Facing Off with Co-existing Conditions
Why is identification of co-existing conditions important, I ask?
There are three reasons that come to mind:
1)Eliminate the possibility that your symptoms are from something other than FM, CFID or CMP.
2)Identify the role another condition can play. Proper treatment should not be delayed because of a misdiagnosis.
3)Co-existing conditions can play a huge role in aggravating or predisposing you to FM, CFID or CMP.
Following are some of our co-existing conditions that while we cannot change them, we can learn to manage them, or at the very least key in the fact that when they are on their own rampage,we should run for cover.
AIDS/HIV infection
Allergy
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
Anxiety
Bursitis (inflammation of the fluid sac, the bursa which keeps our joints from rubbing bone on bone)
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Candidiasis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or RSD
Costochondritis
Degenerative disc disease
Depression
Foot problems (included but not limited to tarsal tunnel syndrome)
Gulf War syndrome
Headaches, severe
Hypermobility syndrome
Hypoglycemia
Reactive hypoglycemia
Hypothyroidism (including but not limited to Hashimoto’s, and autoimmune disorder of the thyroid)
Hypometabolism (such as adrenal insufficiency, thyroid and insulin resistance)
Infection (viral and bacterial)
Inner ear dysfunction
Interstitial cystitis or irritable bladder
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Leaky gut syndrome
Lupus—systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Lyme disease (LD)
Meralgia paresthetica
Multiple chemical sensitivity
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Neurally mediated hypotension (NMH)
Neuralgia (nerve pain)
Neuralgia-inducing cavitational necrosis (necrosis of the nerve of the teeth and jaw)
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoporosis
Peripheral neuropathy
Periodic limb movement (PLMD)
Piriformis syndrome
Plantar fasciitis
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
Post-polio syndrome (PPS)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Prolapsed mitral valve
Raynaud’s phenomenon or disease
Restless leg syndrome (RLS)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Sciatica
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
SICCA-like symptoms (dry mucosa)
Sjogren’s syndrome (an autoimmune disorder related to arthritis)
Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD/TMJ)
Tendonitis
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)
Vulvodynia
Other aggravating factors:
Poor posture
Repetitive movement
Structural deformity, scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis one foot shorter than the other (explore the use of prosthesis to minimize the effects)
Overdoing and paradoxically, under-doing
Poor time management skills
Disorganization
Brainfog
Poorly managing cold intolerance
Poorly identifying problems with medication and therapy
Ignoring diet
Thinking your symptoms will wait
*Note, not everyone has these co-existing conditions, but it is important to identify yours, and report new or escalating symptoms to your physician.
We need to take care and do things to minimize the effects of a flare, such as taking it easy, avoiding known stressors (this includes people, don’t let your lack of sleep and agitation from unrelenting symptoms get in the way and fuse a bomb that will only put you further behind, or possibly blow up), and eating foods you enjoy but know will put undue stress on your body. (It’s okay, we all eat things we know aren’t always the best thing to do, but we must identify the weakness when our co-existing conditions are threatening to become our own personal epidemic). We should also avoid putting too many things on our to-do list, and last but certainly not least; we must not fail to recognize that an out of control co-existing condition won’t take care of itself.
"I’m not going to vacuum ’til Sears makes one you can ride on."
--Roseanne Barr
The book covers each condition and who it might relate to FM, CFID or CMP individually, and offers some suggestions for dealing with co-existing conditions specifically.
As always, Lamb hugs, Celeste, author
"Integrative Therapies for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Myofascial Pain: The Mind-Body Connection”
Saturday, May 8, 2010
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