Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Chronicfatiguetreatments · Site Admin

Hi everyone,
Ashok said he would answer questions about his protocol. So if you have any ask them here.

dannybex

Dear Ashok,

I emailed you a couple of months ago asking if you had any success with long-term patients using your protocol -- thank you for your reply.

I had suggested it would be very inspiring if you would add some testimonials from those patients, which I believe you agreed. I also think it would be very good for your business as well!

I'm sure you realize that many, if not the majority of patients looking for help on the web have been sick for a lot longer than the 2-5 years described in your patient video testimonials. This is not to suggest that their stories weren't legitimate, just that they weren't sick for very long, at least compared to most patients.

If you have indeed helped patients who have been sick for 10-15-20+ years, will you be adding their video testimonials to your site or on youtube?

The patients, with the exception of the one woman in her fifties, also seem to be incredibly young. It's been noted in the literature that younger people have a better chance of recovery because they naturally have higher levels of growth hormone. It would be very inspiring to see more testimonials from people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's. Especially since their negative thought patterns have been possibly entrenced for a longer period of time.

Also, it seemed like all of the testimonials you have posted feature patients who have been recovered only for 4-5 months. Would you please consider posting follow-up testimonials from these same patients so we can hear how they're currently doing?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

and thank you too to Garrett for arranging this Q&A forum!

Sincerely,

Dan

Ashok Gupta · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:55 am Post subject:

Dear Dan,

Thanks for your message. Out of the trial that we conducted, we asked many patients if they would like to contribute a video testimonial, and it just happens to be that younger participants of the trial were more up for being on video than some of the older participants...and therefore younger participants are likely to have had the condition for a shorter period of time. But the actual average age of participants on the trial was 38, so many people in the trial were in their forties and fifties.

I can assure you that we have had many people use the programme who have had the condition for decades, and many who are older, who have benefitted and fully recovered. And you are right, I need to persuade some of these people to be on camera! What I find is that what determines how well someone does with the programme has nothing to do with how long or how old they are, but more to do with whether they are psychologically ready to retrain.

Soon on the testimonials section of the website, there will be many more written testimonials from people who have completed the DVD programme, and I will update people on when that will be there. Many of them have had the condition for 10-30 years, and many are older.

warm regards
Ashok

dannybex · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject: A follow-up question...

Thank you Ashok for your kind reply.

I look forward to reading and/or watching more testimonials from your clients, and would again suggest that in addition to adding testimonials from older patients, that you will ask some of those who have provided video testimonials to come back with follow-up videos so we can see how they're doing now, or hear if they've had some ups and downs, which I would still see as to be expected, and not necessarily negative.

A follow-up question:

A friend of mine has just started your program and has mentioned a few things that I'm hoping you can comment on. I don't have the DVD's, so pardon me if I paraphrase anything incorrectly.

He says that you ask for a six month commitment to the program -- that of course is totally understandable. But he also said that you stress that in doing so, one needs to stop all the "shoulds" and "have to's" and learn to say "no", which again I understand...

BUT...(A negative thought -- oops!)... Smile

many of us if not the majority of CFS patients are on disability and/or can barely work, and thus are under an incredibly stressful situation due to the constant pressure to make a few dollars or get by on the dollars we're (barely) given, just to get by from day to day.

These stresses fall into those categories, don't they? I 'have to' try and support myself, and I 'should' finish "working" on this, because if I don't, I won't be able to EAT, let alone order you program and practice the retraining with reduced stress levels.

What suggestions can you offer to those of us who face this constant pressure and extreme stress regarding our financial/"work" situations?

My best regards,

Dan

kenvj · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject:

Dan - problems relating to what you can or cannot do physically are not the musts and shoulds that Ashok refers to.
If you are really that ill from CFS why don't you buy the program and try it out for yourself, its not expensive and if you don't improve over 6 months you can get your money back. I should think Ashok is getting a bit peeved at your constant grilling.
Ken

Ashok Gupta · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:20 am Post subject:

Dear Dan,

Thanks for your question. (And Ken, it's ok, I am totally fine with answering any questions as I think it's important to make people feel comfortable with the programme).

With respect to reducing the "shoulds" and "musts", what I mean is the psychological pressure we place on ourselves rather than the actual activities we do. The phrase I use is "It's not what we do, it's HOW we do it." So within reason, a person should try and reduce the pressures, but this does not necessarily mean stop working. It just means do not take on any new things whilst you are on the programme.

I say this because some patients with ME/FM have quite a driven personality type, and as soon as they see improvement, they want to jump back into everything! So I say take it slowly.

