Sally Johnston was “desperate.” Despite consulting numerous doctors over the last 15 years, no one could explain why she had chronic, all over, achy, sometimes burning pain, and felt exhausted 24/7. Finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia after seeing 6 different doctors, who did “lab work” that came back “normal.” They told her the bloating, gas, stomach pain, irritable bowel syndrome, poor sleep, chronic pain, exhaustion, and brain fog were caused by fibromyalgia.

Up until 15 years ago Sally was a happily married environmental attorney with 3 teenage children. She was active in her community, volunteering for church and civic duties. An avid runner and tennis player, Sally rarely got sick and was the picture of good health.

In 2004 she lost her mother and father in a terrible 7 car accident. As an only child she was now responsible for dealing with a very complicated estate that took several months and numerous 4-hour car trips to her childhood home.

The trauma and stress of losing her parents began taking their toll and she started having diffuse achy all over pain, brain fog and struggled to get a good night’s sleep. She’d had some depression as a teenager, but it went away after she left a troubled home for college. Now the depression was rearing its ugly head again.

Sally made an appointment with her family doctor and shared her symptoms, all over pain, fatigue, brain fog, and poor sleep. The doctor said he thought her symptoms, understandably, were due the trauma and stress of losing her parents and additional responsibilities. He recommended the anti-depressant Paxil. “This should help you feel better in a few weeks. Dr. Patel had always been helpful when she or her family needed medical care. Although she wasn’t happy about going back on an antidepressant she thought it was the right thing to do.

After a month, she was no better. In fact, she was getting worse. Now her pain was daily and often included burning, shooting pain into arms and legs. It often took hours to fall asleep, and she often woke after a few hours and couldn’t go back to sleep. She had to take a leave of absence from work because she was missing so many days at work. She struggled with word recall and her short-term memory became a concern for her and her colleagues at work.

After returning to Dr. Patel’s office and sharing her worsening symptoms, he recommended Ambien to help with her sleep. “You’ll feel better once you get some rest. You’ve been under a tremendous amount of stress. Give it some time.”

The Ambien did help. She was now able to fall asleep and sleep through the night, but she never felt rested the next day and her pain was becoming unbearable. The pain had become intense, requiring her to turn in her notice at work. Between the constant pain, unrelenting fatigue and brain fog she just couldn’t do her job anymore.

Stress became magnified. Little things she’d shrug off in the past, minor disagreements with one of her teenage children, loud noises, paying bills, or managing household chores, now caused her to have symptomatic flares that could put her in bed for days.

She’d always prided herself on being healthy and physically active. Now she could barely get out of bed before noon on more days than she wanted to admit. She was gaining weight, having stomach and bowel issues, felt anxious, and depressed.

Dr. Patel referred her to a local rheumatologist hoping to find a reason for her chronic pain. When her labs came back normal the doctor told her she had fibromyalgia and recommend she start taking Lyrica to help with her pain.

When Sally said she was leery of taking another prescription, he shared there wasn’t anything else he could do and that she needed to “learn to live with it.” He encouraged her to lose weight, exercise, get enough rest, and give it some time.

Sally tried several diets, but couldn’t lose weight. In fact, she kept gaining weight no matter what she ate or didn’t eat. She sought the help of several conventional and “natural doctors” who recommended numerous drugs and supplements, but nothing helped.

By the time Sally consulted me she had gained 40 pounds, was mostly bedridden, and on the brink of getting a divorce. Her husband said he couldn’t take it anymore. Why couldn’t she get well?

Desperate, and after finding a copy of my book, “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” at her local library, she scheduled a phone consult with me. By this time Sally was on 6 different medications and multiple supplements, spent up to 20 hours in bed and rarely left the house.

Fortunately, her husband, Edward, agreed to be on the new patient call. Something I always recommend.

After spending an hour interviewing Sally and reviewing her past lab work, it was clear she, like most fibromyalgia patients, was falling through the cracks. The doctors, both conventional and natural, while well intentioned, weren’t asking the right questions, ordering the right labs or recommending the right protocols.

I explained to Sally and Edward that every case of fibromyalgia was unique requiring detective work to figure what was causing their symptoms. Surveys show that 70% of fibromyalgia patients experienced long term or a short-term stress that preceded their symptoms. Stress is the catalyst for most every disease or condition.

Obviously, the trauma and stress of the death of her parents was the trigger that ignited her early symptoms or warning signs. The key was to find and fix the underlying causes rather treat the symptoms with drugs or supplements.

I ordered comprehensive bloodwork and functional medical testing that revealed she had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition common in fibromyalgia, an elevated A1C level confirming the beginning of type 2 diabetes (contributing to chronic inflammation), low vitamin D3 (causing a low pain threshold and more pain), elevated inflammatory markers CRP, homocysteine and liver enzymes.

No one had told her that her recent chemical sensitivities to common odors, perfume, gasoline, fresh ink, and household cleaners was most likely due to a fatty liver, caused by her weight gain. Fatty liver can a cause all sorts of health problems and shouldn’t be ignored!

