MyDepressionSpace.com

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Why do we become addicted?; does depression come first or does addiction ca
2007-07-10 21:55:00
I was having lunch with a leading psychiatric thought leader in treating patients with severe depression. I shared with him my story as told in my book Out of The Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression . I devoted fifteen pages of the book to my addiction to drugs,  alcohol and my subsequent thirty-day stay at a residential treatment center. He summed up my twelve page addiction description into four simple  words; " you were self-medicating." I was self-medicating to alleviate the pain of depression. This week's TIME magazine cover is titled How We Get Addict ed :"Addiction s," says Joseph Frascella, director of the division of clinical neuroscience at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), "are repetitive behaviors in the face of negative consequences, the desire to continue something you know is bad for you." Addiction is such a harmful behavior, in fact, that evolution should have long ago weeded i...

What is functional overlapping syndrome? How does it effect the human body?
2007-07-10 01:43:00
Dr. Muhammad B. Yuan's, a rheumatologist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, is a leading proponent of the theory that functional syndromes caused by a pain processing defect in the brain. Th disorders are more common in women than men. The overlapping syndromes include: Fibromyalgia Syndrome : chronic pain in the muscles, tendons and ligaments coupled with fatigue and multiple tender points of the body Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Female urethral syndrome and interstitial cystitis( painful gaul bladder syndrome) Multiple Chemistry Syndrome Primary amenorrohea ( painful menstrual cramps) Periodic limb movements in sleep Myofacial pain syndrome Temporomandibular joint disorder Tension-type head ache Migraine Irritable Bowel Syndrome In my opinion, this further emphasizes the importance of the mind/body connection. VagusNerveStimulation.com
More About: Body , Human , Effect , Ping

Hunting for bipolar disorder genes: The University of Michigan
2007-07-09 07:29:00
Att: Michigan Residents. I thought you would like to hear about this important lecture, which is free to the public. Around the globe, scientists are hunting for the specific genes that make millions of people vulnerable to the highs associated with the mania and the lows associated with the depressions of bipolar disorder. On July 13, the Univ ersity of Michigan Depression Center will offer the public an update on that gene hunt, with the first-ever Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund Lecture. The lecture will be given by a noted researcher from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore who is working closely with U-M scientists to find genes related to bipolar disorder. It will begin at 11 a.m. in the auditorium on the lower level of the Rachel Upjohn Building, at 4250 Plymouth Rd. in Ann Arbor. It is free and open to the public. The lecture is the first in a series named for Heinz Prechter, an automotive pioneer who battled bipolar disorder for most of his life – ...
More About: Polar

Brains interpret pain signals differently, which can lead to overlapping fu
2007-07-08 23:57:00
There was a fascinating article published in my hometown newspaper ( St. Louis Post-Dispactch) today about how the numan brain interprets pain signals differently which oftern leads to a misdiagnosis of an illness.Researchers, including some in St. Louis, now think the ailments may have a common cause. Studies have shown that the brains of people with these conditions may interpret pain signals differently than those of other people.About eight years ago, Dr. Ray Clouse, a gastroenterologist at Washington University, and his colleagues started asking patients to fill out a form listing about 30 symptoms, only a subset of which included stomach and bowel problems. Patients who had conditions such as Crohn's disease or ulcers usually would mark only stomach pain and bleeding. But patients with irritable bowel syndrome and related conditions often would tick off nearly all the digestive tract symptoms plus a host of others including trouble sleeping, joint and muscle pain, lower ...
More About: Pain , Brains , Rent , Interpret , Ping

Brain scans document how pain effects critical regions of the brian respons
2007-07-07 14:11:00
I didn't need a brain imaging study to tell me that pain can ruin the quality of my life. But the July 5th issue of Neuron provides a greater understanding of how pain interferes with mood and concentration. This is a fascinating study:Researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, in Germany, asked volunteers to perform a cognitive task distinguishing images, plus a memory task recalling images. While performing those tasks, the researchers zapped the volunteers' hands with a laser beam to induce varying levels of pain. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tests of the volunteers' brain function during the tasks identified the LOC as a region that participates in both working memory activities and pain. It is also known to be a center for processing images. Digging deeper, the researchers located a second brain area called the rostral anterior cortex, which is responsible for processing pain. It, too, was stimulated during the tests. The research...
More About: Pain , Regions , Document , Brain , Brian

