Sure Signs You Have Fibromyalgia Like Lady Gaga

Stress and Fibromyalgia

Dr. Neville explains, “There are many ways a chronically active stress response, such as occurs in Adrenal Fatigue, can cause pain. The main stress hormone, cortisol, is also our main anti-inflammatory molecule in the body. When this hormone is out of balance, a variety of inflammatory—hence painful—physiologic conditions can arise. Excess cortisol and adrenaline also “hyper-sensitize” peripheral nerves, which basically turns up the volume on the nervous system, creating a situation where patients ‘feel’ all bodily sensations at a higher level. This is a process called introception.

Last but certainly not least, the excess stress hormone ‘sensitizes’ the brain, including the limbic system (the CEO of the stress response system). This phenomenon is called Central Sensitization. This also occurs in the sensory nerves, so that many of my patients with Adrenal Fatigue are also overly sensitive to bright lights, loud sounds, and harsh chemicals and smells. Even touch sensation has its volume cranked up; someone could simply touch one of my patients, and the patient’s brain registers that as pain. We know from functional MRI studies that the PTSD notably originates in the amygdala, which is part of one’s limbic system. As I mentioned earlier, the limbic system is the CEO of the stress response system.

As we only have one stress response system dealing with any and all stress, I compare it to a bucket. All stress in our lives—past and present—is in the bucket, including past trauma and abuse. It is well documented that past trauma and abuse of any kind predisposes someone to stress-related diseases in adulthood, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and even fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

When we take this into context, Lady Gaga is absolutely correct in that her fibromyalgia was triggered by her PTSD. (The singer told TODAY she has PTSD from being sexually assaulted by a producer when she was 19.)

Adrenal Fatigue, as well as fibromyalgia, can be effectively treated when we look at it in terms of an overactive stress response system. Comprehensive holistic treatment can desensitize the system, creating space in one’s stress bucket so that the system becomes less and less trigger-happy. As that happens, we turn off the chronic stress response—or fight or flight—which perpetuates chronic wear and tear in the body.

During treatment, we’re also turning on the healing and repair mechanisms in our bodies. As this occurs,  the symptoms of an overactive stress response (such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, depression, and insomnia) gradually decrease over time in intensity, frequency, and duration, until they finally fade away completely.”

Fibromyalgia Doesn’t Decrease Life Expectancy

Dr. Hascalovici states, “Fibromyalgia doesn’t necessarily shorten your life expectancy. With treatment, you can maintain your mobility, manage your symptoms and practice healthy ways to change the way your body perceives pain. People with fibromyalgia can experience the best of what life has to offer, with the proper treatment and support.

Having a strong support system is important and may be one of the biggest indicators of how successful your treatment could be. You can take control of your pain by educating yourself and by building a team of friends and medical professionals who can support you.”

You’ll Have Good Days and Bad Days

Dr. Neville says, “Fibromyalgia is medical jargon for chronic transient pain of unknown cause with no known effective treatment.   Doctors recommend general health advice and pain killers. You’ll have good days and bad, and you’re told that you need to learn to live with it. After years of research and treating patients with fibromyalgia, and dealing with it myself, I’ve found that the cause of chronic pain is a dysfunction of your stress response system, commonly known as Adrenal Fatigue. Adrenal Fatigue can be properly treated, effectively ridding your body of fibromyalgia.,”

Doctor’s Insights on Fibromyalgia

Dr. Teitelbaum reveals, “I had CFS/FMS myself back in 1975 which knocked me out of medical school and left me homeless for a year. I have dedicated the last 45 years to researching and teaching effective treatments. Anything that triggers an energy crisis in the body can cause fibromyalgia. For example, about 11 – 30% of people with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis will have secondary fibromyalgia.” 

Dr. Teitelbaum also shared his additional thoughts about fibromyalgia. 

“Lady Gaga has been blessed with finding excellent physicians familiar with the illness, which is part (along with being so determined) of what allows her to continue. But as I mentioned, fibromyalgia occurs along a wide spectrum of severity. Some, like Lady Gaga, are among the “walking wounded” that are still able to function. Where others are house or bed-bound. But having treated thousands of people with these conditions successfully, the vast majority of people can benefit from proper treatment and support.

Often dramatically. The problem is that the treatments tend to be low cost (relative to patentable medications), and therefore nobody is teaching physicians about them. There are literally dozens of treatments that are very effective. Most fall under the SHINE acronym as discussed earlier. It is important to start by addressing sleep. This can be done with a host of natural and prescription therapies, usually in low-dose and in combination until the person is getting their eight hours of sleep nightly.

Nutritional support is critical for optimizing energy. This begins by eliminating sugar and increasing salt and water intake. Then add a high dose B complex vitamin along with magnesium 200 mg a day. Our published research has shown that Ribose 5 g 2 to 3 times a day, red ginseng, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and other herbal support can be very helpful as well.

If the person is getting hangry (irritable when hungry) then adrenal support is helpful. Cold intolerance and weight gain suggestive thyroid support may be needed despite normal testing. Worsening of fatigue and insomnia around the menses suggested bioidentical estrogen and progesterone may be needed. It is helpful to remember that the hypothalamic circuit breaker that goes off-line controls virtually the entire hormonal system. Resulting in hormonal deficiencies despite normal blood tests. There are countless other treatments that need to be considered, but the above gives a good start.”