Review by Donna McGowan:

This book is a must have for people suffering from FMS. It is the only book on the market today that offers a step by step treatment for reversing Fibromyalgia. It also offers information about the disease itself and the cluster of symptoms that come along with it such as: fatigue, IBS, skin irritations, vulvodynia, hypoglycemia, ect… This book will help you understand your body and how fibromyalgia affects it. It will also provide solutions for coping and controlling your symptoms until the guaifenesin makes them go away. I can truly say that Dr. St. Amand’s protocol has not only changed my life, but it has saved my life. Ten short months ago (Feb. 1999) I was in the hospital fighting for my life from an overdose of pain medications & antidepressants given to me by a rheumatoligst, who claimed that these medications were the only way to deal with fibromyalgia. Today I have been on Dr. St. Amands treatment for 11 months and 8 days. I no longer need or take any pain medication and my family doctor is now weaning me off of prozac. I am happy and have the will to live again. Please do yourself a favor, read this book, and start the protocol. It’s not easy but it works!

Review by :

After having tried for ten years to regain my vigorous health, this book, recommended to me by my hairdresser who learned of it from clients, has truly changed my life. I had been to countless doctors, naturopaths, accupuncturists, and chiropractors, but my prayers were answered when I read this book. I consider myslf well-read on Fibromyalgia. Dr St Armand’s explanation of the condition and his theory for reversing the disease struck me as honest and workable. I called my Naturopath, and we both dove into the cure. Four months later, I feel I have reversed the disease to the stage it was seven years ago. I no longer am fatigued, 75% of my pain is gone, and many other minor symptoms have disappeared. I have gone back to school to study to be a landscape designer, and aced all my classes the first term. (yes, the fibro-fog is gone!). The best part of reading this book is the courage it gives you to finally rejoin the world of active human beings by taking control of your own health care.

Review by Jon Steel:

I purchased this book for my wife who has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia after a co-worker recommended it. After making some changes to our food and what we eat, we are noticing a dramatic boost in energy and a reduction in aches and pains and sniffs and sneezes. I am enjoying eating real tasty food again since my wife has been using the recipes. You don’t have to have fibromyalgia to benefit from this book.

Review by J. C. Taylor:

This book is an eye opener. More like deer in the headlights shock…to find out that all the chemicals in processed foods and possibly the insecticides used in our produce can slowly be poisoning our systems is a real shocker for me! I’ve wondered what all the fuss is about for “organic” foods. Now I know. My mother had fibro and now all my brothers and sisters and myself also have fibromyalgia! I believe we will be eating more organic foods. The severe pain we suffer with throughout our entire bodies has got to stop! Why aren’t the produce farmers listening? This is definitely a book everyone with fibro should read. A must for your library!

Review by Mia:

I have read many books on Fibromyalgia and none of them really provided any useful information. They ranged from too much medical jargon to too many depressing stories about patients who were confined to a wheelchair with no hope of getting any better.

After reading the first few chapters of this book, I knew it was different. I love that each chapter is written by a different author, a doctor or specialist in whatever area is being discussed. This really gives the book a different feel from any others. I have learned so much already (and I’m not even through it) that will make a huge difference in my life. For example, in my continued effort to find help in handling the pain and challenges associated with Fibro, I have gone from one rheumatologist and neurologist to another with little benefit. Now I know that I am approaching it all wrong and which doctors and specialists would be more beneficial to my healing. I also appreciate the personal accounts of real people with the disease that are interspersed throughout this book. They are not the depressing tales of people with no hope to get better who have poor outlooks on life. Instead they are about people who have the real struggles, feel the same pain and trials that all of us who suffer do, but reflect on them in positive ways and on what has helped and hindered their progress. I realize that this disease may never be “cured” per say, but with the help of a book like this, I know that all of those out there suffering can find real hope and help which is, after all, the most important thing to all of us.

Review by Amanda Marietta:

I’m only halfway through, but so far, this book is an incredible resource. I’ve only had fibro for two years, but as a health care professional and patient, this book has helped me to understand my condition better and has helped me to explain it to others better. I work in a position where I teach patients all day, and I have found resources in this book that has allowed me to explain to fibro patients why they feel the way they do. I would reccommend this book to anyone with fibro. But I do feel that some of the language is geared toward the medical community or someone who is familiar with medical jargon.

Review by L. Little:

Fibro-response was recommended to me by a friend who observed my low energy, low stamina, and undefinable aches and pains throughout by body. This product truly made my life enjoyable again. Instead of feeling like I am made of eggshells, I now feel almost like my old self. Instead of feeling like I have the flu every day, I only feel relief. Even if you have not been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, I would suggest you try this product. It is excellent! (I used to use glucosamine chondroitin with MSM, but Fibro-response has replaced that supplement as it is more comprehensive in it’s effect.)