"Over one million preschoolers are clinically depressed"- Harvard Universit
2007-07-06 18:25:00
People always ask me when was my first depressive episode. For me, it is an easy question. After the tragic death of my mother when I was eleven, that was the definitive beginning. Medical wisdom in the 1970's didn't even contemplate childhood or adolescent depression. In fact I always kept hearing " children bounce back so quickly". Of course I was absolutely devastated, never had a chance to properly grieve and just got on with life as best as I could. I never did "bounce back" and the rest is history. Depression is one of the most common but unrecognizable conditions seen in childhood and adolescence. Pressures from school, a dysfunctional family, a traumatic event, misunderstandings with friends and conflict in social relationships, are some of the most common causes of depression. This can impair your child’s ability to function, and in extreme circumstances lead to the contemplation of suicide. Capital Care Pediatrician Dr. George Pasqual explains that...
More About: Harvard , Million , Univ , Ally , Depressed

How Depression Weakens the Brain: just one untreated bout can raise risk of
2007-07-05 22:17:00
This is the second part of two posts about depression, dementia and geriatric depression. It is based on article in the July 3rd issue of the Wall Street Journal.One theory of how depression affects cognitive function involves the hippocampus -- a part of the brain related to memory. Studies show that people with more days of depression untreated by antidepressants, at any point in their lives, exhibit an average 10% reduction in volume in the hippocampus, which may result in subtle changes to their memory capabilities, according to Yvette Sheline, author of the research, which was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and published in the American Journal of Psychiatry. There is no such effect from days of treated depression. The findings suggest that shrinkage may be prevented by antidepressant treatment, says Dr. Sheline, director of the Center for Depression and Neuroimaging at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In some individuals, vascular ...
More About: Risk , Brain , The Brain

Al Gore's son arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana and prescriptio
2007-07-04 23:28:00
Part of me  feels  badly for Al Gore's son, Al Gore III, for his very public arrest on suspicion of possessing marijuana and prescription drugs. The other part makes me very  angry.Al Gore,  III was pulled over for by deputies for driving over  100 mph on the San Diego Freeway when he was pulled over at about 2:15 a.m early this morning. The deputies said they smelled marijuana and searched the car.  They found marijuana along with Xanax, Valium, Vicodin and Adderall. Al Gore, III said the drugs were used for attention deficit disorder. . He did not have a prescription for any of the drugs.Vicodin, Xanax Valium and marijuana are highly addictive substances. Vicodin is a controlled substance, which is usually used for persons experiencing pain after surgery or intense pain. Xanax and Valium, are both benzodiazepines, controlled substances and are  mainly used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and symptoms of acute alcohol or opiate withdrawal. Mari juan...
More About: Arrested , Marijuana , Este

Epilepsy and depression are comordid diseases; epilepsy doubles the risk of
2007-07-04 16:37:00
<p>It's important to remember that depression can occur separately from <a href="http://www.mydepressionspace.com//h ttp://www.vagusnervestimulation.com/epile psy/understanding.cfm"><span>epi lepsy</span></a>. However, it may be related to <a href="http://www.vagusnervestimulation.co m/epilepsy/depression_relationship.cfm"&g t;<span>epilepsy</span></a > in several ways. People with epilepsy may be more likely than other people to experience emotional changes.</p><blockquote dir="ltr"><p><em>In some people, the mood disorder may be associated with the seizure itself. Mood changes may occur before, during or after a seizure. </em><em>In other people, however, mood changes are not related to the timing of a seizure, but relate to where the seizure is coming from in the brain. A seizure that comes from an emotional center in the brain may be more likely to produce a change in mood</em>.</p><...
More About: Depression , Diseases , Risk , Ease , Epilepsy

How Depression Weakens the Brain: just one untreated episode can raise risk
2007-07-04 08:48:00
This is a call to arms of the critical importance to seek treatment for your depression or the depression of a loved one. It's a treat me know or treat me later situation.In findings that highlight the importance of mood and stress to maintaining a healthy brain, researchers and psychiatrists say that a bout of depression may raise the risks of developing dementia later in life. People who have experienced a major depression even once in the previous 10 years in late middle age are twice as likely as those who haven't to develop problems in concentration, memory or problem-solving ability after the age of 65, according to several large, epidemiological studies. Depression is also associated with shrinkage of the part of the brain related to memory, research shows. And while problems with concentration, decision making and memory can be common for people going through depression, studies show a significant portion of older people won't recover their mental sharpness even if the...
More About: Episode , Risk , Brain , The Brain

