Thank you Dan for your video. I have been diagnosed with many things over the last few years Fibromyalgia being one of the suggestions but do know I have suffered depression and fatigue. I have tried hard to fight it and last Christmas made a concerted effort to get fit and started running, at the same time my father was terminally ill and we lost him in March, since then I have been looking after my own family as well as looking out for my mother as well as full-time work. To be honest the running on top of all that made matters worse and I ended up with all sorts of health problems. But listening to your video, one thing has truly hit home – the fact that we try too hard to please everyone else and do not listen to our own needs, we push too hard for too long. The one thing I am going to take away from your video is “to be kind to myself”. I think that’s a brilliant way to look how to make improvements, a big thank you. Kind regards.
Hi Nicki
Thank you for your positive feedback!
Getting a diagnosis for Fibromyalgia Syndrome or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be tricky given that it is made up of so many different dysfunctions and overlaps with so many different illnesses.
Inevitably people ending up treating all the different symptoms and dysfunctions instead of the underlying cause, which of course only provides short-term relief if any – that’s why I wrote CFS Unravelled to give some clarity and a more focussed approach to healing and recovering form CFS/FMS.
I am glad you found my New Year’s Video Message helpful and wish you all the best for 2013.
Dan
ive read your book and it really helped be put things in order what what the next step is.
i am very sure that that this second book will help even more.
I have had ME/Chronic Fatigue now since the birth of my first Son in 1984, although it was not diagnosed until 2004.
In the early stages, I just felt continually tired. I would get my baby washed, dressed and fed, then go back to sleep until 4pm sometimes. I struggled every day to do simple things.
Taking the children to the park was hard, as I would feel so shacky and have to get home quickly, as I did not have the strength to be out for very long.
Then years later my family and I moved down to Suffolk in 1990. Things seemed to get even worse. I did not have the strength to get my children to school in the morning and had to wait until my mum moved down to help me.
Later we got two cars, so I was able to drive the children to school, although even then, I would come home and sleep until it was time to pick them up from school.
My mum sadly died in 1997, so things really were tough for me. My husband had been diagnosed with lymphoma cancer and I felt so bad, as I had no strenght to do anything and I should have been looking after him, but he was having to keep up with putting the washing on at times. By the time I had, had my bath and got down stairs, I had not strength to even make a cup of tea and would have to rest most of the day. Then sometimes I would get energy late at night and start to do things that I could not do during the day.
When I went to my doctor, which I did on numerous occasions, to say how tired I was, she just said I would be, having four children and a sick husband! My memory got so bad, one day I cooked my husband a meal and forgot I had done it and cooked another one. I then found I already had done him one and put it under the grill!
Once again, the doctor put it down to having to look after 4 young children and my husband not being well.
In between this, I did get times when I started to be able to do more, although I think it was sheer determination that got me through, plus the strength of a loving GOD who gave me the strength that I needed for each day.
Then in 2003, my 14 year old daughter got a really bad virus. This made her so ill, she did not have any strength to do anything. Time went on and the doctors kept saying she was fine and that she was only recovering from a virus and she would soon be alright. Things got progressively worse and in the end after having 4 doctors say there was nothing wrong with her, I went over my doctors head and found the telephone number of the doctor that was head of the ME/Chronic Fatigue clininc. I called and left a message on his telephone answering machine. He called me back the next day and said he had been recovering from back surgery, but from what I had explained, he had no doubt in his mind that my daughter had ME/Chronic Fatigue. He set the ball rolling and called the hospital to arrange for my daughter to be seen. Eventually, Dr Terry Michelle, the head of the ME/Chronic clinic, came out to see my daughter and within a short time diagnosed she had the condition. From then on, we had an occupational therapist come out to see my daughter, as she was too ill to get out of the house for 3 years.
It was during these visits to my daughter, that I started to talk about my struggles and the occupational therapist said it sounded an awful lot like I had what my daughter had had and that I had been what was called ‘busting and booming’ This is when you suddenly have energy, after resting for some time and then you go mad, doing all the things you could not do before, but then it hits you like a tone of bricks and you are then zapped and layed out for the next week or two.
I went back to my doctor and was fortunate enough to see another doctor, who referred me to the ME/ Chronic Fatigue Clinic. Before I received an appointment, I was sent a very thick large questionare that I had to fill in, asking me about my symptoms, which I had to send back to the hospital. I received my appointment after about six months, as it takes that long to eliminate other conditions which I had to have tests for.
