Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

You can stop reading right now if you are of the camp that believes these two problems don't exist. Just because the traditional medical community can't completely explain something, does NOT mean it doesn't exist. I promise! And like I said before about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, these things DO exist and in a very real way. Some people experience only mild forms and others are debilitated by them. There have been many times when I have had so much pain and exhaustion that all I can do is just curl up in a ball and cry my way through an entire roll of toilet paper.

This kind of pain is so hard to explain. It feels like all your muscles have been put in a freezer then placed back into your body, then your entire body gets shocked with electricity, then poked and pinched in certain areas. Add to that, this intense dizziness and light-flashy stuff. Not fun!

Just recently, I have started to understand a little more about what is going on with it all. I was at my doctor's a few weeks ago (a great integrative MD that has been wonderful in helping me to put all the pieces together) and I grabbed a book to read in his waiting area. I didn't really notice the title but just opened up the book to some random pages and started reading about Hypothalamus dysfunction. I went off to my appointment to talk about my poor adrenals (which seems to be an ongoing struggle for me) and didn't mention the book. A few days later, as I was doing some research on the internet, I came upon Jacob Teitelbaum's book, "Fatigue to Fantastic". I ordered it, not knowing it was the exact same book I had read in my doctor's office. As soon as it arrived at my door, I was excited when I realized it was the same book.

I tell that story because it seems that I was meant to read this book. It's nice when you can get some clues that you are on the right track with your study. There is a lot of information in this particular book and some of it I can't use (I would react in a very bad way to many of the medicines or herbs he recommends) but it doesn't mean this book has not been super hopeful for me. I will continue to use it as one of my reference books as I work to put Humpty together again. It has explained many of the things my doctor has been testing me for (and I am the kind of person that likes to understand why I have to take a certain vitamin or supplement).

Anyway, one thing I do know is that this book for me represents only part of the process, rather than this final perfect destination. The title for me would read, "From Total Body Havoc to Gradual Improvement, with Certain Bumps and Crashes Along the Way." But like I've said before, no one would want to buy a book with a title like that, so I guess they're smart.