What I used in 2000 to recover from CFS/Fibromyalgia

[Guest guest]

In late summer of 2000 I spiraled down into what I figured was CFS/Fibromyalgia. This is the main product line that I used to recover myself with: http://www.4life.com/shopping/productdetail.aspx?mode=0 & iid=280 & cid=84

I also used products from Royal BodyCare -- Spirulina, Microhydrin, HydraCel/ Crystal Energy. And from Kaire International -- Pycnogenol (Maritime Pine Bark extract)

Here is my story:

Having been the caregiver to our daughter who had been diagnosed in 1993 at age 16, I recognised symptoms and immediately wanted to apply the knowledge I had acquired to help myself. The problem was I was "hit" hard and fast with this downward spiral. Earlier in the year of 2000 I had had some strange mild symptoms -- such as the sensation that some sharp fragments were flowing in my veins, to random twitching in the large muscles of my thigh, to the sensation that there were "bugs" crawling under my skin. I did not want to tell anyone about these for fear others would think I was "crazy". The only symptom my husband knew about was that when I first got up in the morning, I had problems walking straight. I had to hold on to the walls for a minute to steady myself, I staggered like a drunk for a little while. But soon by moving around, this symptom left and I did not have it until the next morning.

But early one morning in September (about the 12th or 13th) , I was awoken from sleep with what I thought was my right shoulder being asleep. I immediately turned over and soon went back to sleep. An hour or so later, I awoke to find my left shoulder was "asleep". As I became more awake -- still laying in bed -- I realized that my right shoulder still felt like it was asleep. When I tried to get out of bed, I could not lift myself up. Trying to do that was impossible due to muscle weakness and sharp pain in the shoulder joints. I called for my husband, who helped me sit up. As I did so, both of my shoulders felt like they were out of their sockets. The pain was intense. He helped me to stand up and I had the staggering walk described above. He helped me to walk to use the bathroom. The staggering walk improved in a short while just like it had before. Both of us thought the symptoms in my shoulders might improve if I just tried to move them. But it was so painful and I found that the range of motion was greatly restricted. My husband helped me get dressed before he left for work. He helped my lay back down, thinking that might help me. The phone was right by me so I could call our doctor if I felt I needed to be seen. After my husband left, I decided I best call for an appointment to be seen that day. It was a Thursday, the day my primary doctor is off. But fortunately there was an opening in the early afternoon with another doctor in the group. As the hours went on, I was growing weaker. The joints in my elbows were having symptoms like my shoulders. Also there was a heavy feeling in my muscles especially my arms and legs. What ever was happening to me was spreading.

I called my husband to let him know of the appointment. He works near the doctor's office. So ideally it would be best if I could drive myself and he would met me. I thought I could do that because the lower part of my body was working fairly well. I could walk. I could use my hands to work the steering wheel. So, that was the plan, I would drive to the doctors (about 6 miles). But while driving, I discovered that my ability to use my feet was affected. Sending the message from my brain to my feet to brake the car for stop signs was slowed. It was not possible for me to react quickly. Fortunately I made it safely to the doctor's office. But while there I lost the ability to lift my arms above my waist. I could not walk out of the office without assistance. My husband had to drive me home. One car was left at the office to be retrieved later. Now blood was drawn for basic testing. The doctor who saw me did not know me or anyone in our family. I did make an appointment with our family doctor for the next available time --- 5 days later. He ended up making an appointment with a rheumatologist for 3 weeks later!!!

This happened at a time when one of our daughters was preparing to fly to Austria for a semester studying German in Klagenfurt. She was to leave on September 25th. She is the one who had been recovered using Immune Pack. We had purchased extra product for her to take with her. We used this product with our youngest daughter too. And I used it too. But did not have enough extra product to use it at the level of 12 caplet per day. What I did have were products I had learned about in July 2000 that 4Life Research sold. I had learned about 4Life Research and their Transfer Factor in March 2000. The Transfer Factor had worked for her -- to address her recurrent Strep. She was able to say "Good-Bye" to Strep with their TF. So, when I saw 4Life had a system to heal/recover from Fibromyalgia, I decided it could be a good product for our older daughter. I purchased the Fibro System. But she did not want to shift over from the Royal BodyCare's Immune Pack.

Thus when I spiraled down that day in Sept. 2000, I had these products from 4Life. Two days after this happened, I decided I had to give the 4Life Fibro System a try. I also used Pycnogenol and Spirulina. By the time, I had my appointment with my primary care doctor I was already having what I thought were mild improvements. But I did not tell my doctor. I decided I wanted to be seen by a rheumatologist. By the time, I made it to him, I had already recovered about 60%. There were all the tender points, so he was able to give me a diagnosis. But when I told him about of all the other symptoms, some of which were gone, he just shook his head. He did not know what I had had. My blood work had not revealed anything. I told him what I had been doing. All he could say was "Well, keep it up!" He was not interested in reading or taking any materials I brought with me. But then that is something our family has gotten used to over the years. We just go our way using nutrition to stay healty and recover.

Over the years, blood work has not revealed what we have. But I think this is because the medical community here in our area is way behind in their knowledge. And of course, some of lab testing has come into existence since we began our journey toward recovery.

Jan