★★★★★
I have had chronic fatigue issues since I was in my late teen. I am now in my thirties, and virtually all aspects of my life revolve around being exhausted. I have problems sleeping, which contributes to the problem. When I was younger, I went to a doctor for this, but I was just put on a antidepressant, which was on no help--it just made me not care.
Since I have started the lithium, I have had more sustained energy and my mood has improved. I've taken a lot of stimulants to survive day to day over the years, and it's not like that. Rather, when I get off of work, I can actually clean or prepare food for my self instead of waiting to drag myself to bed (some days as early as 7:00pm). I've basically gone from forcing myself to go through the motions of life to being able to do daily activities normal people do.
I just wanted to share this because it has given me some hope for my future. As oppose to seeing my life as years if maintaining the facade of energy to those around me a crashing the minute I am alone, I might actually be able to do the things normal people do, like clean, prepare food, or spend an evening with friends without feeling that I am sacrificing "rest" time.
I think that the lithium dietary supplements are worth a try.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19216769
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8024552
Coconut Oil
I have questions which have to do with your use of borax, but the EC form won't allow me to modify the subject line to include Borax in it.
Heather, could you please give some more details on your use of the Borax? How much did you take, and how frequently? How did you know, and how long did it take for you to know positively that it was Borax making the difference? Did you use 20 Mule Team or something else? This is important for me to know. Did the Borax initially produce an increase of pain for you?
Thank you very much, and again congratulations! Linda
Activated Charcoal
★★★★★
Activated Charcoal
D-Ribose, Creatine
★★★★★
After I workout I'm normally exhausted, but on creatine it seems like it gives me even more energy when i'm done. Unfortunatly, 5 grams gave me insomnia, so I'm trying 1.25 grams to see if I can get similar results without the insomnia. Try micronized monohydrate or less stomach problems.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★☆☆
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
★☆☆☆☆
I used the d-ribose for two months. I took it without creatine but with L-Carnitine, and all the relatively affordable recommended vitamins.
It did nothing for my long term chronic fatigue syndrome, which is now significantly improved using Ted's recommendations for CFS Lugol's iodine protocol for 6 months following a healthy, wholesome diet devoid of processed foods, and putting the bulk of my focus into getting quality sleep. As a 20 year insomniac, sleep issues are the main thing the book really helped me to see the importance of getting a handle on in order to recover. (Doing whatever it takes to get a reasonable amount of sleep - melatonin, sleeping pills, ear plugs, eye mask, herbal teas, avoiding caffeine, herbal sleep remedies, exercise and sunlight when possible, etc.)
But, everyone is different and we have to keep trying different things so I'm not saying not to try D-Ribose. My chronic fatigue was very serious. I was completely bedridden for years. Perhaps in the future, when I'm actually trying to hold down normal responsibilities, I'll try d-ribose again to see if it gives me what I need to get through the day energy-wise.
★★★★★
Things that did work: Coconut oil, eliminating fluoride, iodine, bed rest, Ted's borax advice (baking soda/sea salt/selenium/ACV or lemon/lime that go with the borax too).
One thing that worked that really surprised me was a liver detox. I used both NAC and milk thistle for two months, and then did one of those hokey sounding apple juice/grapefruit juice/olive oil liver and gallbladder fasts/ cleanses along with water enemas for two days. I felt so much better a few days or a week after the fast/cleanse that I felt like a different person so will do one again soon. It may be hokey but it worked. I'd done one about 12 years ago when I was in my early 30's (before I got sick/disabled) and didn't think it helped me then.
You can find references to all of these things on earthclinic.
Oh, and one more thing, before I got better, the thing that launched me into kidney and liver cleansing was severe, acute abdominal pain that an MRI showed out to be benign cysts on my kidneys and an infection above my kidneys. It wasn't kidney stones or gallstones but I felt the area needed some help. That happened about 4.5 months after starting the borax and Lugol's, and about 5 weeks after starting the NAC. I was feeling so much improved in my CFS at that time that I suspected that the general virus/infection/cause of my CFS came to a head in the form of this infection, which I have since healed from. After recovering from this infection, I was almost back to feeling like a normal person again. (After 7 years of disabling CFS that took my life from me.)
Coconut Oil
Additionally, I've gotten as much rest as possible (in bed most days until recently) and lots of love and support from my darling husband -- which was hard to accept because I was so ashamed to be sick all the time.
