As of now, chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that no known cause. This tends to bring out alot of the shadier side of the medical community. Doctors or even people without medical degrees can make a decent living by treating people who are desperate, with alternative treatments. In my search for treatments i have been to at least 5 of these alternative “vitamin doctors”. One “vitamin doctor that i went to actually did no medical tests on me, he had me fill out a questionaire with each section pertaining to a specific problem. But with an illness like chronic fatigue syndrome, that has so any vague non-specific symptoms, problems like fatigue and concentration problems are pretty much a part of most illnesses.
I definately think that alternative medicine has its place in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. I take about 20 different supplements every day, and i have found through trial and error which help me and which dont. But, if your going to go through the alternative medicine route, you have to find a good credible doctor. Look for one who practices traditional medicine combined with alternative medicine. The doctor i see now has done a wide range of tests in the attempt to rule out other illnesses and combines that with dietary changes, anti-oxidants and other supplements that have clinical studies backing the use.
I was searching the web looking for something to write about when i came across this article on immunesupport. This is exactly the type of doctor you should avoid. In the article – here – the doctor profiled (which is probably a paid advertisement) has the most generic and non-scientific causes for cfs and fms listed. That it looks like you could spend alot of money and achieve limited or no results. If your chronic fatigue is cured after you “restore sleep”, “increase your physical activity” , decrease “mind/body tension”, and “improve your perspective” then you probably dont really have CFS or FMS. People who have CFS and FMS have life altering illnesses. It is serious and you should take the shady “vitamin doctors” seriously, unless you want to be sick and broke. I understand that people are very desperate and that is why i personally have been to so many of these doctors. But, i would advise you to look into the Dr.’s background and talk about what exactly they are going to do for you before you get an appointment.
[...] Amongst all the shady doctors and duplicate articles, this one came up in my feed reader today: …chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease that no known cause. This tends to bring out alot of the shadier side of the medical community.Doctors or even people without medical degrees can make a decent living by treating people who are desperate, with alternative treatments. [...]
Hey thanks for the heads up. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research lately, and I was snowed under by all the “miracle cures”. It’s amazing how many people there are trying to push something…
Everybody is different and everyone has different symptoms and severities, and also they vary in time, so what you say is not very correct.
You may suffer awful CFS and recover by any mean, and that doesn’t mean “you didn’t really have CFS”. Please define what CFS is, then, and find me two people with the same symptoms.
I’ve lived with CFS for 23 years, and have been diagnosed and actively pursuing treatment for 10. And I’ve made a good, strong recovery, going from about 25% function to about 80%. So that’s the basis for what I’m about to say.
I think this article is spot on regarding what kind of docs are likely to be most helpful. EVERY SINGLE advance I’ve made came courtesy of a licensed MD who knew traditional allopathic medicine very well — and who also had an alternative awareness that allowed them to think outside the box. I’ve had several of these, addressing various aspects of my disease, over the course of the decade; many of them have made important contributions to my recovery.
Traditional docs who refuse to color outside the lines, on the other hand, have been anywhere from useless to downright dangerous (prescribing inappropriate meds, or not taking certain symptoms as seriously as was required). Likewise, the various alternative healers I’ve been to (and I’ve seen some of the best the SF Bay Area has to offer) never really gave me anything of lasting value. Maybe I felt better for a little while, but they didn’t contribute much to to my long-term cure. Generally, they were a waste of money.
And Daniel: Real CFS doctors absolutely know it when they see it. It’s not nearly so random as you describe (nor as the CDC’s Fukuda definition makes it). The full Canadian Case Definition runs to 114 pages, which is about how long it takes to really describe everything that’s known about the particulars and patterns of the disease. There’s a range, sure; but people who’ve worked with it can tell the real deal.
Personally, I won’t use the term CFS, because the CDC definition far more vague than experienced clinicians know it to be. I got diagnosed with ME by the author of the Canadian Case Definition, which means I conform to a much more stringent and well-defined set of criteria. Takes all the vagueness right out of it.
Does anyone know anything about the Fibro and Fatigue Centers (in Dallas, TX and other cities in the US)?
I have tried a fair few treatments my litmus test is to ask if I can have a free trial or sample and watch for the reaction. They may not give them, but it’s a sure bet that if they look angry and don’t at least offer a discount or an understanding face they don’t care about you. Sorts a few out anyway.
If they claim 100 percent cure, its a fake. NOTHING has 100 percent cure.
the cheap stuff often works best, like REST, youtube comedy clips, understanding friends and avoiding alcohol
Don’t knock the placebo effect but don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work for you and don’t pay through the nose for anything.
I’m not there yet but i am a lot better, hey i can see the screen and type stuff !
Be firm, but stay polite even to morons . They don’t know they’re morons so don’t stress yourself.
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Cathy W. asked about the Fibro and Fatigue Centers and although her post was a couple of years ago, has anyone had any experience with these places? I would really appreciate any information that could be passed on to those of us out here who are completely at sea for competent help.
thanks
Charlie,
I haven’t tried the Fibro and Fatigue Centers but I have tried one of their affiliates in California (apparently one of the doctors who helped found the center branched off into his own practice). The doctor I saw was very thorough and took lots of blood tests, which I thought was great, but he prescribed me some supplements without checking my blood work first. I found out the hard way that one of the supplements had some kind of adrenaline booster in it. My adrenal glands get severely run down when I’m not in remission and if he had told me that there was such a supplement in the regimen he’d put me on (or had waited for the blood work before prescribing anything), I would have immediately told him that my body can’t handle that kind of thing. Long story short, I ended up in the hospital because the adrenaline dumped into my system too quickly, causing my BP to suddenly spike, and I became far sicker than I was to begin with.
That said, if you DO try the center, make sure that the doctor you see explains in detail about each supplement he/she prescribes and that your blood work is gone over first before you put anything in your mouth :-/