Flux Health Forum

Fibromyalgia

Pain and Inflammation
#1

I have suffered from Fibromyalgia since 2008.

Over the course of 11 years and many different pain management specialists and rheumatologist my body and brain became an experiment with the many drugs they use to treat chronic pain and Fibromyalgia and after 10 years of pretty major side effects… I lost my personality and my career.

Last fall a new family physician suggested I stop the medication I was taking and I went off the drugs all together only to find myself in very severe painful situation needing strong pain medicine. I could barely move- everything was locked up. It really freaked me out! Even with narcotics the pain was still pretty strong.

And I was DESPERATE to find a solution that was not related to taking more prescription medications, which is all that traditional medical doctors can offer. And unfortunately even 3 months of Accupuncture didn’t give me relief.

I started looking for other non drug alternatives for pain…and I found PEMF and decided to try a session at a local business. I ended up having sessions at 3 different local businesses.

The second shop put goggles on me with lights and sound along with laying on the pad. After that 20 minute treatment, I felt really good…like I did before I got sick almost 20 years ago (which lasted for a couple of hours). It was amazing. It was like a miracle.

Unfortunately the mat and goggles I used, called Omnium 1, cost around $5000. (which isn’t affordable for most people).

The 3rd business I went to had the Bemer Mat and I found I could only use the lowest setting without increasing pain and making it worse. That mat was also $5000 and out of my range. I knew that PEMF was helping me so I started searching on line for something affordable, and found your website.

After reading and reading about your product and speaking with your representative on the phone, I ordered the M-1 the first week of June (2019).

I wear the M-1 pretty much all day. I purchased 2 extra batteries that came with a charger so I always have 2 batteries with me (one in the device and one extra) and I carry them in a money belt around my waist and from there can reach my low back, upper back, and even my knee with the longer coils.

Initially I found the 10-12 setting on Omni 8 is too strong and I started out with 7. I have increased this now to the 12 setting.

So far the Beta-2 at setting 5 on my head or neck has worked to help me feel better overall and I use the Omni 8 on my low back and mid back spine.

I had a double fusion on my low back lumbar spine in 2015 - and that was my “original injury” from an auto accident. I also have arthritis in my upper back as well. My Ortho Dr has told me I need a knee replacement on the left knee- which of course I don’t want- so I am using the M-1 on my knee too and it does ease the pain pretty miraculously.

I wear the device pretty much all day and have experimented putting it under the mattress pad with the Delta setting to try and help me sleep. And I am sleeping better!

I have used the M-1 for sinus headaches and jaw pain in addition to the above.

The most amazing thing was within 2 DAYS of getting the device I was able to start doing 15-20 minutes of aerobic dancing exercise each morning. Which was like a miracle! It was like a light switch was flipped on in my brain.

I had become hyper sensitive to movement and only days earlier 3 minutes of stretching would cause severe pain for several days! The added activity has really helped lower my pain level too.

I also suffer from Costochondritis -(inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone) It’s sometimes severe. Using the M-1 has made a huge difference for me in this area and the pain is almost non-existent while I am wearing the M-1. Amazing!

Although I still have pain now, I can tolerate it and I am functioning much better. My hope is, that in time, the pain will go away altogether. I know you can’t give medical advice here, but I was wondering if anyone with Fibromyalgia has used the device and shared how they have used it and which settings they used?

I would rather experiment on myself with the M-1 than take drugs :slight_smile: . And your product really does work for pain by reducing inflammation…I am wearing the M-1 everyday and sometimes at night too. I may need to purchase the Array coils or get a larger pad to lay on at some point to address all areas as I have pretty wide spread pain. But for now I will continue with the M-1, and the great results I am getting.

Also I was wondering if you have any trials going for people with Fibromyalgia where I might glean more knowledge.

We love your videos and learning more about the M-1 and how to use it and how it has worked for others. We love Grumpy Science- you guys are so funny - and we learn alot too! So I guess you could say we have become your fans :slight_smile:

Thank you for making a device that I can afford, that has helped me to start feeling so much better, sometimes I forget that I have Fibromyalgia!!! It is a real blessing to be able to move again, and the exercise has so many added benefits too! -

I have also signed up for 6 months of the Brain Gauge and I was wondering about the Connectivity scores and what they mean??? I think my SCORE is between 0-2 and I don’t think I’m autistic :slight_smile: But I am curious why my score is so low and doesn’t seem to move.

Also I’m particularly curious to see if I can duplicate the results I had using brain entrainment from the Omnium 1 device??? The M-1 since has so many different settings and I will experiment more with my M-1 to see if there is anyway to duplicate that :-). But if you have suggestions I’m happy to hear them!

Thanks again for your help.

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#2

very inspiring story, a pleasure to read. thanks for sharing. I feel the benefits of using ices pemf are system wide no matter where it’s placed.

