Progression and Death

Everything I've read has said that fibromyalgia is not fatal.  However, a local obituary listed cause of death as fibromyalgia.  Can fibromyalgia affect internal organs such as the heart or otherwise cause systems to fail and cause death?  Thanks in advance.

[PlateletGal]

Wow... I would like to see that obituary. I'm not sure about fibromyalgia, but I do know that CFS can kill and family members of deceased loved ones had fought hard in court to get CFS listed on the death certificate as the cause of death.

[msvjv]

Thanks for the response.  Do you know what the actual cause of death is in the chronic fatigue syndrome deaths?

Unfortunately I did not see the obituary.  It was mentioned to me by an acquaintance of mine that I've just gotten to know who also has FMS.  I called our local paper and they couln't search back far enough to check.  If I can find the energy I'm going to go to our local library to try to find it.  If I do, I'll let you know.

[texasrose204]

i dont know about fms being cause of death but sometimes i feel like it is killing me!  when i am having a bad day i wonder how long is this going to go on , it has just taken over my life it seems!

[Curls]

No studies have show a coorelation with death.  However, I think it's because no studies have been done yet.  It's not an obvious connection if there is one, so it doesn't stand out.

However, I know and have spoken with two respectable people (one a CFS doctor, one on the cfids board or some other advocacy board) who believe their relative died of heart failure related to CFS.  It's not a common story, but it does have an erie ring to it.  

Officially I know of one death on a certificate and that was in England for dehydration from CFS.  The list Chris mentioned is interesting.  However a lot of those are loosely connected not directly (a fall from lack of balance for instance), and it was a little too, well too something, for me to take it all in.

The other relationship to death is suicide and the rate is similar to MS and other chronic debilitating illnesses.

It is possilbe iwth the funky immune system that we are more susepctible to cancer.  No evidence of that yet even annecdotally.  There is a much higher rate of ovarian cysts (similar to other autoimmunes like lupus and MS).

I don't think about it much (higher death risk).  It hasn't been obvious in any way that gets me worried.  However, if one is in the pattern of overdueing until they literally collapse (not just get exhausted), I'd suggest figuring out a new pattern.  I had (common) intense chest pains for a while, but they were smooth tissue NHM related, not heart related, and not a risk of anything.

Well, that's what I know about that topic.  Hope it gives some ideas.
Have a good day!

[Curls]

No studies have show a coorelation with death.  However, I think it's because no studies have been done yet.  It's not an obvious connection if there is one, so it doesn't stand out.

However, I know and have spoken with two respectable people (one a CFS doctor, one on the cfids board or some other advocacy board) who believe their relative died of heart failure related to CFS.  It's not a common story, but it does have an erie ring to it.  

Officially I know of one death on a certificate and that was in England for dehydration from CFS.  The list Chris mentioned is interesting.  However a lot of those are loosely connected not directly (a fall from lack of balance for instance), and it was a little too, well too something, for me to take it all in.

The other relationship to death is suicide and the rate is similar to MS and other chronic debilitating illnesses.

It is possilbe iwth the funky immune system that we are more susepctible to cancer.  No evidence of that yet even annecdotally.  There is a much higher rate of ovarian cysts (similar to other autoimmunes like lupus and MS).

I don't think about it much (higher death risk).  It hasn't been obvious in any way that gets me worried.  However, if one is in the pattern of overdueing until they literally collapse (not just get exhausted), I'd suggest figuring out a new pattern.  I had (common) intense chest pains for a while, but they were smooth tissue NHM related, not heart related, and not a risk of anything.

Well, that's what I know about that topic.  Hope it gives some ideas.
Have a good day!

[fibromed]

i have fms and some of the meds they put you on ie amitryptolyne can make your hear race 120 bpm  for three solid weeks - in the first week my pharmacist and i decided to go off the 10 mg dose (as i could not talk to my specialist who had written the script because he had one arrogant receptionist and my doc was on holidays - no one else wanted to say or do anything) and it took two weeks for my heart to go back to normal- i am very thankful for my pharmacist - there are so many symptoms with fibromyalgia that affect organ systems and muscle groups (everything is connected in one way or another)- as with chest pains - there are so many layers of thin muscles lining the ribs ,in between  and in the back - i always use heat(cool for itis's)  first then check with the doctor

[Mya_Symons]

If the person with CFS or Fibromyalgia is XMRV positive, they could die as a result.  The cause of death could be the following:

Congestive Heart Failure due to Mitral Valve Proliferation
Brain damage ( due to pin sized leisions in the brain or circulation problems or low blood volume) or
cancer (especially blood cancer--the disease damages the natural killer cells putting the person at high risk for many different cancers.  However, blood cancer is most likely because sometimes the body will compensate for the Natural Killer cells not working by creating too many white blood cells.)

[MEFMJanet]

Ever since I became ill and was finally diagnosed with CFS and then FM, I have had a high white blood cell count.

NOBODY...no doctor has been able to explain this to me.  I've seen a hematologist (had a bone marrow biopsy), a rheumatologist, a virologist, neurologist...the list goes on.  Why are NONE of them able to explain why my white blood cell count has continuously been higher than normal for more than FIVE years?????

Wow...I'm glad I found this thread.

[msvjv]

Thanks so much for the replies.  I'm currently ending a very stressful period (son had a kidney transplant) and I've been in a flare for months as a result of a bad fall I took last winter. I'm overweight even though my caloric intake is low. My thyroid is normal and my doc says I must exercise vigorously and cut calories. She recently started working out with a trainer and lost a lot of weight and is now on a crusade to have folks drink a protein shake for dinner and do spin cycling and all of the stuff she does. She knows I have FM and has been somewhat sympathetic but still insists I must be doing something wrong to be this heavy.  I'm so sick of it all. The meds that I've tried have caused or carry bad side effects and I yearn for a good night's sleep and to feel "normal" again.
msvjv