The Fibromyalgia Misdiagnosis
“It’s idiopathic. I like to say the idiot doesn’t know the pathology, and that’s your doctor,” says Dr. Steven Hotze, MD. He takes issue with doctors who stamp a label on a disease and do not dig further to assist the patient in potential underlying causes.
Dr. Hotze blames busy doctors who are uninterested in further symptoms or tests saying, “He doesn’t know what’s going on, all he knows is he’s got this new disorder describing fibromyalgia.”
Dr. Hotze says fibromyalgia was amplified as a catch all disease as a protocol to sell more phamaceuticals. He explains it was, “Dreamed up by the drug companies in the late 1980s.” He goes on to say, “They give you antidepressants which will never make you better, in fact, will make you worse.”
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Dr. Hotze says the conversation leading up this point looks much like this:
“Doctor I ache all over, every muscle in my body aches. What have I got? I’m scared!”
He does a battery of tests, charges you thousands of dollars, comes back in and says, “You’ve got fibromyalgia.”
“What is fibromyalgia? What does fibromyalgia mean?”
“Well it means you have joint and muscle pain.”
“That’s what I told you I had.”
“But I told you in Latin!”
“How do you treat it?”
“We’ve got some Cymbalta or Lyrica.”
“But those are antidepressants!”
Dr. David Brownstein, MD adds, “The other question to think about, is fibromyalgia caused by an antidepressant drug deficiency syndrome? The answer is clearly no!”
Instead the two agree it’s often a slow thyroid causing the problem.
Thyroid symptoms include: constipation, loose stools, bloating, belching, gas, yeast problems, hair loss, puffy face and eyes, ridged fingernails, enlarged tongue evidenced by teeth grooves on the sides of the tongue, thinning of the outsides of the eyebrows and recurrent and chronic infections. To read more click here.
Dr. Hotze says, “Recurrent and chronic infections are a sign that your immune system is unhealthy not that you have low levels of antibiotics in your body. If you have to have one round of antibiotics after another, or if you have to have antibiotics at all that tells you your immune system is not healthy. The most common cause of a low immune system is poor energy production, which is thyroid hormone.”
He adds magnesium is often low, to the point of deficiency. He recommends magnesium citrate, like this one or magnesium glycinate, like this one (affiliate links). He says people are so low in fact, “We treat everybody across the board with magnesium. Historically Americans are very low in magnesium. It is essential for the production of the energy molecule in the body which is ATP (Adenosintriphosphat), effected by the thyroid hormone.”
Pure Encapsulations say magnesium glycinate, “Is necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids and fats; also for energy production, and the utilization of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium. This vital mineral also helps utilize B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Magnesium glycinate is less likely to cause loose stools than other forms of magnesium.”
Magnesium sold in the form of aspartate, citrate, citrate/malate, and glycinate are highly bioavailable magnesium chelates. Pure Encapsulations say they are beneficial in, “Supporting the metabolism and utilization of many essential nutrients and the proper functioning of important enzymatic and physiological functions.”
Magnesium is key to assisting an ill thyroid.
Other symptoms of thyroid dysfunction are recurrent and chronic miscarriage, infertility and irregular cycles. Dr Hotze says, “In the old days when women had frequent miscarriages the doctor would empirically put them on a grain of Armour Thyroid.” He says it’s so common due to the imbalance of the female hormones and that every women will have an issue with her thyroid at one point or another.
Dr. Brownstein says putting women on Armour Thyroid with miscarriages was historically normal treatment saying, “There’s numerous cases, histories of articles, about doctors doing that in the old days. That’s gone these days.”
In 1888, The Transactions of The Clinical Society of London (click here) published a study saying six women are diagnosed with thyroid issues for every one man. They said the heavy percentage of hypothyroidism, hypodema at the time, was due to the imbalance of hormones as they progress through menstruation.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, specialist in autism, schizophrenia, and autoimmune disorders recommends magnesium malate as it is most easily digestible. Click this affiliate link for a clean magnesium malate.
*If you learned something from this post share it so others can do the same. To support the efforts of this blog shop the affiliate links above like this one. You pay the same shopping through Amazon while the author receives a small referral fee from Amazon. This offsets the costs of this site.
*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, GAPS who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia through food she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. This is not a news article published by a paper trying to make money. This blog is put out by a mom who sees first hand the effects of nourishing food vs food-ish items. No company pays her for writing these blogs, she considers this a form of missionary work. It is her desire to scream it from the rooftops so that others don’t suffer from the damaging effect of today’s “food”.
Other sources:
http://www.drbrownstein.com/
http://www.doctor-natasha.com/gaps-book.php
http://www.gapsdiet.com/
http://www.hotzehwc.com/en-US/default.aspx
http://www.pureencapsulations.com/
http://thethyroidsummit.com/steven-hotze-md/
9 Comments
Shame on you!! I think this article is most offensive! Fibromyalgia IS REAL!! I understand there may be some that are misdiagnosed or have tried to diagnose themselves. However, that does not mean some are accurately diagnosed by a qualified physician. Are you aware at one time some thought of MS as nothing and it was all in their head? After tons of research has been done it has been proven to be a very real and very serious disease. I have confidence that with more research fibromyalgia will be proven to be a very serious disease as well. Don’t jump to conclusions you have no proof to back up. Articles like this are only belittling and discounting those that suffer from fibromyalgia every minute of every day. Instead of discounting those that suffer, try to ask more questions to understand. I personally have fibromyalgia and was diagnosed from my doctor and then confirmed by my rheumatologist from the University of Michigan. I read your articles looking for help to feel better, not worse. I am doing exactly what your article says by treating my thyroid and taking magnesium plus other vitamins. Guess what! I still have fibromyalgia. I also have Sjogren’s Syndrome which too is very misunderstood because people know so little about it. All I ask is that you do more research before you post an article that demeans those that suffer. Thank you for hearing me out.
i went back and re-read the article. can you tell me where it gave you the impression that fibro isn’t real? the doc quoted says he believes an underactive thyroid (which often doesnt show up on tests) and magnesium deficiency is a main player along with immune system.
