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JANUARY 2006 |
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OFFER E-NEWS |
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Sponsored by the Organization for Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Education and Research, OFFER Education Meetings:
"Select Research Advances and Implications for Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Lucinda Bateman, M.D. OFFER Executive Director and board member of OFFER, CFIDS Association, and American Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome January 4 (Wednesday), 7:00 P.M. Salt Lake County Complex North Building 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT "Jaw and Neck Pain: The Role of Posture and Positioning" Dawn Duran, Physical Therapist Canyon Rim Physical Therapy, North Clinic Director February 1 (Wednesday), 7:00 P.M. Salt Lake County Complex North Building 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT OFFER's Education Meetings, the first Wednesday of each month, are free and open to everyone. Park free in the lot at the northeast corner of the complex. See upcoming meeting topics at http://www.offerutah.org/MEETINGS.html. Arthritis Foundation Programs:
Say "Know" to Fibromyalgia Pain Take the Arthritis Foundation Self-Help Program, designed for people with arthritis, fibromyalgia and related conditions, to learn how to better manage pain and stress, how to effectively use relaxation and sleep techniques, and for information about medications and alternative therapies. SPRING SPECIAL: All of the following spring classes are FREE to participate in (normally $30). Pay only $15 if you wish to keep the textbook Good Living with Fibromyalgia. Pre-registration is required as seats are limited. Pick the date and location that work best for you and call today to sign up.
Jan 24 to Feb. 28, Tuesdays 9:45-11:45 A.M. Midvale Senior Center, 350 West Park Street (7610 S), Midvale To register, call Rebecca Sovereen at 566-6590. Jan 24 to Feb. 28, Tuesdays 1:30-3:30 P.M. Westside Sunday Anderson Center, 868 West 900 South, Salt Lake City To register, call Darylne McPheeters at 538-2092. Jan 25 to March 1, Wednesdays 9:45-11:45 A.M. 10th East Senior Center, 237 South 1000 East, downtown Salt Lake City To register, call Brenda Oberg at 538-2084. March 16 to April 20, Thursdays 10:15 A.M. -12:15 P.M. Mt. Olympus Senior Center, 1635 E. Murray-Holladay Road, Salt Lake City To register, call Lisa Butterfield at 274-1710. March 16 to April 20, Thursdays 1:30-3:30 P.M. Taylorsville Senior Center, 4743 S. Plymouth View Dr. , Taylorsville To register, call Sue Chamberlain at 293-8340. Jan 16 to Feb. 20, Mondays 3-5 P.M. Washington County Volunteer Center, 1070 West 1600 South Building B, St. George Call the Arthritis Foundation to register at 800-444-4993. Gentle Exercise Classes If you have made a New Year's resolution to exercise, check out the Arthritis Foundation-sponsored aquatic and dry-land exercise classes, offered at many locations throughout Utah and Idaho. These gentle exercise programs are helpful for many people with FM or CFS. See http://www.arthritis.org/communities/chapters/SignMeupProg.asp?idchap=62 "In the News" Links:
"Research: Narcolepsy Drug Relieves Pain and Improves Sleep in Fibromyalgia Patients"
Reports the results of a nationwide, multicenter study of the sleep drug Xyrem; OFFER board member Dr. N. Lee Smith was one of the investigators. http://www.immunesupport.com/library/bulletinarticle.cfm?ID=6835 "Sleep Drugs: None Stands Out as Best; Analysis Shows New Generation of Sleep Drugs Equally Effective" http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/116/112074.htm "Acetaminophen Overdose a Growing Threat: Too Much of the Active Ingredient in Tylenol Can Cause Liver Failure, Researchers Warn" http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=529427 "Evidence for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?: Proteins in Spinal Fluid May Be Markers of Syndrome, Early Tests Show" Fibromyalgia and Gulf War Syndrome patients were included in the study, and many also met diagnostic criteria for CFS. http://www.webmd.com/content/article/115/111972.htm "Research Provides More Evidence That Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Is A Legitimate Medical Condition: Syndrome Linked to Neurological Abnormalities" http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=11722 The abstract and full text of the medical paper discussed above, "A chronic fatigue syndrome-related proteome in human cerebrospinal fluid," is available free with registration at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/5/22/abstract OFFER Hope for 2006: If the holiday rush kept you from responding to OFFER's Annual Fund Raising Campaign, don't worry -- your donation is always welcome! Donations are OFFER's only means of support for the free Education Meetings and for general operating expenses for our all-volunteer nonprofit. All donations go to support ongoing programs and are tax-deductible. Won't you please join us to help "OFFER Hope" and "Give the Gift of Healing" to other sufferers of FM and CFS?
Just go to http://www.offerutah.org/donate.html, and use the PayPal donations button for secure donations with a check or credit card. To donate in someone's name as a gift, just fill out the form on OFFER's web site at http://www.offerutah.org/healing.htm -- OFFER will send a card acknowledging your generous donation in their honor. Another way to support OFFER is to buy recordings of OFFER conference and Education Meeting sessions. Order online at http://offerutah.org/offersales.htm. And turtle jewelry -- a gentle reminder that "slow and steady wins the race" and we must learn to pace! -- is available at http://www.utahcraftconnections.com/cgi-bin/mojoClassified.cgi?type=search&action=search&step=final&s_username=OFFERHOPE . Thank you for your continuing support! FM Studies Seek Participants:
"Is There Pain Relief That May Keep My Active Lifestyle on Course?"
The study includes comprehensive medical, physical therapy, and pain psychology evaluations. Participants will be asked to do home assessments monitoring their FMS symptoms for 7 days. Treatment includes active physical therapy, physical education and counseling. All treatments will be group format of 2 hours per session for 10 consecutive weeks. Evaluations and treatments are provided at no cost to eligible participants. For more details, see painresearch.utah.edu/clinical/index.htm and click on the link for "Treatment Program for Fibromyalgia." To volunteer for the study, call (801) 585-7697 or send email
to pain.research@hsc.utah.edu.
Interested in Participating in Future Research?: Interested in participating in future Fibromyalgia or CFS research? Just fill out the registration form at offerutah.org/OFFERSurvey.htm and mail it to OFFER at 1002 E. South Temple, Suite 408, Salt Lake City, UT 84102. OFFER-approved researchers will contact you when there's a study you may be interested in; of course, you are under no obligation to participate. Help Build OFFER's Referral List: We need your help in expanding OFFER's list of health care professionals who treat FM and CFS. If you are a patient and would like to recommend someone, please email offerregistration@yahoo.com, giving the practitioner's name, title, address, and phone number, along with a brief description of how that person helped you. OFFER will contact the practitioners to ensure they are willing to be included on the referral list. Interested practitioners also are invited to contact OFFER at offerregistration@yahoo.com. The referral list is online at offerutah.org/doctors.htm. Other Support Groups in Utah: See offerutah.org/support.html for a list of other support groups around the state. These include patient-led and professionally facilitated groups. To suggest a group for this list, please contact OFFER at offerregistration@yahoo.com. Learn More About OFFER: Visit OFFER's web site at www.offerutah.org. Check out the "Resource" section for links to many informative web sites, and for past issues of E-News. E-News Subscriptions: Feel free to forward this email to anyone who might be interested. To start or stop your subscription to this free newsletter, send your request to offerregistration@yahoo.com Please send us your feedback on our new format at offerregistration@yahoo.com and vote to keep it or return to the old format. Thank you! |
| Please note: the inclusion of information in this newsletter does not constitute or imply endorsement by OFFER or the Arthritis Foundation Utah/Idaho Chapter. Please consult your physician before using any medication or therapy. |
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