Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. People with fibromyalgia often experience tenderness at certain points on their body when pressure is applied.
Fibromyalgia sufferers also experience other symptoms, including:
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Morning stiffness
- Headaches
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
- Menstrual irregularities and pain
- Difficulty concentrating (i.e. “brain fog”)
According to the most recent statistics, about five million Americans (roughly 1 in 50) suffer from fibromyalgia. It’s the second most common musculoskeletal ailment behind arthritis, and it affects females far more often than males (it is seven times more common in women).
As anyone with fibromyalgia will tell you, it’s a debilitating condition that affects every aspect of life. For example:
- People with fibromyalgia are three to four times more likely to suffer from depression.
- 50% of fibromyalgia sufferers have difficulty performing daily activities.
- 30–40% of people with fibromyalgia have to quit work or change jobs.
- People with fibromyalgia are hospitalized once every three years on average.
- The average fibromyalgia patient uses three or four drugs daily to control symptoms.
What Is the Conventional Approach to Fibromyalgia?
There is no laboratory test to diagnose fibromyalgia. Instead, patients are diagnosed based on their symptoms and history, and after excluding other diseases that may present with similar symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis, major depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune diseases.
There is no consensus in the medical community on what causes fibromyalgia. However, the current theory is that it may involve a variety of factors, including:
- Genetics. Fibromyalgia runs in families, so there may be genetic mutations that make people more susceptible to it.
- Infections. Some viral or bacterial infections appear to trigger or aggravate fibromyalgia.
- Physical or emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been linked to fibromyalgia.
An Alternative Theory on What Causes Fibromyalgia
For many years I’ve suspected that fibromyalgia is caused by gut dysfunction. I noticed that the vast majority of my patients with fibromyalgia also had digestive problems, and when I started to run tests on them, I discovered that many of them had gut infections, dysbiosis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and leaky gut.
Could an unhealthy gut be the cause of fibromyalgia?
Then I decided to look into whether this connection had been explored in the scientific literature. Sure enough, there were several studies connecting fibromyalgia with problems in the gut. For example:
- 73% of patients with fibromyalgia reported GI symptoms, compared with 37% of those with osteoarthritis. (1)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is present in 30–70% of fibromyalgia patients. (2)
- 33% of IBS patients meet the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia, compared to just 4% of control subjects. (3)
- Up to 50% of patients with fibromyalgia have functional dyspepsia, which is a fancy term for “indigestion” with no known cause. (4)
While I was intrigued by these correlations, they are just that—correlations. What’s more, like fibromyalgia, IBS and functional dyspepsia are simply diagnoses based on symptoms, so these papers didn’t shed much light on what actually might be causing both the fibromyalgia and the IBS/indigestion.
In functional medicine, we’re always concerned with finding the underlying mechanism or cause, because addressing that is what will lead to the most effective and long-lasting treatment.
For example:
- A study in 2008 found a relationship between alterations of the intestinal microbiota (i.e. “gut flora”) and fibromyalgia. (5)
- Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that 100% (42/42) of fibromyalgia patients they studied had small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This is astounding. (6)
- A study of 40 patients with fibromyalgia, 28 (70%) had intestinal permeability (i.e. leaky gut). Importantly, 12 of the 28 patients with leaky gut had no gut symptoms. I believe this is one reason the gut is often overlooked as a potential underlying cause of fibromyalgia. (7)
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Are Gut Problems the Cause—or Effect—of Fibromyalgia?
Of course, one might ask “Are these gut problems causing fibromyalgia, or is it the other way around?”
At least one study has directly addressed this question. A group of patients with fibromyalgia that were positive for SIBO were split into two groups. One group received antibiotics to treat the SIBO, and the other group received a placebo. Significant improvement of fibromyalgia symptoms was observed in the patients that achieved eradication of SIBO with antibiotics, whereas no improvement was seen in patients who took placebo or who still tested positive for SIBO after the antibiotics. (8) This suggests that SIBO plays a causal role in fibromyalgia for at least some patients.
A New Approach to Treating Fibromyalgia
I’ve written extensively about how to do that elsewhere on my blog (this free eBook on gut health is a great place to start), but here’s a brief summary of the most important steps:
- Avoid foods, medications (e.g. antibiotics), and chemicals (e.g. BPA) that irritate the gut.
- Eat plenty of fermentable fibers (starches like sweet potato, yam, yucca, etc.).