During this time, things reached crisis point. I got a terrible chest infection and was so ill. I was sleeping 24×7. I only woke to have a bath, eat and go to the loo, the rest of the time I slept continually for three weeks. I started to get terrible pain in my ribs, as if I had been kicked from the inside. My knees felt like someone had taken the skin off and put freezing cold ice on them, then put the skin back. Friends of mine were so worried they came roung and took me to the hospital, as they thought I was dying. I felt I was dying, it was the worst journey of my life. I felt so weak and numb all over. They held my arms as they walked me to their car. How I did that walk, I will never know. When they got me to the hospital, I had to wait a while. I just wanted to lay down but couldn’t. I felt numb from to bottom, I just wanted to lay down and sleep.
When the doctor called me in, he checked me over but could not find anything wrong, other than recovering from a chest infection. I thought, dragging me out and putting me through all that for nothing!
The day came for my appointment at the ME/Clinic and as I walked through the door the lady doctor said to me before I had even sat down. “Good morning Mrs Brewitt, I have read through your file and I am sorry to have to tell you that you have ME/Chronic Fatigue and there is no cure, it is something you just have to learn to live with!
I could not believe it, she said it out so quickly, before I had even been able to sit down.
I was really hoping it wasn’t, as people asked me if I was relieved that it has actually been diagnosed at last. But I was really hoping that it wasn’t that.
Since then I have had to learn to cope as best I can. My lovely husband sadly died April 2009, so it has been one big battle after another. I hate the days when I just can’t do anything. Short term memory is effected quite a bit and I get lost quite a bit when driving anywhere. Right now I am fighting falling asleep. The joint pain only came about after the the chest infection I had in 2004, also having my daughter and now myself with the same condition was a double whammy. In a way I am glad that I now know what she has to go through. On a positive note, my daughter has now started to get some education and goes to and English class once a week, for two hours although it does knock her for six and she comes back feeling very tired and achey.
Dispite going through the mill as some might say, on a positive note, we are better than we were, but we have to listen to our bodies, as if we don’t, it can set us back months.
Also, if it was not for JESUS CHRIST my LORD and SAVIOUR, we would never have got through this and reached where we are today. This is not the end, there is life after ME/Chronic Fatigue.
If anyone who may be battling the same, or similar condition, would like to speak to me at any time, I would be more than happy to help and encourage them in any way I can.
Hi Anne, I am so sorry about what has happened you I do suffered from cfs for a few months nothing compared to your years of agony 🙁 u poor thing xxx I am from Ireland I don’t know where u are from but I went to a man in cork that heals any illness or disability the morning I went to him my body crashed as your probably very firmiliar with it’s horrible I remember just crying my eyes out begging my angels & god to let this work because it is one the worse things to go through… So I went to him, a week ago & so far so good I know it’s early days but I really feel so different it’s weird having “normal” energy back. Am not quite sure what it is he does but he definitely is blessed… I’ve heard he’s treated quite a few with cfs/me a young girl was on a wheelchair & she walked out afterwards hence that she took her new lease if energy all to soon (did a skydive) & ended back up on her chair but she went back to the man twice more & did her “homework” he give her let’s says & she’s been 100% since…. People have travelled from Spain to him too if you would like his contact number let me know. I hope u are feeling well x x x x x
Hi, Dan, well it’s nearly 2014 now so the question of whether I will recover in 2013 is a little irrelevant unless a miracle occurs in the next two days! Anyway I am beginning to understand more about where you are coming from with the idea that we have to believe that we will recover. I am now seeing that as much more of a reality, and I am hopeful. I wanted to ask you about the issue of doctors and health practitioners. Do you think not relying on them would be a draw back to recovery. In truth I have no money for private practitioners but also don’t see what they would do for me that I could not get from a book or research myself. Virtually every GP…medical doctor,,,I have ever spoken to is less than useless and mostly hardly seem to acknowledge the fact that I have ME….I have no faith in them whatsoever. Hospital specialists… well I have heard some scary stories about them and when I was diagnosed many years ago. similar to a story above, the Doctor said to me “what do you want me to do about it, there is no treatment” So I am asking do you think I can progress without the “Proffessional” input. I already do a lot of things, I pace, I meditate I have had a lot of counselling in the past, been to self help groups to tackle issues etc. In the circumstances I am quite a positive person, what do you think?
Believe is just about being a driving force to take action and to change beyhaviours.
Recovery is definitely possible without a medical doctor’s specific help, but I think an integrative doctor and a naturopath can be very helpful. This is espeically important where other health conditions are also involved and depending on what medications you are on.
So in summary – you can continue to build your recovery through the lifestyle, diet and nutritional strategies outlined. Most people instinctually know when they get stuck and need some help!