Along with the title and this quote: “I like to say the idiot doesn’t know the pathology, and that’s your doctor. He doesn’t know what’s going on, all he knows is he’s got this new disorder describing fibromyalgia which was dreamed up by the drug companies in the late 1980s,” says Dr. Steven Hotze, MD.” This is clearly his opinion. Where are the facts to prove his opinions are accurate. I’m sorry I came across so harsh on my first post. It seems there are so many opinions and not enough facts on this subject. My personal belief is to try and treat sickness as naturally as possible, however, there are times when prescription medication is needed. Each person needs to be treated individually, not in general terms. It’s not a one size fits all, like this quote: “We treat everybody across the board with magnesium. Historically Americans are very low in magnesium.” And this one: “He says it’s so common due to the imbalance of the female hormones and that every women will have an issue with her thyroid at one point or another.” While that may be true for some how can he say this as a broad statement? I believe it’s irresponsible and unprofessional to speak in such broad terms. He wants to treat everyone for something they may or may not have an imbalance with. Isn’t that what he is accusing the idiot doctors for doing with antidepressants? I hope this helps explains where I was coming from.
Michele you are tripping.
As a parent of a child now an adult whose been suffering most of his LIFE I found this information most interesting. He has many of these diagnoses and NOTHING prescription wise seems to help my son whose in constant pain. I’m very grateful to those parents willing to share their findings. I too have been DX with fibromyalgia and also have many of symptoms with the thyroid conditions as well.
THANK YOU MOM FOR YOUR BLOG!
how do i get your blog by e.mail please
my.e.mail mkentdad12@outlook.com
mark
huh. there used to be a box on the right where you could sign up and have it delivered to email but it’s gone now. i dont understand technology – at all – so i’ll have my geek husband try to fix it tonight. he’s adorkable. thanks for the head up!
Michele, you might benefit from reading it again. It is anything but offensive to someone suffering from the symptoms labelled as “fibromyalgia”, because it refers and links to science and practitioners that address the underlying causes, rather than treating/masking symptoms. That’s real medicine. And the same goes for MS. See for instance this article – Autoimmunity and the Gut – which reads:
“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most frequent and severe demyelinating neurological diseases, mainly affecting young people, eventually leading to their becoming disabled. Increased intestinal permeability in these patients and in their relatives has been reported.” – from http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ad/2014/152428/
Read it again, digest it, then thank this caring Mother for her information! 🙂
I was misdiagnosed with fibro when in reality I had a congenital spinal disease. My symptoms were arm and leg pain. I had several spine procedures (the first at age 17) and a paralysis with loss of bowels at age 30. I BEGGED the rheumatologist to do an mri of my spine due to my history, but she refused. I still have her report where she complains that I did not agree with her diagnosis. How could I? I am not even a doctor, but little taps with a hammer was very unscientific with no empirical evidence of ANYTHING!
All I got was worthless meds that made me sick. After about 10 years and 5 docs I gave up and stopped going to doctors because I just got worse and worse and no one would listen. I realized the “bad” diagnosis just followed me from doctor to doctor, and all the doctors I saw refused to entertain any idea that I was misdiagnosed. I got tired of being herded through medical offices like cattle and NEVER listened to, I got tired of hearing “you’re crazy,” “it’s all in your head,” and even “there is nothing wrong with you.” I was treated horribly my the American medical system, so I gave up.
In April of 2012 I had very high blood pressure (which was due to the incredible pressure on my spinal cord) and started getting dizzy and passing out. FINALLY an mri was ordered and I was FINALLY properly diagnosed with congenital spinal stenosis. I cannot believe all the doctors I saw that never read about all my spine problems I reported and didn’t do an mri, even when I BEGGED! My disease went misdiagnosed for 32 years and caused serious spine problems. I have 14 affected levels, discs are completely gone, and vertebrae are worn down so far the pain sensors are worn off!
I call fibro the lazy doctors diagnosis because almost EVERY person I have met diagnosed with this is now DEAD! Why? Because it was a misdiagnosis. I am still alive (barely) with a permanent spinal cord injury and collapsing spinal column thanks to LAZY, UNCARING, NON LISTENING, WORTHLESS doctors. I had 3 spine surgeries this year and almost died twice. I got a spine infection that almost killed me because the idiot P.A. DID NOT LISTEN when I told her dissolving stitches dissolve before I am healed, and needless to say the stitches dissolved and an infection attacked my spinal cord.
Now I have a thyroid tumor and I REFUSE to see any more quacksters, they almost killed me SO MANY TIMES it’s RIDICULOUS. The USA has terrible health care providers and if you become disabled, like I did, good luck because no decent doctors take Medicaid. I am disabled because of a 32 year misdiagnosis from well over 20 doctors and P.A’s.!