Review by Marianna Jones:

About 18 months ago I saw a doctor who was a specialist in only Fibromyalgia. He had written several books and after reading one of them decided to go and see him. One of the things he most recommended was Malic Acid supplements. So with some research I came across this product.

My pain levels are no longer in the 8-10 region. I do not take Lyrica anymore nor Cymbalta.

I was also diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome and I take medicine for this. And every day I take my Fibro Response supplements with Malic Acid, MSM and a whole list of other ingredients. I also take vitamin D supplements too.

Do I think that part of the reason my pain level is down is because of the supplements? Yes, that is part of it. I have no desire to go off the supplements and I have also purchased other supplements from this company. They ship fast too. Well worth the try.

Review by Michael L. Johnson:

If you have been newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia, this is one of the first books you should read. This book is very informative and I use it in my lending library at my office along with a few others. Fibromyalgia is REAL!!! Patients are not “faking it to get attention” or “imaging their pain”. If some doctors would simply check the FMS patient’s neurological signs they(the doctors) would find out that a patient cannot “fake” these important neurological findings!! This is a great book.Dr. Michael L. Johnson, author of “What Do You Do When the Medications Don’t Work–A Non-Drug Treatment of Dizziness, Migraine Headaches, Fibromyalgia, and Other Chronic Conditions”.

Review by Anne Gillingham:

When I came down with fibromyalgia, I didn’t know what had hit me. My family members were equally scared, if not more. Getting answers was half the battle. Anxiety heightens fibro symptoms, and the immediate answers presented in this book reduced a considerable amount of aimless worrying.

The information in this resource helped explain the signals that my body was giving off, and make sense of the condition. They also give practical solutions. Their rehabilitation strategies draw from many branches of medicine, including complementary and alternative ones.

This book is well written. It is palatable, valuable and comforting to those who confront this condition. Incidentally, you can also bring it into your doctor’s office, s/he might find their drug combination suggestions as valuable as you do.

Review by :

If you can only buy one book on fibromyalgia, you have found it. Look no further! When I got my copy, I stayed up all night until I had read the whole thing (not recommended by the authors, by the way.) While written in such a fashion that a newly diagnosed fibro patient can quickly find the information they need, it is also an extremely comprehensive book for the medical profession and layman looking for a more in-depth understanding of this little-understood illness.Invaluable to family and friends, an assist to fibromyalgia patients working with the medical community, and reassuring to the reader who feels they have long suffered from a collection of painful symptoms that no one else understood, “Fibromyalgia and Myofascial Pain Syndrome” has filled a long-existing empty spot in the health section of the bookstore.When you come home from the doctor’s office trying to remember which medication they prescribed, what treatment was recommended, and confusion reigns supreme, turn to this book.When your mother-in-law says “Well, my body aches and my memory is fading, and _I_ don’t have fibrawhatchamacallit.”, turn to this book.When your doctor pats you on the shoulder and kindly says “We are all getting older, you just need to accept it. I am writing you a prescription for your nerves.” turn to this book.In addition to coprehensive and well-documented research, many resources for further information and study are given, including internet addresses. Dr. Starlanyl has for years lent her time and talents to Fibrom-L, a fibromyalgia list open to anyone with internet access, guiding and reassuring those who need her assistance.From the moment I read the foreword, I know I had finally found the answer to my prayers, knowledge that I was not alone, and this was not “all in my head.”Thanks to Dr.’s Starlanyl and Copeland, countless thousands of fibromyalgia sufferers are “surviving”. You are both a blessing to us all.

Review by J. C. Waterhouse, Ph.D.:

This book was written by two Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) sufferers, one an M.D. and the other a psychologist. It covers both the technical medical theories and treatment approaches and the coping aspects in a readable and lively format. A whole section on coping strategies useful in one’s relationships with family, friends, workplace and doctors is included. Other chapters deal with meditation, the body-mind connection, and how to cope with the cognitive dysfunction familiar to CFIDS patients, termed “fibrofog”. The personal experiences of the authors are included in boxes along the margins of this large soft-cover book.Myofascial Pain Syndrome is discussed in detail in this book. Myofascia provide a tough film of connective tissue that surround muscle fibers and hold them in place. At the ends of the muscles, the myofascia band together to form the tendons and ligaments. The system of myofascia connect muscle groups, so that pressing on a sore area, called a trigger point, causes referred pain in another muscle trigger point. Fibromyalgia experts disagree as to the relationship between FMS and MPS, but it is clear that they often occur together in the same patient. A wide variety of techniques of physical therapy or “bodywork” are discussed as well as medical strategies for relieving pain associated with FMS and MPS. Many diagrams are included to help the reader locate various trigger points that relate to particular symptoms. The book also presents a self-help method that I found very useful for trigger point massage called “tennis ball acupressure“. It uses two tennis balls, knotted inside a sock, placed under various sore spots in order to release trigger points and relax overtightened muscles along the spine or elsewhere. This and other trigger point therapies may even help in non-pain symptoms like constipation. I found the chapter entitled “Questions and Answers About Common Symptoms” fascinating. Among the interesting insights, I learned how many symptoms could be related to trigger points, including things like blurry vision and even dizziness. Weight gain is a common concern among FMS/CFIDS patients and the chapter on nutrition includes important information on the role of excess carbohydrates in contributing to excess body fat, high triglycerides, fatigue, headaches, anxiety, mood swings and sleep disturbances among other symptoms. Both authors describe their successes with low carbohydrate approaches and I found my own fatigue and many other symptoms were dramatically improved on Dr. St. Amand’s suggested diet for hypoglycemia, which they discuss. This chapter also includes a discussion of food allergy/intolerance and the leaky gut syndrome, and how NSAIDS (e.g. ibuprofen or naprosyn) may contribute to these problems.An excellent chapter on fibromyalgia medications includes a brief description of 31 prescription drugs. A whole chapter is then devoted to guaifenesin, a treatment Dr. Starlanyl says she could not have written this book without. It was interesting to note that she also found guaifenesin helped her esophageal reflux (heartburn and nausea from hydrochloric acid irritating the esophagus). The authors describe Dr. St. Amand’s theory for why guaifenesin may reverse an excess of phosphate and calcium hidden away in cells causing lowered energy (ATP) production and many diverse symptoms. To succeed with the guaifenesin approach, it is essential to avoid hidden salicylates and to achieve an adequate dose (also, see the new book by St. Amand & Marek for the most detailed and up-to-date information on how to use the guaifenesin and low carbohydrate diet approaches. Also, see web sites, such as www.sover.net/~devstar, http://www.guaidoc.com and http://members.aol.com/SynergyHN). On the whole, I conclude that this book provides a wealth of useful information for those diagnosed with fibromyalgia, MPS and related conditions, like chronic fatigue syndrome, and I highly recommend it. I have found the allergy reduction, the guaifenesin approach, and the low carbohydrate diet especially helpful in my own case.

Review by Kathy:

I got this hoping for some exercises for Fibro. The Fibro info section is very disappointing because it makes it sound like Fibro isn’t real. And I don’t agree with the info they give. I lead a support group, and I know that Fibro is more than “pain”. I was hoping to get some stretching exercises with this. What I got was a yoga guy and a bunch of hard to follow yoga moves. The entire thing was about “breathing”. You need to breathe. Yes, but I wanted a gentle way to stretch my muscles! I keep geting a list of stretches to do from PT and am trying to find a video, so that I can remember what it is I’m supposed to do. This isn’t it. Don’t waste your money. The Living with Fibromyalgia video is MUCH better as far as info on Fibro. No exercises, though. I’ll keep looking.

Review by Cynthia Montgomery:

Nothing new AT ALL. What a surprise because I thought Mayo Clinic would have been so innovative. I like Comfort Zone Training Feeling Younger Workout – they REALLY makes me feel better right away. I also like the Feldenkrais water exercises DVDs too.

Review by Devin J. Starlanyl:

Fibromyalgia The First Year: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, by Claudia Craig Marek. This book is one of the most valuable tools a newly diagnosed fibromyalgia patient can own. The author is a care provider who works with a respected doctor specializing in fibromyalgia. She has fibromyalgia, and has raised two fibromyalgic sons. She has spent a great deal time listening to and observing patients, and doing her best to answer all who come to her with questions. Including me. Much of that knowledge she has gathered is within this book.The book is separated into handy segments. You can learn what you need to know immediately and then build on it. There are explanations on common tests for co-existing conditions that may be adding to your problem. Some of these conditions that may profoundly impact your quality of life. Their descriptions are included,. and advice on how to ease their impact. There are sections on medical insurance, diet, vacations, raising children with fibromyalgia (and what to look for), support groups, work-related problems, and one of the best letters explaining fibromyalgia to others. The description of cognitive deficits (fibrofog), so difficult for us to describe to others, is clear and hits the mark. Here is someone who understands. One of the biggest problems patients with fibromyalgia face is that it is poorly understood by others. The patient often has to spend valuable energy and time educating supporters and even care providers. This book provides ways to smooth the education process. She also explains many symptoms by giving examples, and they are ones that will resonate with fibromyalgia patients. This book is not just for the newly diagnosed. I believe that all patients with fibromyalgia, and their supporters would benefit greatly by reading this book.