I've tried many things that did not help such as Lysine, D ribose, mega doses of vitamins, various drugs from the doc, lethicin (although I may try it again for a different purpose).
I've gone from being cold, sick, brain foggy and bedridden to having a normal body temperature, enough energy to interact with people and to essentially cook my family's meals, get some exercise, and to be a fairly good housewife. (I used to work two jobs so although this is a big step, it's not enough to make me feel completely cured.)
My severe depression and anxiety are nearly completely gone and I believe I may be able to return to school soon. My brain issues are so much better that I'm even considering going for a biology degree.
I still have many issues, such as continual abdominal cramping, insomnia (although much, much improved - I use natural remedies for that but believe the borax was the main factor), PCOS and weight gain that isn't resolving with dieting, but energy and health are the most important things. I can work on the rest if my brain is functioning and I have energy to shop for healthy foods and to exercise.
Feel free to ask questions. It occurs to me that I may have had adrenal fatigue and all the time and bed rest may have helped to cure that aspect of my chronic fatigue, but the change from pre coconut oil, Lugol's and borax to post was fairly dramatic.
Sulphur
Sulphur
Sulphur
Sulphur
Sulphur
★★★★★
Since I have 3 amalgams, I also tried doing Mercury detoxing... I tried using Chlorella, high doses of Selenium, Kelp, MSM and Ted's Carbicarb... None of these really worked or ended the fatigue... Finally, I read on this website that Sulphur removes Mercury... Sulphur is something that I hadn't tried before, so I went to the health foodstore and bought these little dissolvable Sulphur tablets and took them as directed, which was 3 tabs under my tongue 3-4 times a day...
I remember that I was so exhausted on the day that I went to get the Sulphur tabs... And desperate to try anything that would help me... As soon as I purchased them, I popped them in my mouth and I felt instant relief... My heavy eyelids lifted up, posture lifted up, breathing sped up, energy came back and also a little itchy hive that I had on the crease of my arm near my veins, it went away... I went home with so much energy that I even went to the gym because I was so happy that I had energy...
It is clear to me now that the reason why Sulphur gave me energy is because I do have Mercury toxicity that was making me feel dizzy and suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome... The dissolvable Sulphur tabs that I bought had a strength or potency of 30c... I continue to have energy taking these tablets... But I was also advised to take Selenium and Chlorella also to bind the Mercury and chelate it from my body! Mostly, I'm so happy I have energy to go out and also no more dizziness! Or itchy Hives!
Jeannette thanks for speaking up on this topic.
CFS the debilitating illness is starting to be called neuroendocrineimmune disease. Researchers are finally discovering the links to cancer and autism and gene defects or mutations. There may be links to animal retroviruses. They are barely scratching the surface because of limiting funding. Many of us have suffered for decades and just want to have some semblance of a life. May 12, 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of International Awareness Day for ME/CFS, FM, MCS & GWS.
General Feedback
D-Ribose, Creatine
★★★★★
Essiac Tea
United Mitochondial Disease Foundation www.umdf.org
Start at the top of the page (link below) with things to avoid etc. Scroll down to find Vitamin & Supplement Reccomendations/Chart. Below that is the Medication, Minerals, Vitamins and Substrates that May be Helpful (with the advice of a physician of course): http://www.umdf.org/site/c.otJVJ7MMIqE/b.5692887/k.6686/Treatments__Therapies.htm
Iodine
★★★★☆
After only one month on iodine, starting at a few mg a day and more recently working up to 100 mg a day (as recommended by Dr. Guy Abraham for FMS and CFS patients; and in addition to avoiding as much fluoride as possible by drinking only distilled water and a no-flouride toothpaste, I am happy to report a reduction in brain fog by about 50-60%; all my chronically swollen lymph nodes are gone; my previously scaly feet and heels are now pedicure perfect; my body temperature is completely normal for the first time in a decade; my mystery fevers have disappeared, and I'm sleeping better.
I'm doing many other things: Ted's alkalizing formula; Lysine; multi vitamin, b vitamins, 3 grams vitamin C, and an additional brazil nut each day (for the selenium), progesterone for 2 weeks per month, 1 tbs nutritional yeast when I don't have b-vitamins, magnesium citrate (600 mg/day) and only use coconut oil and butter. However, I'd done most of those things before the Lugol's iodine solution -- which I take in 3 divided doses of 33 mg each.
