Fibromyalgia with severe depression is crippling a loved one

[Illogical1]

My best friends mother, Ann, is suffering severly from depression. Whatever love and light you could send her way would be of great appreciation.

[Rayson]

My best friend's mom also suffers from fibromyalgia and depression. With her, I am rather certain that the pain, and a lot of the depression, comes from emotional blocks that were put up during her childhood. I feel that the blocks are literally strangling her from the inside.

I love energy healing of course, but if you are in such a position (like maybe talking to your friend), my rec would be for her to make sure she is seeing a therapist, and that part of the therapy involves digging into the past, and trying to heal past traumatic periods of her life.

My prayers of light and love for her recovery.

My best friends mother, Ann, is suffering severly from depression. Whatever love and light you could send her way would be of great appreciation.
Physical activity works wonders, telling the body -- and the mind -- to stay young. There is nothing worse than the lack of motion.

I urge you to pray to Blessed Alphonsa of India. Her intercession is very powerful, for she suffered herself. I shall pray as well.


Blessed Alphonsa, praise the Lord...
For His mercy endures forever!
See Blessed Alphonsa in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessed_Alphonsa)…

[OmegaWolf]

My wife suffers from Fibromyalgia as well. The pain can be debilitating for her at times. the constant pain and the inability to sleep well are (in my opinion) the cause of the depression.

I have tried to help my wife as much as possible. Here are some things that have helped alleviate the problems:

- all around vitamin/mineral supplementation, particularly malic acid/magnesium. A good fish oil is essential as well.
- some herbs that seem to be helpful are Bromelain, Cat's Claw, and Ginseng (for general energy)
- regular massage therapy if possible
- general exercise (don't overdo) like walking

We are also going to be receiving a negative ion generator shortly. I am also trying to convince my wife that RED LED phototherapy could help with the pain.

Here are some links:

Vitamins etc:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_con ... gia_01.htm (http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_connective_joint/fibromyalgia_01.htm)

Red LED therapy

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002355.html

I'll let you know how the negative ion generator and RED LED device work out. I am hopeful about both.

The supplementation above has helped my wife out already.

Well, it may be against your religion or your sensibilities, but I have to mention it. Low doses of anti-depressant medication can make a huge difference. Fibromyalgia is paritially caused by trauma, either physical or emotional. I've had it for decades. I went from major pain, shuffling around like a 90 year old, to almost normal activity in less than a 2 week period using anti-depressants. So, I know it works. The depression is often caused by the pain. So, alleviating the pain lifts the depression. Which also helps you to be more active, as Soph mentioned. Mild exercise is the key word. Harsh aerobics can make the situation worse. But, so can lying around.

[OmegaWolf]

Well, it may be against your religion or your sensibilities, but I have to mention it. Low doses of anti-depressant medication can make a huge difference. Fibromyalgia is paritially caused by trauma, either physical or emotional. I've had it for decades. I went from major pain, shuffling around like a 90 year old, to almost normal activity in less than a 2 week period using anti-depressants. So, I know it works. The depression is often caused by the pain. So, alleviating the pain lifts the depression. Which also helps you to be more active, as Soph mentioned. Mild exercise is the key word. Harsh aerobics can make the situation worse. But, so can lying around.

Thanks for the info I'll definitely pass it along to my wife. My sensibilities do tend to run to the more "natural" type cures, but in the end the point is to live a normal life.

Do you have any trouble with side effects from the AD medication? When you say low doses do you mean taking less than typically prescribed?

Omega

I was diagnosed by a Rheumatologist (an M.D. doctor). They are the arthritis doctors, which is what they thought I had at first. He is the one who prescribed anti-depressants. Rheumatologists seem to be the ones with most of the expertise on Fibromyalgia. The dose for Fibromyalgia is lower than the dose used for depression, so if someone's depressed, it doesn't work for that. I don't think they know for sure why it works and eases the pain, but it was almost like a miracle for me. Before the med, I almost couldn't get in and out of a car, it was that bad. A couple of times, I almost collapsed in stores, the pain and exhaustion were so severe, and my husband had to come and get me. The medication doesn't make it go away for me completely, though. I still have some bad days, but my case is really severe. I'll pm you about the side effects. :D

[OmegaWolf]

I was diagnosed by a Rheumatologist (an M.D. doctor). They are the arthritis doctors, which is what they thought I had at first. He is the one who prescribed anti-depressants. Rheumatologists seem to be the ones with most of the expertise on Fibromyalgia. The dose for Fibromyalgia is lower than the dose used for depression, so if someone's depressed, it doesn't work for that. I don't think they know for sure why it works and eases the pain, but it was almost like a miracle for me. Before the med, I almost couldn't get in and out of a car, it was that bad. A couple of times, I almost collapsed in stores, the pain and exhaustion were so severe, and my husband had to come and get me. The medication doesn't make it go away for me completely, though. I still have some bad days, but my case is really severe. I'll pm you about the side effects. :D

Thanks for your PM. I have passed the info along to my wife to discuss with her doctor. Did you have a chance to read the link I posted to Lef.org in my original post? I wondered what you thought of the possibility that it might be a hormone defficiency? Have you or anyone else you've known (if any) with FM ever seen and endocrinologist? (I think those are the hormone MDs)

Anyway my heart really goes out to everyone who has this because it causes a lot of suffering and is hard to diagnose.

