JenniferEvelynn

Hello Fibro family

Here is some more information from the article I read .... this time about sleep issues and ibs. Once again, not in my own words so it's got quotes around it. The author is Lynne Matallana. I hope this helps ...

"Assessing Overlapping Conditions

Overlapping conditions are a case of bad news and good news. The bad news is that people with fibromyalgia experience a variety of overlapping conditions; the good news is that many treatment options are available to successfully treat these conditions. If you can get relief from the symptoms of the overlapping conditions (such as headaches, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, dry mouth and eyes, restless legs, and so on), your fibromyalgia pain and fatigue will often also become less pronounced.
As you and your healthcare professional work toward relieving the pain, stress, and discomfort of the symptoms of these other conditions, it will have a positive effect on your overall health. For example, treating and getting your migraine headaches under control or finding the right medications to relieve your restless legs will reduce the number of symptoms you are dealing with and alleviate some of your physical and emotional stress. Focusing on the overlapping conditions that you have been diagnosed with is a good place to start your quest to become healthier.

[B]Sleep Disorders [/B]
When you experience the sleep disorders than can accompany fibromyalgia, it’s hard to believe that you ever took sleep for granted. Not only is the inability to get a good night’s sleep frustrating, but it has a major impact on overall health. Sleep is needed to produce certain hormones and chemicals that help regenerate certain parts of the body, especially in the brain.
Researchers believe that the primary function of sleep might very well be cerebral restoration. After an individual experiences even short periods of insomnia or restless sleep, certain neuro-chemicals can begin to malfunction, visibly affecting a person’s behavior and preventing them from functioning physically to their full potential. It is known that a person experiences changes in glucose tolerance and endocrine function simply by not getting enough deep, restorative, and quality sleep. The muscles of the body are not able to regenerate, unless the delta (deep sleep) stage of sleep is reached.
It is vital to diagnose sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome, so proper medical treatment can be implemented. (To learn more about specific types of sleep disorders go to Chapter 15 of this book.) The symptoms of non-restorative sleep is central to a fibromyalgia diagnosis; however, the treatment can be different for each individual based on what is causing the lack of sleep.

There are many effective management tools that can be used to help treat sleep disorders. They can include the following:

--Exercise
--Addressing the psychological problems, such as depression and anxiety
--The use of pharmacological agents, including antidepressants, benzodiazepine medications, antispasmodics, and muscle relaxants
--In cases of sleep apnea, the use of a CPA (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine or surgery
--Relaxation exercises.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional GI disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of any organic pathology findings. The symptoms of IBS are cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or alternating constipation and diarrhea. Between 50 and 75 percent of people with fibromyalgia also receive an IBS diagnosis. Due to abnormal sensory processing in people with fibromyalgia, IBS symptoms can cause much despair. In other words, because IBS causes abdominal discomfort and fibromyalgia causes pain amplification, a person with both syndromes can experience severe visceral (intestinal) pain. Robert Bennett, M.D., suggests trying the following treatment options:

--Eliminate foods that aggravate symptoms
--Minimize stress
--Adhere to basic rules for maintaining a regular bowel habit
--Use proper medications for specific symptoms: -Constipation: stool softener, fiber supplementation, and gentle laxatives such as bisacodyl
-Diarrhea: loperamide or diphenoxylate
-Antispasmodics: di-cyclomine or anticholinergic, or a sedative such as Donnatal
Mark Pimental, M.D. and director of the Gastrointestinal Motility Program and Laboratory at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, found that up to 80 percent of all irritable bowel syndrome sufferers are infected with bacteria that overgrows in the intestines. The condition can be detected through a special breathalyzer test that checks for abnormal lactose levels, which is indicative of bacterial overgrowth. The protocol is to reduce the bacteria with long-term treatment of antibiotics such as erithomyacin. "

God bless, Jen