- Eat fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, kim chi, etc..
- Consume bone broth and glycine-rich foods (e.g. tougher cuts of meat like beef shanks, oxtail, brisket, and chuck roast).
- Consider taking a probiotic (I prefer options like the Daily Synbiotic from Seed) and/or a prebiotic supplement.
- Treat any intestinal pathogens (such as parasites) that may be present.
- Manage your stress (with mediation, mindfulness practice, biofeedback, etc.).
- Get at least 7–8 hours of sleep each night.
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Hi,
I had a horrible intestinal infection about 5 years ago, and then tested positive for SIBO afterwards. In the past 6 months I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and told I have IBS since stomach issues still bother me, such as bloating and gas. A GI doctor in St. Louis who has been studying muscle and gut connection (I no longer live there but my dad asked him after I was diagnosed with fibro) thought I likely had SIBO again. Turns out I tested positive and I’m currently starting antibiotics. Since I had a huge hit to the gut a while back caused by sinus antibiotics, I know my gut problems started first and very excited to see if the SIBO treatment helps my fibro pain. Fingers crossed!
I’m in St. Louis area. I’d love to know the name of the doctor studying muscle and gut connection.
Hello,
Can you please give me this Drs. Name? I live in St. Louis and need much help. I have about 12 health issues making my life miserable.
Has he helped you?
Thanks,
Dayna
HI Chris, Thank you for a wonderful article. I do have a quick question. I believe i have SIBO and was wondering if you have a link to a book that effectively treats SIBO. Perhaps you have one?
Thanks.
Yes I have IBS and Fibromyalgia, it took quite some years to diagnose, I have recently heard that a lack of magnesium may be the problem, I have started to take magnesium and a probiotic each day along with Endep at night which helps me to sleep, I must say I am starting to feel like I have more energy and do not have the aches I used to have 24/7.
I still on occasions have hot flushes which are quite different to menopause flushes. One strange thing I also have is my blood count has low white cell count, neutrophils and lymphocytes. Kind of wonder if it is my blood that is causing the problem ????
Bron, I’d take her off all grains immediately rather than wait to hear from someone to see if they have seen success. Just do it, and mark the progress, if any.
Thank you for the interesting information. I wonder how this can be applied to chronic lyme disease patients. Many believe that fybromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome patients are underdiagnosed and many have lyme. That was certainly the case in our family with 3 diagnosed as CFS and finally were diagnosed with lyme. As i read the symptoms of many of the commenters they are all under the lyme umbrella. Can you comment on your experience with chronic lyme patients?
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about 11-12 years ago. I found out about it through my own research and asked my PCP to verify it for me. I had already been diagnosed with IBS. It set in during the last few months of my osteoarthritis, before my joint replacement surgery, when the stress of trying to lead a normal life with it overwhelmed me. (My osteoarthritis was undiagnosed and untreated; the doctor I sought help concluded that it was an attention seeking ploy, on the assumption that patients in their 20s did not get arthritis, and told me not to bring it up again for at least 20 more years.)
Right now, I’m trying to heal my gut and keep myself sane in the meantime. I got great relief from my digestive symptoms by first abandoning vegetarianism and then switching to a meat based diet. I still have neurological symptoms, such as muscle aches, depression, and an exaggerated startle response. I’m also struggling with weight loss, and have a few digestive symptoms here and there.
(I did the Marshall Protocol for a few years–don’t worry, I take cod liver oil now, which has been a huge help against the constant cold and bugs I used to suffer from).
I’m eating paleo pretty well now, except for occasional lapses surrounding social events where grain based foods are served. I eat homemade sauerkraut every day and bone broth most days, plus I take magnesium glycinate, dulse, cod liver oil and fish oil, vitamin K2, phenibut, and since the past few days, phosphatidylserene. I’m gradually doing better overall (although with big setbacks dominated by depression), and I presume that my gut focus is part of it although it can be hard to keep it all straight.
Hi Kelley, you poor thing! I can’t believe how your doctor treated you! Although I’m not trained in health, I’ve read thru my own research that extreme startle responses are adrenal related, and supporting your adrenals is essential for that as well as helping with depression. I learned at StopTheThyroidMadness.com a lot about adrenal support as far as taking lots of B vitamins, Ashwaganda, higher doses of vitamin C, some Raw Adrenal extract, Holy Basil, and getting plenty of sleep by going to bed earlier. The other things you take are helpful too. My adrenals are so much better now and my sleep is wonderful. Plus I’m not as jumpy.
