Dr. Rodger Murphree's Health News

Helping Others Help Themselves

Important Health Information

Are Fibromyalgia Patients Crazy?

Have you’ve been told that you’re crazy, lazy, or depressed? If so, you are not alone. Friends, family, and doctors may try to make you think your illness isn’t real. They’ll probably say, “its all in your head.” 

Ok, so you forget appointments, cancel at the first sign of bad weather, get lost on the way, show up on the wrong day or at the wrong time. You ask the same questions over and over and often lose your train of thought in mid-sentence, you have strange reactions to medications and suffer with an assortment of health problems; yet all of your lab results look normal. You’ve got numerous complaints including anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic pain, insomnia, IBS, MVP, chronic sinusitis, tingling in your extremities, night sweats, chemical sensitivities, headaches, reflux, and other symptoms. Are you crazy? You may think you’re a brick short of a load, but in your defense, I’d feel crazy too if I went days without sleeping, had diffuse chronic pain, had no energy, had no life, no hope, and had been bounced from one doctor to another and given dozens of tests, had taken numerous drugs which didn’t help, and then proceeded to get worse year after year!

The traditional drugs of choice for fibromyalgia include NSAIDS, antidepressants, anticonvulsant medications, muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, and pain medications. These drugs may provide short-term relief but their results are often fleeting and their side-effects are detrimental. It’s not unusual for FMS patients to be taking twelve or more prescription drugs, many of which contribute to erratic behavior.

The sleep drugs Ambien and Lunesta may cause short-term memory loss, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and depression. Tricyclic antidepressants, including Trazadone and Elavil, may cause early-morning hangover, mental confusion, and lethargy. SSRI drugs may cause anxiety, depression, mental blunting, and lethargy. Klonopin and other benzodiazepines may cause depression, fatigue, and decreased mental function. Beta-blockers (Inderal and others) are commonly prescribed for MVP. These drugs may cause depression, mental and physical fatigue.

Neurontin and Lyrica have potential side effects that include depression, somnolence, fatigue, thought disorders, fuzzy thinking, and ataxia. Zanaflex and other muscle relaxant drugs may cause mental confusion, speech disorder, lethargy, psychosis, and even hallucinations. Adderall and other stimulants may provoke nervousness, mental instability, and psychosis. All of these drugs are known to deplete at least one or more essential mood-dependant vitamin, mineral, or nutrient (B6, B12, CoQ10, Folic acid, etc.). Individuals with fibromyalgia are also deficient in the brain chemicals, which help regulate mood and mental function.

Neurotransmitter Deficiencies

Research shows that the majority of fibromyalgia patients are deficient in serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These three neurotransmitters are essential for optimal mood and mental function. Serotonin, also known as the “happy hormone,” helps regulate mood, sleep, digestion, bowel movements, pain, and mental clarity. Individuals with fibromyalgia have low levels of the amino acid tryptophan, as well as 5HTP, which are needed for the production of serotonin.

Studies show that fibromyalgia patients have higher levels of metabolites in the kynurenine pathway, which diverts tryptophan away from serotonin production, thus causing low brain serotonin levels.

Derived from the amino acid L-phenylalanine, norepinephrine and dopamine boost mental energy and clarity as well as prevent a condition known as anhedonia. Anhedonia is the lack of ability to feel pleasure or remorse in life. L-phenylalanine derived norepinephrine, when released in the brain, causes feelings of arousal, energy, drive, and ambition. No wonder you suffer with “fibro fog.”

Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis
(HPA) Dysfunction 

And while we still don’t know for certain what causes fibromyalgia, we do know that fibromyalgia patients have an imbalance of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This imbalance creates far-reaching hormonal imbalances which interferes with the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis. This can create a host of unwanted health conditions.

Many of the most common fibromyalgia symptoms, including widespread muscle pain, fatigue, poor sleep, gastrointestinal problems, and depression, regularly occur in people with various neuroendocrine disorders, including those manifested by HPA dysfunction.

The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis, or maintaining the body's status quo. Because of its broad sphere of influence, the hypothalamus could be considered the body’s master computer. The hypothalamus receives continuous input about the state of the body and must be able to initiate compensatory changes if anything drifts out of line.

