Customer Reviews

From Fatigued to Fantastic!: A Manual for Moving Beyond Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I have had CFIDS since 1991, had read over 25 books on CFIDS and had been 95% cured. Then in March of 2000 after a total hysterectomy, I suddenly had horrific pain. I got back into the book stores and found a medical doctor that has CFIDS and FMS himself and has dedicated his entire medical career (over 20 years) to helping others with CFIDS/FMS. Easy to read and to understand for the patient, family members and doctors. I had never understood how the two illnesses were different until I read his book. He references ALL of the medical research being done by normal doctors on normal patients, then he takes this information to the next level about how it relates to CFIDS/FMS patients. His purpose seems to be to help patients, family members and their local doctors to understand more about CFIDS/FMS with HIS CHAPTERS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY TO DOCTORS, his questionaire forms and protocal sheets. He even gives the list of tests needed, their parameters for CFIDS/FMS patients and the medications needed, to help YOUR doctor help you to heal in a reasonable amount of time. Yes, his office visit is expensive, but if you choose to go to him, it is well worth every penny, BUT he gives you the tools and his knowledge in this book for just a few dollars, so that more local doctors can understand, empathize and treat their own patients and help fellow family members, effectively. His website is: endfatigue.com He also has published one double-blind study, and is in the process of releasing his second study with even more profound results for his treatments for the CFIDS/FMS patient. I personally have given away over 20 books, to doctors and fellow CFIDS/FMS patients, so that other people will get the help we need to cope, recoperate and rejuvenate! Feel free to contact me, also: Karen Crockett rcrockett@home.com

Dr. Teitelbaum has put into one very readable book information that sufferers of fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue have been craving for years. His direct approach and common sense solutions are like a much-needed rain for a parched life. The book was recommended by a doctor specializing in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, and I presented it to my regular doctor so that he could help me with the unique problems FMS and CFS patients face. A friend of mine who also suffers from these syndromes has started implementing Dr. Teitelbaum's suggestions and has had significant improvement of her symptoms. (I am not able to start my treatment until certain testing is complete, for the sake of accuracy.) The doctor also offers himself as a resource if you are unable to get the help you need elsewhere. If you or someone you love has either of these syndromes, this book is a must-read.

If you have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or suspect that you may have, this book can open medical doors for you. FMS/CFS/CFIDS are illnesses that are very misunderstood by the medical community at large. Normally this disease needs to be diagnosed by a rheumotologist. If you are having unexplained joint pain and unexplainable fatigue, make your doctor read this book. It outlines the illness, symptoms, tests that should be ordered and how to correctly interpret the results. My doctor and I follow Dr. Teitelbaum's program and I am improving. It is the best source of information on Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome available. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum is very passionate about this illness due to the fact that he has had it and knows what his patients feel. He writes compassionately and in a language that a non-medically trained reader can understand. It is less expensive than a trip to the doctor and you'll definately get more information

To start off: I tried the good doctor's recommendations, since I am myself a CFIDS sufferer. I applaud dr. Teitelbaum for making me realize, that my illness was not just in my head; when it came to treatment, what he suggested was far from a complete answer though. I do not blame him for that, after all getting an off the shelf answer for an illness like CFS would be a tall order. That is why I am giving 4 stars. I will write down what I experienced.

I did the online test on his website, and the computer diagnosis recommended 6 various supplements, all of which I purchased from his site as well. I felt somewhat better after taking them for a while, but the improvement was not drastical. Also, there was one recommendation that puzzled me, as well as alll the docs that I took the diagnosis to (they were quite open, btw): the "mycoplasma infection" for which hisrecommended treatment is a low dose antibiotic for several months, perhaps a half year. (!!)

After much more research, I ended up at an applied kinesiology
(AK) practitioner. That moment was probably THE luckiest in my life. His findings were:

1) By muscle testing, he found out, that out of the 6 supplements, 1 was helping me, 4 were not doing anything, and 1 was outright harmful! After I stopped the 5 nonhelpful ones, I felt MUCH better.

2) He found that my adrenal glands were totally exhausted from stress. Teitelbaum does write about hormonal imbalances. However,
after a 10 minute "deep tissue massage" of my adrenal glands by the AK doc, I felt about 50% better! I could not believe it - I could have kissed his hand.

3) The mycoplasma infection never existed. I was exercising the wrong way -- I was doing yoga, which is supposedly excellent for CFS sufferers. If one does not have a good aerobic base, and he does "power yoga", it is NOT! I started on a light walking program, and the muscle pain was soon gone. (Yeah, walking - I snorted when I first heard of that. Believe me, it is not only for wimps, and if you have CFS, your ego must take a backseat for a while, especially when picking the right exercise). I found the books of Phil Maffetone very helpful on how to build a good aerobic base.

Doing the wrong exercise may be a good reason that contributes to CFS - considering how many CFS sufferers are typical overachievers.

4) I remark, that I "only" had CFS, NOT fybromalgia.

To sum it up, what worked for me is: an AK doc, and the right exercise (see Maffetone's books).

I sincerely hope this will help someone out there.

I agree with Jodi (see her review further down) -- Teitelbaum is confused into thinking that the chronic fatigue he experienced as an overworked medical student is the same as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. True CFS (which involves neurologic, endocrine, cardiorespiratory and other abnormalities, not merely extreme fatigue) has far more symptoms than just fatigue. It's generally a result of a virus, not "burn out".