I empathise with the need to survive financially, and that obviously comes first! So each person will have to weigh up what they do and don't so that they have the best chance with the programme, and further guidance is given with the programme.

kind regards
Ashok

kenvj · Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:35 pm Post subject:

I would like to acknowledge that I made an uncalled for remark in my post response to Dan. I have since apologised to both Dan and Ashok.
Ken

dannybex · Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject: Thank you Ashok and Ken,

I appreciate your clarification Ashok -- I'm going to try hard to work on reducing the pressure I feel because of my financial situation. It's really hard, extremely hard, because it's always there...but I can work on changing 'HOW' I do it. Smile

My body seems to be screaming "REST" and "STOP", but if I can get my brain to stop screaming that...or at least reduce it...than perhaps I can pace myself better without completely falling apart.

And thanks to Ken. I appreciate your understanding.

Best regards,

Dan

JMF

This is a question for Ashok.

My 16-year-old son has been battling CFS for 2 years. He is being treated by an MD with good improvement on physical side (although still a ways to go); however, the mental aspect (primarily brain fog) remains. This has prevented him from attending school, and he is just doing a minimal amount via our homeschooling.

To help with the mental side, he has been doing neurofeedback for the past 8 months with small improvement.

If one begins the Gupta programme, should we halt the neurofeedback treatment during this time? I'm not sure if the two would conflict.

Thanks in advance for your input.

- Jeff

JMF

This is a question for Ashok.

My 16-year-old son has been battling CFS for 2 years. He is being treated by an MD with good improvement on physical side (although still a ways to go); however, the mental aspect (primarily brain fog) remains. This has prevented him from attending school, and he is just doing a minimal amount via our homeschooling.

To help with the mental side, he has been doing neurofeedback for the past 8 months with small improvement.

If one begins the Gupta programme, should we halt the neurofeedback treatment during this time? I'm not sure if the two would conflict.

Thanks in advance for your input.

- Jeff

Ashok Gupta · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:28 am Post subject:

Dear Jeff

Thanks for your email. The good news is that he can continue with the neurofeedback therapy as long as there are no ill effects from it, they are definitely not in conflict.

In fact, we encourage most people to not radically shift any drugs or supplements they are on as long as they are not making symptoms worse. Then once the body heals through retraining and a person is stronger, then they can gradually come off the drugs in association with their doctor,

Kind regards

Ashok

beady · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 3:28 am Post subject: Follow-up

Hi Ashok,

Do most of your dvd-buyers tend to manage on their own, or do they need follow-up sessions by phone with you or your team?

What is the cost of a follow-up phone session?

beady · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:52 am Post subject:

A couple more questions…

[b]Gupta Programme vs NLP[/b]
Could you please explain how your programme is different from NLP? I have tried NLP quite thoroughly earlier, and I found it to be helpful in coping and stress-reducing ways. But it did not stop the ME from developing further…

[b]Starting the Programme as well as new medicines?[/b]
I have got a few other diagnosis in addition to ME, and are about to start quite a comprehensive physically approach with medicines and supplements.

I am motivated to start the Gupta Programme alongside, in hope to reduce as much stress as possible + hopefully being able to ease as much as possible of the ME-related issues so that the medications can have the best foundation possible. I also see the programme as a possible help in case I should face fear regarding the possibility of getting worse of the medications.

But I read that you don’t recommend starting on new medicines after starting the programme… Would you recommend me waiting a few months (until I am well started on the medicines), or is it possible to use the programme as I am sketch here?

Ashok Gupta · Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:53 am Post subject:

Hi Beady,

To answer your questions:

1. Most people seem to manage fine without the coaching, although we do feel that the coaching can enhance the power of the programme. I guess in some cases it is due to finances, etc. If you can afford it, then it is definitely recommended, it costs £50 per one hour session

2. NLP is a body of knowledge, amygdala retraining takes some of the NLP ideas and tools and adapts them to the needs of patients. So amygdala retraining is very different to using NLP, it is all about the specificity of the techniques, and how they are applied to the underlying neurology.

3. If the medicines etc are likely to cause negative effects initially, then I would recommend waiting until after. However if they are only going to give good effects, or no effects, then it is fine to start the programme simultaneously,

Kind regards
Ashok

TheLegend · Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject:

Ashok,

You state on the site it's not the Lightning Process et al. I'm wondering though how close some of the elements of the programme are to the Lightning Process?

I've read that both use an NLP 'stop' technique on negative thoughts processes. I'm aware that this type of technique works extremely well for some people but barely for others. Will this only be truly effective for those with a specific mindset or approach?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

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