I have pursued many different therapies and treatments in my
search for better health. Most of
them were not helpful for addressing the underlying condition of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia however some provided temporary relief or had other
benefits. Also by finding out what didn't work and how I responded to various treatments I gained a better understanding of my health condition through trial by error. In general I pursued one therapy at a time so I could assess their
effectiveness however there were times when therapies overlapped.
“Whitcomb Method” of Chiropractic Care (now called
“Neuro-Resetting Technique”)
I was a patient of Dr. Paul Whitcomb in South Lake, Tahoe
for 3 months. I got temporary relief of muscle pain and fatigue. My symptoms
returned 6 weeks after leaving the clinic. For more on my experience read my post “Paul
Whitcomb – Friend or Foe?”
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
I had 31 one and a half hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen
over the period of two months. The therapy was advertised as being helpful for
fibromyalgia but provided no change in my symptomology. A side benefit of the
therapy is that it helps with high altitude sickness. When I travel to a place
where the altitude is high I have a hyperbaric oxygen session beforehand and
adjust to the change in altitude with no adverse symptoms.
Relaxin Hormone Therapy -Gluten/Cassien Free Diet
I took the hormone relaxin orally for six months and relaxin
hormone injections, which I administered daily myself for two months. During
this time I was a patient of Dr. Samuel Yue, a doctor from Minnesota who
believes that fibromyalgia is caused by a deficiency of the hormone relaxin.In addition to taking relaxin, Dr. Yue
prescribed a casein (milk protein) and gluten free diet, which I followed
religiously for six months and various supplements including L-carnitine,
magnesium and COQ10.Dr. Yue
believes that “leaky gut syndrome” contributes significantly to fibromyalgia
allowing undigested proteins to leak into the tissues and that relaxin
replacement along with his prescribed diet and supplements allow the walls of
the small intestine to heal. My fibromyalgia became progressively worse while I
was on this program. A subsequent test showed I did not have leaky gut
syndrome.
Alkaline Water
Some health practitioners and individuals are proponents of
drinking alkaline water and claim there are benefits for those with chronic
health problems including fibromyalgia. The alkaline water is produced by a
machine that filters and then separates water through electrolysis into various
levels of PH. I purchased an expensive LeveLuk unit for my home and did a
six-week trial of drinking the more alkaline “Kangen” water. My stools became
very loose to the point where I was seeing undigested food in them and I had
abdominal pain and bloating. Nine months later I repeated the trial starting by
drinking a very small amount of Kangen water and increasing the amount slowly.
The results were similar. I believe that my gastrointestinal symptoms worsened
because people with CFS/FMS have low stomach acid due to a depletion of
glutathione drinking the alkaline water agravated this. Side benefits of owning
the unit are that I use the filtered neutral PH “clean” water for drinking, I
cook oatmeal and rice in the alkaline water and the texture of the grains is
smoother and the more acid water is excellent for cooking pasta and hard
boiling eggs. (Egg shells peel easily!)
AtlasProfilax
Some people with fibromyalgia have reported relief of
symptoms after getting an AtlasProfilax treatment. Check my post
“AtlasProfilax”for their stories. AtlasProfilax is a physical therapy developed
in Switzerland by Rene-Claudius Shumperli, which employs a vibrating instrument
that massages the sub-occipital muscles of the neck that results in a freeing
and relocating the first cervical vertebra or atlas. The treatment is gentle,
safe and usually permanent typically requiring only one session. I noticed no
change in my health as a result of this treatment.
Neurobiofeedback
Over the course of several years I did many neurobiofeedback
training sessions. The system I used called Zengar NeuroCare is designed to
train the entire central nervous system and is considered one of the most
advanced in its field. Training sessions involved sitting in a comfortable
chair with sensors placed on either side of the scalp and grounds placed on the
ears, which pick up brain wave activity. Feedback is produced through
visualization on a computer monitor and sound and is monitored by a
technician. Neurofeedback training
is an effective tool for addressing stress and sleep irregularities in many people
but I did not experience any improvement in these areas even when I did the
training intensively (once a day for a month). I did notice an improvement in
my cognitive abilities and memory during the period I did neurobiofeedback,
which included some of my worst periods of fibromyalgia. I never experienced
any brain fog symptoms and this may be a result of the training.
Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP)
EECP is a noninvasive treatment that strengthens the
cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation. It uses a machine that
pumps pressurized air through oversized blood pressure cuffs that wrap around
the patient’s clave, thighs and buttocks, which inflate and deflate in
synchronization with the heartbeat.EECP has been clinically proven to reverse the effects of heart disease
because it promotes the development of new blood vessels that bypass coronary
blockages and in fact is safer and more effective than surgery and other
invasive procedures. It also is beneficial for a variety of other conditions
including diabetes, erectile dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy. I was
recommended EECP by one of my physicians who thought that my muscle fatigue
might be a result of poor circulation. I did 37 sessions of EECP with no
improvement in my muscle fatigue. The treatments did however result in an
improvement in my cardiovascular health as measured by blood pressure readings
in the sessions.
Acupuncture
I have pursued a variety of forms of acupuncture over the
years including Classical Five Element, Japanese style, and the more
traditional Chinese style of acupuncture. In the early 1990’s I worked extensively with a Classical Five Element
acupuncturist whom I saw once a week for over a year. At first the treatments
were quite helpful in alleviating my insomnia and night sweats but with time
the effects lasted less and less longer and eventually became ineffective. My
intuition was that the acupuncture initially served to “trick” my nervous
system into a state of balance but because of the systemic nature of Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, the balance could not hold. Subsequent trials of acupuncture
including one quite recently failed to produce any positive results and I had
several incidents where the treatment was too aggressive and this resulted in
my nervous system reacting in a negative way. A good acupuncturist can
accurately diagnose many imbalances and weaknesses in a patient, which at times
has been useful feedback.
Nambudripad’s Allergy Eimination Technique (NAET)
NAET is a technique that employs a form of muscle testing or
applied kinesiology to diagnose allergies and treats them by removing the
blockages of energy associated with them through acupressure. The technique is
based on principles of Chinese medicine and the meridians or energy pathways
that correspond to various major organs of the body. Persons with CFS/CFS often
have severe allergies to foods, chemicals, pollutants and plants and benefit
from this treatment. This was not the case for me. I was treated for over 100
allergens over a period one and a half years and had no improvement in my
health as a result. I also pursued other therapies based on the same principles
of kinesiology and acupuncture: NeuroModulation Technique (NMT) and the The
Body Restoration Technique (BRT) with no success.
Nutritional Supplements
Like many who suffer form CFS and FMS I have spent lots of
money on nutritional supplements with no perceivable results. This has included
various vitamins, minerals and herbs prescribed by health practitioners and
natural products that appear on the market each professing to be the elixir of
good health. Until recently I was pretty convinced that nutritional supplements
could not produce any significant benefits for those with CFS/FMS. This past
year I discovered to products that have made a difference for me: Platinum Plus Essential Amino Acids
(read my post “Protein Deficiency”) and MAX GXL (read my post
“Detoxification”).The key
difference in these products are that they were developed by doctors whose
clinical specialty included CFS/FMS, they developed after considerable time and
clinical trials, and both have a patent on their formulas. I think there is
great promise in the future of nutritional medicine that combines it with
rigorous scientific study.
Low Intensity Laser Therapy
Low Intensity or Cold Laser Therapy is a noninvasive therapy
that utilizes light emissions from a laser diode to help facilitate healing and
relieve pain in injured or damaged tissues. It has proven to be effective in a
variety of conditions including tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic
neuropathy. I did 30 session of low intensity laser therapy using the BioFlex
Professional System. Since my fibromyalgia pain was in all the muscles that I
use, I rotated the areas of treatment. Initially I experienced an improvement in
my sleep after doing the treatments and some acceleration of healing of my
muscle tissue however the treatment did not prevent me from injuring my muscles
when I used them again. When the treatments were intensified in frequency and
duration they resulted in a flare of all my fibromyalgia symptoms. Since
fibromyalgia is a systemic condition of muscle fatigue I do not think low
intensity therapy offers much benefit except perhaps as a small palliative
measure.
Pharmaceuticals
I am extremely sensitive to pharmaceutical drugs and
avoiding them has been key to coping with my health condition. This is due to
impaired detoxification and poor liver function common in those with CFS/FMS
(Read my post “Detoxification”). After years of insomnia I tried several drugs,
which I quickly built a tolerance to and resulted in severe withdrawal symptoms
– undoubtedly the most harrowing experience of my life. (Read my post “Waiting
for Sleep”). I know that others
with CFS/FMS are not so sensitive and have obtained some relief of symptoms of
insomnia and pain with drugs, however in the long run I believe that they are
counterproductive as they serve to mask symptoms and not address the causes. I
have experienced benefits from hormone replacement – thyroid, adrenal and female,
which I write about in my posts “Thyroid Function” and “Adrenal Exhaustion”.