Review by Amy H:

As the title indicates, this book is geared towards those who are new to fibromyalgia and are facing what I wrestled with when I was first diagnosed: eight million questions about what was happening to me, what do about it, and what my diagnosis meant to me and those around me. Ms. Marek does an excellent job of providing a comprehensive overview of everything I remember wanting to know the day a doctor told me I was one of the millions with fibromyalgia. How could I reduce and cope with pain and fatigue? Why in the *heck* was my body doing so many weird things? Did anyone else feel this way? How could I continue to live my life?In spite of the book’s orientation towards the newly diagnosed, I learned things I didn’t know. Therefore, even those who have lived with this illness for a while can benefit from this book. I know I’ll find it to be a useful reference to return to, and am happy to have it on my shelf. What did I most love about this guide? The writing is clear and easy to follow. I’d describe it as conversational, as if Ms. Marek was having a private discussion with me. She illustrates the practical information with her personal experience (she too has fibromyalgia), as well as with the experiences of others.This book is well-organized, and broken into manageable sections with section headings. If you are heavily fogged, you can read a little, bookmark it, come back to it later, and use the headings to remind yourself of what you were reading.In addition to a wealth of practical information about managing fibromyalgia, Ms. Marek talks about the emotional aspects of living with the disease. She discusses how it affects not only the person with this illness, but those around them. She addresses things like denial and acceptance, and the role those play in our lives. So many books I’ve read mainly talk about our physical symptoms and what to do about them. They hardly mention what it feels like emotionally to live with fibromyalgia. Ms. Marek speaks to the human being underneath the illness…the person who is struggling to maintain their identity in the face of a body that no longer works the way it used to.In summary, this is a solid, well-written book that I wish someone had handed to me when I was diagnosed. As the title says, this is an Essential Guide.

Review by Belle of the Ball:

This is finally a book that can be read by everyone and it might mean that you don’t need to make an expensive trip to the physician’s office! This fabulous book contains information about how fibromaylgia is thought to occur, how it is diagnosed, and how…finally…how it can be managed through lifestyle changes that are mostly at no-cost. Also, this book is the ONLY one at this time to describe the 3 approved medications for fibromyaliga: Lyrica, Savella (approved Jan 09) and Cymbalta. No other book is this complete and up to date.

The author has a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology and she actually has fibromyalgia…so you are getting the facts from someone who knows for sure.

GET THIS BOOK and share it with your loved ones. Finally, a book that respects us and and author who understand what we deal with and have trouble explaining.

FINALLY!

Review by HibbiddyJibbiddy:

I try to read every book about fibromyalgia to get as many POVs as possible about the condition. Although I have a medical background and have read many of the studies used in this book, I have to give great props to the author for translating the research into a format that the lay person can read and understand.

The author lays out many different theories of causes of fibromyalgia, drug and non-drug treatments, and other issues surrounding fibro in a very reader friendly format. She presents everything in a very neutral format so that the reader can get a clear unbiased picture of all that is encompassed with having fibro and make up their minds about what might work for them or their loved ones.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who thinks they might have fibro, were recently diagnosed, or have a loved one or family member with fibro.

Review by O. Funkhouser:

Dr Murphree and his team treated my wife’s fibromyalgia 8 years ago in Birmingham, Alabama. The same techniques that he developed those many years ago are still present in this book. My wife has been free from fibromyalgia by following his dietary and vitamin regime. Yes, the book pushes the vitamins he has developed. But I have also conducted my own independent research of his vitamins with other known brands (Shacklee, Centrum, GNC, and Amway). Dr Murphree has put forth the effort to develop vitamins that will be absorbed and utilized correctly by your body (not sit in your stomach and pass through like a rock). If you are tired of living with fibromyalgia, then pick up a copy of this book, “read” it, and “live” it.

Review by Chellebelly:

I’ve not finished reading this book yet, however I have found it to be very useful already. I’ve been living with Fibromyalgia for about 14 years now, and have tried all kinds of treatments, mostly those involving pharmaceutical drugs. I’ve been looking for information on treating my condition(s) holistically/naturally for some time, and came across this book at my local library. I found it to be so informative that I immediately purchased it on Amazon. Even if you’re content with your current treatment, it’s still chalked full of great information about Fibromyalgia & CFIDS.