I had written an article for a magazine on my recovery from fibromyalgia (FMS, FM). Although I believe that using the Soft Heat infrared sauna was the most important thing I did in my recovery, I also incorporated a number of other things as well into my recovery program. I was very encouraged to hear that others diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFIDS, CFS) were also getting better following some of the ideas that worked for me. Having the symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFIDS, CFS) is devastating. All you want is your life back as you knew it before you developed this unexplained pain and fatigue. I hope that by posting the story on my recovery from fibromyalgia (FMS, FM) it will help others regain their lives that they knew before.

Recovery from Fibromyalgia by Randy Gomm, B.Sc.

I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't hold onto a coffee mug or turn a doorknob with one hand because it would cause me such severe joint pain.

My story with fibromyalgia began about thirteen years ago. I considered myself a healthy and active 36-year-old male who had been employed as a firefighter for eleven years. I admit, I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie and enjoyed participating in a variety of outdoor pursuits. I was on the Whistler Mountain volunteer ski patrol, mountain rescue team, and was an avid white water kayaker.

It started off with bilateral knee pain. I believed I had been pushing my body too much on a few rescues and was overdoing my racquet sports. The usual rest and rehab did little to relieve the pain.

Just when you think you're at the bottom of the barrel, you discover there's still plenty of space beneath you; for after six months, I also developed pain in my wrists, ankles, thumbs, tailbone, etc. It seemed that any body part I overused would have acute pain in that area the next day. I soon learned that if I ignored the pain and carried on, my symptoms just seemed to get worse.

I finally reached the stage where I could barely walk a city block and couldn't hold on to the telephone or write in my journal any more. Surely I was getting closer to the bottom of that old barrel.

Fortunately, I had very supportive friends and family. At one point, my resourceful and patient mother was even pulling research journals from the university libraries and reading them to me over the phone, which I had propped up against my head, lying down in my bed. I'll be forever grateful, for I don't know how I could have coped without all the support.

In my search for answers, I had numerous lab tests and went to a number of specialists. Since nothing showed up in these tests, one doctor even suggested that it must be all in my head. I thought that was the 'easyout'.

I was fortunate enough to have a very kind doctor who knew me from the rescue team days and believed my symptoms were 'real'. I was referred to another rheumatologist who diagnosed me with 'fibromyalgia' (FM).

I was relieved to finally have a diagnosis and the 'label' of fibromyalgia managed to satisfy my insurance company so I could collect long-term disability

About eight months after I had been off work, another firefighter in my four-man-crew came down with similar symptoms of fatigue and muscle pain and was unable to work. The light bulb came on. Perhaps we were exposed to some toxins at work and this initiated the downward spiral of debilitating symptoms. I started to extensively research toxin exposure and discovered that many symptoms were identical to those of fibromyalgia. I thought I was the exception, and others diagnosed with fibromyalgia didn't have the same toxin problem until I attended the International Symposium on Functional Medicine in 1996. During the three day conference, many leading researchers in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome stated that most of their patients with this disorder, had problems with their phase one and phase two detoxification pathways. Their toxic loads were high and if they worked at reducing this load, their symptoms often dramatically improved.

It really struck a nerve with me, for I had already connected with a couple of people who had fully recovered from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. They had all done the same things: improved their diet; reduced their stress levels; undertook a gradual exercise program; and did some major detoxifying through herbs, supplements, or sauna use.

My climb up from the bottom of the barrel:

I was off work for eight years but have been back working full-time for the past five years. Even though I'm not 100% yet, I'm getting closer all the time.

I'll review some of the things that worked for me in the hopes that someone else might benefit. I've also linked to a few other sites with more helpful info.

Improve your sleep:

Most people with FM have a problem with their deep sleep (stage 3 and 4); Alpha waves intrude on the slower Delta waves. Unfortunately, most growth hormones are produced in this deep sleep, which explains the trouble recovering from injuries. I started out with a low dosage tricyclic medication (nortriptyline) and then switched to St. John's Wort. Experiment and find out what works best for you. Link to a good article on sleep and fibromyalgia.

Lowering your toxic load:

- I removed all the toxic cleaners from my home.

- I try to minimize my exposure to perfumes and colognes (petroleum based products) and new items that seem to seriously "off gas".

- If a manufactured product has a strong odor, chances are it's releasing some chemicals into the air. It didn't make a lot of sense to me to put all this effort into detoxifying if I was going to continue adding to my toxic load.

