My position on this has always been… "there is something definitely wrong, and if we look hard enough, at the right things, we can create a phenomenal outcome for fibromyalgia patients." The patient I want to tell you about today drove a great distance to see me. She was looking for real answers, not just more pills. I don't mean to demean or put down any patients who must take medications to create some resemblance of normalcy, but they DO create long term side effects, and they NEVER, address the source of the problem. Anything that is going to make things more bearable in the short term, are often necessary. You have to get through the day. Certainly though, just getting through the day can't be the long term goal.

So let me tell you about a particular patient I have had the pleasure of beginning to work with. At the onset, after reviewing a lengthy case history, we decided that there was very likely a number of metabolic underpinnings that lied at the root of her pain and other symptoms. So we agreed to run some laboratory tests that would give us great information about her condition. We ran the following tests:

1. Stool Mycology Test - we wanted to check for intestinal dysbiosis (ratio of good to bad bacteria), yeast overgrowth, and any bacterial or parasitic infections. She had a long history of IBS (another wonderful diagnosis that doesn't really tell us a whole lot), and no doctor had bothered to run a similar test like this to see what was really going on.
    
2. Adrenal Stress Index - we wanted to see if her adrenal glands were functioning properly. One of the things the adrenal production of cortisol is important for is the stabilization of blood glucose. Your cells, especially the brain, rely on a steady supply of oxygen and glucose, and patients with adrenal fatigue or dysfunction, have brains that are metaphorically running on "mud".
    
3. Gluten Antibody Test (Stool) – A common source of gut inflammation, and a simple test that lets us know if the body is treating gluten, the protein in wheat and many other grains, as a foreign invader. Also she had marked balance problems and a huge association between gluten antibody production is cerebellum antibody production. Yes, some people will actually start to create antibodies to their own brain, such that every gluten containing meal is causing damage to a critical part of the brain and result in symptoms of vertigo, dizziness, or decreased balance. Of course there are many things that can cause this presentation, but this is a very real possibility.
    
4. Intestinal Permeability Test - This is a test that measures how wide the junctions in the stomach are. A condition called leaky gut occurs when these junctions are larger than normal, allowing large proteins and molecules to pass through the gut lining, and interact with the immune system. This can create major inflammation, and set a person up for an autoimmune reaction or a full blown autoimmune disease.
    
5. Full Blood Chem, Immune, and Metabolic Panels - bottom line was she had a history of autoimmune disease, and a history of gestational diabetes so we needed to see where she was metabolically.
   

So what did we find? Well we had several significant findings from every test. When I go over the findings you will see that there was definitely many things that were wrong with her body, that were specific, and will lead us to very specific action steps to change her life in a profound way.

We are just getting started but in time she will not be the same person ever again if she does what I advise. I am confident she will. In the next post I will share the findings from the tests and what we are going to do to help her. This post is getting long, but I will lay it all out on the table.

Now I don't arbitrarily order these tests. In this case the history necessitated that THESE tests be ordered, and when I show you what we found you will see why. She actually left a little angry, not at me, but angry at the medical system that had pushed pills and band-aids on her, and never really worked hard for her. She has a stack of results to take back to her doctors and "shove in their face" as she put it. I advised her to take the high road, which I really hope she does.

So stay tuned for part 2, where I will share the results and what she will have to do to turn her life around.

If you haven't picked up a copy of our report, that goes through our brain based and metabolic approach to treating fibromyalgia, you can request a copy in the form below:

If you would like to apply to our Fibromyalgia Neuro-Metabolic Solutions Program, then CLICK HERE to learn how you can apply.

Also I would LOVE to have your feedback. Please post a comment below and let me know what you thought of this case study so far.