“I wouldn’t worry, I think you’ll get better.” This is what the disability lawyer told me as I sat across from his desk, shuddering uncontrollably from the effort of sitting up for an hour. What I should have said was, “Oh really? What exactly makes you think that? Tell me why, after 15 years of being ill and no available treatment for my disease, you believe I will magically just get better. What exactly do you think will change?“ That is what I should have said. But I didn’t. I stayed quiet. I did look disapprovingly at him – but that is the best I could do. Honestly, I have just spent an hour outlining the crippling effects this illness has on me. I have told him how long I have had it. I have explained what my doctors say. I have shown him my personal activity log (though he did not look at it – in fact not one person in the medical or legal or disability field has looked at it). And now, after all of that, it becomes clear that he does not believe me. He didn’t believe me from the very beginning. He didn’t believe me because I am too articulate, too intelligent (his words not mine – though obviously he didn’t get a real handle on me in that hour), too respectable looking, and – here is the kicker – I am only 29 years old. I am too young, too smart, and too well dressed to be sick. So I will just get better. I should have dressed in pajamas and not washed my hair. It would have been much easier and, in the end, more effective. But then, there is nothing much I can do about my age. Funnily enough the doctor said the same thing as the lawyer. First he made it clear that he didn’t think my illness existed (whilst at the same time scaring the pants off me by telling me I would die if I didn’t get help for my heart problem immediately. I’m sorry, why do you think I am here? I am seeking help. I have been seeking help for a long time. ) Then he berated me, implying that my illness was my fault. Then he told me I had wasted my whole life malingering. Then he said, “I think you’ll get better.” He didn’t offer any suggestions on how to make this happen. As you can probably tell, these encounters made me angry. They also made me sad and humiliated and mortified and insecure for a while. But this is what I have learned from them: Create a team made up only of people who believe you Whether you are trying for disability and need an advocate or a lawyer, or you are seeking medical help and need doctors, natural practitioners, specialists – whatever you are seeking, the team you compile must believe you first. It is the first requirement. They must also be competent and educated and offer some kind of help. But first and foremost, before anything else, they must believe you. If they do not believe you they will not be able to help you. If they do not believe you they WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU. Rather, they will cause you physical and emotional harm. After many unhappy experiences like the above I finally did some online research to find doctors who deal specifically with my illness. My philosophy was that if they deal regularly with my illness, they must believe that it exists. So that is one hurdle over with. (You should be prepared to travel if you do not live in a big city.) From this research (and with some help from my family) I did find a medical doctor who not only believed me but listens and works hard for me. She is competent and equipped. Her whole office is set up to prove that she believes you – from the questions on the new patient forms to the length of the first interview. She deals primarily in autoimmune diseases. (I travel 2 hours one way to get to her office. It is worth it.) I also work with a natural practitioner and she is the one that helps me the most. She is also competent and educated and listens and works hard. And she believes me. If your Doctor does not believe you, get a new doctor. The same goes for your lawyer. How can they fight for you if they do not even believe you? That is what I have learned. I have read so many stories of people who go to doctors that constantly undermine and belittle them, that do not believe they are really sick. And these people receive no help from these doctors. Yet they keep going. Don’t do this to yourself. You are the first person on your team. You must be the first person who believes you, who works for you, who listens to you. Find others who can do the same. How to know whether they believe you Both men in my experiences above proved that they did not believe me. Neither of them were rude and neither were being intentionally unkind. In fact, I would go so far as to say that both of them liked me as a person. They both talked in a kindly manner. They both took a good amount of time with me. Despite all of this, their words and the meaning behind them were shattering. They both said they believed me at first. But that wasn't proved true by the rest of their words. Listen to what they are actually saying. All of it. Some will say it right out. Some are more subtle. But if you listen to what they are actually saying, you will know what they really think. Entering the medical or legal sphere is scary. Doctors can be scary. Nurses can be scary. Lawyers can be scary. But not all of them are the same. You will be able to find a team that believes in you. You will be able to find a team that has something to offer. And now it’s your turn. Have you found professionals who believe and help you? If so, how did you find them? photo credit: HikingArtist.com via photopin cc photo credit: michael.heiss via photopin cc photo credit: deadstar 2.1 via photopin cc
MCS And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome A study relates MCS to chronic fatigue syndrome stating that researchers looking for the origins of MCS in participants
What to do when Multiple Chemical Sensitivity has taken over your life. Learn symptoms, triggers, and coping mechanisms to deal with the world’s toxins.