Thanks, Cheryl. I hadn’t suspected my thyroid because I don’t have a lot of the classic systems (bad nails, poor body temperature control, etc), but it wouldn’t hurt me to get a basal thermometer and test it. I’ll definitely look over that site.
No, Kelley, not thyroid (although it never hurts to check free T3 and free T4), I said ADRENALS. These sit on top of your kidneys. Here is a list of symptoms of low cortisol/adrenal problems:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-info/symptoms-low-cortisol/
I have been diagnosed firstly with B12 deff and now fibromyalgia…I have pain, brain fog, irritable bowel (although saying this I can eat very hot spicy food and am fine but anything else even a glass off water or price of salad sometimes can set my gut off and I end up on the toilet within 30 mins). And many more symptoms.
I think the standard advice to avoid spicy foods can be misleading. My gut is certainly compromised to some degree, but, I enjoy eating spicy foods, and even experience a soothing feeling in my gut after eating them.
I think I am also sensitive to the insoluble fiber in salad greens. I had quite a setback after eating a big dandelion green smoothie (cheap blender!). I am considering eating greens cooked and pureed, and combined with some soluble fiber, like cooked winter squash.
I *do* avoid some spicy food, not because of the heat, but, because they are nightshades, and might be contributing to intestinal permeability (and autoimmunity).
Thanks Chris for your wonderful work, you have helped me greatly!
I’m not a medical pro but I am a SIBO experiencer and I attended the SIBO Symposium at the National College of Natural Medicine in January 2014. Please check this out.
http://sibosymposium.com/
It was excellent and included some very advanced new info that I will attempt to briefly share.
Researcher and speaker Dr. Mark Pimentel presented his discovery of a causal link between SIBO and wider autoimmune disease. Dr. Weinstock presented his research and work successfully treating several enigmatic maladies from RLS to Parkinson’s and many other diseases through addressing SIBO.
Many treatment protocols were addressed by Dr. Pimentel,MD, Dr. Weinstock, MD, Dr. Allison Siebecker ND, and Dr. Sandberg-Lewis, ND.
The amazing discovery is as follows – please pardon my stating of the known and obvious for context:
SIBO occurs when the function of the ileocecal valve has been undermined (there are many known causes of this) and bacteria that belong in a healthy colon manage to migrate into the small intestine. They consume carbs there and give off gas.
Hydrogen produced by them feed their buddies, the methane producers. These methanogens also produce a cytolethal extending toxin – an antigen which mimics vinculin resulting in the immune system’s production of anti-vinculin antibodies (bad!).
Vinculin is a cytoskeletal protein that plays a unique and irreplaceable role in cell adhesion and motility. In the gut, the interstitial cells of Cajal govern constriction of the intestines (peristalsis). Damage to the ICC vinculin and thus to the nerve function there results in cramping and constipation: disrupting motility and allowing the bacteria to hang around and continue the process
.
But the role of vinculin is critical throughout the body. And as these SIBO caused anti-vinculin antibodies become present in the bloodstream they assault everything.
At the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where Dr. Pimentel is director of the GI Motility Program, the presence of methanogens in the small intestine, SIBO, can be confirmed through a simple blood test for anti-vinculin antibodies. I look forward to the wide use of this procedure in diagnosis.
I believe SIBO is a core civilization disease.
Your life is like a boat floating you down a stream of health. When the stream is full the trip is smooth but when the stream gets low you begin to encounter rocks and irregularities that interrupt your journey. Some of us may snag on various diseases depending on the features of our own stream bed. We are not “genetically programmed” to get some disease, we are variously susceptible according to our individual stream bed but the main thing is that we only get sick when the stream is low! As the health streams of our culture get lower and lower, different people begin to strike different problems first. The lower the streams, the more problems will occur.