Special functional medical tests showed she was low in cortisol and DHEA (associated with adrenal fatigue, fatigue, brain flog, increased risk of flares, pain), had intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and food allergies (most likely contributing to IBS and her Hashimoto’s thyroiditis).

On our next phone/video call I explained that the trauma and stress from losing her parents was the catalyst for her early symptoms of pain, fatigue, poor sleep, and depression. But each year of being in this “stressed disease state” was causing more and more health problems. And unfortunately, the drugs she was on were making things worse instead of better.

Paxil like some other anti-depressants, is notorious for causing irritable bowel syndrome, weight gain and poor sleep. The side effects of Ambien are similar to those of fibromyalgia, diffuse pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and especially brain fog.

Potential side effects of Lyrica include, ironically, diffuse achy pain, poor sleep, weight gain, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, anxiety, depression, and brain fog. It was most likely causing her elevated liver enzymes (along with fatty liver) especially when combined with the non- steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), Mobic she was taking.

And Mobic had most likely caused leaky gut. Leaky gut can cause inflammation and all over pain as well as increased risk of food allergies. And food allergies can cause all sorts of unwanted health problems, including diffuse pain and inflammation. And the years of taking Mobic had most likely caused leaky gut, yeast overgrowth and food allergies.

Sally and her husband were both surprised and hopeful after learning that testing had in fact shown that there were underlying causes for her fibromyalgia symptoms. “Why don’t other doctors do these tests?”

Unfortunately, most doctors don’t understand fibromyalgia. And while typical testing and drugs and or supplements may help the “normal” patient, those with fibro need special testing, comprehensive testing to uncover their “hidden” causes. Without the appropriate detective work, asking the right questions, ordering the right tests and recommending the right protocols, patients are destined to years of frustration and hearing they need to “learn to live with it.”

Based on testing and our time together I started Sally on specific over the counter supplements (nutraceuticals) to correct the underlying causes of her symptoms. Within days of starting 5HTP and sublingual melatonin she noticed improved sleep. Once I was able to get her sleeping through the night, she was able to wean off Lyrica, and stop Mobic. Within 4 weeks she was able to be somewhat active and avoid “being in bed all day.”

I recommended a supplement to fix the elevated liver enzymes, an anti-inflammatory diet and a natural fat burning, appetite suppressing homeopathic formula to help with weight loss. Fat cells store and release inflammatory chemicals leading to pain, fatigue and brain fog. The Lyrica, Paxil, low thyroid from Hashimoto’s, and poor sleep were all contributing to her fatigue and weight gain.

I also started her on natural supplements to treat her Hashimoto's thyroiditis which was most likely causing or contributing to her fatigue, brain fog, tingling pain in her hands and feet, low moods, hair loss, and weekly migraines.

After 2 months of starting the recommended protocols she was able to start weaning off Ambien. Eventually she was able to fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel rested without the Ambien. Her pain, fatigue, brain fog, low moods, migraines, and irritable bowel symptoms all improved as she weaned off her meds and stuck with the protocols I recommended.

After 3 months new bloodwork showed her liver enzymes, vitamin D3, homocysteine, cortisol, and DHEA levels were normal. Feeling better than she had in years, she was able to wean off Paxil without any ill effects. Her blood sugar and thyroid labs were now normal.

Within 6 months Sally had lost 30 pounds, gotten off all her prescription medications, had normal labs. Her IBS was non existent. She had dramatically reduced her pain, fatigue, brain fog, and low moods and rarely had flares.

She was excited to be working part time.

A few months later Edward and Sally sent me a very nice Christmas card thanking me for helping Sally and their marriage return to normal. I believe it is my filing cabinet somewhere.

Sally was a typical fibromyalgia case where doctors, who meant well, simply didn’t know how to help her. Traditional medical and functional or natural doctors who don’t specialize in fibromyalgia rarely help their patients overcome fibromyalgia.

This is why you hear doctors and patients say you can’t overcome fibromyalgia. Or that I’ve tried everything and nothing works. Not true.

Fibromyalgia patients are too complicated for a 10-15 minute consult, typical testing, and symptom suppressing drugs. Doctors and patients come to the false conclusion that since drugs don’t work, and they don’t at least long term, you can’t get better.

I love helping patients overcome their fibromyalgia. Are you next?

It’s not easy! It often requires changing your mindset (drug therapy alone isn’t the answer), diet, lifestyle and correcting the underlying causes. And while doctors and support groups are quick to tell you you’ll have to “learn to live with it,” fibromyalgia can in fact be overcome! These and hundreds of other patients have overcome their fibromyalgia and are living and loving life again.

Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Telemedicine/Zoom video New patient Consults Available.

Learn More at www.fibroconsults.com

Dr. Rodger Murphree

www.yourfibrodoctor.com and https://www.youtube.com/@SuperHealthyHuman

Questions? Call the clinic 205-879-2383