Dr. Smith Does It Again: University Student Returns to Health by Pacing

[Cort]

Cort submitted a new resource:

Dr. Smith Does It Again: University Student Returns to Health by Pacing - The long, patient road to recovery

As once more. I have time to play in a band and dedicate to two 4 hour practice sessions a week in the evenings. I have a full social life and can even pull the odd 'all-nighter' (going to morning lectures after no sleep) with no real adverse effects.
It is wonderful.

Read more about this resource...

 

[bettersoon]

I've never heard of this Doctor nor his very strict energy protocol. You'd think I'd learn by now to STOP before IT stops me but I'll admit that I often overdo it leading to my PEM crashes. I will research HR recovery stories to see if there are other successess when following Dr. Smiths energy limiting regimine. It seems almost impossible to do...

He's big on having good sleep which I agree is essential but difficult to achieve. He suggests nightly amytriptiline which gives me side effects but I do occasionally take a sleeping pill. Also, regarding the suggested daily SSRI, I'm already taking 50 mg Zoloft (1 yr) which has not improved my energy hence have now begun KPAX supplementation.

Although Dr. Smiths treatment sounds intriguing, one thing I do query is his remark "Remember, chronic fatigue syndrome never ever gets worse by itself."
I've never heard that before! Is it true that CFS/ME doesn't worsen without it being our own fault..ie.exceeding the prescribed energy limit?
Comments on that anyone?

 

[Cort]

It's difficult to do. I've never been able to come close to doing what he suggests. I have to look more closely at his website but I wonder if he's mostly worked with kids....Dan Moricoli's story - coming out today - is very similar though.

 

[Folk]

Although Dr. Smiths treatment sounds intriguing, one thing I do query is his remark "Remember, chronic fatigue syndrome never ever gets worse by itself."
I've never heard that before! Is it true that CFS/ME doesn't worsen without it being our own fault..ie.exceeding the prescribed energy limit?
Comments on that anyone?

I really don't believe that.
Some people can't barely get out of bed but keep getting worse.
Unless he means that getting up to go to the bathroom is "making it worse"

 

[Raba]

I have to support my family the best I can. i have to push myself when there is no choice. I work from home, which allows me to take breaks, but at the end of the day we all need that paycheck. So I pace myself when I work. Laying down for 12 to 15 minutes at least 4 times a day, more when needed. Working from home is a blessing so I can do that. But my work is intellectual, I can not do much physically.

The above and Whey Protein (Immuplus, now immunocal because immuplus is discontinued) has allowed me support my family for 21 years of CFIDS. They have been years of a lot self discovery due to the tremendous challenge that this disease is on a day to day basis. Specially being the primary bread winner.

The biggest change in my quality of life and outlook was when I started the simple guided meditation taught in Gupta's Amygdala retraining.
That program helped some but not much. The best thing I got from it, was to show me that I could improve my weill being with the likes of meditation. I do an even better meditation now from the Art of Living, link here:

http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/free-online-meditation

I have my own version. The version I do most commonly is the same as in the link except that I stop at the face and do not continue going up. I noticed that continuing up gives better results but it also uses more energy. So most of the time I stop going up at the face. Before coming out, sometimes I say OM 3x, sometimes not. When you try it first, I recommed you do the whole thing until you learn it. Then decide if you want to modify anything.

Doing the above 2x a day has reduced my inflammation and has allowed me to be a happy person in spite of the severe challenges faced. When I heard PWCs talk about mediation before, I discounted it, as some of you may do now. However the effects are amazing: Everything looks sharper and clearer. Stress and fustration dissipates. CFIDS improves!!

I get an internal joy that strengthes me. I become more aware of the beauty of others in my life and have a more peaceful control of the emotions triggered by this disease. It only takes a few minutes. It is free. Why don't you try it. It is the best thing I did. You will feel better in 20 minutes.

When doing reguarly, it is best to do it 2x per day, once before breakfast, and then before supper.

 

[Cort]

Congratulations Raba! I agree that stress reduction practices like you mention can be very helpful - we have to reduce the hit the body takes. I work at home too and I am finding that lying down really helps. I need to do it more. I encourage you to submit your practice in the mind/body treatment review section so others can easily check it out. http://cortjohnson.org/forums/reviews/products/mind-body/ as well as the glutathione whey protein - a lot of people don't know about that anymore I don't think.

 

[Petronella Perret]

I had a look at Dr David Smith's website when I saw Dan Moricoli's story, as I live in the UK. and Dr Smith is a UK based Dr. I was at first hopeful that he might be of some help. However, the more I read , the more concerned I became, and I was unhappy with a number of the statements made on the website. I did make some comment on the other forum and right now I am way too tired to go through it all in detail but I would urge anyone who is interested to read the website thoroughly. Also - not the date on this "recovery story" - 1995.
Having said that, of course the principle of pacing is an excellent one, and probably all we have got at the moment. Something I need to get much better at - but as I'm a single parent mum, I'm just not going to be able to do the intensive pacing that is recommended by Dr Smith and others and seems to assume a life free of responsibliites and with someone to take care of things so the sick person doesn't have to... if only, eh?