Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) and unrelenting fatigue (UF) that have been taken from our on-line survey results. For those who responded to the survey - thank you. For those who are looking for answers to these and other questions, keep asking until you find them. That is the only way you will find your path to wellness. For answers to other questions, call toll free 1-866-443-4276 and speak with a National Patient Representative.

Q. Will it ever go away?
A. For many patients, comprehensive treatment of the underlying causes can completely eliminate many of the symptoms and if not eliminate, then substantially reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms. It is possible for patients to achieve this level of success and lead more normal, active, and fulfilling lives. Your goal and the goal of your health care provider should be to first identify and address all the causes of your pain and fatigue. This goal can be achieved by working with a specialized physician.

Q. Is the pain that other FM patients experience as severe as mine, and do they take as many painkillers as I need to take to simply survive from one day to the next?
A. Severe insistent pain is the most common symptom of fibromyalgia. Patients often describe it as experiencing the worst flu they ever had and then getting hit by a truck. Many patients take relatively high doses of pain medications in order to physically manage simple day-to-day tasks. Keep in mind the painkillers simply mask the symptoms and do not address the physiological and underlying problems that are causing the pain. Painkillers are commonly used to relieve the symptoms. The temporary relief achieved by using painkillers is helpful as a short-term stabilizer, but is never acceptable as a long-term solution.

Q. Could this become fatal?
A. Fibromyalgia (FM), chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS) and unrelenting fatigue (UF) are not known to be the specific cause of death to date. However, underlying etiologies that may be present in FM/CFIDS/UF patients can increase the risk for life-threatening illnesses. An example of an underlying etiology is a suppressed immune system, which may cause FM/CFIDS/UF patients to develop illnesses such as staph infections, pneumonia, and viruses that can affect vital organs. An inability to adequately fight off these illnesses or keep them in check, can lead to very serious consequences. Another common problem for FM/CFIDS/UF patients is that their symptoms can mask symptoms of a serious condition. For instance, FM patients often experience tightness in the chest, pressure on the upper torso, tingling, and numbness in the arms or on one side of the upper body. These symptoms are similar to those experienced during a heart attack or stroke. FM patients are warned not to take these masked symptoms lightly and to seek medical assistance if they occur.

Q. My doctor thinks my FM is caused by emotional problems. Can this be true?
A. While researchers and specialists in this field are making great strides to educate health care professionals, many practitioners still think that FM, CFIDS, and UF are manifestations of psychological problems and not physiological problems. High levels of stress can be a trigger for the onset of FM/CFIDS/UF; therefore, health care professionals often diagnose patients with depression. These practitioners often prescribe anti-depressants or mood altering medications, which temporarily mask the symptoms and do not lead to a long-term solution. In reality, anger and depression are often symptoms of living with chronic pain and a lack of compassion and understanding. The key to overcoming this is to find a health care provider who understands the complexities of these conditions and acknowledges that they are real diseases that are based in your body, not in your head.

Q: When will a Center come to my city?
A: Since FFC opened in 2004, we have rapidly grown to over 14 “Centers of Excellence” throughout the country and we continue to look at various locations for future FFC Centers. The process of finding a location depends on a number of factors including locating the right physician match for our patients and protocols. Please visit our website often or call 866-443-4276 to see if a Center is coming to your city soon.

Q: Why do you not take insurance?
A: Due to the complexities of these conditions, our physicians often spend up to an hour with each patient, performing an extensive review of the patient’s health history and previous care to determine what treatments need to be administered. Because these conditions require thorough analysis of all underlying causes and symptoms, we simply cannot diagnose our patients properly and determine a plan of care during an 8-10 minute office visit that is dictated by insurance companies. Our goal is to provide you with the level of care that you deserve and need in order to properly diagnose and treat these conditions.

Q: I have had extensive blood tests already, can those be used?
A: We do encourage patients to bring in the results of previous tests for the physicians to review; however, depending on the symptoms presented, the physicians may or may not be able to use existing lab work.

Q: What tests do you perform that other physicians do not?
A: Standard reference ranges within tests are not effective. FFC understands the gap of what is considered “normal” and is able to diagnose based on the true levels. Therefore, we do extensive lab testing, including 20-30 or more specialized blood tests that allow us to look at the overall picture. We are committed to finding out what is causing each patient's symptoms. For example, we test many hormones—from sleep hormones, such as melatonin, to female hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. We also look at other hormone levels, such as human growth hormone and testosterone, because both women and men need adequate levels of these hormones, and evaluate thyroid, adrenal gland, and pituitary gland function. We also perform viral and bacterial infection tests, looking for 8–10 different viral, bacterial, and fungal infections that may be present in your system and can affect immunity.

Q: What happens during the first visit?
A: During the first visit, our physicians spend up to an hour going over the 25-page patient questionnaire that evaluates all of your symptoms and your medical history. Upon review, a treatment plan is put into place and your pain is addressed.

Q: Will the FFC physician replace my primary physician, or do they work together on my treatment plan?
A: In most cases, our patients have a primary care physician, but he or she is not always able to effectively treat the complexity of the patient's symptoms. Our physicians are trained and specialize in treating these conditions; however, we do encourage complementary therapies, such as chiropractic services, massage therapy, etc., if these treatments provide symptom relief.

Q: How long does the average treatment continue?
A: The average patient sees significant improvement after the 4th visit; however, we encourage all of our patients to continue through the maintenance program. The approximate treatment period is 12 months, depending on how aggressive a patient is with the treatments and on how his or her body responds. Treatment depends on the patient and on the severity of underlying factors as well.

Q: What sort of training do your physicians undergo?
A: All of our physicians undergo extensive training by our Medical Director, Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, and Co-medical Director, Dr. Marc Spurlock. Upon completing clinical training, physicians actively participate in monthly conference calls to receive updates on the current research and studies. In addition, physicians continuously receive the latest research and findings on treating fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue via email.

Q: Are there any support groups in my area that I can contact?
A: FFC encourages our patients to become a part of a local support group. There are several national organizations that we recommend to our patients. Please visit their websites or call for more information:
National Fibromyalgia Association: 714-921-0150
Fibromyalgia Coalition International: 913-384-4673
FACES: 773-936-4183

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