Chronic Fatigue Syndrome For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness))

You've been repeatedly poked, prodded, tested and scanned, yet, despite how awful you feel, your doctor, like many of your friends, co-workers, and family members have begun dropping subtle (and some not-so-subtle) hints that they think it's "all in your head." Maybe you're one of the lucky few CFS sufferers who've received an accurate diagnosis but nothing your health care provider does seems to help. Well, you're not alone. According to recent estimates, of the approximately 800,000 Americans with CFS, more than 90% have been misdiagnosed, dismissed, or are not receiving proper treatment. Don't despair, help has arrived. Written by a national expert who has successfully treated scores of CFS patients in her own practice, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for Dummies gives you the knowledge and tools you need to beat CFS and get back to living a normal life. In plain English Doctor Susan Lisman fills you in on: What CFS is, how you get it, and how it effects your body Its major symptoms and warning signs Getting an accurate diagnosis Avoiding situations that might be making you sicker Teaming up with the right doctor and crafting a treatment plan The most effective drugs, therapies and alternative approaches Coping with CFS in your personal and professional lives Packed with checklists, self-tests, questionnaires, and other powerful tools, and featuring many inspiring real-life stories of patients who've licked CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for Dummies puts you on the road to recovery. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome For Dummies 3 About the Authors 5 Dedication 7 Authors’ Acknowledgments 7 Contents at a Glance 9 Table of Contents 11 Introduction 21 About This Book 21 Conventions Used in This Book 22 What You’re Not to Read 23 Foolish Assumptions 23 How This Book Is Organized 24 Icons Used in This Book 25 Where to Go from Here 26 Part I: Recognizing and Taking Steps Toward Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 27 Chapter 1: Dipping into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments 29 Taking Your Fatigue Seriously 29 Conjecturing about the Possible Causes of CFS 30 Seeing the Right Kind of Doctor 34 Ruling Out the Other Suspects 34 Drafting an Effective Treatment Plan 35 Keeping Love Alive in the Midst of CFS 37 Guiding a Child through the Trauma of CFS 38 Anticipating Future Tests, Treatments, and Possible Cures 40 Chapter 2: Gauging Your Symptoms: CFS Is More Than Being Tired 41 Evaluating the Onset: When You Recognize Something Is Wrong 42 Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of CFS 43 Recognizing When You’ve Reached Chronic Status 49 Differentiating CFS from Other Conditions and Illnesses 51 Chapter 3: Looking At the Possible Causes: Where Does CFS Come From? 57 Examining the History of CFS 58 Investigating Early Reluctance to Recognize CFS 60 Shaking Your Family Tree 63 Checking Out Your Body Chemistry 65 Physical Trauma and CFS: Covering the Aftermath 71 Inspecting Environmental Toxins and Allergens 74 Emotional Stress and CFS: Recognizing the Signs 76 Can You Prevent the Onset of CFS? 77 Chapter 4: Finding Comfort in Numbers: You’re Not Alone 79 Examining the Epidemiology and Studying the Statistics 80 Underestimating the Real Numbers 87 Singling Out Women 90 Counting Heads in the Lower Risk Groups 94 Peering into the Future for Potential Cures 96 Part II: Teaming Up with Treatment Professionals 99 Chapter 5: Tracking Down the Best Doctor for You 101 Preparing to Visit Your Primary Physician 102 Gauging Your Doctor’s CFS Knowledge 108 Finding a CFS Specialist for a Thorough Workup 110 Consulting Additional Specialists for