Hi,

I just found this forum tonight while doing a search for information related to fibro and low carb diets. Have been doing the low carb thing since July and have lost about 35 pounds. I know that is not a lot compared to many, but is a major accomplishment for me. Have not been able to lose the 100 pounds that I gained 9 years ago after being diagnosed with fibro.

I have a habit of rubbing my arms because of the knots there hurting. Today I rubbed my right arm..and there were very few if any knots there. I rubbed two or three times because I was totally shocked. I rubbed my other arm and legs and could feel some but not nearly as many. I am totally in shock..and this IS a good thing!

I honestly didn't know that low carb had the positive effects it has on others. I learned from the posts in this forum. I still have some painful days, but not nearly as many as before. Often, I think they are weather or PMS related. I can't be sure. I seem to be sleeping better at night and not trying to fall asleep during the day time since I've cut the carbs.

Anyway..back to my question...do any of y'all have the knots related to the fibro and have you noticed a lessening with the low carb diet.

Thanks for any advice!

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Hi Breezysmom, just found your post.

I'm new here, and was perusing through some of the threads, when I read yours. What you have posted really reveals what Fibromyalgia is all about doesn't it?

I remember discussing FM with a naturopath some time ago, who informed me that the name 'fibromyalgia' really is a 'new' term - in the old days he said that chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia were known as "body toxicity" disorders. Nowadays with so many prescription drugs at doctors' fingertips, they are the 'first line of treatment' that so many go for. 9 times out of 10 with FM it is a diet related disorder. In my own case, being diagnosed with FM/CFS over 12 years ago, NO ONE suggested that diet could have led to this condition, and then was complicated by constipation/putrefaction in the colon .... leaky gut syndrome and candida/parasite infestation! That is why FM is hard to 'unravel' for some docs and they just stick people on drugs, because they don't want to look at the fact that there has been a 'domino' effect in the person's health, all stemming from diet disorders in the beginning.

A few years ago, before I had understood how to get well, I was so desperate that I even went to Dr. St. Amand who wrote the book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell you About Fibromyalgia". I read his book, and quickly went to the appointment where he physically "mapped" my knots - and wrote them all down. He informed me that my 'knots' in my muscles were from 'hereditary' FM passed down to me genetically. He then put me on "Guaifenesin" which was supposed to, over time, correct these 'knots' and fibro problems. I was supposed to come back periodically, stay on the Guai, and he would continue to 'map' my knots and we would watch for improvement. He did not believe in Candida, leaky gut or anything like that - and just told me to stay on a low-glycemic diet. They also recommend staying away from any foods/herbs that contain "sals" [Salicylic acid]. I rigidly imposed on myself *everything* associated with the Guaifenesin protocol,... and within 1 year I was thoroughly SICK, SICK, SICK. I could barely get out of my recliner... and other guai proponents told me "that's ok, you're going to get worse before you get better" and the doc said that too. But I decided that 'enough was enough', and I quit. It took me a long time to start feeling better after that, and it is interesting that once I was off all Gluten and Grains completely - including no dairy/sugar I have absolutely NO SYMPTOMS OF FM at all. Now, this is amazing, since every doc I ever went to for it (27 at last count) ALL told me this was a "lifetime" disorder, and that I could do nothing for it, but to go on prescription drugs. I had ended up on 3 prescription drugs that took me over a year to get off - and YES they WERE habit forming even though the doc's and ads all deny it. The drugs themselves were causing a lot of my muscle pain/constipation and lack of sleep!

So... here I go on my first post... rambling on and on sorry 'bout that! Amazingly, I did get specifically tested for Gluten Intolerance and I found out that I have probably been completely intolerant ALL my life... and now I'm 45 and have been diagnosed with FM/CFS/Lupus - ALL before finding this out - that I was slowly killing myself with my DIET, especially Gluten. Because many many people do not have the typical symptoms of Celiac disease, they believe that they do not have an intolerance to Gluten. Dr. Timmins of Biohealth Labs believes that there is a HUGE percentage of people out there (probably LOTS of them with FM/CFS!) who are SUBCLINICALLY gluten intolerant. "Subclinical" simply means "hidden", they do not manifest the typical celiac symptoms, but are just as intolerant - and it shows up in inflammation of the digestive tract AND muscles "Intolerance" is NOT the same as "allergies". Intolerances are inherited, and if one is intolerant, this is an unchangeable thing.

Anyway, my diet is not the Atkins, or any specific book. It is basically the anti-candida diet with NO grains ...

Blessings to you
WendyJM1

"FEAR IS THAT DARKROOM WHERE NEGATIVES ARE DEVELOPED"