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. ""About the Authors""; ""Dedication""; ""Authors� Acknowledgments""; ""Contents at a Glance""; ""Table of Contents""; ""Introduction""; ""About This Book""; ""Conventions Used in This Book""; ""What You�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: You�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 Doctor�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 You�ve Reached Chronic Status""; ""Differentiating CFS from Other Conditions and Illnesses"" ""Painting Your Diagnostic Portrait""""Seeking a Second Opinion When Your Doctor Doesn�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"" Discover how to determine if your symptoms are due to CFS; find the right physician; understand various treatment options; manage your CFS in a variety of situations; help someone who's living with CFS ""Chapter 9: Checking Out Some Alternative (Therapy) Routes""