Infection Intensive Care in CFS & Fibromyalgia
Vitality101 Newsletter
Hello Reader,
For those of you with CFS/FMS, welcome to the Infection of the Month Club. Many of you have noticed that there seems to be a regular flow of new infections that get blamed for CFS and fibromyalgia. I have watched this occur over and over in the last forty years, with literally dozens of different infections being blamed as "the cause." Post-COVID Long Haulers is simply one more.
So let me start by simply stating the obvious: CFS/FMS is generally not occurring from a single infection—but rather most people have many infections that are dragging them down.
In this part 15 of my series "Fatigue & Fibromyalgia Are Optional," I discuss the various kinds of infections common in people with CFS/FMS.
- There are literally dozens of infections implicated in CFS/FMS.
- I treat virtually everybody who comes to me with CFS/FMS for Candida overgrowth.
- If their history is suggestive (foul-smelling gas, bloating, and diarrhea that persists despite antifungal treatment), I do stool testing at Genova Diagnostics for SIBO and parasites. I find that parasite testing at most standard labs is inadequate.
- (continued...)
Voices of Courage Podcast
I was recently a guest on the "Voices of Courage" podcast with the topic "The Courage to Become Pain Free." Host Ken Foster and I explored the reasons why chronic pain has been skyrocketing in the U.S., the question of getting pain-free without opioids, and other important pain-related issues.
Voices of Courage is syndicated on TV, podcast, and radio, and is streamed in 185 countries. Ken is a best-selling author, news personality, and master business strategist. You can listen to his show on Spotify or iTunes, or watch the show at Dr. T's Facebook page below.
Sleep Apnea Is 4.5 Times More Likely After Menopause
A study from Japan points to a link between obstructive sleep apnea and increased joint pain and fatigue in postmenopausal women. While sleep apnea increased 4.5 fold for women during menopause, the joint pain is more common after menopause. It is suspected that both may be triggered by falling estrogen levels.
Although it does not document that giving bioidentical estrogen and progesterone will help sleep apnea, we find it often clearly does help fibromyalgia.
On Sale This Week
Probiotic Pearls Elite™ (30 ct)
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Caprylex™
Caprylex™ tablets may be a useful dietary supplement for those who wish to support a healthy microecology of the intestinal microflora.*
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Q&A of the Week
Question: Can you recommend any medication or nasal spray to help stop postnasal drip that is always constant? I have had this condition for 7 years and it has gotten worse over time.
Answer: In the CFS/FMS cases I treat, postnasal drip that isn't seasonal is most likely to be Candida overgrowth. Especially if it is accompanied by IBS. This can aggravate the entire fibromyalgia process as well. In my patients, I treat with the medication Diflucan 200 mg a day for six weeks plus prescription Sinusitis Nose Spray with bismuth from ITC Pharmacy (your doctor can call this in for you at 303-663-4224; take 1-2 sprays in each nostril twice a day while on the Diflucan and people can continue even long term if helpful). People normally see improvement on this combination within about six weeks. If symptoms persist after eight weeks, you should see an ear nose and throat doctor to look for things such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps.
Do you have a question for Dr. T? Visit Ask Dr. T at our website and send it to us (if a generally helpful question, we may ask for your permission to publish it here anonymously).
Warping World Optical Illusion
This one creates a crazy effect. Follow the on-screen instructions to watch this video for a minute or so and then look around your room.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.
