I have been reading this discussion and I have to agree that not only is Fibro a CNS problem, it is also autoimmune. I will look to find sources to back me up, but almost everyone who has FM either also has an other condition that is autoimmune or has a close relative who has an autoimmune problem. It just makes sense, really, autoimmune put simply means that the body’s immune system has gone haywire and is fighting itself. Couldn’t triggers such as trauma cause a cascading response that ends up being what we label fibromyalgia in someone who is prone to autoimmune conditions?just makes sense. I too will keep looking for sources to back up this theory…thanks for starting this thread SK!
Hi Lisamay, and in reading Laurie's post, "Was this meant to happen", hearing her neighbor's children's 'inability to'deal with her Fibromyalgia', could this be their own predisposition to stress response? If there ever can be a reason behind this behavior?
It's like a continuance of the same disconnection on another level?
Sorry if it sounds as though I'm talking in circles, it seems to take us in circles! I hope you are well today!
I would certainly see it is an autonomic nervous system disorder, That we feel pressure as pain is the key giveaway. Structurally our nerves are likely to be just like anyone else, through the receptor and motor nerve. What I think it is fair to say is that the nervous system and brain do not read the signals being sent properly. I personally am of the opinion that a lot of our problems are caused because someone has plugged the wrong appliance into the socket so to speak, so rather than getting the air con (pressure signal that we want) we have got the heating (pain signal that we do not want). Both the electric supply and the appliances work normally, BUT we are wired so that when we feel pressure the signal is met by a pain response rather than by a pressure response that we want.
Now lets take this a stage further. I want to introduce the idea that more appliances are laying around, all in perfect working order but with the labels mixed up on the plugs. Our body is met by the response that out heart-rate is abnormally fast (tachycardia), (pretend a dirty floor), and the response to that should be to switch on the hoover, but we accidentally plug in the television, thinking we are doing the right thing and addressing the problem in a way that we should (after all we are trying to hoover). Now the television may not make the tachycardia worse but it is certainly not going to make it better either, so it continues and out body keeps unplugging the television and plugging it back in because it has hoover written on the plug and that is what is needed... we just get nowhere. The list of examples of this is endless, but what is important is that all of us have some (perhaps different) appliances with the right names on the plug, and more often than not the backups (dustpan and brush say) which take longer do still get the job done, but our bodies have to work that bit harder to get it sorted that someone without fibro.
Taking this one stage further, as there are such a large number of possible mix ups that can happen in our body and we may only have two or three, or one hundred I would argue that fibro is in a way, a spectrum disorder. There are those of us who can function better than others whilst being affected. There may be those who are able to work and lead a normal life but have the abnormal response to pain, then there may be those of us utterly crippled by it because of how many mismatches have occurred.
I am going to stop now because I am not sure this is making sense.
Mikex (p.s. I have been so busy with uni work and I am really sorry for not being on much. I miss you all lots and lots and give you each a *hug* xx)
I just want to say that this is all very interesting. I will have to re-read many times in order to begin to understand it, but I would like to thank you all for this discussion.
Again, thank you.
LK
Just had a bit of a look on line and think this reference might be of use.http:www.meresearch.org.UK/research/2012/sensitization. Cheers Barb
It says that the page cannot be found... maybe its a signed in site and that is why? x
I’m not real good at this stuff. I got in there Ok, let me see if I can send it to someone !
let’s try this, google, ME research UK “In the mind or in the brain. Scientific evidence for central sensitization in CFS”. Cheers Barb
Mikejudd I had to copy and paste the link, then erase the last part that says sensitization, and do a search for central sensitization. It was there then 
Did it and posted a new link below to make it easier for people... I am just reading through some of the details of the study, but none of it is overly surprising, just really confirmatory of what I think most of us with these conditions think anyway :)
Thanks Mike that worked. cheers Barb
There are no answers at the moment! barb
I think Pall in his book Explaining Unexplained Illnesses comes the closest to an explanation of this condition, but I’m sure that you are all familiar with his work. barb
Maybe no answers but certainly a few ideas that need research
I think we will find there are a variety of sub-types of fibromyalgia similar to the way that sub-types of ADD/ADHD have been discovered. There are those who are chemically sensitive, those who have had trauma in early life, those who have had prolonged stress, those who have been in major traffic accidents, and those who are sensitive to the increasing amount of electromagnetic fields (Finland medical study). All of these come together as possible factors for an individual with fibro. So, why not autoimmune as well? Yunus has a theory that is part of a dysregulation spectrum syndrome. We are learning so much so fast that I am hopeful for the future treatment of fibro!
yep, I can’t wait for a treatment. let’s hope the researchers get lucky. there certainly seems to be a connection for some people between fibromyalgia and other autoimmune conditions. In terms of cause it seems that many different type of toxins, and stressors that initiate a physiological change that expresses itself in many different ways. Dysregulation spectrum does seem to hit it on the head and I think the multiple body systems effected. barb
Hi Lisamay,
I have read and researched a lot since being diagnosed about 6 years ago. I always wondered if my Mom having MS and Dad having polio (now Post polio) might have "set me up" as well as trauma and accidents, illnesses and surgeries etc. I have never been able to find any link to the MS or Polio thing but I still wonder.
Susan (energy healing)