Recovery Story

Personal Recovery Story
by Randy Gomm, B.Sc.

Using far infrared sauna therapy was the most important method I used to help me recover from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but I also incorporated a number of other factors. Having the symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is devastating. All you want is your life back as you knew it before you developed this unexplained pain and fatigue. I wrote my recovery story for a health magazine and hope that by sharing it here, others will also have the confidence to regain their lives.

My Recovery from Fibromyalgia

I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't hold onto a coffee mug or turn a doorknob with one hand because it would cause me such severe joint pain. My story with fibromyalgia began in 1996. I considered myself a healthy and active 36 year old male who had been employed as a firefighter for eleven years. I admit, I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie and enjoyed participating in a variety of outdoor pursuits. I was on the Whistler Mountain volunteer ski patrol, mountain rescue team, and was an avid white water kayaker.

It started off with bilateral knee pain. I had been pushing my body too much on a few rescues and was overdoing my racquet sports, but the usual rest and rehab did little to relieve the pain. Just when I thought I was at the bottom of the barrel, I discovered there was still plenty of space beneath me. After six months, I also developed pain in my wrists, ankles, thumbs, tailbone, etc. It seemed that any body part I overused would have acute pain in that area the next day. I soon learned that if I ignored the pain and carried on, my symptoms just seemed to get worse.

I finally reached the stage where I could barely walk a city block and couldn't hold on to the telephone or write in my journal. Fortunately, I had very supportive friends and family. At one point, my resourceful and patient mother was even pulling research journals from the university libraries and reading them to me over the phone, which I had propped up against my head, lying down in my bed. I don't know how I could have coped without all the support.

In my search for answers, I had numerous lab tests and went to a number of specialists. Since nothing showed up in these tests, one doctor even suggested that it must be all in my head. I thought that was the easy out. I was fortunate enough to have a very kind doctor who knew me from the rescue team days and believed my symptoms were real. I was referred to another rheumatologist who diagnosed me with 'fibromyalgia' (FM). I was relieved to finally have a diagnosis and the 'label' of fibromyalgia managed to satisfy my insurance company so I could collect long-term disability.

About eight months after I had been off work, another firefighter in my four man crew came down with similar symptoms of fatigue and muscle pain and was unable to work. The light bulb came on: perhaps we were exposed to some toxins at work and this initiated the downward spiral of debilitating symptoms. I started to extensively research toxin exposure and discovered that many symptoms were identical to those of fibromyalgia. But whereas my fibromyalgia may be toxic related, I thought I was an exception, until I attended the International Symposium on Functional Medicine in 1996.

During the three day conference many leading researchers in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome stated that most of their patients with this disorder had problems with their phase one and phase two detoxification pathways. Their toxic loads were high and if they worked at reducing this load, their symptoms often dramatically improved. It really struck a nerve with me because I had already connected with a couple of people who had fully recovered from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and they had all done the same things: improved their diet; reduced their stress levels; undertook a gradual exercise program, and did some major detoxifying.

Although my recovery took a lot of effort, it was worth it because I was able to return to full time work. Even though I'm not 100% yet, I'm getting closer all the time. I'll review some of the things here that worked for me in the hopes that others might benefit. I've also linked to a few sites with more helpful info.

Recovery Tips

Improve Your Sleep

Most people with FM have a problem with their deep sleep (Stage 3 and 4) as Alpha waves intrude on the slower Delta waves. Unfortunately, most growth hormones are produced in this deep sleep, which explains the trouble recovering from injuries. I started out with a low dosage tricyclic medication (nortriptyline) and then switched to St. John's Wort, which is a serotonin precursor. SAMe and 5HTP also increase your serotonin levels. Experiment to find out what works best for you.

