How does one find a doctor that will listen?: Hi all, I'm posting a message from Dr. David Nye, who is a ne

» Jausten - Hi all, I'm posting a message from Dr. David Nye, who is a ne

I'm posting a message from Dr. David Nye, who is a neurologist in Wisconsin who is very knowledgeable about FMS. I hope he doesn't mine..*g..It relates back to the discussion about guaifenesin that we had back in September.

"Bennett's unpublished study of guaifenesin in FMS found that the rate of
improvement on guaifenesin was no better than on a placebo, an inert pill.
There have been no other scientific studies finding it effective [...]
There is also evidence against St. Amand's theory of why guaifenesin works
in FMS and none in support of it. He has proposed that FMS is caused by
phosphate "deposits" in muscles and that guaifenesin removes these
"deposits". NMR spectroscopy studies of muscles of FMS patients which
found no abnormalities of muscle energy metabolism also showed no increase
in phosphates. In the same study which found guaifenesin to be no better
than placebo, no increase in phosphate excretion in patients taking it was
seen.

St. Amand has posted elsewhere that he does not believe it necessary to
test for tender points when diagnosing FMS (one of the two diagnostic
criteria in the syndrome definition that everyone else studying FMS agrees
upon) and that he makes no distinction between FMS and myofascial pain
syndrome, so it is possible that Dr. St. Amand's patients don't have FMS
but MPS or some other disorder. Perhaps guaifenesin is effective for MPS
but not FMS. Another study is needed to answer this question, as Bennett
only studied patients with FMS.

David A. Nye MD"

Hope this clears up the question about guaifenesin.

Now on to foot pain. I think it must be something in the air. My feet have been bothering me a lot lately when I try to get to sleep. By the way, my Soma doesn't seem to be helping me sleep very well lately, and I'm going to see my GP tomorrow about my pain, sleep, and depression. I'm sure he'll be soooo happy to see me..

Betty, if you were taking NSAIDS for FMS, they generally don't help because we don't have inflammation going on. I'm glad that you just went to the GP for the handicap parking permit. I have one, and whether I use it or not is my choice depending upon how I'm feeling that day, if there is a close regular parking spot, or if I'm going to be walking in a Mall for awhile.

I don't see a rheumatologist. I see a chronic pain specialist, but I presume that they are very rare. My GP is very supportive of any treatment that I want to try, and he and my specialist both agree that pain medications are necessary for FMS. Frankly, if I didn't have something stronger than NSAIDS or tylenol for pain, I'd never be able to write articles, do my web site, walk my dogs, or do any household chores. Doctors have to learn that the quality of life is more important than their dumb fears about us not walking, exercising, or becoming addicted. If I was addicted, I'd be seeking stronger drugs or increasing the dose. This does not happen.

Am I anti-doctor right now?...well, I'm anti-dumb doctors...*g....

Cynthia

Jausten

Suite 101 Contributing Editor: Fibromyalgia

-- posted by Jausten