I am new to this list.....joint pain

January 4, 2002

In a message dated 1/4/02 10:39:36 AM Pacific Standard Time, lindaf writes:

Anyone have any info about, or know any good links for info on Parvovirus (Fifth disease) in adults?

Linda -

You might have them check for fibromyalgia...symptoms are very similar to lupus.

Teri,

wife to Justin, 5 1/2 years

mommy to Joshua, 2 1/2

and Braden Michael, born 10/5/01

January 4, 2002

Hello. I just found this list in my search for answers to a medical

system which I feel has come to care not about their patients but

about their " kick-backs " .

I am experiencing symptoms which include severe joint pain in

virtually every joint in my body, low grade fever, fatigue, and

more. This came on overnight, not gradually, the first week in

November. The following week I went to the clinic and asked them to

run tests for lupus, as in my research I found that I had at least 6

of the 10 most common symptoms. The ANA came back negative for

lupus, and the Lymes tests were also negative, but my rheumatoid

factor was high and my hemoglobin and white cell counts were a bit

low. They referred me to a rheumatologist, speculating that I may

have arthritis. I called to make tha rheumatology appointment and

was told the soonest they could fit me in was January 21! I was

devastated! The pain was so severe, I called the clinic back to ask

if they could call and get me in sooner. They could not...their

response was for me to call some other rheumatologists and if I could

get into one they would do the paperwork for a referral. Tried

that...didn't work. in the meantime they gave me a prescription for

Vioxx, as I had been taking 16-20 Advil daily for the pain. To make

a long story short, the Vioxx is not working, I am still taking

Advil. I also have done more research and think I may have

Parvovirus B19. I am going in today to demand that they test me for

this. I am sure they are going to try to get me to take

prednisone...I don't want to!!! Anyone have any info about, or know

any good links for info on Parvovirus (Fifth disease) in adults? It

is typically a childrens disease and I have not found much info on

this ailment in adults.

Sorry so long winded...I could certainly go on, but I will stop here

for now.

Thanks!

Linda

January 5, 2002

Eventually, you may end up with a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, which is what

they give you when you have the symptoms described, tests show no real

cause, and conventional arthritis medications such as Vioxx don't work. It

often starts with a flu-like illness. As for Lupus, that's a diagnosis

which is arrived at through process of elimination, with simple listing of

at least 8 of 12 symptoms and no cause found. Lupus is generally regarded

as an autoimmune condition, but it does not usually respond to normal

autoimmune treatments like Interferon. Either diagnosis generally can be

given only after the symptoms have persisted for more than six months. So

making you wait a long time for appointments might be in some ways a part of

the diagnostic strategy. They seem to hope that you will just dry up and

blow away because they really don't know how to handle you.

I hate what is happening in medicine. Rarely do people in most

industrialized countries find themselves able to get in to see a doctor in a

timely manner. Over the past several years, this has become normal in

America. It is very much the case in Canada and Great Britain, where they

have nationalized medical care. Then they try to run alternative

practitioners into jail. They can't do that in the USA simply because there

are now too many of them.

I to a research list on Fibromyalgia/CFS. The news worldwide is

generally not good. Many medical people simply relegate this to a

psychological realm, which means that psychiatrists end up with many of the

cases. Those jerks just prescribe various tranquilizers or exercise

programs, with almost universally negative results. Herbal treatments are

known to work in some cases, but there are no definitive studies that show

any consistent results with any herbs. And most patients never improve.

Meanwhile, research is mired in heavy political considerations. For

example, in Great Britain they just went through a horrible cycle over

several years where several psychiatrists in a " working group " consistently

undermined the efforts of all other practitioners. Then, just as the final

report was about to be issued, the psychiatrists dropped out of the group,

thus invalidating the entire process.

What does seem to work is a long-term, difficult regimen of dietary changes,

acupuncture, gentle massage, and a variety of herbs. Sometimes antiviral

drugs such as acyclovir work, but nobody is certain why. There has been

some association between fibromyalgia and infection from Human Herpes Virus

6 (HHV-6) in some cases, but not in a majority of patients. Some

practitioners associate this condition with heavy chemical exposure, but

they are an embattled minority of doctors. There also are indications of

some association of the condition(s) with overgrowth of fungi, particularly

Candida. Treatments that target fungi are sometimes successful. The bottom

line is that every case similar to yours is a very individual matter.

