# New scan for fibromyalgia available?



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

I was curious if anyone had heard of a new brain scan available to check for Fibromyalgia? I was sent an e-mail from the website of WebMd, and it said that doctors were using this scan with positive results. It would be nice to have an offical diagnosis on documentaion. How about it mrsmason?....And, if so, would our insurance DARE pay for it?














I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I have read on this site of so many people having trouble with their doctors or insurance, I am curious to know the facts! I am blessed with a wonderful doctor that totally understands the pain associated with FM. I pray this is true for all suffering people with this horrible health problem.


----------



## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Rowe, this is wonderful news. Where can I get more info on this. Do I just type in Webmd?


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Hi Weener..staying warm?







Yes, the website is www.WebMD.com, and then type in "scan for fibromyalgia" on the search. I had deleted the e-mail, and had to look the address back up. WebMd has a lot of interesting articles on Fibro. Enjoy! (like I have this 56 degree weather today..Mean, aren't I)?


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Weener..that's what I get for being mean. The website is www.WebMd.com.


----------



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

You know, I remember reading something about this on immunesupport.com - Though I must say I can't remember what it said!







There are a lot of theories that FMS patients have certain chemical problems in their brains, or certain parts of the brain are activated that shouldn't be, or some such thing. I suppose if that were true, the scan would work to detect it. Not sure, I don't know much about it myself. Interesting though. I'll look on WebMd too! Cool.


----------



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

I'll have to check out the link too Rowe. Thanks. I may have to wait until tomorrow, as I am about brain dead myself trying to get online with digital cable setup today. (This feeble 'ol brain finally managed but I had hubby set up the e-mail because I couldn't take it anymore. My head was about to split. It was good for him, because I have been pretty much setting up most of the stuff with the computer, so it was about time he worked with some of it. He just called the cable company and they just walked him through it, no problem.) There was a spot on GMA, I believe about a year or two ago where a doctor who had fibro was studying this and found differences on a Cat Scan with her patients. I mentioned this recently at a fibro meeting when they had a physiatrist (again, not to be confused with psychiatrist) speak who mention brain scans in regards to another type of patient he treated, but he said he didn't know anything about this with fibro patients. However, just because he didn't hear of it, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. He may have been speaking about EEG he reads rather than CT of the head too. Not sure.


----------



## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Thanks Rowe for the website. I'll have to catch it tomorrow too. You are teasing







about the weather.Well, as I write this we are getting a snowstorm. Earlier in the evening, hubby was so cold (and we do have the furnace on







) he was wearing a toque, had a comforter and a blanket over himself and was eating a fudgicle. There is something wrong with this picture.


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Weener, you are welcome. Yes, I am teasing about the weather..that's just my nature







Sounds like hubby is preventing a meltdown? A snow storm huh? We had a blizzard 1993. It was a different scene that I had ever experienced. We have never had more that 12 inches of snow! We had 14 at one time that year! I missed the chance to make a picture of one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. I had a bird feeder in my backyard hanging from a dogwood tree. The snow was almost up to the feeder. I looked outside my window, and there were about 10 to 15 red Cardinals (all male) attempting to get seeds. The red against the white snow was unbelievable! Also, I went out to my back porch to put cat food out, and a green (still do not know what it was) bird was attempting to fight the wind and stay in the air, and I almost caught it. I wish I had left it alone, because I think it was trying to land inside of the porch. BUT, then again, the cat could have made a meal







I hope you do enjoy the website and learn from it. Best thoughts coming northward.


----------



## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

"nothing found"is the results i get when i search for'scan for fibromyalgia'.maybe i mis spelled it.that never happens ha ha.i seen a lot on brain scans that simply reveil the activated part of the brain.in that case they would only have to determin whitch part is ative with fm and go from there.just my theory.


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Hi squrts..I think that is basically the idea of the scan. It sounds promising to me, if it gets to this little hillbilly town. May have to go to Atlanta for better technology. Do the search on "brain scan for fibromyagia" and see if you can retrieve it. Let us know your opinion.







Keep growing..by the way, did you look at the Antidepressant forum and see my question to you?


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

squrts..blame it on the fibro-fog. Duh, it was this site I ask the question.


----------



## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

i tried a couple other forums before and never had much luck so i just settled down here.ill take a peek.


----------



## squrts (Aug 14, 2000)

gee,i guess my fog is bad too,lol







what was the question,which post?


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

I know how your feel squrts..It was on Fibromyalgia and Prozac results. Hang in there..the fog will eventually lift for us all


----------



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Just thought that I would add this link for pictoral proof on brain scan and the article from ABC since I just came across it while searching something else: http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/living...thywoman_4.html


----------



## Rowe2 (Sep 26, 2002)

Thanks unmoulded..I say we are getting closer to some answers, don't you? That was a very interesting article. I will pass this on to my mom.


----------



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Your welcome Rowe.


----------



## Susan Purry (Nov 6, 2001)

Very interesting article! I hope this ifo will improve the experiece of Fibro patients with doctors; diagnosis, treatment, attitude etc. I suspect it may take a while to filter into common practice though? I found this interesting; "The researchers found that fibromyalgia patients have significantly less blood flow to the parts of their brains that deal with pain". This relates to some research on the part of the brain called the mu opiod system which is the natural painkilling system we have. It receives pain signals and is supposed to send out pain relieving chemicals. It was found to be dysfunctional in ME/CFS patients (wish I could find the link), so perhas in Fibro patients too? It's also the place in the brain where some painkillers work, so maybe that's why some of us don't find painkillers that effective?


----------



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Good to see you back Susan. Hope things are going okay with you. You might have something there about why some pain medications don't seem to be effective for us. I didn't read the whole article again. Did it say how many patients they scanned and how many of the brain scans showed these results? Can you tell I'm too lazy now to go back and read it? I just got finished staining a window and the fumes are over-whelming me, so I don't want to attempt too much concentration right now.


----------



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Wow, great to see the brain scan results. Very cool. Thanks for sharing that! Makes it looks like (maybe) we're getting closer to a definitive answer!


----------