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#3

Well, that’s just awesome, thanks! Several people, mostly friends of mine, have used ICES for fibromyalgia and they all had very good results. They were using the model A9, so they were using the Omni-8 protocol, and most of them used it on H.
I started getting quite severe fibromyalgia in my right fore-arm muscles about 6 years ago. It grew pretty rapidly until I could not use my right arm for much, and then, terrifyingly, it started spreading throughout my body, starting to hit key muscle groups all over and growing rapidly. The only device I had at that point was the A9, so I strapped it on and started wearing it all day and most nights. It seemed to have no effect for about the first week, then the second week I got some partial relief, but then all of a sudden, after about three weeks of constant use: the pain just disappeared!
Not only did it disappear from my right forearm, where it had started, but it vanished from all the other locations it had been springing up in, just by focusing on the one area that was first and worst, my right forearm. When that was fixed, all else returned to normal.
I maintained use for another two weeks, or a bit longer, just to really allow the tissue to recover. The fibromyalgia has never returned again in any location anywhere in my body.
Others who have used it for shorter periods tell me that they get relief, but that it comes back from time to time, so they have to use ICES again periodically.
I think the best strategy is to continue daily use for at least a week or two after all pain has subsided, just to prevent future recurrence.

As far as the Cortical Metrics Brain Gauge is concerned, you could always use the “Contact Us” on their web page and ask Mark Tommerdahl what he thinks. He would know the detailed meaning of your scores and could probably give you some key insights.

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#4

Thanks Bob-

You’re always such an inspiration! I have cranked the M-1 to 15 on Omni 8 now-

So grateful for this device!!! I have been using the device for almost 3 months and I can tell when my pain starts to return that the battery has run out, and it’s time to change it, so I know it’s working!!!. It has made a huge difference for me even if the relief hasn’t become permanent yet.

I have been wearing it most nights for the last few weeks too, and will make sure now to use it every night going forward.

Hopeful my pain will disappear permanently like yours did Bob.

I will contact Mark Tommerdahl about the Brain Gauge score- thanks for the advice!

#5

One more thing that might help: if you run the M1 at high power, try to swap batteries about once every hour. That gives you the best performance. I know that sounds like a bother at first, but I keep spare batteries and chargers near my various work spaces, and literally, any time I think of it, I swap the batteries to keep a freshly charged one in the M1 unit. It works better for me this way for sure.
If you use the M1 at night, consider using a USB-mini-B cable for power. Since you are not walking around at night (presumably), this will give you the best performance. Try to keep the M1 in a cool location with air circulation, not buried under pillows or quilts, for example.
Hope that helps.

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#6

I will follow your instructions- I’m asking Alexa to remind me once an hour to change the battery. Will also use the mini usb for night time. Thank you sooo much!

#7

Since you mention alexa does that mean you have wifi on in your house? Wifi can be a real stressor on the body and as well as other wireless signals and even electrical fields from hours wiring. Have you experimented with turning various electronics off and seeing if there is an effect?

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#8

Thanks for your concern Doug and for taking time to comment.

We only recently (a year ago) acquired Alexa due to some wiring issues in our home, and I have had my condition for at least 10 years.

In my search for answers I had read some people have extreme reactions to the wifi currents and I actually tested this out 3 years in a row I left my home for 4 months each year and lived on a farm in a remote area. Unfortunately my symptoms didn’t change.

And currently moving away from the very densely (wifi) populated area where we live isn’t an option for us.

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#9

Thanks Bob- I used the USB mini cable last night for sleeping and it worked like a charm. I have 2 sets of cables and I can leave one on the bed and one in my money belt for daytime. Do you think it’s better to use array coils at night? Is it ok to put the coils under the mattress pad so they don’t move around and I can’t feel them under me? Will they still work from that distance?

One more question- will the M-1 work off of an iPhone charger with the USB and not use the battery inside of the device during the day? Would that give better performance instead of changing the batteries once an hour during the day? It’s a little heavier but I could still carry the iPhone battery in my money belt.
Or would that damage the M-1?

#10

OK, I am glad that is working for you.

Power pack for iPhone?, yes, thatcan work, but only for some types of power packs. Most of them shut off if they detect very little power drain, and ICES devices are very energy efficient, so… it gets very technically complicated: Some will work, others will shut off, etc. So you can try using one, but it may or may not work because of the ultra-high efficiency of ICES technology. But if used properly, a USB power pack will not damage the ICES device, so you do not have to worry about that.

I would list which power packs work, and which do not, and I did try doing that for a while, but there are so many manufacturers, and they change their products and their specs so often, that even one full-time person, dedicated only to that one task, could not keep current with every battery pack that becomes available or changes.

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#11

Thanks Bob-

I have several different manufacturers and will experiment with confidence knowing that they won’t “damage” the M-1. Thanks so much :slightly_smiling_face:

#12

Wondering u have taken turmeric. It’s good for your condition.

#13

Thanks Darcy- I take Curcumin Capules- drink turmeric tea and cook extensively with turmeric. But thank you for the suggestion! Maybe your comment will help someone else on this forum! Have a good weekend!

