I receive a good amount of emails regarding individuals who are out of work and have no affordable health care.  My first response is to apply to your local state assistance program where you will often be able to receive what is called Shared Medical Cost.  Get accepted to this program, and when your monthly bills reach your tallied amount, Medicaid will pick up all costs.  Of course, this can get tricky as you need to have all your doctor visits and testing completed in one month's time so that you don't accrue any out of pocket expense.

Sadly, despite unemployment, most state will not automatically pick you up on their Medicaid program as they keep these monies for young mothers with children.  There is nothing scarier than having fibromyalgia and no medical service to help you through the ups and downs.  I know firsthand as I tread that avenue alone at one time.

If you have no allotted funds for any medical costs, then Shared Cost may not be the best benefit as you need to come up with money for your primary doctor visits.  Furthermore, some testing sites and specialists will not accept Shared Cost up front as they are not guaranteed money until you meet your threshold.  So, with little money on hand what can you do?

Actually, there are many programs set up at local hospitals to help patients who are unable to afford medical care.  You just have to spend a little time hunting and picking to see what is available near your home. These services are labeled under Patient Assistant Programs at the hospital.  Many will offer multiple financial programs and services to assist their patients. As a public organization, the community surrounding the hospital invests in the care that they provide.  This support, in part funded by area taxpayers, is to assist with hospital care for individuals, without insurance or funds, who are residents of the taxing district.

You may be eligible for this support if you can establish that:

You have no insurance coverage.
You meet residency requirements.
You meet income criteria based on documentation.
You are not eligible for Medicaid or other public or private programs.


What Most Provide:

Inpatient and outpatient hospital care at the Medical Center.

Visits to physicians at the Center, Emergency Department for emergency care, and laboratory, rehabilitation and imaging services at the Medical Center as authorized by an approved physician.

Based on medical condition, prescribed drugs covered by hospital policy, issued at a designated pharmacy.

Specialty services are usually not covered including ambulance transportation, cosmetic, bariatric, dental care, pain management, specialist office visits, vision care, home health care, chiropractic care, mental health care and hospice. Flat rate services, or services due to complications from these services, are not eligible for financial assistance.

Usually, there is quite a bit of paperwork to be completed before being accepted, but it is well worth it in the long run once you are patient.  Staff that I encountered enjoyed their work and received gratification through helping others.   A must to check out if you need immediate medical care!

The only blessing about having fibromyalgia is knowing your symptoms are not fatal.  While other chronically ill patients wait in apprehension concerning positive test results, you can be certain yours will usually be negative. 

Whenever you feel panicked about a new symptom arising, check out the chart below offering a wide range of Fibromyalgia complaints.

In Your Head:

Fatigue, irritability, nervousness, depression, impaired memory, Issues concentrating (fibrofog), apathy, frequent awakening during the night, nonrestorative sleep, blurred vision, dizziness, and
headaches – sometimes severe.

Common Aches:

Widespread pain, stiffness in Muscles, tendons, and ligaments which is worse when you first
wake up.  Pain varies and can be felt as throbbing, burning, stabbing, stinging, grabbing, or a combination of
the above.   Numbness in the body or face and tingling found throughout.  Jaw joint involvement causes difficulty in chewing or swallowing.  Sometimes excruciating facial and head pain.  Neck lesions and muscle knots produce headaches.  Muscles often display various twitching.  Restless leg syndrome makes impossible to find an adequate rest position.  Many complain of electrical impulses starting in upper spine and shooting down muscles in their arms.  This then causes exhaustion and general weakness.

On Your Skin:

Crawling sensations, itching, acne, dry skin, rashes,  and burning.  Many complain of swollen
wrists and ankles accompanied with hot-itching on their palms and soles of their
feet.  Flu-like symptoms felt in various parts of the body.  Patients usually have brittle nails, poor hair quality, as well as slightly pungent and irritating perspiration.

In Your Gut:

Irritable bowel syndrome including gas, pain, bloating,constipation or diarrhea, and sometimes nausea or hyperacidity with acid reflux.

Down Below:

Raw, irritated, burning vaginal lips or deeper areas, vaginal spasm, burning discharge, increased menstruation and uterine cramps, painful intercourse, poor erection, repeated bladder infections, pungent, smelly, concentrated urine, chronic interstitial cystitis.

Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat:

Eye Irritation or dryness and burning with tears, blurred vision, excessive or sticky discharge with morning sand, sudden imbalance or dizziness, vertigo, strange sounds (ringing or tinnitus), post nasal drip, chronic nasal congestion, foul metallic tastes, painful or cut tongue, persistent sore throats without infection.  Prone  to common infections.

