Fibro Symptoms and Vitamins

Click on any article heading (title) and if there is a link to a website, it will take you there. This article heading will take you to the National Fibromyalgia Associate website which is very helpful.

Here are some common symptoms of Fibromyalgia:

Symptoms

Chronic muscle pain, muscle spasms or tightness, and leg cramps

Moderate or severe fatigue and decreased energy Insomnia or waking up feeling just as tired as when you went to sleep

Stiffness upon waking or after staying in one position for too long

Difficulty remembering, concentrating, and performing simple mental tasks

Abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and constipation alternating with diarrhea (irritable bowel syndrome)

Tension or migraine headaches

Jaw and facial tenderness

Sensitivity to one or more of the following: odors, noise, bright lights, medications, certain foods, and cold

Feeling anxious or depressed

Numbness or tingling in the face, arms, hands, legs, or feet

Increase in urinary urgency or frequency (irritable bladder)

Reduced tolerance for exercise and muscle pain after exercise A feeling of swelling (without actual swelling) in the hands and feet

Painful menstrual periods

Dizziness

Fibromyalgia symptoms may intensify depending on the time of day -- morning, late afternoon, and evening tend to be the worst times, while 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. tends to be the best time. They may also get worse with fatigue, tension, inactivity, changes in the weather, cold or drafty conditions, overexertion, hormonal fluctuations (such as just before your period or during menopause), stress, depression, or other emotional factors. If the condition is not diagnosed and treated early, symptoms can go on indefinitely, or they may disappear for months and then recur.
Call Your Doctor About Fibromyalgia If: You have chronic muscle pain and overwhelming fatigue.


This is from another Fibromyalgia website:

Chronic widespread body pain is the primary symptom of fibromyalgia. Most people with fibromyalgia also experience moderate to extreme fatigue, sleep disturbances, sensitivity to touch, light, and sound, and cognitive difficulties. Many individuals also experience a number of other symptoms and overlapping conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, lupus and arthritis.

Pain
The pain of fibromyalgia is profound, chronic and widespread. It can migrate to all parts of the body and vary in intensity. FM pain has been described as stabbing and shooting pain and deep muscular aching, throbbing, and twitching. Neurological complaints such as numbness, tingling, and burning are often present and add to the discomfort of the patient. The severity of the pain and stiffness is often worse in the morning. Aggravating factors that affect pain include cold/humid weather, non-restorative sleep, physical and mental fatigue, excessive physical activity, physical inactivity, anxiety and stress.


Fatigue
In today's world many people complain of fatigue; however, the fatigue of FM is much more than being tired after a particularly busy day or after a sleepless night. The fatigue of FM is an all-encompassing exhaustion that can interfere with occupational, personal, social or educational activities. Symptoms include profound exhaustion and poor stamina


Sleep problems
Many fibromyalgia patients have an associated sleep disorder that prevents them from getting deep, restful, restorative sleep. Medical researchers have documented specific and distinctive abnormalities in the Stage 4 deep sleep of FM patients. During sleep, individuals with FM are constantly interrupted by bursts of awake-like brain activity, limiting the amount of time they spend in deep sleep.


Other symptoms/overlapping conditions
Additional symptoms may include: irritable bowel and bladder, headaches and migraines, restless legs syndrome (periodic limb movement disorder), impaired memory and concentration, skin sensitivities and rashes, dry eyes and mouth, anxiety, depression, ringing in the ears, dizziness, vision problems, Raynaud's Syndrome, neurological symptoms, and impaired coordination.


I have been having decreased pain and much better sleep when I began taking daily supplements of Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Olive Leaf, and a Watkins products supplement called "Hair, Skin, and Nails" which has many different really good ingredients it it. You can find all the info on this Watkins product at:

http://www.watkinsonline.com/pdf/products/02270.pdf

All the other supplements can be found in any vitamin section at your grocery store and they are none of them expensive.

