Founder's Corner

There are lots of things going on in the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia world and this week we bring you results of a study that was just completed using the drug modafinil to treat fatigue in Fibromyalgia patients. Two-thirds of the 98 patients in the study experienced significant improvement, and results support findings from two earlier studies using the same drug to treat Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Before you ask your doctor to prescribe this drug, be aware that there can be significant side effects. The most common side effect might be a worsening of insomnia, a symptom that affects most Fibromyalgia patients and can cause symptom exacerbation. However, on the positive side, we have heard feedback from patients that modafinil sometimes provides significant and rapid improvement of their depression. Increased energy and improved mood versus the possibility of insomnia and other side effects: could this drug be right for you?

The highly-anticipated national June 7 press launch of the CDC's $4 million Chronic Fatigue Syndrome awareness campaign has been temporarily postponed. Inside word is that there are some significant new findings that the CDC would like to introduce at the launch, but they need more time to finalize the report. I view this as very good news and I am expecting something big. As usual, you will find it in your weekly newsletter or at ImmuneSupport.com

The DVD, 'Fibromyalgia: Show Me Where It Hurts' has been released and is getting rave reviews from patients and doctors alike. We just received 500 copies at ProHealth on June 2nd and we are already almost sold out. This is a fascinating video and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who suffers from Fibromyalgia. Please order your copy soon, as orders are being filled on a first come, first serve basis and it may be weeks or months before we get any more in stock.

I wish you abundant health and happiness.

Yours truly,
Rich Carson
ProHealth Founder and CFS Patient

Acclaimed Fibromyalgia DVD Now Available!
Educational Fibromyalgia Video Touches Patients' Lives

It's Finally Here!
ProHealth is thrilled to announce that the acclaimed documentary, Fibromyalgia: Show Me Where It Hurts has just been released and is now available for purchase at ProHealth's Immunesupport.com store!

Only $29.95! Click here to watch a 3-minute preview

A Very Real Disease Fibromyalgia: Show Me Where It Hurts gives you a front row seat to some of the most exciting, cutting-edge research being done in the field. Perhaps more importantly, however, the film effectively documents the suffering and organic nature of the disorder: this is a very real disease with invisible yet devastating symptoms. The DVD Includes: Patient interviews and frequently asked questions Fibromyalgia facts and doctor commentary Explanation of causes and symptoms Dramatized workings of the central nervous system Latest research findings from noted Fibromyalgia specialists Treatment and lifestyle techniques Patient resources

Drug Improves Fatigue in Fibromyalgia Study

The drug modafinil, sold under the trade name, Provigil, currently approved and in use for the treatment of sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome and shift work sleep disorder, has been found to reduce fatigue in patients suffering from Fibromyalgia, and may also be helpful in conditions such as depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Thomas L. Schwartz presented the findings of a study he conducted on the drug with his associate, Dr. Susan M. Chlebowski of SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, New York, at the American Psychiatric Association's 2006 annual meeting in Toronto on May 22nd.

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"I think the biggest discouragement is that many people still don't believe fibromyalgia exists," said DeAnn Starling, a Murfreesboro lawyer turned stay-at-home mom. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in the mid-'80s. "People still just don't understand. It used to be hardest to convince doctors. They thought I just had depression. I try and explain to people why I just can't do mind over matter. I thought I could do it, too, but I can't. It's invisible. You can't see it, so it's very hard for people to grasp."

According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, 3 to 6 percent of the United States' population suffers from fibromyalgia, but some people still don't acknowledge the condition exists. "There's been some controversy about it," said Dr. Joshua Hixon from Family Practice in Smyrna. "It was thought to be a non-entity for a while and it took some time to gain standing. There are still people who believe it's more of a psychological thing."

Dr. Hixon explained symptoms of fibromyalgia as chronic pain throughout the body and muscles, stiffness, fatigue and muscle soreness on specific points lasting at least three months. He said the syndrome is still complicated to diagnose, but doctors now have a sort of checklist of things they look for.

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Ups and Downs

We must never forget where we came from and what we were like when we first needed help. We were emotionally, phsyically and spiritually ill. There were no up days, just down ones. As time passed, our days shifted to ones of ups and downs. One day we feel better physically but emotionally we're down. The next day we feel better emotionally but down physically. Somehow we have caught the ups and downs.

At this point, many of us begin to wonder if there is such a thing as a balance. Yes there is.

For some it will come quickly and for others, it may take more time to materialize. Eventually our ups and downs can be replaced by calmness and balance.

From "Living with Chronic Pain One Day At A Time" by Mark Allen Zabawa