Other Issues:

Buckling knees when walking, low-grade fevers.  Reynaud’s phenomenon (blanching of fingers exposed to cold), increased allergies, sensitivities to light, sounds, odors, medications, and supplements. 

There was a point when the disease was onset; I never thought I'd rise from my bed again. Thoughts pervaded my mind wondering if I'd every work again, enjoy a family trip, or just keep up with the basic necessitates of life. When you’re in this type of condition, no one seems to truly understand unless they are experiencing the same symptoms. This forces you to take your health into your hands especially when doctors know so little yet about this phenomenon.

It took months to come up with the Phase I: Finding Relief system. Hours and hours spent on the Internet proved little results on each site. But, the more knowledge I gained, the easier it became to establish a plan that would address the symptoms of fibromyalgia; therefore, producing natural relief. This plan is especially comforting to those who have severe medicine sensitivities and need to keep their body from unnatural invaders. If you have sensitivities to antibiotics, anti fungal, or anti viral, this plan incorporates natural supplements to aid in strengthening the immune system, therefore; inhibiting basic sicknesses. Furthermore, If you  have difficulties and refuse to take prescription SSRI, SNRI, and Dopamine enhancers, there are natural relaxers incorporated into this plan.   Please be advised, this plan is not to replace your doctor's orders, but to gain a natural perspective in allowing your body to heal.

By allowing our bodies to heal naturally, we allow our own pain and immune systems to get busy and relieve us of toxins and imbalances that may be exacerbating the fibromyalgia. This plan is not for the palate that needs diversity. Rather it is anti allergy diet that begins and ends with the foundation of healthy eating until your body responds and begins to heal itself.

If you are in deep need from excrucitating, relentless pain try Phase I: Finding Relief today.

Those who deal with chronic pain issues need a bit more guidance than your average Joe.  For those sufferers, friends and family members often leave an unintentional deaf ear when needed the most.  It is not that these individuals intend to leave us astray, but rather they can't fully comprehend the daily tasks of trials and tribulations that leave us drained and anxiety ridden. 

It is at these times that prayer is most needed.  By allowing your life's path to be by guided by God takes the onus of control off your back.  As you well know, life offers no control.  If we have control for the moment, it is often fleeting, leaving us without a moment's notice.  After all, there are times in life we must go with the flow, drift on the river of intent, and hope it leads us to peaceful grounds.  By questioning and admonishing what is happening to us only leaves us with a life of regret.  And, as you well know, stress causes more pain, and that you can do without.  Put your pain in someone's arms, allow your life to be guided, ask God to come in, and pray each moment you need him most.  You will be amazed at how often your prayers are answered and peace is blessed upon you.

If you need some spiritual inspiration, God's Message Today offers a Monday's Blessing Blog.  I write this blog, too, as an outlet to aid my own spirituality.  I realized at the onset of this illness I needed a higher power to get through life's daily nuances prayer has amazing attributes and can help you battle that fire in our souls.

Dr. Mehmet Oz offers this advice, "Regardless of what motivates people to pray, there's no denying that a lot of people do it. One study shows that 36 percent of people use complementary and alternative medicine, but that number almost doubles when prayer is included in the definition. Those respondents say they use prayer for their own health and to help others. Even more telling: Of those people who said they prayed for
health reasons, 70 percent said that prayer was helpful. Why? Seems like it may work through several different mechanisms:- It relaxes: A form of meditation (no matter what your religious preferences), prayer helps to slow breathing and brain activity, and reduces heart rate and blood pressure. All relaxing, all good.
- It's positive: Let's face it. When you pray, you typically don't finish feeling like you want to rap somebody's ankles with a wooden spoon. You leave being filled with peace, joy, and other emotions that are worthy of being printed on holiday cocktail napkins. There's some evidence that these emotions lead to positive physiological responses throughout the entire body. Our stress hormone levels prepare for a peaceful existence. Perhaps more importantly, our immune system becomes less agitated so chemicals like proinflammatory cytokines, which act like kerosene on a fire, are not driving our joints and arteries to overreact to every biologic stress inside us. The result: A less inflamed, more beautiful place to live.- It's better than nothing (i.e. the placebo effect): I'd be remiss in my reporting if I didn't say that some of the benefits derived from prayer can simply be accounted for because the person feels like it's helping, whether it's physiologically helping or not. Placebo effects have been shown to account for 70 percent of the benefit
in some procedures. My stance here is that thinking you're doing something to help yourself is a big part of prayer anyway." He recommends reading You Being Beautiful.