Thank you Dan for your video. I have been diagnosed with many things over the last few years Fibromyalgia being one of the suggestions but do know I have suffered depression and fatigue. I have tried hard to fight it and last Christmas made a concerted effort to get fit and started running, at the same time my father was terminally ill and we lost him in March, since then I have been looking after my own family as well as looking out for my mother as well as full-time work. To be honest the running on top of all that made matters worse and I ended up with all sorts of health problems. But listening to your video, one thing has truly hit home – the fact that we try too hard to please everyone else and do not listen to our own needs, we push too hard for too long. The one thing I am going to take away from your video is “to be kind to myself”. I think that’s a brilliant way to look how to make improvements, a big thank you. Kind regards.
Hi Nicki
Thank you for your positive feedback!
Getting a diagnosis for Fibromyalgia Syndrome or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be tricky given that it is made up of so many different dysfunctions and overlaps with so many different illnesses.
Inevitably people ending up treating all the different symptoms and dysfunctions instead of the underlying cause, which of course only provides short-term relief if any – that’s why I wrote CFS Unravelled to give some clarity and a more focussed approach to healing and recovering form CFS/FMS.
I am glad you found my New Year’s Video Message helpful and wish you all the best for 2013.
Dan
hi dan,
ive read your book and it really helped be put things in order what what the next step is.
i am very sure that that this second book will help even more.
thank you very much.
lou
Thank you for your feedback Lou.
I hope you enjoy CFS Unravelled – All the best for 2013.
I have had ME/Chronic Fatigue now since the birth of my first Son in 1984, although it was not diagnosed until 2004.
In the early stages, I just felt continually tired. I would get my baby washed, dressed and fed, then go back to sleep until 4pm sometimes. I struggled every day to do simple things.
Taking the children to the park was hard, as I would feel so shacky and have to get home quickly, as I did not have the strength to be out for very long.
Then years later my family and I moved down to Suffolk in 1990. Things seemed to get even worse. I did not have the strength to get my children to school in the morning and had to wait until my mum moved down to help me.
Later we got two cars, so I was able to drive the children to school, although even then, I would come home and sleep until it was time to pick them up from school.
My mum sadly died in 1997, so things really were tough for me. My husband had been diagnosed with lymphoma cancer and I felt so bad, as I had no strenght to do anything and I should have been looking after him, but he was having to keep up with putting the washing on at times. By the time I had, had my bath and got down stairs, I had not strength to even make a cup of tea and would have to rest most of the day. Then sometimes I would get energy late at night and start to do things that I could not do during the day.
When I went to my doctor, which I did on numerous occasions, to say how tired I was, she just said I would be, having four children and a sick husband! My memory got so bad, one day I cooked my husband a meal and forgot I had done it and cooked another one. I then found I already had done him one and put it under the grill!
Once again, the doctor put it down to having to look after 4 young children and my husband not being well.
In between this, I did get times when I started to be able to do more, although I think it was sheer determination that got me through, plus the strength of a loving GOD who gave me the strength that I needed for each day.
Then in 2003, my 14 year old daughter got a really bad virus. This made her so ill, she did not have any strength to do anything. Time went on and the doctors kept saying she was fine and that she was only recovering from a virus and she would soon be alright. Things got progressively worse and in the end after having 4 doctors say there was nothing wrong with her, I went over my doctors head and found the telephone number of the doctor that was head of the ME/Chronic Fatigue clininc. I called and left a message on his telephone answering machine. He called me back the next day and said he had been recovering from back surgery, but from what I had explained, he had no doubt in his mind that my daughter had ME/Chronic Fatigue. He set the ball rolling and called the hospital to arrange for my daughter to be seen. Eventually, Dr Terry Michelle, the head of the ME/Chronic clinic, came out to see my daughter and within a short time diagnosed she had the condition. From then on, we had an occupational therapist come out to see my daughter, as she was too ill to get out of the house for 3 years.
It was during these visits to my daughter, that I started to talk about my struggles and the occupational therapist said it sounded an awful lot like I had what my daughter had had and that I had been what was called ‘busting and booming’ This is when you suddenly have energy, after resting for some time and then you go mad, doing all the things you could not do before, but then it hits you like a tone of bricks and you are then zapped and layed out for the next week or two.
I went back to my doctor and was fortunate enough to see another doctor, who referred me to the ME/ Chronic Fatigue Clinic. Before I received an appointment, I was sent a very thick large questionare that I had to fill in, asking me about my symptoms, which I had to send back to the hospital. I received my appointment after about six months, as it takes that long to eliminate other conditions which I had to have tests for.