Epilepsy and depression: comordid diseases. Epilepsy doubles the risk of su
2007-07-03 16:41:00
It's important to remember that depression can occur separately from epilepsy. However, it may be related to epilepsy in several ways. People with epilepsy may be more likely than other people to experience emotional changes.In some people, the mood disorder may be associated with the seizure itself. Mood changes may occur before, during or after a seizure. In other people, however, mood changes are not related to the timing of a seizure, but relate to where the seizure is coming from in the brain. A seizure that comes from an emotional center in the brain may be more likely to produce a change in mood.How often seizures happen also plays a role in depression. People who have seizures frequently may be more likely to feel depressed than people who have well-controlled seizures. In some instances, the side effects of treatment, such as use of antiepileptic drugs, may affect mood. If this happens, a change of treatment may help. Lifestyle risk factors are also important in the devel...
More About: Depression , Diseases , Risk , Ease , Epilepsy

Chronic back pain and chronic depression; new treatment for chronic back pa
2007-07-02 19:56:00
Some depression sufferers also have chronic back pain. There have been many studies about the relationship between chronic back pain and depression. John Sarno, M.D. of New York University School of Medicine is probably the most prominent researcher on chronic back pain and depression. He is Professor of Neurosurgery at The Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. and specializes in Musculoskeletal Disorders including Neck, Back Pain and Joint Pains (Arthritis).Today, Boston Scientific Corporation announced the launch of its neuromodulation device for chronic back pain: Precision Plus Spinal Cord Stimulation System(SCS). the world's smallest rechargeable SCS neuromodulation device for the treatment of chronic pain of the trunk, back and limbs. I think that this device will offer new hope for sufferers of chronic back pain, which would dramatically improve the quality of your life. This new medical device  features an improved remote control and charger to simplify your contr...
More About: Depression , Treatment , Back Pain

Pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis withdraws FDA application for obesity
2007-07-01 17:59:00
The Wall Street Journal reported today that giant European drug manufacturer Sanofi -Avantis officially withdrew from the FDA its application for approval of its obesity drug Zimulti ( Avandia). A few weeks ago an FDA panel of experts had recommended that the FDA not approve Zimulti due to psychiatric  risks. These risks included increased depression and suicidal ideations by the study patients in the Phase III clinical trial. The panel said additional safety data were needed before the FDA should consider approving the drug. The drug is  on the market in the Europe , but  it isn't allowed to be prescribed to patients suffering from depression, because of possible psychological side effects.Sanofi-Aventis SA said it is withdrawing its application to sell the obesity drug rimonabant in the U.S. but plans to resubmit it at a future date, admitting the defeat, for now, of what it had hoped would be a blockbuster medicine.Depression patients are at twice the ri...
More About: Company , Obesity , Pharmaceutical

The Oprah Winfrey Show: Spiritual journies through depression with author M
2007-06-30 19:20:00
Marianne Williamson is  one of the hosts of XM Radio's Oprah & Friends and has  authored nine  books, including several New York Times Number one best sellers;  Everyday Grace: Having Hope, Finding Forgiveness and Making Miracles, The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for a Radically New Life and Healing the Soul of America. I'm not a huge fan of "self-help" books. In fact, they usually made me feel worse. But sometimes listening to other people's experiences  was helpful. I recently watched  a wonderful program on  The Oprah Winfrey Show about depression.  Ms. Williamson facilitated a very inspirational and sensitive discussion. The program featured three women who shared their personal stories with Marianne, including a Hurricane Katrina relief volunteer who could no longer hold a job, a woman whose health and finances were failing, and a 30-year-old with absolutely  no clear path for her future in sight:...
More About: Depression , Oprah Winfrey Show

Comedian Richard Jeni's suicide: coroner's report indicated a history of me
2007-06-30 06:15:00
He was laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside. Ultimately, comedian Richard Jeni couldn't take the inner hopelessness any more and committed suicide in March at age 49. Now the coroner's report confirms that he had a history of mental illness and was hospitalized late last year for suicidal depression. I think this is a perfect example of someone perfectly masking his/her  depression and yet know one in the public was aware of his serious mental despair. The incredible irony is that Jeni had appeared on The Tonight Show more than any other stand-up comedian, dating back to when the program was hosted by Johnny Carson.    On March 10th, Jeni was found dead by his girlfriend with an apparent self-inflicted handgun (38 special) wound to the facial area. The coroner's report, released today, reported the following:  Jeni, whose birth name was Richard John Colangelo, had not made any previous suicide attempts and left no note, the report said. However...
More About: History , Comedian , Report , Suicide , Cate