The other thing I started soon after the Lugol's was taking 1tsp 2x day of turmeric. That may be an important factor, esp re. the lymph nodes if they were caused by bacteria/virus.
The painful swollen lymph nodes have been a problem for about a year, and were usually accompanied by a low grade fever.
My waking body temp was usually around 95.2, although sometimes is was 94 and others 96. It is now consistently 97.8-98. 2! A couple of times my evening temp has risen to 99 but I'm not worried about that because I didn't feel feverish.
However, I haven't seen much improvement in my energy levels. That said, having my brain back is a Godsend and I'd choose a working brain over energy any day. Nothing is worse than a malfunctioning brain.
It's only been a little over a month on the Lugol's, and only 3 days on the 100 mg. Today I am starting d-ribose and L Carnitine to help with the energy. I intend to continue the 100 mg of Lugol's for 7 weeks, which is what Dr. Abraham recommends to reach saturation, then will consider tapering back down to about 25 mg a day.
This does not contradict the flouride toxicity theory as a cause of CFS Fibro: Iodine/iodide is one way to help flush out flouride, chlorine and metals and that may be a reason it is working so well.
I also posted in this category about coconut oil a few weeks ago.
Multiple Remedies
Multiple Remedies
Thanks, Simon
★★★★★
Six months ago, I stopped using all forms of oil high in either Omega 6 OR Omega 3; switching exclusively to coconut oil, and using also some butter and some olive oil. Due to this switch, I noticed an immediate improvement in my chronic fatigue.
I did that based on othe research of Ray Peat, PhD after YEARS of using stuff like grapeseed oil and fish oil/krill/cod liver oil thinking that I needed the Omega 3's, or in the case of grapseed oil, thinking the high smoke point would save me from oxidation more than other cooking oils would.
I had also hoped the coconut oil would help with weight loss, as I've gained 30 lbs in the past year for no particular reason. It did not help with my weight loss but I noticed a significant improvement within a few days in regards to clarity of mind and energy. In fact, for the first week or so, I felt significantly improved, and thought I was well on my way to being cured. At that point, I was eating 3-5 tablespoons of the stuff each day.
Unfortunately, the polyunsaturated oils do not appear to have been *THE* cause of my chronic fatigue syndrome - at least I don't think so but it takes 4 years for that huge, life-long buildup of toxic unsaturated fatty acids to leave my body - but the coconut oil helped, it reduced my CFS to a more manageable level of discomfort, so I wouldn't stop using coconut oil for anything; nor will I ever be fooled into thinking that take Omega 3's is a good idea again either.
There have been studies done where scientists hypothesized that giving Omega 3's to pregnant women would increase the child's IQ - since we're all under the impression that Omega 3's are the ticket to health and longevity. Those scientists were perplexed and disappointed with the results: There was a significant trend toward the opposite: Lower IQ's in the babies. That is news I can personally use with two daughters in their 20's who are looking forward to building their own families soon. (And yes, I gave them Omega 3's while they were growing up, since they were babies; which I regret.)
(Google Ray Peat - the study I'm thinking of about the pregnant women was a French study, which he mentions in some article or the other.)
But that's getting a bit off topic.
Point is, the coconut oil helped. I usually just use it for cooking but sometimes I'll take a tablespoon or two in the morning, when I feel it will help with my energy and/or appetite.
Still looking for a CFS cure. For the last several weeks, I've been using the Lugol's iodine at 12.5 - 15 mg per day, and am considering working up to higher doses. That has cured my low body temperature and intolerance to cold (icy feet), but it's too soon to know whether it is the cure I'm looking for. I think the Lugol's has helped with brain fog but it's too soon to tell for sure.
Yesterday, I began adding 1/2 tsp baking soda in water 2x a day to see if that helps.
Also, I have become aware of the fluoride connection. I was one of those kids who had white spots on the teeth from flouride treatments, and I have only ever drunk tap water, usually filtered with a Brita. So today I'm going fluoride free and will try distilled water only for the next month or so; and will avoid all other sources of flouride as well.
Will definitely let earth clinic know if any particular remedy gives me my life back.