- Try to make your bedroom as healthy an environment as you can. Remove anything that might off gas. Minimize the exposure to EMR (electromagnetic radiation) by placing your alarm clock away from your body when you sleep. You can place zeolite bags (volcanic ash) at the opposite end of the bedroom to where your head lays. It has a negative ion charge that attracts mold. You can also put some of the zeolite into smaller bags in the fridge to keep your produce fresher much longer. A good source for the volcanic ash is at www.leevalley.com. item # KD401

Detoxification:

- Today we're exposed to chemicals and heavy metals in our air, water and food in unprecedented amounts. The EPA estimates there are more than 20,000 chemicals that our bodies can't metabolise. PCB's, Dioxins, Furans, Heavy metals, herbicides, insecticides, xylene, ethyl benzene and phthalates are just some of the toxins that are accumulating in our bodies. Studies show that most of us have between 400 and 800 chemical residues stored in our fat cells. These chemicals and heavy metals add to our "toxic load", often reaching a point where this bioaccumulation seriously compromises our health and leads to chronic disease. I had my 'silver' amalgams removed (actually 50% mercury content) from my teeth by a dentist that specialized in that process. Be very careful if you go this route, for having them removed incorrectly can increase the mercury content in other parts of your body. Taking 5 grams of activated charcoal 30 minutes before your dental work and 5 grams right after, will minimize your uptake of any mercury that is released.

- Sweating in an infrared sauna is very effective in reducing toxins and heavy metals. This kind of sauna has a comfortable temperature of 110 - 130°F vs. 180 - 210°F in a conventional sauna, but you sweat two to three times as much. The far infrared heat also penetrates 1-1/2 inches below the skin, mobilizing deep seated toxins and giving significant pain relief.

- Sweating through your skin will allow you to reduce your "toxic load" while taking the stress off your liver and kidneys.

"A sauna used to be thought of as a luxury. But studies now confirm that diet and environmental chemicals cause 95% of cancers. Furthermore, as the first generation of man exposed to such an unprecedented plethora of daily chemicals, we have learned that stored or undetoxified chemicals can mimic any disease. "Incurable" chronic diseases that were thought to have no known cause often disappear once toxic chemicals are gone. Since the far infrared sauna is the safest, most efficacious and economical way of depurating stored toxins, this makes it a household necessity."

Sherry A. Rogers, M.D., Northeast Center for Environmental Medicine: Author of Detoxify or Die and Wellness Against All Odds

Thyroid:

- If your temperature first thing in the morning is 1 degree F or more below normal, you may have problems with your thyroid even though your lab tests don't indicate one. Mercury can often interfere with the thyroid gland. I'm presently researching the different ways one can use to regain thyroid function. Lowering your mercury levels is a good place to start.

Exercise program:

- Research has shown that those with fibromyalgia have low tissue oxygen levels. Unfortunately, although an aerobic exercise program would be very beneficial, most people with FM would be set back significantly.

- I found the trick was to very slowly increase the intensity and duration of any exercise, being careful to minimize the number of eccentric contractions (extending a muscle under load - for example having something heavy in your hands and reaching to place it on a top shelf would be an eccentric contraction).

- I faithfully walked at a rubberized track and very slowly increased my distance and speed over many months. I followed this with lots of gentle stretching. I found a good book on stretching called "The Stark Reality of Stretching" by Dr. Steven D. Stark

Stress Reduction:

- There are numerous books and tapes out on this issue. Although I had a lot of difficulty at first, I found Herbert Benson's book, "The Relaxation Response", a good place to start.

Diet:

- I eat organic whenever possible.

- I tried numerous diets on my roller coaster recovery ride.

- I don't believe there is one diet that will work for everyone, but if one avoids processed food and increases their vegetable consumption it should really help.

- I tried to make my diet more alkaline; I added sea vegetables to soups and stews.

- Sipping a small glass of water with apple cider vinegar during a meal helped my digestion.

- I avoided all sugars so as not to feed the fungi and other critters that were thriving in my body. Parasites and fungi produce endotoxins which add to your toxic load. Stevia was a great substitute.

- Kefir assisted in reestablishing my friendly bacteria.

- I made sure I got my EFAs by having flaxseed and borage oils daily.

Supplements:

- I became very wary of all the new wonder products that would help me recover overnight. My cupboards are full of them.

- Most researchers have found that their FM patients have malabsorption problems, often because of intestinal dysbiosis (those critters again), so they are low in many vital nutrients.

- When you introduce something new, start off with a small dose and wait a few days before increasing. Don't make the mistake I did and introduce too many things at once. Then if you react and your pain levels increase too much, you won't know the cause.

- Grapeseed extract was very beneficial in reducing my pain levels.

- Minerals were taken daily, especially trace minerals and magnesium citrate.

- I often rotated different herbs and supplements to help out my overtaxed adrenal gland and liver.

- I've been very impressed with Raintree Nutrition Inc. ( www.rain-tree.com ) as a reasonable source of good quality herbs. My favorite herbs were chanca piedra for the liver and maca or suma root for the thyroid/adrenal support. Remember to start off with small amounts and only introduce one at a time.

- I haven't bought the common perception that this is a life sentence, for I truly believe that one can fully recover from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Although recovering from any chronic condition is a lot of work, the rewards at the end of the journey make it well worth it.

Books that I have found very helpful:

- The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates
- The Stark Reality of Stretching by Dr. Steven D. Stark
- The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson
- Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
- Alternative Medicine Guide - Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Environmental Illness by Burton Goldberg

Bio: Randy Gomm B.Sc. is an independent researcher investigating various detoxification protocols.

I wish you all the best in your recovery,
Randy.