Paris Hilton's life on the "D" list": "D" for denial
2007-06-29 21:50:00
After Paris Hilton's watching disingenuous interview with CNN's Larry King, only one word comes to mind: "D" for denial: Denied abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs Denied the public and the families who lost a loved one due to a drunk driver from sincerely apologizing for "driving under the influence" Denied that she only used just one drug; a prescribed drug for ADD Denied that she never received any money or help from her family Denied that she had lived normal life as child and adolescent Paris Hilton is also on the "A" list: "A"  for affirmed: Affirmed that she could not recite her favorite passage from the bible despite reading the bible everyday for hours while in jail Affirmed that jail had completely changed her outlook and that her social life is "not going to be the mainstay of my life anymore" Affirmed that she wanted "to help set up a place where these women ( fellow inmates) can get the...
More About: Life , List , D-List , Denial

Comedian Richard Jeni's suicide: coroner's report indicates a history of m
2007-06-29 03:49:00
He was laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside. Ultimately, comedian Richard Jeni couldn't take the inner hopelessness any more and committed suicide in March at age 49. Now the coroner's report confirms that he had a history of mental illness and was hospitalized late last year for suicidal depression. I think this is a perfect example of someone perfectly masking his/her  depression and yet know one in the public was aware of his serious mental despair. The incredible irony is that Jeni had appeared on The Tonight Show more than any other stand-up comedian, dating back to when the program was hosted by Johnny Carson.    On March 10th, Jeni was found dead by his girlfriend with an apparent self-inflicted handgun (38 special) wound to the facial area. The coroner's report, released today, reported the following:  Jeni, whose birth name was Richard John Colangelo, had not made any previous suicide attempts and left no note, the report said. However...
More About: History , Comedian , Report , Suicide , Hist

Depression, obesity and Type 2 diabetes: diabetes drug Avandia stirs a majo
2007-06-29 00:51:00
Patients who suffer from depression are twice as likely to have Type 2 diabetes than the general population. There are various reason which contribute to that co-morbidity, but diabetes should be of concern to all patients who take antidepressants or anti-psychotic medications. Controversy over popular diabetes pill Avandia took center stage on Monday at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting in Chicago. Experts on the disease debated findings that the drug could boost heart-attack risk. The drug has been under a cloud since an analysis published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month found taking Avandia led to a 43 percent boost in heart attack risk and a 64 percent rise in risk of heart death.Study author Steven Nissen, cardiology chief at the Cleveland Clinic, defended his analysis to a packed audience of diabetes experts and other doctors, in a session added at the last minute. "What was the alternative? Not to know?" Nissen said, addressing ...
More About: Depression , Obesity , Drug

Antidepressants and birth defects: new New England Journal of Medicine stud
2007-06-28 22:04:00
I receive quite a few e-mails from women who are concerned about taking antidepressants while pregnant. Many of these women who suffer from depression worry about having to discontinue antidepressants while pregnant and fear postpartum depression. About 10 percent of pregnant women suffer from depression, according to the March of Dimes. The CDC says every pregnancy has a 3 percent risk of a major birth defect, regardless of exposures. I wanted to share the results of a  new study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine . The study concluded:Newer antidepressant drugs may increase the risk of birth defects but the risk remains very remote. The drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, may cause a very small increase in the number of heart defects, but even this is unclear.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), "researchers, did, however, find associations between SSRI use and three specific birth defect...
More About: Birth , Anti

Chronic pain: causes of chronic pain, global prevalence, impact on daily
2007-06-28 16:51:00
Chronic pain can cause or aggravate depression. Depression can cause chronic pain. I don't know which comes first, but I do know that this is a misunderstood diagnosis. And when you are depressed and have chronic pain, it is truly double jeopardy. It is a vicious circle. No one understands how the quality of your live is being ruined by these two baffling illnesses. I have been there and back. No one takes you seriously, which just makes matters worse. New treatments for chronic pain depression can be related. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines chronic  pain as pain that lasts for either 3 or 6 months . The IASP describes pain in terms of damage, preceding what we now know much better -- that pain can actually occur without tissue damage. The ISAP was founded in 1973 and  brings together scientists, clinicians, health care providers and policy makers to stimulate and support the study of pain and to translate that knowledge into ...
More About: Daily , Global , Dail