★★★★★
D-Ribose, Creatine
Tomorrow I will stop off at the health food store and get that combination of vitamins that you have been using. Thanks again - cheers! Bess
D-Ribose, Creatine
D-Ribose, Creatine
D-Ribose, Creatine
★★★★★
* * * * * NOW HERE'S THE GOOD PART!!! * * * * *
That was all until recently... Then I gradually discovered Alpha Lipoic Acid (100MG, great energy and concentration booster), Acetyl L-Carnitine (500MG), CoQ10 (100MG), and I started feeling better. Then I read about D-Ribose (750MG) and how it is vital for energy. So I drove one hour to the nearest health food store (seriously) and the guy there said I needed to take it with Creatine (800MG). BOOM. That was the key. The D-Ribose and Creatine took it too a whole new level!!!!!!!!!! I took the D-Ribose (2 of the 750MG) and the Creatine (1 @ 800MG) and gave the same amount to my mother, and after a few hours I looked at her and said, "do you feel really good?" and she said, "yeah, I feel very peaceful and content... " and I replied, "Exactly. "...
As the day progressed, we both felt better and better. Now we take it every day. The pain she was having in her legs is pretty much gone. She is 70 years old and she gets WAY MORE done now. She goes all day without stopping, instead of her usual three naps a day. The first few days of taking it, I just felt really happy, very peaceful and focused. I take all of the above supplements each morning, 1 of each but 2 of the D-Ribose. Now when I start working in the morning, my concentration level is at 100%. Four hours later, my concentration level is at 100%. Eights hours into my work day, my concentration level is still at 100%, without taking a break except for lunch. Unreal. I'm in heaven... After working all day, I have the energy level of a 5 year old boy now, I'm not joking, I'm serious, and you know hey THEY are! Oh, and my rosacea is GONE! (The Alpha Lipoic Acid really helped with that! ) My face isn't red anymore! It feels good to look like I'm not sick! And I exercise every day now. I work out with dumbbells, 10 to 25 pounds with each arm, I climb stairs for exercise for 10 minutes straight (up and down) like it's nothing. Seriously. I had already been eating healthy, so it's not like you can live on fast food and expect this to work. For breaksfast I eat oatmeal with honey and cinnamon (I also add a little sea-salt, blackstrap molasses, and coconut oil), or scrambled eggs cooked with olive oil or coconut oil and I add basil and sea-salt (ridiculously delicious), for lunch I have chicken breasts cooked in olive oil or coconut oil, and... That's right... Basil and sea-salt.
Seriously, you have no idea how delicious that is. I also make stir-fry with raw spinach, red onions, tomatoes, garlic cloves (the whole clove, although not fun to peel) and whatever other vegetables seem good at the time, and I cook those in olive oil or coconut oil and... Basil and sea-salt... DELICIOUS!!! The healthy diet didn't help me with the chronic fatigue, but it sure does taste good! I was also very bloated for a while and started taking mixing psyllium husk powder mixed in water once or twice a day and that really helped! If you don't want to take all of the supplements listed above, you would still do extremely well with D-Ribose (2 to 4 @ 750MG) and Creatine (1 @ 800MG) each morning. Everyone says to take 5 Grams of D-Ribose every day, but I only take 1. 5 to 3 grams each day. But I keep upping my dose, and I feel better each day!!! Google it! YouTube it! EarthClinic it!!! I also heard (L?)-Carnosine was really good and should also be taken with the supplements listed above... THAT'S THE KEY: all of these supplements work together synergistically and each one helps all of the other supplements work better, as opposed to taking them separately. It's 11:38 PM right now and I'm still going full throttle! ...
Even after working 8 hours and then exercising! And my concentration level is still at 100%!!! And, I sleep like a baby at night, which used to be a problem. That's whats cool about the D-Ribose... The energy is there when I need it, and the relaxation is there when I need it. It's as if it does want I want it to do when I want it to do it! Also my memory is way way way better! I want to point out that this is not like drinking coffee... I'm not bursting with energy and nervous, I feel very relaxed, but focused, and physically and mentally strong. I don't feel like I'm "on something" and I don't feel "high"... I just have a very genuine, natural sense of well-being, truly. I just feel really really really good! Have I made my point? :) :) :)
★★★★★
ok - do alot of things and take/ have taken alot of supplements, but what really seems to have kicked CFS in the butt is strong probiotics and Vit D3. Suffered from CFS for a good 10 years. Much better now and besides shifting my sleep patterns (feel grottiest in the mornings, so just sleeping through it and not getting up before noon does part of the trick. Luckily am self-employed so can arrange my day as I please), exercise (alot of cardio - and go into mediatation/ healing-mode whilst (don't do this on the treadmill!, works well on cross trainers and bikes though)) strong probiotics (I just make my own Kefir (but not anyone can abide the taste) and Vit D3 seem to have been the greatest help.