The start of environmental illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome, M.E, chronic lyme, dysautonomia, multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, chronic pain; is often accompanied by psychological or physical stress, as well as often some kind of acute physical illness. We also live in a very fa
Mast cells are an important part of your immune system, without them you would never heal from an injury. However, there is a condition where they become overactive and cause serious problems in the body – this condition is called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).
Do strong odors make you feel sick? Chemical smells from things like perfume, cleaning products, bleach, air fresheners, gasoline, and smoke can cause
In this post, I share five healthier home tips to make your home your safe haven from environmental triggers. If you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), or another chronic illness, then conventional building materials, technology, and cleaning products are problematic for people with sensitive constitutions.
A MTHFR gene variation can lead to nutrient deficiencies, an inability to clear out toxins, estrogen dominance, brain fog, multiple chemical sensitivities, depression, irritability, and anxiety - common Hashimoto’s symptoms.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is currently defined as a 'syndrome', a collection of symptoms for which the root cause has not yet been identified. This book aims to rectify this by arguing the case for POTS being considered a form of neurological injury to the limbic system following an antecedent trauma, such as a viral illness, pregnancy, surgery or psychological trauma (or a combination). Patrick Ussher himself had POTS but recovered by following a limbic system rehabilitation program (originally developed to treat Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) called the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS). After recovery, he set about mapping the idea of a limbic system impairment onto pre-existing research into POTS and found that it could explain many key findings including: NET protein deficiency (which is responsible for blood vessel constriction problems and resulting elevated heart rate upon standing), low aldosterone and poor sodium retention (which are responsible for low blood volume problems) and mast cell activation problems. This book will simultaneously act as a guide for those interested in using the DNRS as a treatment for POTS and also as a call for further research into the potential efficacy of the DNRS for treating POTS. | Author: Patrick Ussher | Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform | Publication Date: Apr 12, 2017 | Number of Pages: 158 pages | Language: English | Binding: Paperback | ISBN-10: 1545299390 | ISBN-13: 9781545299395
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an overlapping condition that frequently goes hand in hand with Fibromyalgia and many other conditions. MCS is a syndrome where the sufferer experiences multiple symptoms when exposed to small amounts of everyday chemicals. Find out more including my personal story here. And isn't is annoying! Out go all the perfumes - you can no longer wear - out go all the beautiful smelling candles and face products and hair shampoos. You can no longer use these without getting a headache, watery eyes and wheezing. The weekly pumping of gasoline causes dizziness, inability to concentrate and nausea. Heaven forbid walking into a nail salon or a freshly painted room. Yes, that's right the treatment for MCS is to try and remove all the triggers from your life. That's why going into the world is like a lucky dip - will I encounter someone with strong perfume or after shave in the elevator? Will I have to walk through the perfume department of the store to get to the manchester that I need? And can anyone please tell me why buying cleaning products, like shampoos and conditioners, with perfumes removed, cost MORE money. No one seems to know whether Fibromyalgia leads to MCS or vice a versa or whether they have related causes. MCS is a syndrome where the sufferer has multiple symptoms when exposed to small amounts of everyday chemicals. MCS is a term used to describe this condition which has heightened sensitivity to chemicals. It is also called Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI). The bad thing is that, according to research at the University of Melbourne, occurences of MCS have risen 300 % in the last decade! Professor Anne Steinemann from the University of Melbourne estimates that 55 million Americans have chemical sensitivity. Some people have only mild chemical sensitivities, while others have a more severe form. A full list of the symptoms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity are: Asthma Breathlessness Coughing Difficulty sleeping Digestion problems Dizziness Fatigue Headache Impaired concentration Joint pains Lethargy Memory problems Muscle pain Nausea Runny Nose Sinus Sore throat Stinging eyes Wheezing ............................................................................. The 1999 Consensus Statement criteria for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) are: 1. The symptoms are reproducible with (repeated chemical) exposure. 