Comments on: What to AVOID when looking for alternative Chronic Fatigue Treatment

By: Soulvei

Soulvei — Thu, 06 May 2010 04:15:03 +0000

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 :-/

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:31:54 +0000

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

By: moodle

moodle — Sun, 03 May 2009 12:10:08 +0000

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.
m

By: Cathy W

Cathy W — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 03:55:23 +0000

Does anyone know anything about the Fibro and Fatigue Centers (in Dallas, TX and other cities in the US)?

By: Sara Robinson

Sara Robinson — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 23:03:37 +0000

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.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:54:08 +0000

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.

By: Coops

Coops — Sun, 20 May 2007 07:24:27 +0000

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…

By: AVOIDING THE SHADY DOCTORS « give me nrg

AVOIDING THE SHADY DOCTORS « give me nrg — Sun, 20 May 2007 05:47:38 +0000

[...] 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. [...]