There seems to be some medical evidence that CFS patients frequently have imblances of gut flora (through stress, trauma or antibiotics), i.e. too many 'neagtive' bacteria, which release toxings into the blood and harm/ weaken nerves and the immune system (of which supposedly 80% is around the gut) - i.e. continuously supporting the gut with beneficial probiotic bacteria which repopulate the gut and push out the negative bacteria seems a sensible idea. Since starting on Kefir two years ago the number of frequent infections went down! Did not do that much for energy though (besides a bit of a general feeling good boost to not be sick all the time anymore), but VitD3 did (initially about 10000IU for a few weeks and since 2000IU daily).
Supposedly in the UK and US 50 % of adults are VitD3 insufficient! ?! ? and besides being important for cardio vascular health, blood sugar health and protective against several forms of cancer it helps with mood, immunity and energy levels....!!!
Besides feeling better (hey still have bad, grumpy days, but (knock wood) have not had any major illness/ infections for almost a year now (there was just one heavy flu about 2 weeks after starting on VitD3 (healing crisis?! ?! )) - I have since managed to have the extra energy to stop smoking and come off antidepressants too!!!
Very good too is that both probiotics (especially self-made Kefir) and VitD3 are both cheap!
Good luck - never give up hope!
General Feedback
Developed asthma at pre-school age; used to play in big oxygen tent which covered my bed.
Developed Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 31 after birth of 2nd child; doctors still vacillate as to whether I have true RA as titers do not show up, but symtoms follow MD guidelines and over the years have taken extremely toxic meds for RA. No longer will take heavy meds for RA; deal with in other ways.
Developed Chronic Fatigue, or what was diagnosed as such, shortly after life long best friend died at age 50 with heart desease. I was then 48. Went to doctor I have used for years (still drive 12 hours to see her 2x a year) and told her I thought I was suffering from depression due to friend's death. She wanted to take blood work before just slapping me on anti-depressive meds. Tests came back with mono; which in Adults is Epstein Barr and two other less common viruses/ She treated me for 6 weeks and at the end of that time, though fevers were less, fatigue and stumbling, no sleep, too much sleep, were not markably improved. Lived with this for many more years with no treatment until MDs starting treating with B12 injections. I now take 3x a week (I am 60). It does help, but not alot. Episodes still occur with virilent effects every three to six weeks. Last year was put on SAVELLA which is new treatment for Fibromyalgia. It has helped some too, spaced out episodes to four to six months, but now having problems with dry eye; loss of part of film covering eye and IBS.
I have to tell all of you, common sense says autoimmune diseases are either related or feed off of each other or must strike some commonality as people with one autoimmune situation almost always have or develop another.
Though I have nothing against "good" doctors (was raised by two), I have strong objections to now taking 22 pills a day which in no way shape or form can be good for my system and probably to some extent counteract each other. I am a Type A personality (which most autoimmune sufferers are), used to be very athletic, no longer eat meat as body will not tolerate and, of course, like almost all CFS sufferers no longer work outside the home, much less overwork, which I was famous far.
I have lost friends over this as no one who has not suffered these life changing effects understands what you go through; luckily I do have a good spouse who tolerates my illness and my voracious reading and searches to try to find cause, effect and some form of treatment to help. I do think the floride poisoning reasearch has some strong studies to back it; oh and my hubby calls me a mine canary because if anything can effect anyone negatively by ingestion or skin contact, I usually "fall" off the perch first.
Any studies or possible treatment with diet change or minerals or vitamin additives that anyone has found to be helpful I would appreciate.
thanks.................stuck in lower rural, backward, Georgia
Susan
PS don't let anyone, with MD after their name or not, fool you into thinking this is caused by depression; anyone who has lived with chronic illness of any sort for more than a couple of years gets depressed.... HELLO?... Your life as you know it stops. If you need antidepressives to help control your sense of despair, take them, but be aware they come with their own issues as any chemical does......... Yoga does work for alot of people.