During this time, things reached crisis point. I got a terrible chest infection and was so ill. I was sleeping 24×7. I only woke to have a bath, eat and go to the loo, the rest of the time I slept continually for three weeks. I started to get terrible pain in my ribs, as if I had been kicked from the inside. My knees felt like someone had taken the skin off and put freezing cold ice on them, then put the skin back. Friends of mine were so worried they came roung and took me to the hospital, as they thought I was dying. I felt I was dying, it was the worst journey of my life. I felt so weak and numb all over. They held my arms as they walked me to their car. How I did that walk, I will never know. When they got me to the hospital, I had to wait a while. I just wanted to lay down but couldn’t. I felt numb from to bottom, I just wanted to lay down and sleep.
When the doctor called me in, he checked me over but could not find anything wrong, other than recovering from a chest infection. I thought, dragging me out and putting me through all that for nothing!
The day came for my appointment at the ME/Clinic and as I walked through the door the lady doctor said to me before I had even sat down. “Good morning Mrs Brewitt, I have read through your file and I am sorry to have to tell you that you have ME/Chronic Fatigue and there is no cure, it is something you just have to learn to live with!
I could not believe it, she said it out so quickly, before I had even been able to sit down.
I was really hoping it wasn’t, as people asked me if I was relieved that it has actually been diagnosed at last. But I was really hoping that it wasn’t that.
Since then I have had to learn to cope as best I can. My lovely husband sadly died April 2009, so it has been one big battle after another. I hate the days when I just can’t do anything. Short term memory is effected quite a bit and I get lost quite a bit when driving anywhere. Right now I am fighting falling asleep. The joint pain only came about after the the chest infection I had in 2004, also having my daughter and now myself with the same condition was a double whammy. In a way I am glad that I now know what she has to go through. On a positive note, my daughter has now started to get some education and goes to and English class once a week, for two hours although it does knock her for six and she comes back feeling very tired and achey.
Dispite going through the mill as some might say, on a positive note, we are better than we were, but we have to listen to our bodies, as if we don’t, it can set us back months.
Also, if it was not for JESUS CHRIST my LORD and SAVIOUR, we would never have got through this and reached where we are today. This is not the end, there is life after ME/Chronic Fatigue.
If anyone who may be battling the same, or similar condition, would like to speak to me at any time, I would be more than happy to help and encourage them in any way I can.
Hi Anne, I am so sorry about what has happened you I do suffered from cfs for a few months nothing compared to your years of agony 🙁 u poor thing xxx I am from Ireland I don’t know where u are from but I went to a man in cork that heals any illness or disability the morning I went to him my body crashed as your probably very firmiliar with it’s horrible I remember just crying my eyes out begging my angels & god to let this work because it is one the worse things to go through… So I went to him, a week ago & so far so good I know it’s early days but I really feel so different it’s weird having “normal” energy back. Am not quite sure what it is he does but he definitely is blessed… I’ve heard he’s treated quite a few with cfs/me a young girl was on a wheelchair & she walked out afterwards hence that she took her new lease if energy all to soon (did a skydive) & ended back up on her chair but she went back to the man twice more & did her “homework” he give her let’s says & she’s been 100% since…. People have travelled from Spain to him too if you would like his contact number let me know. I hope u are feeling well x x x x x
Hi serina r u able to give me the details of the doctor in cork. How r u these days? Thanks connie
Hi, Dan, well it’s nearly 2014 now so the question of whether I will recover in 2013 is a little irrelevant unless a miracle occurs in the next two days! Anyway I am beginning to understand more about where you are coming from with the idea that we have to believe that we will recover. I am now seeing that as much more of a reality, and I am hopeful. I wanted to ask you about the issue of doctors and health practitioners. Do you think not relying on them would be a draw back to recovery. In truth I have no money for private practitioners but also don’t see what they would do for me that I could not get from a book or research myself. Virtually every GP…medical doctor,,,I have ever spoken to is less than useless and mostly hardly seem to acknowledge the fact that I have ME….I have no faith in them whatsoever. Hospital specialists… well I have heard some scary stories about them and when I was diagnosed many years ago. similar to a story above, the Doctor said to me “what do you want me to do about it, there is no treatment” So I am asking do you think I can progress without the “Proffessional” input. I already do a lot of things, I pace, I meditate I have had a lot of counselling in the past, been to self help groups to tackle issues etc. In the circumstances I am quite a positive person, what do you think?
A year goes quickly! 🙂
Believe is just about being a driving force to take action and to change beyhaviours.
Recovery is definitely possible without a medical doctor’s specific help, but I think an integrative doctor and a naturopath can be very helpful. This is espeically important where other health conditions are also involved and depending on what medications you are on.
So in summary – you can continue to build your recovery through the lifestyle, diet and nutritional strategies outlined. Most people instinctually know when they get stuck and need some help!
🙂