By Carol Ryland
You can have one or more of these illnesses and not know it! Each of these syndromes have in common the following: the fact that symptoms can show up suddenly or slowly over time; they resemble and include symptoms of other illnesses simultaneously; no two cases are exactly alike; and they have remissions and flares... meaning episodes or time periods where symptoms don't show up, and episodes called flares when the symptoms seem to explode in intensity and require medical attention or even hospitalization.
All three illnesses, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and lupus, are considered to be autoimmune diseases, which means that the individual's immune system becomes misdirected and begins attacking healthy organs and tissues of the body. All three are still medical mysteries to at least some degree since there is no definitive cause that doctors can address, only theories and conjecture... so medical professionals focus on treating the symptoms and helping patients to cope. Hopefully in time, with all the resources being dedicated to the study and treatment of these diseases, we'll have more answers... and possibly an immunization or cure.
So How Do I Figure Out If I Have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Or Lupusc
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are considered by many in the scientific and medical communities, including the Center for Disease Control (CDC), to be different manifestations of the same autoimmune disease. They are both suspected of having genetic and viral components. Sufferers with either or both illnesses frequently find themselves in a position where family, friends, co-workers, and even their own doctors don't believe that they are ill, because of the wide variety of strange symptoms and lack of definitive medical testing. Sufferers with either or both diseases usually end up seriously limiting physical activities, making lifestyle changes, and either modifying or changing jobs... if they don't end up quitting work altogether.
The similarity in symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is remarkable: ongoing-extreme fatigue that doesn't get better with sleep or rest, widespread pain, muscle stiffness and weakness, cognitive and memory problems, mental fog, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety and panic attacks, mood swings, vertigo, endometriosis, migraines and headaches... just to name a few.
More unique to fibromyalgia are the intense painful points on the body called trigger points, unexplained vision changes and blind spots, dry eyes, and hypersensitivity to cold, sound, bright lights, odors, foods and medications. Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms also feature chronic flu-like symptoms, chronic cough, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, nausea, earaches, irregular heartbeat, shortness-of-breath, frequent serious respiratory infections, rashes, seizures, and joint pain without redness or swelling.
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers may go for months or even years with being diagnosed. Because of the wide variety of symptoms and the lack of blood tests for these syndromes, misdiagnosis is not uncommon. The symptoms themselves are, in many instances, distinct and separate illnesses that accompany the syndrome... for example, irritable bowel syndrome or endometriosis. In both cases, the sufferer is not only dealing with the extreme fatigue and pain, but the other symptoms that make it hard to function at all.
Lupus is another chronic condition in which there appears to be some similarity in symptoms: extreme fatigue, stiffness and swelling, joint pain, fever, chest pain, shortness-of-breath, skin lesions that become worse in the sun, a reddish butterfly-shaped rash on the face covering the cheeks and bridge of the nose, Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers and toes turn blue in cold or stressful situations), dry eyes, headaches, confusion and memory loss, and many other symptoms which vary widely from one person to another and change over time... overlapping with various other disorders.
This would make lupus as difficult to diagnose as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome if it weren't for the blood and urine tests to pin down this disease. The trick is to use the symptoms as a roadmap, identifying the most likely disease- culprit causing the symptoms. Then, getting tested to eliminate other illnesses. The process can take months, especially since the symptoms may be temporary or permanent, mild or severe, include one or more autoimmune diseases... you get the picture.
What Can I Do To Help Pin Down My Illnessc
1) Keep records of what works for you
2) Note changes in your health, medications, food allergies, activities
3) Get educated on your condition so you can help yourself
4) Contact a specialist in Rheumatology or other medical field specializing in treating these autoimmune diseases
5) Provide your specialist with the information you learn from your record-keeping
You are the first line of defense in the diagnosing and treatment of your illness. With your help, your specialist can provide you with the best options to manage your illness and reduce flares. New treatments and information are becoming available everyday which may eventually end the nightmare of living with these conditions for sufferers of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus.
One such treatment has been approved by the American Medical Association and CDC for the natural treatment of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and lupus as well as other diseases. The key is improved health through improved nutritional supplements, which can go a long way to helping you control and even eliminate symptoms of these syndromes. As a fibromyalgia "survivor" myself, I have found nothing better for long-term remission of my symptoms than rebuilding my body from the inside out. Autoimmune diseases tear down the body at the cellular and tissue levels. The trick is to build a much stronger, healthier you. For more information about using natural treatments to help you control your symptoms, contact me now by clicking on one of the links below.
http://www.overcomefibro.com/fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-lupus.html
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