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit's double murders and suicide: was it "roid raid"
2007-06-28 01:24:00
On Saturday, WWE wrestler Chris Benoit strangled  his wife Nancy Benoit and  smothered his seven year old son. On Sunday, Benoit  committed suicide by hanging himself. Illegal steroids were found in his home. Last  Monday, WWE claimed that its Chairman Vince McMahon had been killed when his limo exploded. WWE.com announced that he was presumed dead since no body was recovered, and also claimed that the FBI was investigating, but it was later learned that the event was merely a promotional stunt. "Merely a promotional stunt"? Hello? It was incredibly irresponsible for the leader of the WWE to pull a stunt which faked a death and ultimately involved the Federal Bureau of Investigations( FBI). The facts of this Benoit's horrible double murder and suicide on now just coming to the surface.Mr. Benoit was a customer of MedXLife, a Florida-based, anti-aging clinic that had two of its owners plead guilty in April to illegal steroid distribu...
More About: Double , Suicide , Cide , Raid

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) produced significant improvements i
2007-06-27 16:23:00
Yesterday, Neuronetics, Inc. announced that a study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of its NeuroStar TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) Therapy system for major depression was published online today in Biological Psychiatry, the official peer-reviewed journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. The study determined that TMS is both safe and effective( in a statically meaningful percentage of the study patient population). Transcranial Magnet ic Stimulation(TMS) is not an FDA approved procedure( i.e. a patient does not have access to the procedure) for depression. However, this is potentially good news for those patients who cannot tolerate antidepressant medications and associated side effects. TMS is a very interesting concept and has been studied since the early 1900's. It is a noninvasive method to excite neurons in the brain. The excitation is caused by weak electric currents induced in the tissue by rapidly changing magnetic fields (electromag...
More About: Rove , Prod , Produce , Cant

Chronic pain: definitions of chronic pain, global prevalence, impact on da
2007-06-27 01:32:00
Chronic pain can cause or aggravate depression. Depression can cause chronic pain. I don't know which comes first, but I do know that this is a misunderstood diagnosis. And when you are depressed and have chronic pain, it is truly double jeopardy. It is a vicious circle. No one understands how the quality of your live is being ruined by these two baffling illnesses. I have been there and back. No one takes you seriously, which just makes matters worse. New treatments for chronic pain depression can be related. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines chronic  pain as pain that lasts for either 3 or 6 months . The IASP describes pain in terms of damage, preceding what we now know much better -- that pain can actually occur without tissue damage. The ISAP was founded in 1973 and  brings together scientists, clinicians, health care providers and policy makers to stimulate and support the study of pain and to translate that knowledge into improved p...
More About: Global , Definitions

By the numbers: 17,000+ patients have been prescribed vagus nerve stimulati
2007-06-27 00:05:00
I wanted to share with readers the most up-to-date information about vagus nerve stimulation therapy for major depression. The manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator, Cyberonics Inc., released some data about the growing body of evidence about vagus nerve stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder or depression that is resistant to antidepressants. 17,000 patients have been prescribed vagus nerve stimulation for depression  3,500 psychiatrists have prescribed VNS Therapy(TM) for at least one patient  300 different insurance companies have fully reimbursed for this procedure  Cyberonics  reimbursement specialists continue to work with private insurance companies and employers to obtain coverage for VNS Therapy(TM) to treat major depression**** Separately, during the past 12 months, over 500,000 visitors from 100 different countries have visited the VagusNerveStimulation.com web site. 38,000 copies of Out of the Black Hole: The Patient 's Guide...
More About: Numbers , Patients , Been , Scribe

WWE wrestler Chris Benoit: police confirm his two murders and suicide. Beno
2007-06-26 22:25:00
Police have confirmed that WWE wrestler Chris Benoit  did indeed murder his wife, seven year-old son and commited suicide on Sunday.Investigators have not disclosed how the three died but said they were not seeking any suspects outside the home where Benoit apparently took his own life after killing his wife and son. "We are investigating it as a murder-suicide," said Sgt. Keith Whiteside of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department.Apparently, Chris Benoit then sent "several curious text messages" to friends early Sunday morning just prior to commiting suicide and this prompted authorities to check on Benoit and his family at their home, the statement said. Benoit was a hugely successful wrestler for the WWE. One wonders what drove him to ultimately commit a permanent solution to what was probably a temporary problem. On the surface he had everything to life for: a wife, a son, fame and money. Yet he decided to end not only his own life, but also the lives ...
More About: Police , Suicide , Poli