The Hypothalamus regulates such bodily functions as:

1. Blood pressure - often low in those with fibromyalgia.

2. Digestion - bloating, gas, indigestion, and reflux are common in FMS patients.

4. Circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycle) - consistently disrupted in FMS.

6. Sex drive - loss of libido is a common complaint for FMS patients.

7. Body temperature - often low in FMS patients.

8. Balance and coordination - FMS patients often have balance and coordination problems.

9. Heart rate - mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and heart arrhythmias are a common finding in FMS patients.

10. Sweating - it’s not unusual for FMS patients to experience excessive sweating.

11. Adrenal hormones - consistently low in FMS patients.

12. Thyroid hormones and metabolism - hypothyroid is a common finding in FMS patients.

Recent studies show that over 43 percent of FMS patients have low thyroid function. It's estimated that those with FMS are 10 to 250,000 times more likely to suffer from thyroid dysfunction - See my newsletter on this subject entitled, "Are you tired of being tired" here.

So what causes the HPA-axis to go haywire? After researching and specializing in the treatment of fibromyalgia for the last eleven years, I believe chronic stress is the underlying catalyst for the onset of HPA dysfunction and fibromyalgia. Several studies have demonstrated how chronic stress undermines the normal HPA function.

Stress Coping Savings Account

I like to use the analogy of being born with a stress-coping savings account. We have certain chemicals, vitamins, minerals, and hormones like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and cortisol that allow us to handle moment-to-moment, day-to-day, stress. The more stress we’re under, the more withdrawals we make. Individuals with fibromyalgia have made more withdrawals than deposits. Poor sleep, chronic stress, nutritional deficiencies, prescription drugs, and other stressors have taken their toll. The patient has bankrupted their account. This leads to the HPA-axis being overtaxed, and poor health follows.

Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true nutritional protocols that can help build up the bankrupted stress-coping savings account. Reestablishing optimal neurotransmitters, especially serotonin and norepinephrine levels, is critical for these folks. 5HTP is an important factor in my protocols and is included in my special package to treat Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - see below.

About 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5HTP)

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have shown that patients with FMS were able

to see the following benefits from increasing serotonin through 5HTP replacement therapy:

• Decreased pain.

• Improved sleep.

• Less tender points.

• Less morning stiffness.

• Less anxiety.

• Improved moods in general, including in those with clinical depression.

• Increased energy.

There are more serotonin receptors in the intestinal tract than there are in the brain. This is one reason people get butterflies in their stomach when they get nervous. Serotonin controls how fast or how slow food moves through the intestinal tract. IBS symptoms, commonly seen in fibromyalgia, typically disappear rather quickly once serotonin levels are boosted. I have my patients take 300mg of 5HTP along with a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin (with 680mg of magnesium) and pancreatic digestive enzymes. (both included in my jumpstart package below)

The Truth of the Matter

I, like a lot of physicians, had to learn the hard way through trial and error, that prescription drugs, although helpful in the short term, may cause additional symptoms that are worse than the condition they were prescribed for.

We’ve all become conditioned to want a quick fix. What pill can I take to help me sleep, make my pain go away, stop my IBS, etc. I grew up this way myself. However, there is no magic bullet. There isn’t a drug to correct fibromyalgia. There are simply too many symptoms associated with this illness. And since prescription drugs don’t really cure anything and only cover up the symptoms, fibromyalgia patients are typically taking an average of 8 different drugs. A drug for sleep, a drug for depression, a drug for fatigue, a drug for pain, a drug for IBS, an antacid, and so on. None of these drugs are helping to correct the problems associated with FMS. And all of these drugs can cause side effects and they are also very expensive.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? THE ANSWER...

Correct the Underlying Cause(s) of Fibromyalgia

Over the last 10 years, I’ve found that while patients with fibromyalgia have a variety of symptoms, they all share common biochemical deficiencies that once properly addressed allow even the most stubborn cases of fibromyalgia to improve.

I often receive emails from individuals who’ve either read my books or heard me speak. Many of these folks want to know where to begin? What products do I recommend they take? I tell them that there are four important issues that MUST be addressed.

Here they are...

1) The relationship between Low Serotonin and 5HTP

I find that fibromyalgia patients must, first and foremost, focus on restoring their serotonin levels. Why?

Because Serotonin is a brain chemical that:

1. Reduces pain.

2. Boosts moods (it's the happy hormone).

3. Alleviates anxiety.

4. Increases mental sharpness.

5. Corrects irritable bowel syndrome (Most people don't know this but you have more serotonin receptors in your stomach than you do in your brain!)

