Review of You The Owner's Manual

[paucek.sheldon1]

I have been reading "You The Owner's Manual" by Michael Roizen. I find this to be quite an interesting book. I would be interested in what the doctors on the board think about this book. But I digress.I recommend this book. Very interesting overview about how the body works, how we screw it up, and how we can try to extend our lives.But I digress again. This book has a chapter on the immune system and tells how the immune system maintains a record of past illnesses. If the auto-immne system detects a new virus or bacterial infection it goes to its file and tries to figure out how to fight it. But sometimes the auto-immune system gets confused and attacks healthy tissue causing problems such as lumpus, iritable bowl syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis; and maybe BFS/BCFS.What is interesting is as you get older you file of virus/bacterial threats gets filled up and past threats get deleted out to make room for new threats.Last year I did not have a flu shot because I thought it is possible this caused BFS. Why? Because something caused my auto-immune to get confused and attack my nerves. As a side note, my friend who has a doctorate in immunology thinks the a flu shot caused my problems is low.Not sure if this will solve our problem.Still I hope you find this interesting.-43RichyThe43rd

 

[sarahtootss]

43RichyThe43rd I am quite sure it is al auto immune. My BFS started right after a flu shot and a Hepatitus A shot. In addition I have never even had acold since BFS.

 

[DonJose]

Hi all, I believe it to be autoimmune as well. Mine started in conjunction with going hyperthyroid due to autoimmune Hashimotos syndrome. Many autoimmune symptoms overlap and people with one autoimmune condition often have another.Linda

 

[Spaghetti69]

i am not sure that BFS is auto-immune mainly because there already is an auto-immune disease that attacks the nervous system!! It is caused multiple sclerosis!! Any auto-immune disease generally causes inflammation on the area that it attacks Lupus, MS, Crohns, Rhematoid Arthritis etc etc which is normally takes a long time to heal 3 months even with the help of steriods. Unless i am mistaken generally BFS symtoms are normally fleeting okay we all get the occasional hotspot with the popular areas being eyelids, calfs, feet archs and triceps but nothing suggesting inflammation. Also because we are all generally very health aware most people on here have all had MRI's, CAt scan EMGs all of which would pick up inflammation on the nervous system. From what i can see on here 95% of people have normal test and neuro examinations.I am certain BFS is not autoimmune but instead an over active nervous system. The nervous system communicates with the body in two ways - via chemicals called hormones and by electrical impulses that travel at a speed of 130 metres per second, when you are stressed this is increased to give you a chance to run away from that big lion that is about to eat you or fight the bloke in the pub that is chatting up your wife! Too much of this and your body becomes overloaded with Excess cortisol which interferes with mood enhancing neurotransmitters called serotonin. Disturbances in serotonin levels can be a factor in causing clinical depression and anxiety disorders i.e. health anxiety which makes the whole problem worse and hence you are in a vicious circle resulting in more stress. After a while your nervous system is in constant high alert and these electrical inpulses become too high resulting in muscle twitching, buzzing, migraines, muscle pain etc etc I firmly believe this is what most of us here have but i think once the nervous system has been stressed it almost is damaged and can take a long time to recover hence the reason why alot of us on here have been twitching/buzzing/tingling for years. There seems to be a link between this and viral infections and i cannot really think of a reason why that is....i had mumps about 3 months before my BFS started and does make you wonder but maybe a virus just makes your nervous system more sucesiable to being hyperactive. I think we will never know for sure as even top doctors dont really understand the nervous and immune system despite what they claim, and no one really is bothering investigating this BFS as most people dont reconise it as an actual illness or disease as it doesnt cause any disability which is something i think all of us should be very grateful for. Good luck and happy twitching......

 

[paucek.sheldon1]

Hello Pezza,I see you are new member. Welcome.The topic of Type A personalities maybe causing BFS has came up before. The reply from some of the people is that they were pretty mellow and still got BFS.Now I expect more people on this board are type A than not. But that might be becasue they are on this board seeking an answer.I have read similar research consistent with your description of how the nervious system works. I am also aware of other nervious system deseases. I do not disagree with your assessment.However, there are people on this board who have had BFS for 25 years. I am not sure it is the body trying to work off some chemicals.However, all insights are welcome.-43RichyThe43rd

 

[ZekesTraveller]

PezzaI also don't believe it is autoimmunity either but we don't rally know either way. Research does point to some immune mediated damage on the nerves. BFS shares very little similarity to the auto-immune diseases I have seen in people. Well, I very much hope it is not autoimmunity. The only thing I disagree on is that for many it does cause disability and for some the mental suffering can be very severe. This is one of those things that makes it hard to distinguish "benign" vs an actual progressive condition. Since BFS/BCFS appears to not damage but merely gives the sensation it is very hard for someone to distinguish the real from the not real so to speak. Its my daily waterboarding ritual I guess! Any who.....we will survive and eventually come out of this tail spin like many that have gone before us.