I remember seeing a research paper about Parvovirus recently, but it was

inconclusive, as are most papers of this type.

Mainly, i have to recommend that no patient with these kinds of symptoms

succumb to any suggestion or order to take psychiatric medications. Those

will only make things worse. Also, graded exercise programs should be

avoided, as they only have been shown to help a minority of patients. Avoid

taking Advil, Ibuprofin, and Acetominephan, as these can cause kidney

damage. If you can get ahold of a TENS unit, that will probably help.

Instead, get in-depth nutritional counseling first. This should include

specific questions about your ancestry and the presence of ANY hereditary

conditions such as diabetes. Food allergies should be checked out. Then,

have your living and working environments checked by a professional for the

presence of toxic chemicals, fungi, and electromagnetic fields. Do what you

can to reduce those factors in your environment. Also seek spiritual help,

as it has been shown that this will often work when nothing else does.

You may correspond privately with me if you want more details, particularly

on environmental matters.

At 06:39 PM 1/4/02 -0000, you wrote:

>Hello. I just found this list in my search for answers to a medical

>system which I feel has come to care not about their patients but

>about their " kick-backs " .

>I am experiencing symptoms which include severe joint pain in

>virtually every joint in my body, low grade fever, fatigue, and

>more. This came on overnight, not gradually, the first week in

>November. The following week I went to the clinic and asked them to

>run tests for lupus, as in my research I found that I had at least 6

>of the 10 most common symptoms. The ANA came back negative for

>lupus, and the Lymes tests were also negative, but my rheumatoid

>factor was high and my hemoglobin and white cell counts were a bit

>low. They referred me to a rheumatologist, speculating that I may

>have arthritis. I called to make tha rheumatology appointment and

>was told the soonest they could fit me in was January 21! I was

>devastated! The pain was so severe, I called the clinic back to ask

>if they could call and get me in sooner. They could not...their

>response was for me to call some other rheumatologists and if I could

>get into one they would do the paperwork for a referral. Tried

>that...didn't work. in the meantime they gave me a prescription for

>Vioxx, as I had been taking 16-20 Advil daily for the pain. To make

>a long story short, the Vioxx is not working, I am still taking

>Advil. I also have done more research and think I may have

>Parvovirus B19. I am going in today to demand that they test me for

>this. I am sure they are going to try to get me to take

>prednisone...I don't want to!!! Anyone have any info about, or know

>any good links for info on Parvovirus (Fifth disease) in adults? It

>is typically a childrens disease and I have not found much info on

>this ailment in adults.

>Sorry so long winded...I could certainly go on, but I will stop here

>for now.

>Thanks!

>Linda

>

January 5, 2002

Hi Linda...

I was diagnosed with CFS and fibromyalgia in 1992.. but actually started the symptomology you describe and more in 1987. Eventually I was running a CFS support group from my home.. At that time, I was in agony from the pain. I was seeing a rhumatologist for a short while. All he could offer of course were pills which helped short term.. as the disease state went merrily on. I was told to educate myself.. since mainstream medical practitioners had no answers for me besides these pharmaceuticals..which I had great difficultly tolerating until ultimately I was completely unable to handle any of those drugs. It wasn't until I learned about Environmental medicine and started to change my lifestyle completely that my symptoms started to abate. I do not deal with mainstream physicians for any of my previous problems... now using herbs..vitamins and other nutritional support in conjunction with living in a "cleaner" home environment...to promote and maintain a healthier life. It's hard to fathom it all..seemingly very bazaar... but seeing the positive results... IS believing. Using non toxic products to clean your home as well as for personal hygiene, will help to make your home a less toxic place to live...and make your system less toxic so you can start to heal. No commerical/conventional pesticides.. formaldehyde and other volatile organic chemicals should be in your environment... they WILL make you sick and continue to contribute to breaking down your system. I believe in the overlap between Environmental Illness, CFS and Fibromyalgia.. as well as all disease actually. Making these changes means a healthier.. happier life. It's not quite that simplistic but it's a start. Taking a pill will only mask the symptoms and continue to let the diseases in your body fester. The fact that you are here tells me you are already starting to find the road to wellness. That's just my opinion.... but I stand by it.

Hope you feel better soon... Beth

Hello. I just found this list in my search for answers to a medical

system which I feel has come to care not about their patients but

about their "kick-backs".