Serotonin allows a person to go into deep restorative sleep, which then creates more serotonin. However, low serotonin levels cause poor sleep and further loss of serotonin. This creates a vicious cycle of poor sleep, more pain, “fibro fog,” depression, anxiety, and IBS (episodes of diarrhea followed by constipation).

To correct low serotonin levels I recommend patients take 5HTP. 5HTP is an amino acid (a naturally occurring nutrient that makes up a food protein) that is responsible for making serotonin. No one has an Ambien or sleep drug deficiency! Nor do they suffer from an Elavil (antidepressant deficiency) or tranquilizer deficiency. Instead they have a serotonin deficiency. Instead of using a band-aid to cover up the deficiency with the commonly used prescription drugs, they need to go to the source and use the raw ingredients that makes serotonin in the body; that's 5HTP along with B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium.

This is why I recommend 5HTP and a good multivitamin/mineral formula for all my fibromyalgia patients.

2) How Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Big Problems

Along with 5HTP, I recommend a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin/mineral formula. This formula should contain high doses of all the essential vitamins and minerals, amino acids, malic acid, and extra magnesium. These nutrients are all in my CFS/Fibro Formula. Each ingredient, and it’s corresponding dose, is based on 10 years of tracking the research on fibromyalgia; what’s working and what’s not. This special formula is not based on the latest fad, but on scientific studies from the leading medical journals.

Recently there has been quite a bit of news coverage about the use of intravenous (IV) vitamin and mineral therapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia. I used IV vitamin/mineral therapy in my clinic for a number of years, long before it became popular. I even taught other doctors how to use this therapy. However, I eventually came to realize that IV vitamin/mineral therapy while incredibly helpful, is impractical, expensive and is not as effective as taking a taking a good optimal daily allowance multivitamin/mineral formula. I developed the CFS/Fibro Formula several years ago to go along with the IV therapy. I’ve found that my patient’s do just as well taking the CFS/Fibro Formula as they did getting a weekly vitamin/mineral IV treatment.

3) About the Digestive Enzymes

Many of my patients have become deficient in digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes help us breakdown our food into essential nutrients. When a person depletes their digestive enzymes they may experience bloating, gas, indigestion, IBS, and/or heartburn. Many will begin taking an antacid, H2 inhibitors (Zantac) or proton pump inhibitor (Prevacid). But no one has an antacid deficiency, instead they’re deficient in digestive enzymes. Prescription antacids and proton pump inhibitors can be helpful for severe heart burn, but they can also cause nutritional deficiencies. These medications block the absorption of zinc, folic acid, B12, calcium, and iron. A deficiency of any one of these nutrients can create fatigue, brain fog, poor immune function, and depression.

I encourage my patients to stay on these medications if needed. However, I also have them take digestive enzymes to make sure they’re absorbing the nutrients in their food and the supplements they’re taking.

4) About Adrenal Fatigue

Underactive adrenal glands are evident in about two-thirds of my CFS and fibromyalgia patients. In fact, the majority of patients I see for chronic illnesses, including FMS and CFS, are suffering from it. They have literally burned their stress-monitoring organ out. After years of poor sleep, unrelenting fatigue, chronic pain, excessive stimulants, poor diet, and relying on a plethora of prescription medications, the adrenal glands and the hormones they release have been used up. This is adrenal exhaustion (hypodrenia).

Once adrenal exhaustion sets in, it’s not long before the body begins to break down. Getting “stressed out” and staying “stressed out” is the beginning of chronic illness for most, if not all, of the FMS and CFS patients I evaluate.

Therefore, restoring proper adrenal function is a crucial step in peeling away the layers of dysfunction associated with FMS and CFS. I believe that adrenal fatigue (hypoadrenia) is a major contributory factor to the symptoms associated with FMS and CFS. Until the adrenal glands are restored to optimal levels, individuals with fibromyalgia will continue to have problems with crashing after "overdoing it." Once my patients start sleeping through the night and getting some of their old energy back by taking the CFS/Fibro Formula, they have a tendency to get excited and overdo it. If they don’t repair their fatigued adrenal glands, they’ll have repeated ups and downs; a good burst of energy, overdoing it, and several days of being wiped out. This is why I recommend the adrenal cortex supplement for most of my fibromyalgia patients.

