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You're feeling sick all over, in a lot of pain, and so tired that you can
hardly sit at a computer! It's a temptation to listen to
well-meaning family or friends who say you must have the same disease Aunt
Tessie has! Or, perhaps you read an article in a monthly magazine
that describes a disease which sounds a lot like what you are experiencing.
It's a great temptation to diagnose yourself rather than spending the time and
money to get a diagnosis from a qualified physician. Don't make that
mistake! You do not want to spend months---or perhaps even
years---treating fibromyalgia (or chronic fatigue) when actually you are
suffering from a different disease!
 | Fibromyalgia Syndrome
 | Symptoms:
 | Tender points |
| Depression |
| Chronic fatigue |
| Cognitive dysfunction |
| Pain |
| Morning stiffness |
| Irritable bowel syndrome |
| Interstitial cystitis |
| Vulvar pain syndrome |
| Rashes, itching |
| Brittle nails, hair falling out |
| Headaches |
| Dizziness |
| Dry eyes |
| Burning tongue, mouth, abnormal tastes |
| Sensitivity to light |
| Hypoglycemia |
| Hypothyroidism |
|
| Diagnostic tests:
| There is no one "test" for fibromyalgia. Doctors will check for
tender points and order tests to rule out other diseases (i.e. diagnosis
by exclusion). |
| Tests may include:
| Complete blood count (CBC) - Helps rule out anemia, leukemia, and
other blood disorders as well as collagen vascular disorders such as
lupus. |
| Blood chemistry - Confirms normal blood sugar, electrolytes, renal
and liver function, calcium and bone metabolism, and serum proteins. |
| Thyroid function studies - Confirms normal thyroid function, a
common cause of muscle aches and fatigue. |
| Sedimentation rate - General indicator of inflammation, infection
and collagen vascular disorders. Could indicate Polymyalgia
Rheumatica as a possible diagnosis. |
| Urinalysis - Excludes infection, renal disease and possibly collagen
vascular disorders. |
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| FIBROMYALGIA IS A REAL DISEASE!! Read
this article
from the
NY Times, January 14, 2008 (Please note that we do NOT recommend
taking Lyrica because of the side effects explained on page 2 of the
article!) |
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| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
| Symptoms:
| Long term fatigue - lasting longer than 6 months |
| Cognitive difficulties - especially short term memory |
| Postexertional fatigue - excessively tired after doing normal
activities |
| Depression |
| Headaches |
| Muscle aches |
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| Diagnostic tests:
| Please refer to tests above for fibromyalgia. |
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| Gulf War Syndrome
| Symptoms:
| Depression
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Post-traumatic stress disorder
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Chronic fatigue |
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Cognitive dysfunction
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Bronchitis
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Asthma
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Fibromyalgia
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Alcohol abuse
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Anxiety disorder
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Sexual discomfort
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| Diagnostic tests:
| Please refer to tests above for fibromyalgia |
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| Lyme Disease
| Symptoms:
| Rash |
| Flu-like symptoms |
| Fatigue |
| Muscles and joint stiffness |
| Swollen glands |
| Headache |
| Later, disease of the joints, heart and nervous system can occur |
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| Diagnostic tests:
| Lyme antibody blood test |
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| Lupus
| Symptoms:
| Painful or swollen joints and muscle pain |
| Unexplained fever |
| Red rashes, most commonly on the face |
| Chest pain upon deep breathing |
| Unusual loss of hair |
| Pale or purple fingers or toes (Raynaud's phenomenon) |
| Sensitivity to the sun |
| Swelling of legs or around eyes |
| Mouth ulcers |
| Swollen glands |
| Extreme fatigue |
|
| Diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis
of Lupus include:
| Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test |
| Anti-DNA antibody test |
| Anti-Sm antibody test |
| Anti-RNP antibody test |
| Anti-Ro (SSA) antibody test |
| Anti-La (SSB) antibody test |
| Skin biopsy |
| Kidney biopsy |
| Complete blood count |
| Urinalysis |
| Blood chemistries |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) |
| Complement levels |
| Syphilis test |
| Anticardiolipin antibody test |
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| Arthritis
| Symptoms:
| Persistent joint pain |
| Pain or tenderness aggravated by activity |
| Inflammation indicated by joint swelling, stiffness, redness and/or
warmth |
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| Diagnostic tests:
| CBC |
| Red blood cell sedimentation rate |
| ASO titer |
| ANA |
| Cross-reacting protein (CRP) |
| Urinalysis |
| Chemistry panel |
| Arthritis panel |
| X-rays of the involved joints |
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| Polymyalgia Rheumatica
| Symptoms:
| Hip pain and stiffness |
| Shoulder pain and stiffness |
| Neck pain and stiffness |
| Fever |
| Unintentional weight loss |
| Anemia |
| Fatigue (excessive tiredness) |
| Malaise (general ill feeling) |
| Face pain |
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| Diagnostic tests:
| Red blood cell sedimentation rate |
| Erythocyte sedimentation rate |
| Rheumatoid factor (RF) test |
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| Adrenal Fatigue
| Symptoms:
| Tired for no reason |
| Trouble getting up in the morning (even when you go to bed at a
reasonable hour) |
| Feel rundown or overwhelmed |
| Can't bounce back from stress or illness |
| Crave salty and sweet snacks |
| Feel best only after 6 PM |
| Constipation and intestinal upsets |
| Recurrent illnesses, especially respiratory infections |
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| Diagnostic tests may include:
| Cortisol levels blood test |
| X-ray adrenal glands (to test of Addison's Disease) |
| X-ray pituitary glands |
| CT scan pituitary glands |
| ACTH Stimulation test |
| Insulin-induced hypoglycemia test |
| Adrenal saliva test (full day cortisol and DHEA) |
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| Hypothyroidism
| Symptoms:
| Fatigue |
| Weakness |
| Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight |
| Coarse, dry hair |
| Dry, rough, pale skin |
| Hair loss |
| Cold intolerance (can't tolerate the cold like those around you) |
| Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches |
| Constipation |
| Depression |
| Irritability |
| Memory loss |
| Abnormal menstrual cycles |
| Decreased libido |
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| Diagnostic tests:
| Thyroid panel test |
| ThyroTest (TM) |
| Basal Temperature |
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| Iodine Deficiency
| Symptoms
| Goiter (enlargement of the thyroid) |
| Fibrocystic breast disease (painful breasts with nodules and cysts) |
| Dry skin with decreased ability to sweat |
| Achlorhydria (lack of digestive acid production) |
| Dry eyes |
| Dry mouth |
| Cysts in the ovaries (PCOS) |
| Hypothyroidism (see all symptoms listed above under hypothyroidism) |
| Brain fog |
| Obesity, diabetes (iodine helps body utilize insulin) |
| Toxic overload (iodine helps body detoxify from bromide, mercury,
perchlorate, fluoride, lead, fluoride, cadmium, aluminum, chlorine, and
arsenic) |
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| Diagnostic test:
| Iodine loading test |
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