I have pursued many different therapies and treatments in my search for better health. Most of them were not helpful for addressing the underlying condition of chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia however some provided temporary relief or had other benefits. Also by finding out what didn't work and how I responded to various treatments I gained a better understanding of my health condition through trial by error. In general I pursued one therapy at a time so I could assess their effectiveness however there were times when therapies overlapped.
“Whitcomb Method” of Chiropractic Care (now called “Neuro-Resetting Technique”)
I was a patient of Dr. Paul Whitcomb in South Lake, Tahoe for 3 months. I got temporary relief of muscle pain and fatigue. My symptoms returned 6 weeks after leaving the clinic. For more on my experience read my post “Paul Whitcomb – Friend or Foe?”
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
I had 31 one and a half hour sessions of hyperbaric oxygen over the period of two months. The therapy was advertised as being helpful for fibromyalgia but provided no change in my symptomology. A side benefit of the therapy is that it helps with high altitude sickness. When I travel to a place where the altitude is high I have a hyperbaric oxygen session beforehand and adjust to the change in altitude with no adverse symptoms.
Relaxin Hormone Therapy -Gluten/Cassien Free Diet
I took the hormone relaxin orally for six months and relaxin hormone injections, which I administered daily myself for two months. During this time I was a patient of Dr. Samuel Yue, a doctor from Minnesota who believes that fibromyalgia is caused by a deficiency of the hormone relaxin.In addition to taking relaxin, Dr. Yue prescribed a casein (milk protein) and gluten free diet, which I followed religiously for six months and various supplements including L-carnitine, magnesium and COQ10.Dr. Yue believes that “leaky gut syndrome” contributes significantly to fibromyalgia allowing undigested proteins to leak into the tissues and that relaxin replacement along with his prescribed diet and supplements allow the walls of the small intestine to heal. My fibromyalgia became progressively worse while I was on this program. A subsequent test showed I did not have leaky gut syndrome.
Alkaline Water
Some health practitioners and individuals are proponents of drinking alkaline water and claim there are benefits for those with chronic health problems including fibromyalgia. The alkaline water is produced by a machine that filters and then separates water through electrolysis into various levels of PH. I purchased an expensive LeveLuk unit for my home and did a six-week trial of drinking the more alkaline “Kangen” water. My stools became very loose to the point where I was seeing undigested food in them and I had abdominal pain and bloating. Nine months later I repeated the trial starting by drinking a very small amount of Kangen water and increasing the amount slowly. The results were similar. I believe that my gastrointestinal symptoms worsened because people with CFS/FMS have low stomach acid due to a depletion of glutathione drinking the alkaline water agravated this. Side benefits of owning the unit are that I use the filtered neutral PH “clean” water for drinking, I cook oatmeal and rice in the alkaline water and the texture of the grains is smoother and the more acid water is excellent for cooking pasta and hard boiling eggs. (Egg shells peel easily!)
AtlasProfilax
Some people with fibromyalgia have reported relief of symptoms after getting an AtlasProfilax treatment. Check my post “AtlasProfilax”for their stories. AtlasProfilax is a physical therapy developed in Switzerland by Rene-Claudius Shumperli, which employs a vibrating instrument that massages the sub-occipital muscles of the neck that results in a freeing and relocating the first cervical vertebra or atlas. The treatment is gentle, safe and usually permanent typically requiring only one session. I noticed no change in my health as a result of this treatment.
Neurobiofeedback
Over the course of several years I did many neurobiofeedback training sessions. The system I used called Zengar NeuroCare is designed to train the entire central nervous system and is considered one of the most advanced in its field. Training sessions involved sitting in a comfortable chair with sensors placed on either side of the scalp and grounds placed on the ears, which pick up brain wave activity. Feedback is produced through visualization on a computer monitor and sound and is monitored by a technician. Neurofeedback training is an effective tool for addressing stress and sleep irregularities in many people but I did not experience any improvement in these areas even when I did the training intensively (once a day for a month). I did notice an improvement in my cognitive abilities and memory during the period I did neurobiofeedback, which included some of my worst periods of fibromyalgia. I never experienced any brain fog symptoms and this may be a result of the training.
Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP)
EECP is a noninvasive treatment that strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation. It uses a machine that pumps pressurized air through oversized blood pressure cuffs that wrap around the patient’s clave, thighs and buttocks, which inflate and deflate in synchronization with the heartbeat.EECP has been clinically proven to reverse the effects of heart disease because it promotes the development of new blood vessels that bypass coronary blockages and in fact is safer and more effective than surgery and other invasive procedures. It also is beneficial for a variety of other conditions including diabetes, erectile dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy. I was recommended EECP by one of my physicians who thought that my muscle fatigue might be a result of poor circulation. I did 37 sessions of EECP with no improvement in my muscle fatigue. The treatments did however result in an improvement in my cardiovascular health as measured by blood pressure readings in the sessions.
Acupuncture
I have pursued a variety of forms of acupuncture over the years including Classical Five Element, Japanese style, and the more traditional Chinese style of acupuncture. In the early 1990’s I worked extensively with a Classical Five Element acupuncturist whom I saw once a week for over a year. At first the treatments were quite helpful in alleviating my insomnia and night sweats but with time the effects lasted less and less longer and eventually became ineffective. My intuition was that the acupuncture initially served to “trick” my nervous system into a state of balance but because of the systemic nature of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the balance could not hold. Subsequent trials of acupuncture including one quite recently failed to produce any positive results and I had several incidents where the treatment was too aggressive and this resulted in my nervous system reacting in a negative way. A good acupuncturist can accurately diagnose many imbalances and weaknesses in a patient, which at times has been useful feedback.
Nambudripad’s Allergy Eimination Technique (NAET)
NAET is a technique that employs a form of muscle testing or applied kinesiology to diagnose allergies and treats them by removing the blockages of energy associated with them through acupressure. The technique is based on principles of Chinese medicine and the meridians or energy pathways that correspond to various major organs of the body. Persons with CFS/CFS often have severe allergies to foods, chemicals, pollutants and plants and benefit from this treatment. This was not the case for me. I was treated for over 100 allergens over a period one and a half years and had no improvement in my health as a result. I also pursued other therapies based on the same principles of kinesiology and acupuncture: NeuroModulation Technique (NMT) and the The Body Restoration Technique (BRT) with no success.
Nutritional Supplements
Like many who suffer form CFS and FMS I have spent lots of money on nutritional supplements with no perceivable results. This has included various vitamins, minerals and herbs prescribed by health practitioners and natural products that appear on the market each professing to be the elixir of good health. Until recently I was pretty convinced that nutritional supplements could not produce any significant benefits for those with CFS/FMS. This past year I discovered to products that have made a difference for me: Platinum Plus Essential Amino Acids (read my post “Protein Deficiency”) and MAX GXL (read my post “Detoxification”).The key difference in these products are that they were developed by doctors whose clinical specialty included CFS/FMS, they developed after considerable time and clinical trials, and both have a patent on their formulas. I think there is great promise in the future of nutritional medicine that combines it with rigorous scientific study.
Low Intensity Laser Therapy
Low Intensity or Cold Laser Therapy is a noninvasive therapy that utilizes light emissions from a laser diode to help facilitate healing and relieve pain in injured or damaged tissues. It has proven to be effective in a variety of conditions including tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetic neuropathy. I did 30 session of low intensity laser therapy using the BioFlex Professional System. Since my fibromyalgia pain was in all the muscles that I use, I rotated the areas of treatment. Initially I experienced an improvement in my sleep after doing the treatments and some acceleration of healing of my muscle tissue however the treatment did not prevent me from injuring my muscles when I used them again. When the treatments were intensified in frequency and duration they resulted in a flare of all my fibromyalgia symptoms. Since fibromyalgia is a systemic condition of muscle fatigue I do not think low intensity therapy offers much benefit except perhaps as a small palliative measure.
Pharmaceuticals
I am extremely sensitive to pharmaceutical drugs and avoiding them has been key to coping with my health condition. This is due to impaired detoxification and poor liver function common in those with CFS/FMS (Read my post “Detoxification”). After years of insomnia I tried several drugs, which I quickly built a tolerance to and resulted in severe withdrawal symptoms – undoubtedly the most harrowing experience of my life. (Read my post “Waiting for Sleep”). I know that others with CFS/FMS are not so sensitive and have obtained some relief of symptoms of insomnia and pain with drugs, however in the long run I believe that they are counterproductive as they serve to mask symptoms and not address the causes. I have experienced benefits from hormone replacement – thyroid, adrenal and female, which I write about in my posts “Thyroid Function” and “Adrenal Exhaustion”.