For those who have real CFS, some of the advice can be hazardous. Experts concur that exercise is detrimental, especially to those in the advanced stages who have viral damage to their heart muscle ... I know several patients who've been rendered permanently bedridden after following misguided advice to exercise their way to health. In fact, reaction to exercise is one of the ways the experts differentiate between CFS and depression. (see www.cfsfacts.org for details on this diagnostic shortcut)

I've tried Teitelbaum's Fatigued to Fantastic formula; even at maximum dosage, it didn't put me to sleep. It might help if you have chronic fatigue (the symptom) from insufficient sleep, but Chronic Fatigue SYNDROME is not sleeping too little, but not feeling refreshed when you wake up even if you've slept 20 hours.

See Jodi's list of good books about the Syndrome (not the symptom); I'd add David S. Bell's "Doctor's Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" as one of my top picks.

I was impressed by the additional information that Dr. Teitelbaum has included on persistent infections in the revised and updated edition and numerous other abnormalities found in CFIDS and FMS plus a vast array of treatment options. This data is presented in a clear and easy to follow format and includes resources to products, services and organizations worth knowing about.

However, I feel few people with these illnesses are in the financial position (many receiving only disability benefits) to gain the full benefits of this program. For many of the proposed tests are not covered under stringent HMO set-ups or by Medicare, the large assortment of supplements, and even the cost of office visits with doctors who practice integrative medicine - all of these will be out of pocket. The average internist is not familiar/agreeable with many of these specialized tests nor following many of these suggestions. In my opinion, just how fantastic this program may or may not be can only be appreciated by a minority of individuals with CFIDS/FMS who can afford to go outside their PCP for assistance.

Lastly, towards the end of the book in Appendix F, I was rather surprised and disappointed in how Dr. Teitelbaum went off at a tangent into his proximate and evolutionary explanations of these illnesses while linking them to such issues as today's fast-paced way of life, stress, type-A personalities, adaptive function of emotions, role of fear, and existential/spiritual crisis. I really would have preferred if these digressions had been omitted for they bring back the old connotation about the illnesses, that its sufferers tend to have internal conflicts and fixations that need to be released and certain types of personalities cause certain people to burn out. A few specific remarks like ..."Since fibromyalgia is a fear response rooted in unresolved trauma and/or relentless stress", and ..." fibromyalgia is but one manifestation of a world out of control" ... really distracted me from all the good stuff he started out with.

Despite all of the controversy and his support for psychotherapy, I still think the 2001 edition of "From Fatigued to Fantastic" offers worthwhile medical information - take whatever ideas/strategies that are doable for you and can help you gain a better understanding of your illness, as well as provide relief/improvement -- but I had to make an effort to turn a blind eye to some of the exaggerated claims and psycho-babble.

Before reading this book and utilizing its advice, I had gone to 12 doctors over a period of 9 years at a cost of over $20,000.
It took 7 doctors and 5 years before I even got an accurate diagnoses. The next 5 doctors took lots of money but did nothing to help me. It was not till I read this book and took it's advice that I started on the road to recovery. It is the only book on the topic worth it's purchase price and the only one promising a cure based on double blind, placebo controlled scientific research that has been recognised by the medical community. In the one year since I have started following the protocol suggested by the book I have gone from a 2 to an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of energy, lack of pain, general health and quality of life. My husband who has neither chronic fatigue nor fibromyalgia and who has always regarded himself as healthy and fit, did dr. teitelbaums web based diagnostic and has gone from a 7 to a 9 on the same 1 to 10 scale. I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough to everyone, sick or healthy.

I found hope in this book at a time I felt fairly hopeless and still think it presents a lot of worthwhile ideas to explore.

However, my chronic fatigue turned out to be due celiac disease (gluten intolerance) which is thought by some researcher to have a prominence as high as 1 in 133 in the USA. Since fatigue is one of the most common symptoms (and sometimes the ONLY symptom), celiac disease deserved at least a mention in this book. There are no references to it (or to gluten as a potential toxin) at all in the book that I could find.

As a result, I spent considerable money on recommended supplements which did nothing for me. Even so, one or more of the ideas in here might be just the ticket for someone else suffering from fatigue so it's definitely worth a look.

If you're interested researching this possibility, check out "Dangerous Grains" by Hoggan and Braly or one of the many other excellent books on gluten intolerance for sale here on Amazon.com.

Best wishes in your quest for health and energy.

This book was great I found it on vacation on FL and could not put it down! Interestingly, on vacation, my symptoms were minimal! I found a GREAT doctor, and this book reinforced what she had told me. I was not crazy! There was something wrong with me, even though I look well to those around me. Following the book's advice and "The Yeast Connection" by Wm Crook, I am feeling better! I still have bad days, but it is usually when I eat something with sugar, milk, yeast, or caffine. A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WITH FIBROMYALGIA!

As a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and a person diagnosed with CFIDS (1992)-- I highly recommend this book!

The treatment protocols are indispensable for all physicians that are treating CFIDS patients. The book has a truly integrative approach and discusses medications, nutrition, herbs, etc. This is also the first book that I have found that actually discusses the intravenous vitamin therapy know as the "Myers Cocktail".

I recommend that all of my CFIDS patients read this book. This book helps patients make empowered health care choices and also educate their own doctors about cutting-edge treatments.

This book gives PWCs hope that they can feel better and offers a road map to guide each person on his or her journey toward optimum health.

For more information check out: Dr. Teitelbaum's website at www.jacobteitelbaum.com (he has a physician referral page to help you locate a doctor in your area) --- the CFIDS Assoc. of America at www.cfids.org and --- The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians at www.naturopathic.org