Murder Suicide: WWE wrestler Chris Benoit kills his wife, son and then comm
2007-06-26 05:26:00
What caused WWE wrestler Chris Benoit to kill his wife and son this weekend and this commit suicide today?  A Fayetteville, Georgia radio station reported:that investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed his wife, Nancy, and 7-year-old son, Daniel, over the weekend, then himself on Monday. A neighbor called police, and the bodies were found in three rooms.The house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and a double-iron gate. On Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, along with two uniformed officers. Benoit was a former world heavyweight and Intercontinental champion. He also held several tag-team titles during his career. "WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the federation said in a statement on its Web site. Benoit was scheduled to perform...
More About: Murder , Wife , Suicide

By the numbers: 17,000+ patients have been prescribed vagus nerve stimulati
2007-06-23 19:31:00
I wanted to share with readers the most up-to-date information about vagus nerve stimulation therapy for major depression. The manufacturer of the vagus nerve stimulator, Cyberonics Inc., released some data about the growing body of evidence about vagus nerve stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder or depression that is resistant to antidepressants. 17,000 patients have been prescribed vagus nerve stimulation for depression 3,500 psychiatrists have prescribed VNS Therapy(TM) for at least one patient 300 different insurance companies have fully reimbursed for this procedure Cyberonics  reimbursement specialists continue to work with private insurance companies and employers to obtain coverage for VNS Therapy(TM) to treat major depression**** Separately, during the past 12 months, over 500,000 visitors from 100 different countries have visited the VagusNerveStimulation.com web site. 38,000 copies of Out of the Black Hole: The Patient 's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stim...
More About: Numbers , Patients , Been , Scribe

What are the symptoms of Fibromyalgia Syndrome? Chronic pain? Will the FDA
2007-06-23 19:28:00
You hurt all over, and you frequently feel exhausted. Even after numerous tests, your doctor can't find anything specifically wrong with you. If this sounds familiar, you may have fibromyalgia( FMS) When I was severely depressed, my entire body ached. The pain was chronic. However, the pain was a co-morbidty of my depression. As my depression gradually improved, thanks to vagus nerve stimulation therapy, the physical pain also improved. Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a comorbidity of depression.According to the Mayo Clinic, fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Fibromyalgia is more common in women than in men. Previously, fibromyalgia was known by other names such as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias. Although the intensity of your symptoms may vary, they'll prob...
More About: Pain , Syndrome , Symptoms

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: mysterious, disabling, and effects 20% of America
2007-06-23 01:11:00
I read an interesting article today in the Louisville Courier Journal. I know that many depression sufferers will be able to relate to the topic but don't know exactly how to label the problem. Here's the story:Thursday, June 21, 2007 CFS: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Mysterious illness leaves sufferers feeling physically and mentally drained Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is mysterious: Its cause is unknown and there's no definitive test for the illness. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is convinced of its validity and has launched a campaign to draw the public's attention to the illness. Awareness campaign The multimedia campaign, which includes radio and television advertisements, is designed "to raise awareness about the illness, not only among the public but among health-care providers," said Marcia Harmon, a spokeswoman for the CFIDS Association of America , a charitable organization collaborating in the campaign. "CDC research has...
More About: Bling , Teri

FDA approves first ever drug for Fibromyalgia (FMS): Lyrica offers new hope
2007-06-23 00:03:00
There was some good news today from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It approved the first ever drug specifically to treat fibromyagalia. The drug is called Lyrica and could improve  the quality of life for six million Americans  suffering from chronic pain and the disabling disease of fibromyalgalia. Fibromyalgia , chronic pain and depression often are related illnesses. Chronic pain has a direct effect on mood and can exacerbate depression.Lyrica reduces pain and improves daily functions for some patients with fibromyalgia, notes the FDA. "Today's new approval marks an important advance, and provides a reason for optimism for the many patients who will receive pain relief with Lyrica," says the FDA's Steven Galson, MD, MPH, in an FDA news release. "However, consumers should understand that some patients did not experience benefit in clinical trials. We still have more progress to make for treatment of this disorder," says Galson,...
More About: Hope , Offers , Rove