Fibromyalgia patients sometimes experience Raynaud's phenomenon. During an attack the hands and feet become icy cold which makes carrying out basic tasks, such as cutting food, washing and dressing, or handling money, difficult.  Furthermore, things may drop from the hands unexpectedly.  The condition affects the circulation in the extremities - usually the fingers and toes, but sometimes the nose and ears can also be affected.  

This condition happens when small blood vessels go into a temporary spasm in response to cold or stress.  This causes the blood vessels to narrow, restricting the blood flow and causing those areas to turn white or blue. When the blood begins to flow again, the affected areas turn red and there may be numbness, tingling, or pain.  It seems that sufferers are hypersensitive to changes in temperature and stress, which fits in with the theory that fibromyalgia is due to an oversensitive nervous system. The stress response naturally leads to blood vessels constricting, but those that suffer from Raynaud's have an exaggerated response.

How to Prevent Attacks

• Avoid exposure to cold as much as possible
• Wear layers of clothing in cold weather to help trap your body heat
• Wear gloves to keep your hands warm, even if you are getting this out of the freezer
• Be physically active to boost circulation and reduce stress
• Manage stress by pacing yourself and using relaxation techniques
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables - vitamin C and E help prevent damage to blood vessels
• Have at least one hot meal a day - a bowl of hot cereal for breakfast, soup for lunch
• Supplement with ginkgo biloba, which helps blood flow
• Take fish oils - they raise prostacyclin, a substance that blood vessels naturally produce to keep them dilated.  It is believed that Raynaud's sufferers may lack this essential nutrient.  

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A recent study found that fibromyalgia sufferers are 11 times more likely to suffer from restless legs syndrome (RLS).  RLS is a type of sleep movement disorder where your body harbors and irresistible urge to keep you legs in constant motion.  Those who suffer feel creeping sensations, twitching, pain, tingling, itching, or prickling which is temporarily relieved by moving the legs. Unfortunately, it returns as soon as the legs are still again making any type of sound sleep difficult.  

Some believe the syndrome is caused by iron anemia or folic acid deficiency.  The symptoms can also be linked to other underlying conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or Parkinson's disease.  Some drugs can make RLS worse such as antidepressants, calcium blockers, anti-nausea medications, anti-allergy drugs, and even too much caffeine.

Dietary Help

RLS may be helped by ensuring your diet has a good amount of iron, folic acid, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.  Hence, a healthy diet, as promoted on this website, is your best ally.  Cutting back on stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can also help.  Be sure to stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water.  Try having a light slow-release snack like crackers and cheese or yogurt before retiring for bed to maintain blood sugar levels.  It is believed that low blood sugar may play a part in RLS.

Supplementary Benefits

Calcium and magnesium supplements may prevent cramping and twitching.  Omega-3 fish oils, ginkgo biloba, and garlic all help to boost circulation.  Many of these dietary essentials are promoted on this site and can be found in Phase I and Phase II diet plans.  

Get Moving

Walking, stretching, and yoga may also help to relieve your symptoms.  If your leg movements are stopping you from sleeping, try massaging your legs or get up and walk around for a bit. Do be sure to let your healthcare provider know to understand all alternatives available.  

Several studies suggest that up to 70 percent of people with fibromyalgia sufferer with IBS.  No one is quite sure why this is the case, but is believed that lower serotonin levels and an imbalance of good bacteria may be the culprit. Other links include overall stress that disrupts normal muscle function which causes abdominal pain and diarrhea.  Or, you may be experiencing the under-active IBS that leads to bloating, gas, and constipation.


Issues with IBS:

• Alternating constipation and diarrhea
  
• Constipation predominant
• Diarrhea predominant
• Latent food sensitivities

Though you may not be able to cure IBS there are several steps you can take to prevent future attacks.  By simply identifying your triggers and adapting a solid diet and lifestyle accordingly, you may find a better quality of life.  A good way of discovering your food triggers is to keep a record of your symptoms and any details that may be relevant this includes:

• foods eaten
• stress levels
• stage in menstrual cycle
• medications taken
• lack of sleep

After a few weeks you should be able to pinpoint your individual triggers and aim to avoid them as much as possible.  Many IBS sufferers notice a link between certain foods and their symptoms.  Many foods triggers include wheat, dairy products, citrus, fruits, sugar food, fatty snacks, spicy entrees, cabbage, onions, broccoli, and various food additives.  If you suspect a whole food group is causing your symptoms, such as wheat, it is good advice to let your health care provider know for specialist testing.  

