Friday Chronic Roundup

PCOS/Insulin Resistance/Diabetes
Reasons for insulin.
Thin folks get diabetes too.
High blood sugar leads to pregnancy complications.
A "Mediterranean" diet prevents diabetes.

IC/Bladder/Vulvodynia/Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
A new incontinence drug is being marketted in Switzerland.
A new mast cell study for bladder pain that quantifies mast cells.
A new study suggests that multiple pelvic surgeries lead to pelvic floor dysfunction.


CFS/Fibromyalgia/Pain
One fibromyalgia sufferer turns to medical marijuana...and must fight for the right to do so.
Clearing up the confusion surrounding CFS.
The link between thyroid malignancy and CFS.

IBS
Five tips for entrepreneurs (and anyone else really) with IBS.

Daily Inspiration: 5/30/08

Weekends are a bit like rainbows; they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them. -John Shirley

It's In The Way You Walk

Or it could be anyhow.

Researchers have stumbled (pardon the pun) upon an interesting discovery. It appears that people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) walk a little differently than those without it.

Methods: Twelve individuals with CFS and 12 matched controls participated in the study. Each subject walked along a 7.2m walkway three times at each of three velocities: self-selected, relatively slow (0.45 ms-1) and a relatively fast (1.34 ms-1).

A motion analysis system was used to investigate the sagittal plane joint kinematics and temporal spatial parameters of gait.

Results: At self-selected velocity there were significant differences between the two groups for all the temporal and spatial parameters measured, including gait velocity (P=0.002).

Very interesting. But does it get us anywhere?

Conclusions: The self-selected gait velocity and/or pattern of individuals with CFS may be used to monitor the disease process or evaluate therapeutic intervention.

I guess that's something. It's an interesting find nonetheless.

Study Opportunity

The National Vulvodynia Association is conducting a large-scale study of women who have pain with intercourse. The info is below.
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Dear NVA Friend,

Below please find information on a national clinical trial that is currently recruiting participants.

Sincerely,

Chris

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Christin Veasley

Associate Executive Director

National Vulvodynia Association

PO Box 4491

Silver Spring, MD 20914

www.nva.org

Is Intercourse Painful?

Clinical Study for the Treatment of Vaginal Pain

If you suffer from Vaginal Pain you may qualify to participate in a clinical research study.

This study is currently taking place only in the United States and participation will last approximately 18 weeks and will require approximately 8 visits to the doctor's office.

The following are requirements to be considered for the study:

- You must be 18-50 years of age

- You must be continuing to have periods

- You must be in a steady relationship for more than 6 months and having vaginal intercourse

- You must be willing to abstain from intercourse for 2 weeks

- You must use effective contraception

- You must be in general good health

To find out more about the study and locate a participating physician, please refer to the below listings and contact their office directly to talk to the study nurse about the study and if you may qualify.

If you qualify, you may receive: study-related medication, study-related lab tests, study-related exams and compensation for your time and travel.

STUDY SITES

Montgomery, AL

Montgomery Women's Health Associates, PC

Contact: Muray Marshall

334-281-1191; mmarshall@montgomerywomenshealth.com

Chandler, AZ

Star W Research

Contact: Stephanie Wells

480-732-7405; swells@womenshealtharizona.com

Phoenix, AZ

Precision Trials, LLC

Contact: Debbie Romesburg

602-931-4507 x 225; DebbieR@PrecisionTrials.com

Searcy, AR

SearcyMedicalCenter

Contact: Cindy Savinsky

501-278-2800 x 6789; csavinsky@researchsolutionscorp.com

San Diego, CA

San Diego Clinical ResearchCenter

Contact: Kellie Harden

858-793-7220; kellieharden@hotmail.com

Lakewood, CO

Physicians' Research Options

Contact: Victoria Webb

303-985-9100; Victoria.Webb@proslc.com

Clearwater, FL

Women's Medical Research Group, LLC

Contact: Nina Zaniefski

727-724-9730; ninaz@xxresearch.com

Hudson, FL

Clinical Research of Tampa Bay, Inc.

Contact: Linda Queen

352-263-3462; lqueen@tampabayrr.com

Largo, FL

Innovative Research of West FL, Inc.

Contact: Marianne Segal

727-584-6368; hm4hands@aol.com

Tampa, FL

Insignia Clinical Research

Contact: Holly Ruhlig

813-739-1174; hruhlig@tbwc.com

West Palm Beach, FL

Comprehensive Clinical Trials, LLC

Contact: Val Allen

561-478-3177; vallen@cctllc.net

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Women's Research Inst.