I was reading Dr. Dantini's book The New Fibromyalgia Remedy: Stop Your Pain Now with an
Anti-Viral Drug Regimen when a thought hit me.  I've read so much literature on fibromyalgia at this point, and one recurring possibility is that many doctors feel fibromyalgia onset is due to an illness.  Furthermore, these illnesses begin as viruses, parasites, bacteria, yeast, or fungus that weaken the immune system; therefore, inhibiting the patient from full recovery.

Due to the fact I have medicine sensitivities, I searched the Internet for natural anti virals and antibiotics wondering if I implemented some of these tactics, would my symptoms lessen?  What I came across lead me to implement the following daily strategy.

1.  I begin my morning with Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar drink.  
2.  I have a lunch salad with fresh organic garlic slivered on top, one clove.
3.  I have my afternoon Fibromyalgia Smoothie with organic coconut oil.

Noticing I am dosing myself three times a day with a virus, parasite, bacteria, yeast, and fungus killing natural substance.  I could be taking a form of medicine in this same route, but, I have severe medicine sensitivities, and this routine causes NO side effects.  Dr. Dantini's regimen is noted as taking anywhere from six months to two years if using viral medications.  Taking this into consideration, I know I must be prepared to do this routine for as long as my symptoms continue. 

Most participants that begin this routine feel immediate results in only a couple of days.  Within weeks, you should notice pain subsiding.  It is a slow process and it has taken me months to feel pain free most days.  But, each month adds renewed vigor for life.

Adding garlic to your routine may enhance brighter pain-free days.  Of all  garlic's reputed medicinal benefits, perhaps  the best well known is its use as a natural antibiotic and antibacterial  agent with reports going back through history. There are even stories of it  being used to ward off the plague. It's not known how effective this was,  however there is some evidence that anthrax is sensitive to garlic. Some people  have even suggested that it might help in the fight against acne although that might be too much to hope for.

Garlic's antibiotic properties have been more extensively studied than some of its other reputed health benefits. Louis Pasteur examined garlic's use as an antibacterial back in the nineteenth century and showed how it killed bacteria under laboratory conditions. Numerous modern studies confirm that garlic has definite antibiotic properties and is effective against many bacteria, fungi and viruses. According to Wright State University, garlic is approximately one per cent as potent an antibiotic  as penicillin.

When slicing raw garlic on salads, do use organic.  Take note at the above picture at the top, this garlic is known to have a higher sulfuric content.
   

Change is inevitable on your trek with this new syndrome.  The signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia are diverse.  It is odd the way they can appear and fluctuate in severity depending on numerous factors, such as weather conditions, stress, level of physical activity, poor nutrition, hormone fluctuations, and even the time of the day.  These and other components, when combined with the many different symptoms can affect the complexity of the syndrome. 

Fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome, and its symptoms are complex as well.  Knowing what causes this would certainly make our journey easier.  But, advent research is on the horizon, and will soon develop more effective and sophisticated treatment plans.  Until then, there are many options to explore as seen here on this website that will make your life much easier. 

The good news is, by following many guidelines here, you may find improvement in your condition.  More importantly, it has been noted, that according to individuals who combine natural and appropriate medicinal support, you can actually find yourself in remission!  Take a moment and jot down which of the following symptoms you experience so that as you peruse this site you can find aded relief.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms:

Persistent muscle pain
Fatigue
Joint Pain
Sleep disturbances
Headache
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Fibro Fog
Confusion, impaired attention
Hypersensitivity to chemicals, allergens
Hypersensitivity to alcohol, medications
Mood swings, depression
Anxiety
Numbness or tingling sensations
Painful menstrual periods
Shortness of breath
Vision problems
Carpal tunnel syndrome like pains
Vision problems
Sensitivity to temperature changes
Chest pain like symptoms
Heart palpitations
Frequent infections
Weight changes - gain or loss

So what are you waiting for?  Dig into this site and regain your health!

If you've completed your research and have confirmed your underlying fear of having fibromyalgia, it is now time to gain back your health.  By following a few simple steps, you will feel added relief from your symptoms in as little as 24 hours.  Some clients have actually noticed remarkable symptom relief after ingesting one meal!

You will want to acquaint yourself with your local health food store or click on Vitacost above and peruse through organic/natural products.  This will be your new life line.  Trust me, once you have a day FREE of pain, you'll never go back to your old eating habits.  Don't be concerned with high prices.  I am on a limited budget and find the quality food my body needs by frequenting whole food markets that offer products in bins.  There, I can find smaller quantities with little cost.