You can alter the type and amount of fiber you eat to ease IBS.  There are two types of fiber:

• Soluble- found in oats, barley, rye, vegetables, and fleshy parts of fruit.
• Insoluble- found in wholegrain cereals, wholemeal bread, brown rice, pastas, and fruit and vegetable skins.

If you have IBS with alternating constipation and diarrhea or diarrhea that is predominant, try eating less insoluble fiber and more soluble fiber.  Soluble fiber is less likely to irritate the gut lining.  It is also less likely to lead to wind and bloating, because it's easily broken down.

If you have constipation that is predominant try eating more fiber and drink more fluids.  Do it gradually as sudden increases in fiber could lead to wind, bloating, and diarrhea.  If this happens, try cutting down on foods containing insoluble fiber and eating more foods rich in soluble fiber to see if there is improvement.

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A migraine is a debilitating, one-sided, pulsating headache.  A study published in Cephalagia in 2006 involving 92 migraine sufferers - 72 woman and 20 men - found that there was a higher incidence of fibromyalgia among woman. Also noted was the low serotonin link as to why fibromyalgia patients are likely to suffer from migraines.  It is believed that both conditions are linked to a hypersensitive central nervous system that overreacts to external stimuli such as pain, light, noise, temperature, perfumes and chemicals.  Those sufferers that experience migraines and tensions headaches also suffer from anxiety, sleep disturbance, and with tenderness on the outside of the head. 

The two types of migraines:  migraine without aura, also known as 'common migraine' and migraine with aura often called 'classical migraine'.  Many suffer from both types.

Classical migraines have four stages.  Common migraines have three.

Stages of Migraine

Prodome - this starts up to 24 hours before an attack and is often characterized by a change in energy levels or mood, food cravings, excessive yawning, or neck pain.

Aura (in classical migraines only) - is a sensory change such as visual disturbance with blind spots, silvery star bursts, zigzag patterns, or even tunnel vision. This can be frightening especially when you first experience it.  Other types of aura include pins and needles, numbness down one side, speech disturbance, clumsiness, and confusion.

Headache - this can last for four hours to three days.  It is usually accompanied by at least one other symptom such as: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sensitivity to light, sound or smell, lethargy, fatigue, or stiff aching neck.

Recovery - this can take several days. It is common to feel overly tired lacking energy.  

How can I prevent Migraines?
A 'migraine brain' is hypersensitive to changes.  These changes, or triggers, can be anything from a drop in blood sugar from missing a meal, to changes in the weather or sleeping patterns of the individual.  Other changes include hormonal changes, emotional stress, dehydration, exposure to bright or flickering lights, and excessive exercise.  Some people can link their headaches to particular foods such as chocolate, cheeses, or food additives.  The best way to reduce migraines is to keep a journal and identify your own triggers.

Is there a cure for Migraines?
There is no actual cure but it is possible to prevent or reduce the number of attacks you have.  Keep regular eating, drinking, sleeping, exercise, work, and relaxation patterns the same.  Eat a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of water to help avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies and dehydration.  Managing stress is important - yoga has been shown to help relieve stress and reduce the number and severity of migraine attacks.  Many sufferers experience reduced attacks due to taking a calcium magnesium supplement.

What is the best way to treat an attack?
Once an attack has started, it is advisable to take painkillers as soon as you can as the digestion slows down, making it harder for the body to absorb them.  Try taking your medicine of choice alongside a cup of coffee or glass of cola as the caffeine in these drinks improves the effectiveness of the drugs and helps constrict the swollen blood vessels.  However, caffeine can be a migraine trigger from some.