Contact: Crystal Smith

678-867-9410; crystals@awhg1.com

Roswell, GA

Atlanta North Gynecology, PC

Contact: Randi Baill

770-992-2691; Researchrn1@aol.com

Boise, ID

The Woman's Clinic

Contact: Amanda Cambra

208-947-9805; cambraa@slrmc.org

Idaho Falls, ID

Rosemark Women Care Specialists

Contact: Lisa Clark

208-557-2927; lclark@rosemark.net

Champaign, IL

Women's Health Practice

Contact: Jan Dedrick

217-356-3736 x 370; Jan.Dedrick@womenshealthpractice.com

Grand Rapids, MI

Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogynecology Institute of Michigan

Contact: Beth Rogers

616-742-5614; rogersbv@gvgobgyn.com

South Bend, IN
Northern Indiana Women's Health Research
Contact: Terri Stoll
574-280-3946; www.niwhr.com

Paw Paw, MI

Women's Health Care Specialists, PC

Contact: Michelle Padley

269-657-6189; whcsresearch2@yahoo.com

Brooklyn, NY

BoroPark Ob-Gyn

Contact: Lena Basilio

718-216-0667; lbasilio@premresearch.net

New Bern, NC

Eastern Carolina Women's Center

Contact: Amanda Corman

252-633-3942 x 485; ccrc@womensctr.com

Winston-Salem, NC

Carolina Medical Trials

Contact: Amanda Moore

336-794-0149; akikermoore@bellsouth.net

Winston-Salem, NC

Lyndhurst Clinical Research

Contact: Lisa Cumming

336-354-1076; research@lyndhurstgyn.com

Englewood, OH

HWC Women's ResearchCenter

Contact: Heather Groff

937-771-5103; hgroff@hwcwrc.com

Gallipolis, OH

Holzer Clinic

Contact: Laurie Wayland

740-441-3990; lwayland@holzerclinic.com

West Reading, PA

Advanced Clinical Concepts

Contact: Jan Petrie

610-929-9484; aclinical@advancedclinicalconcepts.com

Simpsonville, SC

Hillcrest Clinical Research

Contact: Becky

864-962-5146; becky@hillcrest-cr.com

Chattanooga, TN

Southeastern Clinical Research

Contact: Kim Norwood

423-778-6947; kimsnorwood@msn.com

Jackson, TN

The Jackson Clinic

Contact: Patient Recruitment

800-685-7633; study.info@scresearch.net

Memphis, TN

Adams Patterson Gynecology & Obstetrics

Contact: Patient Recruitment

901-255-2254; study.info@scresearch.net

Memphis, TN

Research Memphis Associates, LLC

Contact: Regina Bernard

901-507-2248; rbenard@wccmemphis.com

Austin, TX

Professional Quality Research

Contact: Teddy Brose

512-374-0677; tbrose@pqrinc.com

Corpus Christi, TX

Advanced Research Associates

Contact: Bonnie Gutierrez

361-906-9178; info@araresearch.com

Houston, TX

The Women's Hospital of Texas

Contact: Nelda Fraga

713-790-8500; Nelda.Fraga@hclhealthcare.com

Sandy, UT

Physicians Research Options

Contact: Peggy Genebach

801-352-9228; genebach@proslc.com

Salt Lake City, UT

Salt LakeResearch

Contact: Christy Christiansen

801-288-9778; cchristiansen@saltlakeresearch.com

Daily Inspiration: 5/29/08

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! -Dr Seuss

Daily Inspiration: 5/27/08

The test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves. Logan Pearsall Smith

Friday Chronic Roundup: 5/23/08

IC/Pelvic Floor/Vulvodynia
Allegedly so-called "obese" people are more likely to have urinary problems. I think this is not a root cause study--this is one of those just so happens that fat people are having urinary problems study.

IBS
At least one study shows Amitzia may work for those who suffer from IBS-C.

Insulin Resistance/PCOS/Diabetes
Is insulin resistance the tie that binds the Syndrome X?

A very complicated study on early growth restriction and insulin resistance.

The importance of PCOS early intervention.

Other
Fibromyalgia treatment is best when multi-faceted.