There are certain rules to instill a healthy diet.  Begin today cleaning out your kitchen cupboards.  Your body will thank you for it:

* Purchase foods that are in whole form.  Stay clear of labels when possible.  Learn to read labels.  Certain foods are healthy with labels such as: sardines, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers. 

*  If a food has a label, make sure it has less than five ingredients.  Beware of health claims, don't be fooled, food is intended as Mother Nature made it.

*  Don't purchase anything with SUGAR in it.

* Don't purchase WHITE FLOUR or PLAIN WHITE RICE (Basmati is good) - These act like sugars in the body.

*  Don't purchase anything with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.   It is a subsidized liquid sugar that is almost in every processed food.  Some actually contain mercury.

*  Don't purchase anything  with HYDROGENTATED on the label.  This is an indicator of trans fats and vegetable oils converted through a chemical process.

*  Don't purchase HIGHLY REFINED COOKING OILS. 

*   Don't purchase ANY food with ingredients you can't understand or can't pronounce on the label.

*  DON'T PURCHASE ANY FOODS WITH PRESERVATIVES, ADDITIVES, OR DYES!

*  DON'T PURCHASE ANY ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER PRODUCTS

By getting the toxic foods out of your diet, you are enabling your body to begin the healing process.  Root causes of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are often found in the foods we consume daily.  If you are experiencing pain, it is good indicator your body is a toxic cesspool.  Don't be fooled by thinking you eat a wholesome diet already.  Take my challenge:  Go through your pantry today and get rid of all the above labeled products.  Even the healthiest eater has products that could fill a good sized garbage bag.  Reduce your next flare-up by taking precautions a head of time! 

Once you rid your body of these chemicals for two weeks, you will notice a marked improvement.  By the third week, should you ingest one of these substances you may feel:  light headed, joint aches, headache, stomach cramping, muscle aches,  muscle twitching, or diarrhea - further justifying the abuse your body once sustained.

I had spent months on the Internet trying to accomplish some much needed self-diagnosis before discussing this with my health practitioner. Unfortunately, Fibromyalgia is often an "umbrella label" that is offered after all tests are exhausted and come back negative. The fact is, your primary health care physician may not be knowledgeable about this disease as it is often referred out to specialists. Thus he may only offer you the "possibility" of harboring the disease. And, sad to say, this could take months. In the
meantime, you are left trying to decipher your debilitating flare ups that consume your life now.

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.
 
Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection, or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event.

Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression.

While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.

That said, I offer you the following sites to decipher your own symptoms.  After many months of researching, I found these to be the most well-written and easily comprehended. 

Fibromyalgia Network - Pay close attention to the "Trigger Points" I believe this prompts the root of self-awkening.

National Fibroymyalgia Association -  Offers current information on medical discoveries and medications.

There are many great support websites out there.  Just take time to look.  Good luck!  Most of all, know you are not alone!

Over a lifetime, as many as 62 percent of fibromyalgia patients may experience symptoms of major depressive disorder, and 56 percent may experience some type of anxiety disorder. According to Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., medical director of The Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers, anxiety in people with fibromyalgia often manifests itself as rapid shallow breathing (hyperventilation), while depression may be expressed as a decrease in normal interests. 

While it is not unexpected to have an emotional or psychological response to a chronic illness, there may be other physiological reasons that explain why anxiety and depression occur in fibromyalgia patients consistently enough that they are listed as symptoms of the condition. "Biochemically, depression is very different in [people with] fibromyalgia than otherwise," says Dr. Teitelbaum. "In fibromyalgia, it is often associated with an underactive adrenal function [a low cortisol level], whereas depression [in a non-fibromyalgia population] is associated with a high cortisol level."

If you've been experiencing those racing emotions that just won't allow you to step out your door when a flare up occurs, than Valerian Root Extract may be your saving grace.   Most bottles state to dispense one dropper full in the mouth.  Unfortunately, for me, if I chose this option, I'd be sleeping most of the day.  Instead, I carry this miracle liquid, alternate therapy in my purse always.  I use 3 - 4 drops and, instantly, the edge is taken out of the equation.  I repeat 2 - 3 times if I don't feel relief in as little as five minutes.  On days that flare ups continue without due notice, this can be a lifesaver.

One of the most acute problem solving strategies this offered in the beginning of my quest was it my body the ability to heal itself the instant I began this therapy.  No one knows, but you, the intense emotions that accompany initial pain triggers, especially if this is your first experience.  In the beginning, at times, the pain can be quite debilitating.  This sends your emotional well-being into a cascading spin causing irrational fears. When your mind is at ease, you can think clearly.  By thinking clearly and preventing issues that cause flare ups allows your body to rest and being recuperating.