#14

I was wondering if the A-9 is more affective for fibromyalgia? I think I read that it can handle a split coil so you can use it on 2 areas at once. My M-1 is magic for so many things but my fibromyalgia type pain was relieved initially after wearing it 24-7 for a few weeks, however it is still occurring when I am under stress…and I am wondering if there is anything that I could do differently that would improve my results???. I was wondering if I should be using the TMS setting, or some other setting on my head- it seems the pain is originating from the brain since otherwise I am perfectly healthy. To me the pain seems to be totally related to my stress level. I’m walking twice a day and trying to meditate some too to lower my stress. (and trying to avoid the news) Any suggestions?

#15

The A9 probably only works about as well as the M1 for that, so I don’t think you should spend any more money. When I was struggling with fibromyalgia and CRPS, the main thing for me was regular, persistent use even after symptoms had abated. It is tempting to discontinue use or reduce use when there is less pain, but this seems to lead to an on-again, off-again cycle of pain at every trigger. What finally worked very well for me was regular, daily use, even when not in pain. I did this at a convenient time (relaxing, in bed), every evening for several hours, sometimes all night. Within a few weeks I got to the point where none of the old nasty triggers were causing pain, and as far as those sources of pain are concerned, I have been free of them for many months (the CRPS) and many years (the fibromyalgia).
I think this works because the use of ICES-PEMF allows normal tissue healing, which is a slow and progressive process. Since you have already seen some relief from using ICES-PEMF, I would guess it is probably working for you too. My scientific hypothesis is that it is necessary to continue this process, especially when pain has subsided, long enough for full tissue recovery. That means daily use for several weeks, maybe a month or two, maybe longer, well beyond the last instance of pain. That’s my opinion.

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#16

Hi Bob-
I guess I need to start wearing the device 24-7 again, and I will. That’s what I did in the beginning and I got great results. For September and October 2019 my fibromyalgia symptoms were almost completely gone. So I really believe in your device! I’m sure I did decrease the use of the device once the pain went away. However I have been sleeping with it on at night since December on some body part…knee, jaw, neck etc. I’m using the USB plug in feature as much as possible and mostly Omni 8 but some A-9 also. But I will go back to 24-7 use diligently!

I know this is an amazing device and advancement in medical science and I have told so many people about it. Even the Mayor of my city :slightly_smiling_face: who suffers from severe back pain.

I really value your advice and opinion. I know you have worked hard on this and done so much research for this device to be available to people like me. I’m just so thankful that you invented this device Bob. I will work harder at using it correctly and consistently for the better results. And thank you so much for taking the time to respond! Have a great weekend!

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#17

I just bought the M1 today. Before I purchased, I asked a support person if I could use it on Delta setting for 11 hours (that’s not a typo) a night under my pillow to try to ease my severe insomnia. She said that would be fine, and suggested I use it with the AC power adaptor. Now, I am very concerned. I would not have purchased the unit if I thought that it couldn’t be used in this way. Could you please advise?

#18

The M1 is designed to be ultra-portable and wearable. For this reason, it uses a small camcorder battery. If you do not need to be walking around and doing physical work (for example: when sleeping) you have the additional option of using a USB Mini-B cable as a power source. That allows use of the device indefinitely, for any length of time, without running down a battery.

It would be wonderful if all devices had batteries that last forever, are not bulky, weigh nothing, and cost nothing. But the reality is that every real physical device has a design trade-off when it comes to batteries:

More power or more duration or both = bigger and more expensive batteries = less portability which also tends to equate to more cost.

More portability = less mass = smaller battery = shorter battery life.

The M1 is designed to be as flexible as possible in this regard:

If you need portability, you can use a very small and inexpensive battery, but then it does need to be replaced every few hours (battery life depends on the intensity setting). But this allows you to walk around with minimal physical constraint.

If you do not need to be moving around, you can plug it in and it will run indefinitely. In this case you need to use a USB charger port, not a laptop or desktop computer USB port.

This is just simply reality. Everything works at best this way, or less well, depending on how well it is designed.

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#19

Some thoughts on Turmeric: I’ve done extensive research on supplements that shift microglia from the pro-inflammatory (M1) phase to the anti-inflammatory (M2) phase. Turmeric is one of those compounds. However, I chose other supplements that have anti-inflammatory effects via microglia phase shift because for my chronic fatigue any compound that increased GABA or facilitated it doing its thing made my illness worse. Turmeric happens to facilitate GABA’s function. Gaba decreases release of Dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Noradrenaline helps keep microglia in the M2 anti-inflammatory phase. So turmeric was a double edged sword for me. Methotrexate also increases GABA, and upon use, I immediately felt worse. That’s why it makes you tired. I know fibro is different than CFS and it’s entirely possible increasing GABA’s function may be good for fibro. It is my belief it is likely not the best supplement for CFS.