Daily Inspiration: 5/23/08

There is one thing even more vital to science than intelligent methods; and that is, the sincere desire to find out the truth, whatever it may be. -Charles Sanders Pierce

Daily Inspiration: 5/20/08

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world. -Buddha

Voices From The Body Chronic: Ray of Light After 10 Years of Pain

Ladies and gents, we have our first guest blogger! And what a good story she tells.

Today we'll hear from Alexandra Carmichael. Alexandra is the author of earth-change.blogspot.com, a serial bio-IT entrepreneur, and Taoist Tai Chi instructor. She lives with her husband, two daughters, and vulvodynia, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Ray of Light after 10 Years of Pain

I can say it - I have vulvodynia. For me that means I experience sex as an intense burning, like scraping a knife over a raw patch of skin or squeezing a watermelon into your nostril. Not fun, to say the least. And it's not just pain with sex. Tampons, jeans, riding a bicycle, and excruciating pap smears leave both me and my doctor in tears.

I was finally diagnosed last month after 10 years of pain, misdiagnosis, and emotional anguish. I saw six different doctors during this time who were baffled as to why I was in pain and how to help me. Finally my naturopathic doctor discovered that my estrogen level is lower than that of a post-menopausal woman, and I'm 31. I'm starting on an estrogen cream therapy to see if it helps. I'm hopeful, because the only time in my life that I didn't have extreme pain with sex was during both of my pregnancies, which suggests my vulvodynia may be hormonally linked. As I understand it there is more than one kind of vulvodynia, but it is still poorly understood by scientists.

I learned from the recent Vulvodynia Awareness Campaign launched by the NIH that up to 10% of women will experience some level of vulvodynia at some point in their lives. That's an incredible statistic for something most people have never heard of. We suffer in silence, and the personal stories we could share to learn and support each other are few and far between. It's just not the kind of thing you bring up at the weekly office lunch party. I decided to tell my story and put it out here, for what it's worth, hoping to help someone who may be lonely and afraid or inspire someone else to share their experience too.

Thinking back to when I first felt the grating, stinging pain, at the time I really didn't know what to think. I couldn't get past the feeling of being broken, the thought that this is not what sex is supposed to feel like. I didn't know where to turn. I remember asking my mom and my doctor if sex was supposed to hurt, and when they reassured me that it didn't, I felt myself crumbling inside. I got up the courage to go to a gynecologist, who very painfully probed me and told me to just relax and use lubrication. Another one put me through a battery of tests and told me all my levels were "within normal limits". A third doctor told me she was going to try to "open up a tight area" by burning my vaginal tissue with silver nitrate. Thinking it would help me, I let her do it on two occasions. It was all I could do to stop images of rape from filling my imagination. Needless to say, my symptoms did not improve. I read everything I could about vulvar pain, and tried simple home remedies like using very gentle detergents, modifying my diet, and wearing loose cotton clothing. No difference. I tried homeopathic remedies, reiki, and acupuncture. Still the same pain. I began to give up hope, and resigned myself to believing that this was just something I would have to live with for the rest of my life.

During this time, my motherly instinct grew so strong that it temporarily overcame the pain by sheer determination, and to my great relief it worked and we got pregnant quickly. We now have two beautiful daughters and are so grateful for them every day.

I remember learning that vulvodynia can sometimes improve after childbirth, but I actually had the opposite experience. In the past two years since my second daughter was born, the pain has increased. It also changed so that I now not only feel pain during contact, but also with normal activities like walking or taking a bath. The pain will flare up without warning and for an unpredictable amount of time. While not severe enough to impede my daily life, this new kind of pain did led me to seek naturopathic care, and I was so fortunate to find a wonderful, compassionate doctor who is working with me to reduce my pain. I also practice tai chi to help balance my body, mind and spirit.

I still have a glimmer of hope that I can live pain-free, but I must admit that the thought of pleasurable sex is just too far for me to even think about. Even if the physical pain went away, which I'm not convinced it will until we understand more about vulvodynia, I have so much psychological and emotional trauma to work through.

I am so grateful for my amazing husband who is supporting me through this. Vulvodynia really does affect both partners. We have been through the trenches together in so many ways, which has brought us as close as two people can be. We love working together, as scientists and entrepreneurs, and want to do whatever we can to help solve this puzzle and reduce suffering for me and millions of others in pain. Sharing my story is the first step.

Thanks for reading.
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If you are interested in telling your story or developing an interconnection between chronic pain and chronic illness and outside forces or influences, please e-mail me at thebodychronic@gmail.com.