If painkillers don't work, you can try triptans.  These work by balancing serotonin levels in the brain, which allows the blood vessels to return to normal.  These are most effective when taken as soon as the headache has begun.

Depending on the intensity of the attack, it is likely that you will need to rest, preferably in a quiet, darkened room, or wear an eye mask.  Hot or cold compresses on the site of pain can also help.

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When you’re living with fibromyalgia, you may often find yourself giving into sugar cravings when your fuel tank is low. Sugar does provide a quick burst of energy, but downing a candy bar or reaching for an energy drink can cause you more harm than good. Although no specific diet has been proven to improve fibromyalgia pain, getting that sugar monkey off your back could benefit your overall health and make you feel better.

Here's a quick treat you can make that is low in sugar and will give you a slight pick-me-up due to a bit of caffeine when needed.  I often grab one of these on the go before my Saturday morning walks.  Quick and easy to make, you can store them in freezer Ziploc bags for easy                                                                                     retrieval.  


6 medium bananas
12 oz. bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tab. butter
Toppings on hand: chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, jimmies

Cut bananas into 1 inch sections.  Insert a toothpick and freeze for one hour.  In a microwave, melt chips and butter.  I use the 30 min. button and keep stirring after each round.  Dip bananas in mixture, allow excess to drip off.  Roll in desired toppings.  Return to baking sheet and let freeze another hour.  Drop into Ziploc bags.

Poor sleep, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and Raynaud's are all part of fibromyalgia syndrome.  Several recent studies have found that poor sleep dominated a fibromyalgia patient's life.  One of the greatest difficulties experienced was going back to sleep after waking up during the night.  Whether sleep problems are the cause or an effect from fibromyalgia, it is important to take precautionary steps to ensure you improve your sleep.

1. Take steps to ease any pain before bedtime.  This includes pain-reliever gels, painkillers, gentle exercise, or a massage from a partner.
2. Keep your bedroom cool.  You brain tries to lower you body temperature at night to slow down your metabolism and encourage sleep.
3. Block out light.  Use dark, heavy curtains.  Darkness stimulates the pineal gland in your brain to release melatonin.
4. Choose a mattress that give you correct support.  If you lie on your back you should be able to slip a hand under your spine.  If there's no gap, the mattress is too soft for you.  A bed board under the mattress can help.  If there's a lot of space, the mattress is too hard. 
5. Pick a pillow that keeps your spine aligned with your neck.  The best pillow thickness for you depends on the width of your shoulders.  If your shoulders are narrow choose a flat pillow.  If you have broad shoulders you may need two pillows.
6. Banish all electronic equipment from the bedroom.  Switch all technology off a couple of hours before bed to help you turn your switch off.  
7. Get outdoors in daylight.  Blue light from the clear blue sky is believed to be very beneficial in helping to produce the sleep hormone melatonin at night.  Include a walk each day.
8. Eat tryptophan-rich foods.  Each day include: dairy, chicken, turkey, bananas, dates, rice, oats, wholegrain breads, and cereals.  Tryptohphan is an amino acid which helps your body make melatonin.
9. Avoid drinking coffee or cola after 4 p.m.  Better yet, get used to total elimination from your diet.  You can live without it!
10. Get Valerian.  I always keep the liquid form near my bedside.  Just a couple of drops 20 minutes before bedtime often does the trick.
11. Don't go to bed hungry or too full.  Each of these can promote wakefulness.
12. Include exercise time each day.  Avoid exercise after 8 p.m. this can raise your body temperature before bedtime promoting wakefulness.  Insufficient exercise can cause restlessness and difficulty sleeping.
13. Put the day to bed.  Develop a routine in the evening which allows you to wind down.  This can be reading, watching TV, or listening to a relaxation tape. 
14. Enjoy a warm bath before bed.  Your temperature will rise with the warmth and then fall helping you to drop off.  The warmth can also ease muscular and mental tension especially if you had lavender oil.
15. Keep a note pad near your bed.  Jot down any plans or concerns you have for the next day so that you won't lie awake worrying.
16. Have a motto if you wake up thinking.  Say to yourself, "You can't do anything right now, so go to sleep and think about it tomorrow."