Everything I have read about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and it's cousin diseases either point to a viral disease and/or Floride poisoning over years of internal and external body exposure. having lived with CFS now for 12 years and still developing more sypmtoms every year, I am now looking for alternative treatment/s to the classical MDs which are not working.
thank you, Susan H
Chronic Fluoride Poisoning Link
Fluoride concentrations in UK water supplies: http://www.bfsweb.org/One in a million/7 extent.pdf
Distilled Water, Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Distilled Water, Apple Cider Vinegar
We as humans need ions in our water. We need this for osmosis and cellular interactions in order to function at the basic levels. I asked my instructor specifically about drinking distilled water and he claimed we would eventually die. I'm not sure about that, however, it would definitely explain constipation. Our bowels operate significantly by using ion exchange and water osmosis. If water cannot be pulled through our bodies using ions, just imagine the challenge of moving uncharged water from your kidneys to your bowels.... Not gonna happen. The suggestion to at least add magnesium or simply salt to your water might help. I personally would drink bottled water while resuming your normal regimen and look for change. Hope this helps.
Hydrogen Peroxide
★★★★★
Cider vinegar and H2O2, as well as being careful with what I eat, have been the means to correct my ph. You need to check your saliva and urine, not just your blood. Blood ph can be good and saliva and urine can be low as a result of the body correcting the blood. Our system knows that the blood needs to be right for our body's sake, so our saliva and urine systems will lower to counteract it. Therefore once we get our saliva and urine neutral things are rosey! Now after 30 years of pain and confusion, I am a different boy!
I have been buying 50% H2O2 solution for spraying crops for insect and fungi control at a 3% mix. I rinse my mouth with straight water and then sip a mouth full of H2O2, hold it in my mouth and swerling it for a minute or so and then swallowing it. I chase it with another sip of water. --don't know why I do that :)
H2O2 works on my crops and has worked on me. Who can argue with that?
★★★★★
Multiple Remedies
Multiple Remedies
I have tried everything, I even stayed two months away from my family in order to get daily IV therapy which like all else was short-lived. I am currently on thyroid medication and a high dose of an anti-depressant.
I began your allergy protocol with amazing success. I had a few bad days, but they disappeared within a week. I then began the H202 recipe that you gave in an earlier CFS response. In one day I felt like my old self and have not taken an antihistimine or sinus medication in two weeks! I am cautiously ecstatic.
Last night hayfever set in with a vengeance. I have not taken any meds for it because I want to give your therapy a chance to work. I was able to get out of bed and steam with vinegar and water which finally brought the relief that citric acid and baking soda could not touch. It is evening and I am much better and can think clearly enough to write.
I think I may be taking too much between H2O2 (3 drops per glass of mineral water) two glasses sipped all day and citric acid, baking soda and mineral water twice a day. When I feel my energy drain I use clove oil with unbelievable success. Could this actually work long term? Should I keep doing this every day along with taking Mg, amino acid, Chlorella, Zinc and egg yokes?
I had a major setback today because I cut myself in the garden and got a a tetanus shot along with stitches. I am terrified all of this progress will now be lost. I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Thank you again for the last few weeks of improved health and the sliver of hope that it is possible to be healthy again.
Sincerely, Courtney
Retroviral Link to Cfs
Distilled Water, Apple Cider Vinegar
Vitamin D
★★★★☆
Multiple Remedies
Then I found wet cuppin, hijamah therapy, it is the best thing I have come across as it helped and healed me in many ways, and is so amazing that I could not possibly write all the benefits on here, so the best thing is to google it as Hijama. I had hijama done on my hip and after one treatment my hip was back to normal.
I have also started to use DMSO.. Amazing stuff. I am a lot better, I have more or less a normal life. I found speaking only positive and smiling all the time helped. I still continue to use all these things, whenever I can, especially hijama as I have found this to be the most beneficial. I also only use distilled water and threw my microwave out a long time ago. I try and eat health , organic food and do not use any chemicals on my body, , or take them. Writing everyday, to empty my mind of rubbish changed my life! I hope this can be helpful as I know too well what its like being ill and being neither awake , nor asleep, feeling jet-lagged and not being able to sleep, the pain used to be on the next level and the worst , family and freinds not understanding. Peace, love and thank you for this wonderful site.. I love it. Tanya.