Hi,
I post in the FMS boards also. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (an autoimmune disease), Hypothyroid disease and FMS. I ran this by Moderator 1 and got the okay to post the link. Check it out, it's very informative. <A HREF="http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/aa090897.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/aa090897.htm</A>
I found another great link. Documents are at the end of this link. Check out #2 & #4. It links autoimmune with FMS and CFS. Very interesting reading. <A HREF="http://www.immed.org/illness/autoimmune_illness_research.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.immed.org/illness/autoimmune_illness_research.html</A>
Thanks,
Kim
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This makes for fascinating reading, especially that first link and the data regarding the possibility of using antibiotics in some cases...speaking only for myself and I have been diagnosed with CFS and FMS and then 2 years ago with Hashi's, last summer with a very bad sinus infection and on 2 prescriptions of Zithromax, I posted at another site, that after taking the meds, my symptoms were lessened considerably and some had gone entirely.
I was thrilled and thought in my excitement that I was actually 'cured', that's how much better I felt. While it did last approximately 2 months, eventually the 'old' me returned. Since I rarely have to take anti-biotics, I haven't had a chance to make comparisons but looking forward to trying that again...its certainly a possibility for the researchers to take a long hard look at....
No Tree Frog, I haven't. You're the senior member here. <IMG SRC="http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif"> If you think it would be worthwild for the GWV you are more than welcome to post it, you're more experienced at this than me, not to mention more knowledgable.
Kim
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Karima,
I was so in awww of this prospect of antibiotic treatment. I had seen an About.com newsletter with something similiar to this and filed it in the back of my mind. I asked my Endo about it and he quickly dismissed antibiotics saying that "The white cells are imprinted to attack and destoy the thyroid and no amount of antibiotics will change that". He failed to mention what caused the white blood cells (Hashimoto's) to become imprinted (programmed, for a better word) Doesn't it stand to reason, something had to all of a sudden tell these cells to attack, treat the thyroid as a foreign body? I don't know about you but I am going to print those articles I listed and show them to my PCP and see if he will do the antibiotic therapy. If I remember right, it's a month long, 3 or 4 different antibiotic therapy (will have to reread, bad memory here LOL)
Take care now and let me know what's up,
Kim
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Hi,
There is alot of interest and probably tentative research into the relationship of antibiotics and FMS and other autoimmune diseases. Yes, this treatment does go on for months and has something to do with the mitochondria. When I had my temporary miracle 'cure' last summer, I was posting at Fibro board and one of the regulars was very knowledgeable about this approach and was using it. As I stated earlier, I haven't felt that free of the symptoms that are related to hypothyroidism/fibro before or since. It was wonderful but short-lived. Hopefully, someone will take the ball and run with it, this is an area that needs close and serious attention.
The thing is too that both my husband and I have Hashi's and are from N.J., just known to be one of the most toxic states. He developed it around 13 years ago and was very bad for a time and I got it diagnosed 10/99 although I suspect I was positive for at least a year. So since it runs in my family also(grandmother and sister), I have to consider 3 options or more: genetic, viral, environmental or something else.....
Karima,
I wish your miracle cure would have worked also. At lease you got someone to listen and try it on you. I printed out 4 articles for my Endo to look at and haven't heard a word since. I'm in the same boat as you. I was born and raised for the first 3 yrs of my life in Taipei, Taiwan. Talk about a backward nation. I was born in 1959. My mom used to tell me horror stories about living over there. Here's a hint, she washed everything in bleach water. I was sick with fevers and the lot for the first 3 yrs there. I was fine all the rest of my childhood. I did notice when I got pregnant in 1984 with my first daughter. The whole pregnancy I was exhausted. After delivery I was fine. Lost the 60lb weight gain in a month. After the 2nd daughter in 1987. I was exhausted too and didn't lose the 60lb weight gain after her. I'm thinking somewhere in there is when it started. I was diagnosed by accident in Dec of 1992 after a major car accident. I have been a mess since then. BTW, I live in Pgh, PA. I have 3 mile Island and the Beaver Valley Nuclear plant near me. I've lived in PA since I was 9 in 1968. I like you have a genetic thing going on. I have a great grandmother, grandmother, aunt and brother with it. That's 4 generations. Makes ya wonder huh?
Teitlebaum mentions long-term antibiotic thereapy in his book From Fatigued To Fantastic. It is an excellent book to look into a great number of possible causes for FMS and Chronic Fatigue. Many of the causes can be inter-related.
You mentioned in your reply to me that I was lucky that I at least had a doctor willing to try the anti-biotic treatment....well I went to him with a sinus infection and the icing on the cake was the nasty symptoms we all are familiar with disappeared for nearly 2 months, in addition to the sinus infection. I mentioned this absence of fatigue, pain, achy feeling, foggy brained living and he thought it was a coincidence. He maintained that antibiotics do not treat viral infections effectively. I can only say that it was like living 'before' and it was wonderful. Every morning I would wake up and monitor myself even before getting out of bed to be sure it was still working. But really it was a gradual backtracking to the symptoms that I dreaded. The doctor absolutely will not consider long term antibiotic therapy.....I can always hope for another sinus infection...it's allergy time!