If you want to order the Watkins supplement, my associate ID is #368789 and you can order at www.watkinsonline.com (with my name, Deborah Croke and my ID # 368789). I'm not on this blog to sell, but if you want that particular supplement product that is where you have to get it. It costs $15.99 plus S&H.

The other products cost between $3.00 and $10 over the counter at health food stores or vitamin setions at the grocery store.

Here is the info on these vitamins and minerals and how they help with Fibro.

One of the ingredients in the Watkins Hair Skin and Nails is:
• Red Grape Anthocyanosides: Responsible for
the red color of grapes and berries, these are special
flavonoids that increase the strength of the
capillaries that deliver nutrients and oxygen to
the skin, follicles and nail beds.*

I recently read an article online about how Fibro patients have a problem with their cells not absorbing oxygen from their blood stream. This product helps oxygenate your blood cells.

Magnesium helps with:

Cluster headaches.
Migraine headaches.
Asthma attacks, when given intravenously.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Weakened bones (osteoporosis).
Preventing type 2 diabetes in overweight, middle-aged women, when magnesium is obtained from foods. More evidence is needed to know if magnesium helps treat diabetes.
Pregnancy-related leg cramps.
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).
Diseases of heart valves (mitral valve prolapse).
High cholesterol.
Chest pain due to artery disease.
Kidney stones.
Hearing loss in people exposed to loud noise.
Fibromyalgia pain, when used with malic acid.
Metabolic syndrome (a condition that increases risk for diabetes and heart disease).
Nerve pain caused by cancer.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)and Fibromyalgia.
Pain after a hysterectomy.
Decreasing the risk of stroke.
A lung disease called Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Possibly Ineffective for:Helping to restart the heart.
Improving energy and endurance during athletic activity.
Cerebral palsy, when given in the vein of premature infants.
Heart attack.

Magnesium is safe for most people when taken by mouth or when the prescription-only, injectable product is used correctly. In some people, magnesium might cause stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other side effects.

Doses less than 350 mg per day are safe for most adults. When taken in very large amounts, magnesium might be unsafe. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.

Magnesium is safe for pregnant or breast-feeding women when taken by mouth in the amounts recommended. These amounts depend on the age of the woman. Check with your healthcare professional to find out what amounts are right for you.

Do not take magnesium if:

You have a heart problem called "heart block."
You have kidney problems such as kidney failure.


Potassium:

Note: I was told by a dietician that people with Fibromyalgia and/or Diabetes (I have both) have frequent urination and most of us should take potassium either in foods or supplements daily. Potassium is a water soluable vitamin and it washes out of our systems in urine. Most Fibro patients have some degree of low potassium levels.

Effective for:Low blood potassium (hypokalemia).

Possibly Effective for:High blood pressure.
High calcium in the urine (hypercalciuria).
Preventing stroke.

Insufficient Evidence for:Insulin resistance, heart attack, menopausal symptoms, fatigue and mood swings in early menopause, infant colic, allergies, headaches, acne, alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, blurred vision, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome and Fibromyalgia, colitis, confusion, constipation, skin problems, fluid retention, fever, gout, insomnia, irritability, Menière's disease, muscle weakness, muscular dystrophy, stress, myasthenia gravis, and many other uses.

Interactions:
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combinationMedications for high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors) interacts with POTASSIUM

Some medications for high blood pressure can increase potassium levels in the blood. Taking potassium along with some medications for high blood pressure might cause too much potassium in the blood.
Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), ramipril (Altace), and others.

Medications for high blood pressure (Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)) interacts with POTASSIUM

Some medications for high blood pressure can increase potassium levels in the blood. Taking potassium along with some medications for high blood pressure might cause too much potassium to be in the blood.
Some medications for high blood pressure include losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), irbesartan (Avapro), candesartan (Atacand), telmisartan (Micardis), eprosartan (Teveten), and others.