My wife 61 has had Fibromalgia symptons since 2011. This intense pain resulted over a matter of a few weeks time and is a way of life now. I know because I pay close attention to anything that affects my physical relationship with her. Because of her lack of blood clotting, she is unable to take any medications that would thin her blood like (aspirin, Ibuprophen etc.) It doesn’t leave much for relief. History: 2010 we went to Mexico for our honeymoon. A couple of weeks latter at home, she became very sick, vomiting with intense diarrhea. Her Doctor gave antibiotics which helped but the diarrhea varied in intensity over several more months. She was tested for Lyme and some other things which were all negative. The diarrhea eventually went away. About a year later in 2011 after having some woman’s surgery and also esophagus/stomach problems that is when the Fibromalgia pain appeared. She was given Nexium for her stomach which she is still on to this day because they cannot operate on her esophagus. After reading this article about the Fibromalgia maybe being linked to stomach bacteria, I am curious that maybe the Nexium might be messing up the natural chemistry which keeps many things in order in the stomach, or she may have contacted a bacterial infection from Mexico that has raised its ugly head again causing this pain. If anyone has ever had a cut that got infected and remembers the pain when touched they can appreciate that maybe Fibromalgia is also some kind of bacterial infection that is infecting the whole body. Just a thought?
Your wife’s case sounds just like a number of cases discussed at the symposium referred to in my comment below. Montezuma’s revenge is found by Dr. Weinstock to be a very common precursor to the many of the SIBO related disorders he is currently working with. He has vast clinical and research experience around this.
WHEN DIAGNOSED OVER 25 YEARS AGO WITH FIBROSITIS, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS FIBROMYALGIA, I FOUND IT HARD ADAPTING. BUT I LEARNED THAT I EXPERIENCED “LESS MUSCLE PAIN” WHEN I STAYED ACTIVE…..GOING TO THE GYM, WALKING, STRETCHING, & OF COURSE TAKING NAPS.
MY MEDICAL HISTORY INCLUDES BEING BORN WITH A HEART MURMUR (WHICH REQUIRES ANTIBIOTICS EVERY TIME I HAVE A DENTAL APPOINTMENT) HYPOTHYROIDISM, HASHIMOTO’S DISEASE, PARKINSON’S DISEASE, PULMONARY HYPERTENSION, COLITIS, POOR IMMUNE SYSTEM, CHRONIC GASTRITIS, GASTROPARESIS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AND GLAUCOMA.
BOTH MY SON AND HIS WIFE ARE CHIROPRACTORS AND LIVE A VERY HEALTHY PALEO LIFESTYLE. THEY HAVE INTRODUCED ME TO PALEO, BUT I HAVE TO BE HONEST AND SAY “IT’S HARD TO TEACH AN OL’ DOG NEW TRICKS”! 🙂
I AM CONVINCED THERE’S SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE ABOUT PALEO, SO I’M DETERMINED TO LEARN ALL I CAN TO HAVE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
CURRENTLY MY BIGGEST ISSUES ARE WITH THE GASTROPARESIS AND INABILITY TO EAT AT ALL.
MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAS TOLD ME ABOUT THE PALEO BONE BROTH FOR GUT PROBLEMS AND I’M TRYING TO SNEAK-UP ON THAT RECIPE. I DID GO OUT AND BUY A SLOW-COOKER AND PLAN TO MAKE IT THIS WEEKEND……….ESPECIALLY SINCE I’VE RUN OUT OF EXCUSES TO TELL HER WHY I HAVE NOT MADE IT YET!
I ENJOY ALL OF CHRIS’s ARTICLES AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEM ALL!
i read that one of the issues you have is gastroparesis, by any chance are you overweight? I ask because I too had many medical issues. One of them was the gastroparesis. I became real heavy due to some meds and severe headaches plus the fibro. I also had Gerd. I went to see a nutritionist to help with the gastroparesis I lost 81 lbs. and then had gastric bypass due to my stomach was no longer functioning like it should. Since the procedure I no longer suffer from gastroparesis and Gerd. I thought I would share this with you.
I definitely think that one of the contributing factors to Fibro is gut issues – I for one have fibromyalgia and I know I have a leaky gut – I have both gluten sensitivities, sensitivities to various other foods (nightshades and almonds for the most part), and also a dairy allergy. And all were improved by eating a diet designed to heal the gut.
But I don’t think that gut-issues are the only problem – both from my own experience with my own body and experience from many of my patients who have fibro (I am a massage therapist), musculo-skeletal issues are also a huge part of this condition – I suspect that trigger-points in muscles are a leading cause of pain that many fibro patients suffer.
I know that when I suffer any pain and I get one of my colleges to release the trigger-points, my pain goes away or is at least dramatically lessened.
I also suspect that nutritional deficiencies are a major part – whether these are as a result of the damaged gut/poor digestion or simply because of a poor diet I do not know.