Specific Symptoms 113 Chapter 6: Working with Your Doctor to Sort Out Your Symptoms 115 Preparing Yourself for a Case of Chronic Confusion 115 Rating Your Fatigue 118 Painting Your Diagnostic Portrait 119 Seeking a Second Opinion When Your Doctor Doesn’t Work Out 127 Chapter 7: Crafting Your Medical Treatment Plan 129 Soothing Your Symptoms with Effective Medications 130 Combining Medicine with Other Treatments 147 Chapter 8: Handling Your Emotional and Psychological Issues 151 Recognizing the Vicious Emotional Cycle in Action 152 Self-Screening Yourself for Depression 154 Finding a Good Therapist 157 Getting Individual Therapy 160 Participating in Relationship, Family, and Group Therapy 164 Chapter 9: Checking Out Some Alternative (Therapy) Routes 169 Looking for the Best Alternative Caregivers 170 Relaxing Your Way to Relief 173 Relieving Your Symptoms with Herbs and Supplements 183 Lining Up Your Bones with Chiropractic Care 185 Chapter 10: Exorcising CFS Symptoms with Sensible Exercise 187 Plugging Into the Rationale Behind Exercise Therapy 188 Discovering Your Optimum Exercise Activity Level 190 Working Out with Specific Exercises and Toning Moves 197 Finding the Right Personal Trainer for You 212 Part III: Living and Working Well with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 215 Chapter 11: Setting Up a Healthy Daily Routine 217 Tailoring Your Menu for CFS-Friendly Foods 217 Reaching and Maintaining Your Optimum Weight 232 Getting a Good Night’s Sleep 234 Lock-Stepping with a Daily Routine 237 Chapter 12: Working When You Have CFS 239 Disclosing Your Condition: To Tell or Not to Tell? 239 Calculating the Possible Personal Financial Costs 245 Pumping Up Your Productivity 250 Filing for Disability 254 Chapter 13: CFS and Relationships: How to Stabilize the Rocking Boat 259 Rounding Up and Arming the Troops to Battle CFS 259 Considering Relationship Therapy 265 Chapter 14: When Someone You Love Has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 269 Living with a Spouse or Partner with CFS 269 Parenting a Kid Who Has CFS 273 Helping Out a Friend with CFS 275 Communicating: A Good Way to Help Everyone 277 Recognizing Your Own Emotions and Needs 281 Chapter 15: Leading a Child Through the CFS Minefield 287 Securing an Accurate Diagnosis for Your Child 287 Helping Your Child Cope with CFS Symptoms in Daily Life 292 Nurturing Your Child’s Understanding of Your CFS 298 Chapter 16: Peering into the Future of CFS 303 Checking Out What’s in the Works 303 Keeping Your Eyes Peeled for New Findings and Treatments 306 Helping Yourself and Other CFS Sufferers with Clinical Drug Trials 311 Part IV: The Part of Tens 315 Chapter 17: Ten Famous People with CFS 317 Michelle Akers 317 Susan Blackmore 318 Howard Bloom 318 Cher 319 Blake Edwards 319 Laura Hillenbrand 319 Andy Hunt 320 Keith Jarrett 320 Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland 321 Ali Smith 321 Chapter 18: Ten Drug-Free Ways to Fight Fatigue 323 Boogie-ing to Your Favorite Tunes 323 Setting Sensible, Doable Goals 324 Breathing Deeper Than Normal 325 Stretching Out 325 Spending Time with a Positive Friend 326 Kicking Back in Your Easy Chair 326 Celebrating Your Successes 326 Sleeping More . . . Or Less 327 Making Your Living Space Livable 327 Meditating Your Way to Feeling Refreshed 328 Chapter 19: Ten Common Myths about CFS 329 Only Young, White Females Get CFS 329 CFS Symptoms Are Really Due to a Different Depressive Disorder 330 Overachievers Get CFS More Than Anyone Else 330 CFS Is Due to Burnout 331 CFS Was Discovered in the 20th Century 331 Eventual Recovery Is a Given 331 Getting More Sleep Can Help 332 CFS Comes from AIDS 332 Exercise Cures CFS 332 CFS Is a Rare Disease 333 Chapter 20: Ten Things to Avoid if You Have CFS 335 Exercising