Water pills (Potassium-sparing diuretics) interacts with POTASSIUM

Some "water pills" can increase potassium levels in the body. Taking some "water pills" along with potassium might cause too much potassium to be in the body.
Some "water pills" that increase potassium in the body include amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), and triamterene (Dyrenium).

Manganese:

Manganese is a mineral. It is found in several foods including nuts, legumes, seeds, tea, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. People also use manganese as medicine.

How does it work?
Manganese is an essential nutrient involved in many chemical processes in the body, including metabolism of cholesterol, carbohydrates, and protein. It might also be involved in bone formation.

Treating or preventing low manganese levels in the body (manganese deficiency).

Possibly Effective for:Use with calcium, zinc, and copper for osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).

Insufficient Evidence for:Anemia, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), arthritis (osteoarthritis), and other conditions.

Possible Side Effects:
Manganese is safe for most adults in amounts up to 11 mg per day. More than 11 mg per day might not be safe. Excess manganese can cause serious side effects, including symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease such as tremors. People who have trouble getting rid of manganese from the body, such as people with liver disease, may get side effects when taking less than 11 mg per day.

Check supplement labels carefully for "hidden" manganese. Some supplements (e.g., Cosamin and Cosamin DS) provide more than 11 mg per day when used according to the directions on the label.

The amount of manganese which is safe for children depends on their age. Discuss the appropriate amount with your healthcare professional before giving manganese to children.

Do not take manganese if:

You have liver problems, without the help of a healthcare professional.
Manganese can build up in people with liver problems and cause tremors, mental problems such as psychosis, and other side effects.

Possible Interactions:
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with MANGANESE

Manganese might decrease how much antibiotic the body absorbs. Taking manganese along with some antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics. To avoid this interaction take manganese supplements at least one hour after antibiotics.
Some of these antibiotics that might interact with manganese include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).

Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics) interacts with MANGANESE

Manganese can attach to tetracyclines in the stomach. This decreases the amount of tetracyclines that can be absorbed. Taking manganese with tetracyclines might decrease the effectiveness of tetracyclines. To avoid this interaction take manganese two hours before or four hours after taking tetracyclines.
Some tetracyclines include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).

Olive Leaf:
Likely Effective for:Use as a mild laxative for constipation.

Possibly Effective for:Lowering cholesterol in people with high cholesterol levels.
Lowering blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
Reducing the risk of heart diseases and heart attack.
Decreasing the chance of getting serious conditions like breast cancer and colorectal cancer. However, there is no evidence olive oil can help treat these conditions.

Possibly Ineffective for:Softening earwax.
Treating pain associated with ear infections.

Some Evidence for:Diabetes, gallstones, liver disorders, migraine headache, gas, minor burns, skin conditions, hayfever, lice, infections such as the flu, the common cold, meningitis, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), herpes, shingles, HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, hepatitis B, pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, malaria, urinary tract and surgical infections, osteoarthritis , rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions.

Possible interactions with Olive Leaf or Olive Oil:
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with OLIVE

Olive and olive oil might decrease blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking olive oil along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with OLIVE

Olive seems to decrease blood pressure. Taking olive along with medications for high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to go too low.Some medications for high blood pressure include captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), losartan (Cozaar), valsartan (Diovan), diltiazem (Cardizem), Amlodipine (Norvasc), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), furosemide (Lasix), and many others.

There is a more complete article on Olive Leaf in another two articles on this blog page. I've got diabetes and Fibro among other things and I've taken Olive Leaf for over 11 years with no bad side effects. It's a natural anti-biotic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. Of course everyone is different and anyone can have a reaction to almost anything, so just be aware.

These products have helped me a great deal and I began taking them a few weeks ago on a daily basis and have been sleeping better and have been taking much less pain medication and having way less pain and hardly any restless leg syndrome symptoms compared to before the daily use.

Check it out and see if it helps you as well.

God Bless.