I do think that this is a condition with multiple factors though…
Sal, it’s so interesting how we are all different and have different intolerances! I’ve NEVER had the trigger point thing. I do get tension headaches with knots in my back, but those only occur during ovulation and menstruation. My food intolerances are specific to what feeds candida bacteria according to the lists of foods in books and websites on candida. It’s not mind over matter either. I though eggplant was approved, started eating a nice plate of it, then felt the body aches raging…..no, eggplant was on the unapproved list. I’m not bothering with lentils, even though there is a discrepancy as to whether or not they will feed candida.
I have been doing research on diets and specifically insulin resistance, which a good number of Americans have.
I have been diagnosed with fibro, after lifelong heart trouble. Immune systems seem to play a role. I got off the usual western diet if processed foods and went while, limited carbs but wholesome. Throw in exercise daily, even if just stretching, and I feel so much better. Not entirely gone but much better.
Little confused – you mentioned that one study found that 100% of fibro patients showed signs of SIBO, and in the title hint that it could be a causal factor.
But, aren’t the starchy foods that you recommend (sweet potatoes/etc), and also even fermented foods, shown to exacerbate SIBO to some degree?
Great, informative postings! One other consideration is chronic or late stage Lyme disease. The other already mentioned is hypothyroidism and Hashimotos disease.
Thank you so SO much for posting this article Chris! I’ve had chronic diarrhea that has persisted for the past 3 years in spite of numerous diet (very strict autoimmune/semi-wahls protocol, no sugar, no caffeine) & lifestyle changes (my early twenties have not been so fun, I spend most of the time sleeping). To think that SIBO is probably the underlying issue behind my hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia as well is earth shattering.
Quick question, are there any functional physicians/practitioners that you could recommend for SIBO treatment & adrenal issues on the East Coast (or anywhere in the USA)? Do you know of any integrative endocrinologists or holistic gastroenterologists?
I would love to have you as a practitioner (just signed up on your wait list!) but wanted to know where I should turn in the meantime. Best wishes, health & happiness.
I have undiagnosed fibro-type symptoms – insomnia, stiffness and pain especially in the neck and the shoulders, headaches, brain fog, fatigue. And I have SIBO. And candidiasis. And high mercury, arsenic and lead (revealed in DMSA provoked urine tests). And calcification issues. Magnesium helps but I cannot get enough of it into my cells without getting diarrhea. You may assume this is a sign of intestinal malabsorption but mercury also blocks cellular ion gates so possibly my tissue fluids are saturated with magnesium (I have very high salivary pH) but its not getting into my cells. 5-HTP helps. Probiotics (even ones with no fermentable substrate except for a small amount of cellulose) and even cellulose powder (in quantities large than in supplements) make things much worse for me.
Antibiotics massively helped me sleep – but yeast got much worse and SIBO soon returned. I eat meat, fish, and a few olives, and the veg I can tolerate I have in juice form because I can’t deal with the cellulose. FODMAPs foods are out, even in juices (FOS is water-soluble). I can tolerate one carrot juice a day and would feel better if I could have more CHOs to protect my thyroid. The antibiotics I took were for parasites. Stool tests on the NHS (the medical service here in the UK) showed I had giardia in 2005. I took metronidazole twice, since I still had symptoms. Then sleep deteriorated over the next 5 years, skin lesions appeared on my hands and feet every winter and when I put my hands in the soil. I got CFS, did a stool test (Genova CDSA with parasitology) and discovered blastocyctis hominis, dientamoeba fragilis, three yeast species and 5 unusual bacteria species in my gut. Doxycycline and paramomycin killed off the parasites according to a follow-up CDSA some months later. And I slept well for a few days!!!
Now I am looking for root causes of SIBO – reasons why the Migrating Motor Complexes (cleansing intestinal waves between meals) may not be happening as efficiently for me. One reason is yeast (effects neurotransmitters, vagus nerve, ileo-caecal valve etc). Another is the heavy metals – either because they support yeast or through other more direct mechanisms such as macromineral imbalances and their effect on neurotransmitters and their affinity for nervous tissue. Another I am considering with the winter eczema, cold intolerance, poor immunity and very high calcium to potassium ratio in a hair mineral analysis, is thyroid issues, possibly due to mercury and/or yeast. Low thyroid slows gastrointestinal motility – and I imagine therefore MMCs too, and reduces stomach acid. I need to run myself a thyroid panel with antibodies.
