Customer Reviews

Freedom from Fibromyalgia : The 5-Week Program Proven to Conquer Pain

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Something's going on here/ But what it is ain't exactly clear --Bob Dylan

These lyrics from a few years back pretty much sum up the medical position on fibromyalgia. Selfridge, who is a medical doctor, and Franklynn, who is a professional writer, don't make it any clearer, but they have the considerable merit (especially from the point of view of the fibromyalgia sufferer) of having suffered from the disease themselves. Selfridge advertises herself as "90 percent cured" (p. 23) while Franklynn "feels at least 90 percent improved" (p. 26).

Although Selfridge rightly disparages the term "psychosomatic" (p. 40), it is clear that she believes that the proximate cause of fibromyalgia is the effect negative emotions have on the body, particularly the emotions of anger and rage. She believes that the "mind, brain, and body conspire to generate...real physical symptoms" (p. 60). Here's the way the authors lay it out on pages 58-60: "For sensitive people" having grown up "amidst tensions too overwhelming" for their "sensitive nervous system[s]," having been shoved "relentlessly toward the impossible goal of being perfect[,]...a significant loss--of a loved one, a job, status, or income--or a significant emotional shakeup, such as a car accident" can be the event that "may stimulate the production of chemicals that create fibromyalgia symptoms." In short (p. 61), "Fibromyalgia sufferers are more sensitive to stress than the general population." Are they right? Nobody knows for sure. Fibromyalgia, like some other chronic diseases that plague our society--the many kinds of arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome, etc.--may be the result of some as yet unidentified factor of modern life. Most likely they are the result of a combination of factors, creating a mind-body syndrome of illness. Until such time as medical science figures it out, we have to go on living. Can we live without pain? (I use the editorial "we" not because I personally suffer from fibromyalgia, but because someone I love does, and I identify strongly with her suffering.) The authors say we can, and they lay out a five week program. Does it work?

I would say that it indeed will work in many cases, not only for sufferers of fibromyalgia, but for sufferers of many other chronic diseases of unclear etiology, perhaps some of those mentioned above. The reason is simple: their prescription includes things as meditation, regular exercise ("becoming a couch potato can aggravate fibromyalgia" p. 232), a positive attitude toward yourself and your place in the world and so on--things we all should be doing as matter of course. I would add that a belief in a power beyond the body and beyond the "ego-I" created by the bioculture would help. Note that, most significantly for fibromyalgia sufferers, it is the management of anger that the authors prescribe. Anger comes from frustration. We are not getting what we want, which is to be loved and appreciated. We want and need to be admired for our good qualities and given some slack for our not-so-good qualities. If it is true, as the authors state, that "Close to 90 percent of known fibromyalgia sufferers are women" (p. 20), we might very well ask why? An answer could be that women especially suffer from a poor self image because of the media propaganda of our society that has devalued those women who are not slim, young, rich, famous, and beautiful. The secret is not to change the society, which is impossible. It is to change our attitude toward society's delusions. As in yoga, it is a process of renunciation: we need to renounce (and really believe it) society's mistaken judgment. We also need to understand "you can't always get what you want" and recognize the negative effect unfulfilled desire can have on ourselves. When I was young and relatively handsome, the girls used to listen to every word I said. Now that I am old and gray, they don't find me so intelligent anymore. What happened to me? Nothing. (I may even have gotten smarter.) What is the cure? Not to care. To understand who and where I am, and to be content with that--indeed to revel in it. The authors include a short chapter on Resources with places to write, Web sites, and books to read including two by Deepak Chopra and three by John E. Sarno, whose The Mindbody Prescription (1998) was obviously part of the inspiration for this book.

Incidentally, the reason that the authors and most authorities now reject the term "psychosomatic" is that it has picked up the unfortunate and incorrect sense of "a mental illness" or "an illness caused by mental problems." This is not what the word means; the usage is corrupt; alas, nothing can be done about that. A new word is needed, or better yet, a new understanding, such as presented in this book, that mind affects body; body affects mind, and that an imbalance can lead to illness.

I almost tossed this in the circular file - the writing is at grade school level and often sounds like an infomercial - promising everything "at no cost". However, in spite of the amaturish writing, it made a lot of sense and was well referenced. But the really good news is that it delivers. As a long time sufferer of fibromyalgia - I followed the program outlined and within 3 weeks, I amazed myself - waking up pain free and with energy I forgot existed. I am ordering this book for two of my friends who also have had fibromyalgia - and instead of crying on our shoulders and sharing sad tales of new pains - I hope to soon be able to rejoice with them about our new freedom from pain. Thank you, Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson.

My mother sent me this book, and being a scientist, I was very sceptical. However, I had nothing to lose and decided to follow the program. That was three years ago and I rarely have any clinical signs now. It has convinced me of the health connection between the mind and the body. I hope you have the same success I did.

