Thank you Chemar~Ericka, that is really kind of you. I view CFS, fibromyalgia and lupus as one disease now though. Even when I was first diagnosed and they would "add" a new disease name with each new symptom, I knew deep down that it was just a "progression" of whatever was wrong with me.

Doydie~I think we will be able to show how your conditions are connected.
SallyC~I am with you on that one.

Following is some information from the link SallyC posted in post no. 12. In the post,I was answering the original posters question on the symptoms of PEDD. I am going to take out the links provided and the body of the information from the studies (per rules). If you click on the link that SallyC provided, you can see the information in total,plus the link to the lupus study. This information makes the connection to protease and some of the symptoms of MS (and lupus etc.) Specifically, the dysregulated iron and resulting restless legs syndrome found in MS. Also, I provided a study that shows certain amino acids are found lacking in fibromyalgia. One in particular is phenylalanine, which is where dopamine is derived from. In my next post, I will provide evidence that MS patients also lack phenylalanine.

From the link that SallyC provided in post 12:
"You can literally trace every symptom of every autoimmune disease directly back to missing enzymes in the pancreas. Specifically protease and DNase1. The information that the previous posters provided show that without protease, your body will not be able to break down immune complexes. These immune complexes consist of unbroken down proteins and DNA also due to a lack of protease, since you would not be able to digest dietary proteins. Your immune system targets these protein fragments and DNA and forms "NETS" that become lodged in your organs and tissues. The lack of the pancreatic enzyme DNase1 has been determined to be a "causative" factor of lupus. Here is a picture of these "NETS" in a lupus patients bloodstream. In the last paragraph, the researchers state lupus patients lack the enzyme DNase1. (See Sally's post for link)

So, that would be one symptom of PEDD, immune complexes that become lodged in organs and tissues, causing organ failure and damage. Other symptoms of PEDD would be the same a lupus patient would suffer, since the lack of DNase1 has been determined to be a causitive factor of lupus. Here are some symptoms and scientific findings of lupus: Autonomic nervous system dysfunction, hypothyroidism, restless legs syndrome, arthritis, osteoporosis, spinal cord degeneration, migraines, hypermobility, low adrenal function, chemical sensitivity, low cortisol, anemia, lack of vitamin B12, iron, and magnesium, joint and muscle pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, neuropathy, swollen glands, low grade fever, high C-reactive protein, rashes, itchiness, vision complications, dry eyes and mouth, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, easy bruising, brain fog, porphyria, mitochrondrial dysfunction, POTS, heat intolerance, and the list goes on. You can trace each of these symptoms directly back to these missing enzymes.

For instance, lupus patients have an increased risk of developing restless legs syndrome. So do fibromyalgia, diabetes, MS, Sjogrens patietns etc. Studies have linked restless legs syndrome to low iron and dopamine. Here is one such study.

Dopamine and Iron in The Pathophysiology of Restless Legs
Syndrome (Rls)
Allen, R. 2004. Sleep Med. 5(4):385-91.



Here is how PEDD would lead to RLS (and anemia) Protease regulate iron absorption in the body. Here is a study that shows this.
Hörl, W.H. 2008. Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. 23(10):3063-3064.

New Insights Into Intestinal Iron Absorption…Du et al. described the novel and exciting finding that the transmembrane serine
protease 6 (TMPRSS6) senses iron deficiency [1].


PEDD would also lead to a lack of dopamine. Protease break down dietary proteins and release essential amino acids. One of the amino acids found lacking in MS, lupus, Fibromyalgia, CFS etc is phenylalanine. Phenylalanine breaks down into tyrosine and tyrosine breaks down into dopamine. The lack of dopamine and iron would then lead to RLS. Here is a study that shows fibromyalgia patients lack phenylalanine.

Altered Amino Acid Homeostasis in Subjects Affected by
Fibromyalgia
Bazzichi, L., L. Palego, G. Giannaccini, A. Rossi, F. De Feo, C. Giacomelli, L. Betti, L. Giusti,
G. Mascia, S. Bombardieri, A. Lucacchini. 2009. Clin Bioche, 42(10-11):1064-70.