For those who want the whole package! Get my SUPER jumpstart package which includes the Jumpstart Package above PLUS the new 3rd edition of Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as well as my downloadable E-book, Treating and Beating: A Patient's Manual. You'll also get my informative 78 minute CD of a talk I gave to a Dallas workshop. It's full of information and explains in detail how to use my protocols. Listen to it in your car on the way to work or in the privacy of your home. My patient's self-help manual alone was selling online for $69.95 - Order now and get it for less than $20!

The SUPER JUMPSTART PACKAGE includes...

1 - CFS/Fibro formula - Purchased separately - $56.00

2 - 5HTP - Purchased separately - $26.00

3 - Adrenal Cortex - Purchased separately - $26.00

4 - Digestive Enzyme - Purchased separately - $24.00

5 - The New Version of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, by Dr. Rodger Murphree - 3rd Edition (392 Pages) - Purchased separately - $24.95

6 - An E-Book (downloadable version) of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Patient's Self-Help Manual, by Dr. Rodger Murphree (260 Pages) - Regular Price $19.95

7 - A 78 minute CD with Dr. Murphree talking about Treating and Beating FMS & CFS at a Dallas workshop - Regular Price $29.00

Purchased separately, you would pay $205.90 for this package.

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Putting it all together!

The "Jump Start Package," 4 answers to the 4 important issues mentioned above!

Purchase Here

These are the same 4 products that I've found essential and use with 99% of my Fibro and CFS patients. These 4 products promote deep restorative sleep, reduce pain, inflammation, depression, and anxiety. They are essential in restoring the body's own self-healing mechanisms as discussed in my books.

The Jump Start Package Contains all of the important ingredients mentioned above

1) 5HTP promotes deep restorative sleep. 5HTP makes serotonin which reduces pain, mental fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Normalizing serotonin levels with 5HTP usually stops IBS symptoms and diarrhea in one day, and constipation within the next 2 weeks.

2) The CFS/Fibro Formula is loaded with high doses of the essential nutrients, including all the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, malic acid, and extra magnesium (680mg). This formula contains all the high dose vitamins and minerals based on The Optimal Daily Allowance (not the minimum) according to Orthomolecular Medicine. This formula contains amino acids. Amino acids make our brain chemicals and help restore normal brain function, increase mental clarity, reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue. This formula also contains essential fatty acids (EFAs) which reduce pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, allowing brain cells to communicate with one another, increase mental clarity, and boost energy.

3) The Adrenal Cortex helps boost energy, mental clarity, and moods. It is a must in restoring normal stress coping stamina and resistance. Adrenal Cortex increases drive, ambition, and stamina. It helps prevent to classic crash from "overdoing it" syndrome.

4) Digestive Enzymes help stop the bloating, gas, and indigestion that go along with Fibromyalgia and CFS. These enzymes break down foods and make sure what we eat turns into the essential nutrients the body cans use. It also prevents any problems with digesting the fish oil in the CFS/Fibro Formula packs.

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Dr. Rodger Murphree

About Dr. Murphree

Dr. Murphree is a board-certified nutritional specialist and chiropractic physician who has been in private practice since 1990. He is the founder and past clinic director for a large integrated medical practice located on the campus of Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham Alabama. The clinic was staffed with medical doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and massage therapists. He is the author of five books for patients and doctors, including Heart Disease: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You; Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression with Orthomolecular Medicine; Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Patients Manual.

He can be reached at 1-888-884-9577 (toll free), or at 205-879-2383, or by email: drrodgerm@yahoo.com

BOOKS BY DR. RODGER MURPHREE

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Did your doctor tell you?

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"In the past, I have worked with doctors who used prescription medicine. Many times, it only created a never-ending cycle of dealing with side effects and treating the side effects with more prescripions–and on and on. And here's a very interesting fact that The American College of Rheumatology states on their website concerning a 15-year study: "Conventional medical therapies are ineffective and no better than a sugar pill for the treatment of fibromyalgia." Even after this study, every day we see fibromyalgia patients being asked to take these drugs, some with terrible side effects–especially on the pocket book!"

Dr. Rodger Murphree

Dr. Rodger Murphree,
Corporate Center
2700 Rogers Drive
Suite 204, Homewood, AL 35209

If you have any questions, call us: (Toll-free) 1-888-884-9577