2. The condition is chronic. 3. Low levels of exposure (lower than previously or commonly tolerated) result in manifestations of the syndrome. 4. The symptoms improve or resolve when the incitants are removed. 5. Responses occur to multiple chemically unrelated substances. 6. Symptoms involve multiple organ systems. ............................................................................. Other overlapping conditions include: Chronic fatigue syndrome Costochondritis Irritable bowel syndrome Myofascial pain syndrome Restless leg syndrome TMJ or temporomandibular syndrome ....................................................................... If you would like more scientific information about MCS please go to this informative article by Mithila at MCS Resource Understanding multiple chemical sensitivities ....................................................................... SOURCES: Annals of Internal Medicine Research Gate: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Review The Environmental Illnesss Resource
Everyone fancies offering us their grand advice about exactly how we need to manage, or heal from Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS or MCS. Yet even if we
A ‘Family’ of Associated Illnesses Fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are challenging illnesses to classify. Both have a wide range of physical signs, and they’re related with many psychological symptoms as well. In addition, they’re often accompanied by a slew of other illnesses, many of which are also tough to categorize. As scientists […]
Besides foods being a trigger for autoimmune processes, various sensitivities to other substances, such as molds, metals, plastics, etc. can be a trigger as well. Up until now there has not been a way to determine if you were having an autoimmune problem due to chemicals or metals. We are excited to introduce a breakthrough technology that identifies immune responses to chemicals bound to human proteins called (neoantigens) through our relationship with Cyrex labs. .
Everyone has heard of allergies, histamine, and especially antihistamines, but less people have heard of mast cells. Our doctors are able to differentiate between Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Histamine Intolerance, and Mastocytosis that share many of the same symptoms but different root causes. At the Biologix Center, we conduct sensitive testing of your body using direct resonance testing. Learn more about Biologix Advanced Testing Techniques today!
Check out top 5 picks of Best Air Purifiers for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Read about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity at Quit Chronic Fatigue website
Many different conditions frequently occur with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, ranging from chronic headaches to sleep disturbances and more.
Do strong odors make you feel sick? Chemical smells from things like perfume, cleaning products, bleach, air fresheners, gasoline, and smoke can cause
The major elements of healing for my son's Aspergers recovery are an allergen-free diet, homeopathy, chiropractic care and emotional healing.
For 8 lovely years, I thrived in the walking culture lifestyle of my favorite home, a condo in the heart of the city. I enjoyed my fairytale dream world until ...
treatment for multiple chemical sensitivity. treatment for chronic fatigue. treatment for fibromyalgia
Customer Service: 847.222.9546 Good health begins with the health of your gut. If your gut is damaged or you have an abundance of pathogenic microorganisms it is impossible to… Read More
CFS and fibromyalgia may significantly affect your quality of life. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and health-promoting changes you can make.
Did you know that chemical intolerance may be caused by underlying mast cell activation issues? Read on to learn more.
New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and the Karolinska Institute, has shown that many of the symptoms in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are caused by antibodies that increase the activity of pain-sensing nerves throughout the body.
Everyone fancies offering us their grand advice about exactly how we need to manage, or heal from Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS or MCS. Yet even if we
The article demystifies Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) & ME by covering the neuropsychiatry, assessment and management of the condition.
These are the products our chronic illness community swears by.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome Our blog today will focus on one of the most commonly co-occuring issues with symptomatic hypermobility...
