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Don't Give Up!
By John Wilson, LPC
Dealing with CFIDS and FMS can be very frustrating and discouraging process, but don't give up or quit looking for solutions. Try to keep a positive attitude. People do get better. You may or may not fully recover, but many people find partial recovery, and some near full recovery. A few things you can do to help yourself:
- Find a doctor who will listen and is familiar with CFIDS and/or FMS. A phone call may save you a visit. Ask if they are familiar with the work of Cheney, Teitelbaum, Bell or others. Ask if they adhere to any on particular doctor's ideas or protocol. Ask what a typical protocol is for their CFIDS/FMS patients.
- Keep reading the latest research on CFIDS and FMS. Spend your research time reading material by professionals familiar with CFIDS and FMS. The internet is a good place to start. While there is some great information on the net, there are also articles written by people that have little or no research to back up their claims. You may want to ask your doctor about what you read. Just because it is new or different does not mean it is quackery, but then again it could be. Perhaps the writer is sincere, but sincerely wrong. Your doctor should be able to help you sort out truth from error.
- There is a place for learning from other people's experiences, but realize what is good for one person may not helpful to another. Our physiological makeup varies from one person to another.
- Keep up-to-date on the latest medications. Buy a reference book in lay terms, or check one out of your library. Don't be afriad to discuss new medications or changing medications with your doctor.
- After a while some CFIDS and FMS patients feel nothing is really helping. Some of us forget how much we have improved, while others truthfully don't seem to be improving. Keep looking for ways to help yourself. In addition to medication, other important parts of the healing process are lifestyle changes, nutrition, setting limits, and our relationship with God.
Don't give up ã keep trying!
John is a professional counselor at Christian Counseling Associates in SW Fort Worth. What he offers can usually be accomplished in two to six sessions. You can contact him at 1-888-222-9030, ext. 135.
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