I guess what I am saying with giving you all this detail is that there are many possible interlinking mechanisms at play here for me, and for other SIBO/fibro sufferers, but for me certainly the SIBO and fibromyalgia – if that’s what it is – are clearly connected since I slept normal hours after antibiotics – for a short period of time.
I’m really surprised that very few medical professionals have made the connection to one the strongest causes of fibromyalgia….flouroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox). I believe from personal experience that fibromyalgia is a direct effect of the damage they do to our CNS, intestines, muscles, joints, eyes, etc. I am living proof of what those drugs can do to the body. I went through all of the normally reported fibro symptoms after only 3 days on Cipro for a UTI. Wonder why fibro affects women more? Women are treated for UTI’s more often than men and they take these powerful drugs, especially if they report a penicillin allergy like I did. Chris, I do agree with you that to heal fibro you have to focus on the gut. The antibiotics wiped out the good bacteria and therefore the intestinal disturbance. This also makes gluten sensitivity higher and also blood sugar imbalances. These antibiotics should never be given with NSAIDS or steroid drugs because they basically make the damage worse. They don’t tell you this in the clinic because very few medical professionals have even studied these drugs. There is now a black box warning on Cipro that says it can cause permanent peripheral neuropathy. I have peripheral neuropathy and I was an active, 38 year old mother of 3, who could run marathons and now I am limited on what activities i can do. The biggest healing for me has come from treating this condition with pure foods and organic animal products. If you eat non-organic meats and dairy you are basically giving back the body a dose of the drug that caused the problem in the first place. Animals are treated with antibiotics and that’s why so many fibro sufferers have issues with meat. The meat they used to eat has now become inflammatory because the body is reacting to the antibiotics in them. The issue with wheat and other grains is because the cellular mitochondria have been damaged, therefore a slower response to breaking down glucose is in effect. While the excess glucose load piles up on the exterior of the cell membrane, the body slows down to compensate the work load on the body. This brings about the extreme fatigue after meals and the reported crash that many fibro sufferers feel. I have spent 2 years researching this correlation and have much data to back my findings. I am an anatomy, health and biology teacher so my background has lead me in this search for a cure and a better understanding of how to treat fibromyalgia as naturally as possible. I haven’t taken one pill or anything synthetic in two years and I’m getting good results. Can’t say that I’m 100% the old me but any improvement is welcome after months of suffering. I just wish countless others didn’t have to go through what I did because of the needless use of class 4 antibiotics. This country is in a crisis. If doctors don’t stop handing out antibiotics like candy and saturating our food supply with them it will only get worse. I’m tired of hearing fibromyalgia being called the “mystery disease”. It’s no mystery to me.
I was diagnosed with FM in the late 90’s. I thought I had a death defying disease. It was so painful and so many symptoms I was ready to accept that I was about to die. Anyhow to make, a long story short – I ended up finding something natural that really helped me & I’m, I would say a good 70% better. My doctor (he is an MD but treats 95% with natural things) did a bunch of test and besides a number of other findings found that the level of aluminum in my body was extremely high. He didn’t and still hasn’t related this finding to me having FM but I remember comparing my levels to another friend with FM and her levels of aluminum were high also, but what’s interesting is that about a year ago (early 2013) I read an article on the internet that said that people with FM have high levels of this toxic metal. Hmm I only wonder where these toxic levels are coming from because since the early 90’s I haven’t even used anything aluminum to cook or even to cover my foods, nor even use underarm deodorant (I’ve used baking soda for some time now) anyone I started to wonder since this has become an epidemic starting possibly in the late 80’s early 90’s if the theory is really true about the “chem trails” and that some of the spray is aluminum. I just wonder if this is what’s causing that problem along with the other epidemic proportions of illnesses
Diagnosed with FM and Chronic fatigue 24 years ago, and because of anemia, Celiac disease 9 years ago and am still having inflammation and gut issues today. Gluten free/ milk free made me feel somewhat better. Tried the Paleo diet and was not able to sleep at night. I know that my main issues are gut related but there are certainly no simple answers.
Cured SIBO with enteric coated peppermint oil and lactoferrin. Lactoferrin is a biofilm disruptor and peppermint oil has been proven to stop SIBO in some small studies. I decided to put the two together.
It certainly helped me a great deal.
Dealing with candida after that has returned my digestion to where I was when I was in college – just left a movie theatre where I ate some garbage popcorn and a diet drink- yeah, bad for me but I’m not bowling over in pain and will eat right for at least the next week to be on the safe side.