Beyond Your Capacity 335 Hanging Around “Negative Nancies” 336 Heaping on Huge Meal Portions 336 Partying Past Your Bedtime 337 Medicating Yourself with Alcohol and Drugs 337 Volunteering for Overtime 337 Signing Up for a Split Shift 338 Overtaxing Your Brain 338 Picking Fights with Loved Ones 338 Under-or Overestimating Your Abilities 339 Chapter 21: Ten Strategies to Enhance Your Life 341 Coming Clean about Your Condition 341 Outsourcing Exhausting Tasks 342 Identifying and Removing the Worst Stressors 343 Reducing the Clutter in Your Life 344 Restructuring Your Day 345 Training Yourself to Say No 345 Pampering Yourself: You Deserve It! 345 Regulating Your Social Time 346 Finding More Rewarding Work 346 Letting Go of the Little Stuff 347 Appendix: CFS Reference and Support Sources 349 Top Five Recommended CFS Web Sites 349 More CFS Help and Information 352 Glossary 357 Index 363 ""About the Authors""; ""Dedication""; ""Authorsâ€? Acknowledgments""; ""Contents at a Glance""; ""Table of Contents""; ""Introduction""; ""About This Book""; ""Conventions Used in This Book""; ""What Youâ€?re Not to Read""; ""Foolish Assumptions""; ""How This Book Is Organized""; ""Icons Used in This Book""; ""Where to Go from Here""; ""Part I: Recognizing and Taking Steps Toward Treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome""; ""Chapter 1: Dipping into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments""; ""Taking Your Fatigue Seriously""; ""Conjecturing about the Possible Causes of CFS"" ""Chapter 3: Looking At the Possible Causes: Where Does CFS Come From?""""Examining the History of CFS""; ""Investigating Early Reluctance to Recognize CFS""; ""Shaking Your Family Tree""; ""Checking Out Your Body Chemistry""; ""Physical Trauma and CFS: Covering the Aftermath""; ""Inspecting Environmental Toxins and Allergens""; ""Emotional Stress and CFS: Recognizing the Signs""; ""Can You Prevent the Onset of CFS?""; ""Chapter 4: Finding Comfort in Numbers: Youâ€?re Not Alone""; ""Examining the Epidemiology and Studying the Statistics""; ""Underestimating the Real Numbers"" ""Singling Out Women""""Counting Heads in the Lower Risk Groups""; ""Peering into the Future for Potential Cures""; ""Part II: Teaming Up with Treatment Professionals""; ""Chapter 5: Tracking Down the Best Doctor for You""; ""Preparing to Visit Your Primary Physician""; ""Gauging Your Doctorâ€?s CFS Knowledge""; ""Finding a CFS Specialist for a Thorough Workup""; ""Consulting Additional Specialists for Specific Symptoms""; ""Chapter 6: Working with Your Doctor to Sort Out Your Symptoms""; ""Preparing Yourself for a Case of Chronic Confusion""; ""Rating Your Fatigue"" ""Seeing the Right Kind of Doctor""""Ruling Out the Other Suspects""; ""Drafting an Effective Treatment Plan""; ""Keeping Love Alive in the Midst of CFS""; ""Guiding a Child through the Trauma of CFS""; ""Anticipating Future Tests, Treatments, and Possible Cures""; ""Chapter 2: Gauging Your Symptoms: CFS Is More Than Being Tired""; ""Evaluating the Onset: When You Recognize Something Is Wrong""; ""Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of CFS""; ""Recognizing When Youâ€?ve Reached Chronic Status""; ""Differentiating CFS from Other Conditions and Illnesses"" ""Painting Your Diagnostic Portrait""""Seeking a Second Opinion When Your Doctor Doesnâ€?t Work Out""; ""Chapter 7: Crafting Your Medical Treatment Plan""; ""Soothing Your Symptoms with Effective Medications""; ""Combining Medicine with Other Treatments""; ""Chapter 8: Handling Your Emotional and Psychological Issues""; ""Recognizing the Vicious Emotional Cycle in Action""; ""Self-Screening Yourself for Depression""; ""Finding a Good Therapist""; ""Getting Individual Therapy""; ""Participating in Relationship, Family, and Group Therapy""