Omega

My wife suffers from Fibromyalgia as well. The pain can be debilitating for her at times. the constant pain and the inability to sleep well are (in my opinion) the cause of the depression.

I have tried to help my wife as much as possible. Here are some things that have helped alleviate the problems:

- all around vitamin/mineral supplementation, particularly malic acid/magnesium. A good fish oil is essential as well.
- some herbs that seem to be helpful are Bromelain, Cat's Claw, and Ginseng (for general energy)
- regular massage therapy if possible
- general exercise (don't overdo) like walking

We are also going to be receiving a negative ion generator shortly. I am also trying to convince my wife that RED LED phototherapy could help with the pain.

Here are some links:

Vitamins etc:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_con ... gia_01.htm (http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_connective_joint/fibromyalgia_01.htm)

Red LED therapy

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002355.html

I'll let you know how the negative ion generator and RED LED device work out. I am hopeful about both.

The supplementation above has helped my wife out already.
I'm not so sure about what the red LED is supposed to do, other than supply some heat. Maybe that is good enough.

On the other hand, Edgar Cayce strongly recommended violet light...

http://www.baar.com/Merchant2/merchant. ... gory_Code= (http://www.baar.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=543&Category_Code=)

OmegaWolf,
I haven't seen an endocrinologist. That sounds really interesting, I hadn't heard about that. The problem is that it's hard to get your primary physician to give a referral for something that isn't mainstream thinking. Referral is a requirement with most health care plans. Thanks for the info, I'll be looking into it.

[OmegaWolf]

I'm not so sure about what the red LED is supposed to do, other than supply some heat. Maybe that is good enough.

On the other hand, Edgar Cayce strongly recommended violet light...

http://www.baar.com/Merchant2/merchant. ... gory_Code= (http://www.baar.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=543&Category_Code=)

RED LED lights produce light in near infrared spectrum. Our cells have light sensitive "parts" (sorry can't remember the name). Light in the near infrared range stimulates these parts of cells and causes the cells themselves to produce lots of energy. In theory this improves the cell's ability to heal itself, remove waste products, metabolize etc.

From what I have read Near Infrared light doesn't penetrate very deeply into the body. In many of the products it is combined with Infrared Light which can penetrate the body. As far as I know Infrared Light has more of a "warming" therepeutic effect. In fact I believe there are saunas that run solely on IR light.

Thanks for the info on Cayce. I have read about him a good bit but didn't know about the violet light. I will definitely check out that link.[/quote]

[OmegaWolf]

Speaking of Edgar Cayce here is some info on his treatment approach for fibromyalgia:


Here are the basic therapies recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia based on the Cayce information on this disorder:

1. INTERNAL CLEANSING: Hydrotherapy includes drinking six to eight glasses of pure water daily, colonic irrigations (preferably) or enemas, and a cleansing diet of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Castor oil packs across the abdomen are recommended to improve eliminations through the liver and colon. Mild laxatives may be helpful if constipation is a problem. Fume baths assist with elimination of toxins through the skin.

2. MANUAL THERAPY (SPINAL MANIPULATION AND MASSAGE): Osteopathic or chiropractic treatment is recommended to relieve any pressures that may be hindering circulation and decreasing eliminations. Gentle massage is suggested to relax the body and improve circulation and eliminations.

3. DIET: The Basic Cayce Diet is intended to improve assimilation and elimination. The diet focuses heavily on keeping a proper alkaline/acid balance while avoiding foods which produce toxicity and drain the system. Essentially, the diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables while avoiding fried foods and refined carbohydrates ("junk food"). Certain food combinations are emphasized.

4. ENERGY MEDICINE: In addition to the above therapies which will tend to improve circulation, the Radial Appliance is recommended to further assist in increasing relaxation and nervous system coordination. Edgar Cayce said that this appliance would be helpful for anyone having problems with disturbed sleep and fatigue.

5. MEDICINE: A ginseng tonic is recommended to improve digestion and eliminations. Small dosages of beef juice are recommended for persons who experience significant fatigue and lack of vitality.

6. MODERATE EXERCISE: Walking or other moderate exercise is recommended. Be outdoors in the open as much as possible.

7. ATTITUDES AND EMOTIONS: The mental and emotional aspects of healing are frequently discussed in the Cayce readings. Particularly, an attitude of desiring and expecting to be healed is important. A positive mental and emotional attitude and can be created and maintained by focusing on a high purpose (ideal) for being healed.

This is taken from http://www.edgarcayce.org/health/databa ... yalgia.asp (http://www.edgarcayce.org/health/database/health_resources/fibromyalgia.asp)

[chrystalpaths]

50% of the folks I work with suffer this very real problem. Reiki and massage help alot as does teaching them a method of relaxation and focus using stones or crystals that can help their pain and depression. Fibro is a real issue and hopefully in time more will be learned about it, as well as more ways to help the sufferer maintain as normal a life as possible. Accupressure also helps alot with certain areas of pain.

[OmegaWolf]

Another resource I found that I think could really help people with FM is an exercise program called Intu-Flow. It was developed by a really knowledgeable martial artist by the name of Scott Sonnon. Don't let the martial arts throw you. This is a real full body "tune up". It starts at a very beginner level and proceeds to more advanced stuff. To me the beginner level seemed perfect for people with FM who need the exercise but not TOO much.

If you are interested you can go to rmaxi.com

Omega