As a sufferer of fibromyalgia for the past three years, I looked far and wide to find help. One can find testimonials for miraculous improvement from just about everything from colostrum, animal livers, getting rid of chemicals in fruits and nuts, too much phosphate, too little glycosamine...too many iffy possibilities!!!

Finally, I found a book which explains in plain terms how emotions cause the release of certain chemicals into the body and in turn, how these chemicals affect our health. This understanding of the mind/body connection from very measurable indicators has served to help me understand how my pain is triggered, and more importantly, how to control it. It is not fluff, it is NOT blame the victim. On the contrary, by taking control of one's thoughts, lifestyle, and state of mind, one also takes back control of one's life from a very real and very tenacious disease. Thank you, Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson, it has helped a lot. I have shared this book with my Dr. in the hopes that he, too, will find it useful in treating his other suffering patients.

This doctor really knows how to fix chronic pain. She has fibromyalgia herself, and cured it. I went to see her about terrible chronic muscle problems due to overuse and fibromyalgia that had spread to all parts of my body. I had been dealing with this for 3+ years and the Mayo Clinic told me that there was nothing they could do.

I finally gave up and tried this approach as a last resort (I am horribly skeptical of all forms of non-conventional treatment.)

It seemed like a miracle when my pain cleared up and I got my life back. Most of the pain went away in 3-4 months. I still deal with it from time to time but I have the tools to deal with it now.

This approach isn't easy, but with persistence it absolutely works.

I still apply her methods and Dr. John Sarno's today, and am now very much in control of my disorder, thanks to her help.

I highly recommend reading it and Dr. John Sarno's book, "The Mindbody Prescription." It really does work, especially it all conventional treatment has failed you.

My name is Iris Weverman. I am a registered physical therapist in Toronto, Canada. I treat, in my practice, a lot of people with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and chronic pain. I thoroughly enjoyed your book and my patients come into the office and tell me how they feel about your book. They say of all the books they have read-and they read everything-your book has helped them the most. They say it really makes sense and they have gained a lot of insight into their conditions and themselves from its contents.

Foreword by Dr. John E. Sarno, Author of The Mindbody Prescription (1998, Warner Books), Mind over Back Pain (William Morrow, 1984) and Healing Back Pain (Warner Books, 1991)

I am pleased to introduce this important book to the reading public. We are in the midst of a number of epidemics in the United States that are a direct result of the failure of the North American medical community to recognize the cause of these epidemics. It is as the doctors had suddenly decided that the germ theory of disease was no longer valid. In this case, they have decided that a variety of pain disorders that are clearly based on the interplay of everyday human emotions with physical reactions are due either to some mysterious chemical reaction or physical concomitants, like repetitive stress in the Workplace.

One of these disorders is a condition that affects millions of American women that goes by the name of fibromyalgia. This condition has become epidemic in the last fifteen years or so and immediately prompts the question: What has happened to explain this new epidemic? The human race has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. Why is there an epidemic of fibromyalgia now?

The answer is simple. Because it is a mind-body disorder that will spread in epidemic fashion if it is not recognized as such, and that is what has happened in the United States. Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson have suffered from this disorder and have recovered from it because they came to know the true nature of the problem. Now they want to share their knowledge of this devastating condition and what they did to get over it.

This is a very important book, for there are very few people, in or out of the medical community, who understand what fibromyalgia is all about. Dr. Selfridge and Mr. Peterson are pioneers-and their experience and their advice are both in the tradition of pioneers whose mission is to reveal the truth-and humanitarians, strongly motivated to help those who are in trouble and in need of guidance and help. Not everyone can profit from their message, but there are millions who will. I salute them for their courage and their devotion to the needs of people who suffer the disabling consequences of pain, in this case the pain of fibromyalgia. John Sarno, M.D

I spent 18 months seeing 25 doctors, took pain killers, muscle relaxants, sleep meds, anti-depressant, Xanax and kept getting worse. Was unable to sleep, to sit or walk without extremem pain. Quit my job, lost my fiance, ended up hospitalized for severe depression.

Then I got this book, followed it religiously. Now I'm off all medication, quit seeing all doctors, am pain free, sleeping again and have my life back!!!

I was reading the reviews and thought maybe it was worth mentioning.

I'm the son of the author. Frank did indeed suffer terribly from FM and, in case anyone is wondering, its been 7 years since he wrote this book and I have not heard him complain of the symptoms recurring once in all this time.

I'm sure it won't work for everyone, but it definitely *did* work for him.

If there's a how to cure book I've read it. So far none of them have worked - including this one. Exercise, eat right, take care of yourself, have a good attitude, meditate. I already do these things, and yes, they do help, but ONLY because those things would help ANYONE.

Do they CURE it? NO. I'm not cured. I have good days, but then BOOM, the pain starts and it is like I'm getting the flu. Nothing will have stressed me out, I won't be 'mad.'

In fact, I'm a pretty happy person with a great life, and a horrid nervous system. I think I bought snakeoil, again.