. You need supportive friends and family who are happy doing your washing, who will still drop meals off three years into your illness, who give you lifts and sit on the couch eating tasteless, cheeseless gluten-free pizza with you. You need text messages and prayers. You need friends reminding you of your hope. You need people who look past your “I’m fine” responses and see the truth. You need medical professionals who are willing to fight alongside you, never doubting the disease and it’s huge impact on your life.