Lower your Toxic Load

Remove toxic cleaners from the home.
Minimize exposure to perfumes and colognes (petroleum based products) and new items that seem to seriously off gas. If a manufactured product has a strong odor, chances are it's releasing some chemicals into the air.
Make your bedroom as healthy an environment as you can. Remove anything that might off gas and minimize the exposure to EMR (electromagnetic radiation) by placing your alarm clock away from your body when you sleep. You can place zeolite bags (volcanic ash) at the opposite end of the bedroom to where your head lays. It has a negative ion charge that attracts mold. You can also put some of the zeolite into smaller bags in the fridge to keep your produce fresher much longer. A good source for the volcanic ash is at www.leevalley.com. (Item # KD401)

Detoxify

Today we're exposed to chemicals and heavy metals in our air, water, and food in unprecedented amounts. The EPA estimates there are more than 20,000 chemicals that our bodies can't metabolize. PCB's, Dioxins, Furans, Heavy metals, herbicides, insecticides, xylene, ethyl benzene, and phthalates are just some of the toxins that are accumulating in our bodies.

Studies show that most of us have between 400 and 800 chemical residues stored in our fat cells. These chemicals and heavy metals add to our "toxic load", often reaching a point where this bioaccumulation seriously compromises our health and leads to chronic disease. I had my 'silver' amalgams removed (actually 50% mercury content) from my teeth by a dentist that specialized in that process. Be very careful if you go this route - having them removed incorrectly can increase the mercury content in other parts of your body. Taking 5 grams of activated charcoal 30 minutes before your dental work and 5 grams right after will minimize your uptake of any mercury that is released.

Sweating in an infrared sauna is very effective in reducing toxins and heavy metals. Far infrared saunas have a comfortable temperature of 115 - 140°F (vs. 180 - 210°F in a conventional sauna,) but you sweat two to three times as much. The far infrared heat also penetrates 1.5 inches below the skin, mobilizing deep seated toxins and giving significant pain relief. Sweating through your skin will allow you to reduce your toxic load while taking the stress off your liver and kidneys.

"A sauna used to be thought of as a luxury but studies now confirm that diet and environmental chemicals cause 95% of cancers. Furthermore, as the first generation of man exposed to such an unprecedented plethora of daily chemicals, we have learned that stored or undetoxified chemicals can mimic any disease. "Incurable" chronic diseases that were thought to have no known cause often disappear once toxic chemicals are gone. Since the far infrared sauna is the safest, most efficacious and economical way of depurating stored toxins, this makes it a household necessity."

Sherry A. Rogers, M.D., Northeast Center for Environmental Medicine: Author of Detoxify or Die, and Wellness Against All Odds

Lower your Mercury Levels

If your temperature first thing in the morning is 1 degree F or more below normal, you may have problems with your thyroid even though your lab tests don't indicate one. Mercury can often interfere with the thyroid gland. I'm presently researching the different ways one can use to regain thyroid function. Lowering your mercury levels is a good place to start.

Exercise

Research has shown that those with fibromyalgia have low tissue oxygen levels, but over-exertion can be detrimental to those suffering from fibromyalgia. Slowly increase the intensity and duration of any exercise you introduce, being careful to minimize the number of eccentric contractions, which means extending a muscle under load. For example, having something heavy in your hands and reaching to place it on a top shelf would be an eccentric contraction.
Walk. I faithfully walked at a rubberized track and very slowly increased my distance and speed over many months.
Stretch gently. I found a good book on stretching called "The Stark Reality of Stretching" by Dr. Steven D. Stark

Reduce Stress

Although I had a lot of difficulty at first, I found Herbert Benson's book, "The Relaxation Response", a good place to start.

Enhance your Diet

Eat organic whenever possible.
Avoid processed food and increase vegetable consumption.
Add sea vegetables to soups and stews to make your diet more alkaline.
Sip a small glass of water with apple cider vinegar during meals to help digestion.
Avoid sugars so as not to feed the fungi and other critters that thrive in the body. Parasites and fungi produce endotoxins which add to your toxic load. Stevia is a great substitute.
Kefir can assist in re-establishing friendly bacteria.

Supplements

Most researchers have found that their FM patients have malabsorption problems, often because of intestinal dysbiosis (those critters again), so they are low in many vital nutrients.
When you introduce something new, start off with a small dose and wait a few days before increasing. Don't make the mistake of introducing too many things at once. Then if you react and your pain levels increase too much, you won't know the cause.
Grapeseed extract was very beneficial in reducing my pain levels.
Take minerals daily, especially trace minerals and magnesium. (Transdermal magnesium is absorbed well.)
Rotate different herbs and supplements to help an overtaxed adrenal gland and/or liver