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Suggest Treatment For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

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Posted on Mon, 2 May 2016
Question: I could not open your last reply. I have made an appointment with my doctor as regards my stomach. I do have another big concern. My M.E. which I have had for 33 years.It is so bad at the moment I just feel as if I can't go on and nobody understands. It got so much worse after a fall I had in December 2014.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please provide details.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome and thanks for your query.
I would like to help you regarding this problem which has been troubling you for many years.
Please write your symptoms in detail, any tests done and any treatment taken.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (2 hours later)
diagnosed with M.e. in 1992.
No treatment.
I have tried homeopathy-a con
Reverse therapy- a con
Amygdala re-training worked up to a point (that was before my fall)
I was going to go ahead with the Optimum Health clinic but decided against it, it was going to cost way too much and I did not feel confident in them.
I was going to try the lightening treatment, but it looked to be a con and was going to cost way too much.
Have been to the M.E. clinic and they caused me a lot of stress, so won't be going there again!!!
I have been in touch with the M.E. Trust and they could offer a 2 week retreat for over £5000!!!!
I have all blood test needed to rule out anything else and they came back negative.

my symptoms are - extreme exhaustion, pressure on my head. occasional pains in legs and soar throat and headaches.

I manage the best I can by pacing if possible and resting, going to bed every afternoon and going to bed early. If I am on holiday and don't get any rest I feel terrible and it takes a lot of getting over.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (48 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Discussion follows

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.
I understand your concern. You were diagnosed to have M.E. 23 years ago and have remained more or less in the same state. This itself proves that you have a very benign condition and something that you have to live with but without worrying too much about it. If you remember how it was diagnosed, please let me know whether there was any positive test or whether it was by exclusion of other conditions.
The best methods I would follow if I were would be to eat healthy wholesome food, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, practice stress relieving measures like yoga, meditation or relaxation techniques and get on with my life and stop thinking about very expensive treatment modes which may not be cost effective.
Best wishes ,
Dr Noble Zachariah
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (54 minutes later)
That is what I do. It is just very hard to live with.
No one can understand this condition if they do not have it themselves.
I do not keep thinking of treatments I do just get on with things always have done. It has been worse the last 3 years and especially for the last 1 year and 2 months.
I have had it for THIRTY THREE YEARS. not 23 years and as I have said above and have only had exclusion tests.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
I eat healthily and have 30 minutes exercise a day.
I gather from your reply that there is no hope which I already new.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (35 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Don't feel hopeless, get on with your life

Detailed Answer:
So you had the symptoms from 1982 but diagnosed in 1992 as per your earlier statement. When a disease is diagnosed by exclusion, the diagnosis is not 100% sure. Your symptoms are nonspecific and may occur in several conditions. The best thing is to learn to ignore the symptoms as much as possible and get on with your life.
The measures I had advised would help you reduce the symptoms and bear the discomfort.
Wish you good health and a great day!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)
I don't feel hopeless, I just said there was no hope meaning no hope for a cure. You seem to be taking what I say the wrong way. I do get on with things. I allready do the measures you advice.
Sorry but you do not understand what it is like as you don't have the problem.
You have no idea.
I really wish I had never mentioned it.
How do I unsubscribe from the website?
I started the symptoms in 1983 after getting a virus when expectiing my 4th child who hardly slept for 4 and a half years. A lot of stress as well as suffering from postnatal depression.
I got nowhere with my doctor long time and had to push for a diagnosis.
Too tired to write anymore.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
More likely to be a functional problem.

Detailed Answer:
Your problem is getting to be clearer now.
The symptoms are those of a person with a masked depression. Many people refuse to admit that they have a psychological problem and prefer an unproven diagnosis for which there is no universally effective treatment.
If you are willing to see a psychiatrist, you are likely to get help to relieve your symptoms.
Keep an open mind and think about what I have written. Since you have not been able to find any relief for these many years, there is nothing to lose by seeing a psychiatrist.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (16 hours later)
I do NOT suffer from depression far from it. I knew I should not have mentioned my postnatal depression which i recovered from 31 years ago.
I do know what depression is and this is not it. I have a physical illness M.E. You obviously don't know anything about condition and your the doctor!!!
Been there done that got the t-shirt as they say meaning going to see a phychiatrist is a waste of time with this condition.

As I have said I do not suffer from depression. This illness does make me depressed sometimes I suppose. It would make anyone with it depressed as it is so horrible.

Imagine being tired all the time and feeling unable to do things get on with my life as you say. I still do things. I still get one with my creative work allbeit a lot less as I have to rest a lot more. I still meet up with friends even though talking is very exhaustion for me. i still go on holiday even though that is so difficult and extremely exhausting for me. I am having friends in for lunch tomorrow. I am worried about it, but have got super organised so it will go well.

I am going to a quilts show next Friday to see 16 of MY quilts which are on display, an honor to be asked to have my quilts touring the country. I have also been asked to Moscow to display my quilts and give workshops (I am unable to go but good to be asked!)

I still do my bike riding.

I am not sitting down or lying down at home feeling sorrow for myself, feeling depressed. NO that is not me. i must have been giving you the wrong impression and really i wish i had never started this.
I think you should look into this illness M.E. before you make judgements. don't
you?







doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Achieve more

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your feed back.
You are a very talented person and this ME should not stop you from realising your potential to the fullest. Believe in yourself and you will have more energy to do better at quilting etc.
A look into some of the research on ME ( Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS as it used to be called) may be useful.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0000
In masked depression, a person DOES NOT feel depressed, and fatigue is one of the commonest presentation. They respond well to antidepressants.
Wish you a good time at the party tomorrow and at the Quilts show next Friday.
Go to Moscow and show them how you can beat ME
Best wishes,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (3 hours later)
I DO believe in myself. It is an insult to say to me that I would do better at quilting etc and have more energy if I believed in myself. You don't know me at all. I am extremely good at what I do, I give talks and workshops all over the country and my work is much admired. I never usually blow my own trumpet but in this case I feel as if I have to.

You seem to be one of those doctors who thinks M.E./C.F.S is all in the mind. I wish it was an then I would be better.

I think I probably know more about M.E. than you do. I have got it after all.
I cannot take anti-depressants anyway even if I thought there was a need for them. I have very bad side effects with them, people with M.E. often have bad side effects with medication you should know that!!!

You really seem to want to have last word. This is all getting a bit silly.
I also think that if one is depressed one would feel depressed all the time. I know what is like to be depressed as I have said above as well as having post-natal depression after my last child I had it after my second and third child.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Thank you

Detailed Answer:
You have been misinterpreting whatever I wrote to help you. I never belittle your achievements or anyone else's . You are very good at whatever you do. Unfortunately because of the chronic fatigue syndrome, you are missing opportunities like the Moscow trip.
Were you able to see the published articles in respected journals, the reference I had given? Also you can search ' Masked Depression ' and learn about it. I treat people with similar symptoms. They do well on small doses of SSRI, much less than the dose for the clinically depressed.
It is your life and you have the freedom to decide.
I have had an educative interaction. It's not possible to help everyone.
Thank you for all the insults you have thrown at me.
Have a good day!
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Noble Zachariah

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1974

Answered : 2319 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Brief Answer: Please provide details. Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome and thanks for your query. I would like to help you regarding this problem which has been troubling you for many years. Please write your symptoms in detail, any tests done and any treatment taken.