October 1, 2007
Chat With Dr. Lucinda Bateman
Thank you for having Dr. Bateman's chat. She is an outstanding doctor and advocate for FMS, ME/CFS patients. I believe the chat was very good for new patients…Please pass on to Dr. Bateman how much I appreciate the time she takes to educate both patients and physicians. Her work is very important. – Alison
___________________
Lyme Patient Found Help
I was improving with CFS/FM through the help of a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine when I realized something was still very wrong with my health… [He] gave me a dark field test/live cell blood test as he had every month for a full year. But this time he looked on the outer edges, which you are not supposed to do, and found the spirochete Borrelia or Lyme disease. What a surprise and relief.
He gave me Prima Una de Gato* Liquid and said “This may heal it or put it into remission." Either way, I was eager to get started. I took only three drops 2 to 3 times per day for four months and was much improved. I felt like a new person.
Then the Lyme evidence returned about two months later, but not full blown. I continued for two months more on the tincture… I get a blood test every month and it has yet to reappear since then. Am I cured? I don't know, but if I have any joint pain that was like before, I take Prima Una de Gato Liquid again for a few weeks and I feel better… I still fight with FM/CFS but with fewer symptoms and am much stronger and do many more things that I could not, such as exercise. I hope this helps many people. – Karen
*Extract of a type of cat's claw found in the rainforests of South America - see for example "Study Tests Promising Herbal Protocol for Chronic Lyme Patients."
___________________
Site Helps Others Understand Me
I have a link on my own Web page to your site for people to gather information on CFS-ME & FM. It helps them understand my health woes. Thank you for being there! - David
___________________
Lists of Insurance Companies?
Q: Is there any way we could begin a list of doctors in the U.S. who can treat CFS and FM that are accepted by our insurance companies (and qualified to fill out disability forms)? Also, can we start a list of insurance companies that will not pay for CFS treatment? – Pam
A: There are several reasons it would be virtually impossible to start and maintain such lists.
There are dozens of health insurance companies in the U.S., each offering multiple policies that differ regarding coverage and provider lists.
Insurance companies are regulated by the individual states, so policies will vary from state to state.
Insurance companies negotiate agreements with individual doctors or practices for a particular period of time. It’s not unusual for provider lists to change frequently.
It would probably take several people working full-time just to maintain this kind of national database.
The best suggestion we can give you is to get a provider list for your area from your insurance company, then call the doctors on that list and ask them if they treat CFS. Once you find a doctor accepted by your insurance company, ask him if he will work with you on ways that you might be able to get at least part of your treatments covered.
___________________
Looking for Archived Article
Q: Some time ago you had an article about a woman who took Prudential Insurance Co. to court. She was awarded a huge payout in the millions of dollars. Could you tell me the edition that was in? Secondly, do you know the name of the specialist who gave her the IMO (Independent Medical Opinion)? I have a similar scenario happening, although for only peanuts by comparison, but I would be very grateful for [the information]. – Anon
A: The article you’re looking for is: “CA Jury Awards FM/CFS Patient $15.4 Million in Disability Suit” Our article quotes from a San Diego Union Tribune article “Company refused sick woman benefits.”
San Diego attorneys Charles Moore and Sean Simpson (lead attorney) are mentioned in the article. For your further information regarding disability attorneys, Mary Schweitzer’s CFIDS-ME website offers a “Disinissues Good Lawyers” list that mirrors Co-Cure’s good doctors list, with listings of disability attorneys in some 20 U.S. states and in Canada. See http://www.cfids-me.org/disinissues/lawyers.html
We don’t know the name of the specialist who gave her IMO, but you might try contacting one of the attorneys on the case or the San Diego Union Tribune reporter who wrote the original article. Good luck to you.
___________________
Looking for a Doctor
Q: Thanks so much for your regular newsletters. As a CFS/FM sufferer, I am in need of a local doctor that is up-to-date on all the research. I moved from Alaska to the San Antonio area two years ago and still haven't found a doctor I'm happy with. So far they all tell me I'm just overweight and need to exercise more. If you have any suggestions, I would welcome them all. - Tami
A: There are three things you can try that will hopefully help you find an acceptable doctor in your area:
1. Go to the Co-Cure Good Doctors list, which you can always access, along with other info about locating a physician, in the Community section of ImmuneSupport.com. Specifically, click on the “Doctors” tab at the top of the community page, and you’ll see a number of links including one to “The Co-Cure Good Doctors list.”
2. You can also click on the “Support Groups” tab at the top of the Community page to go to a database of FM support groups. Who better to ask about CFS doctors?
3. And maybe best of all, click on the Message Boards tab to ask your question in the ImmuneSupport.com message boards (anonymous registration takes but a moment), and you’re almost sure to get advice from CFS patients in your area.
___________________
Testing Drug for Sleep?
Q: I read an article somewhere that they were testing a drug for reverse sleep cycles in CFS patients. Do you happen to know the name of the drug or where they are with it at this point? I truly feel that if I could sleep at night I would feel 100 times better. Thank you for your help in advance. – Carla
A: It may have been the drug Xyrem you read about. According to the NIH Web site ClinicalTrials.gov, the Phase IV clinical trial “Use of Xyrem to Improve Sleep in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome” was expected to have been completed in July 2007. However, a notation at the top of the page indicates that the study is currently recruiting participants. You can read more about this study in the trial listing, and why not join the live chat with Dr. Clauw on October 12 to ask him about sleep medication research?
___
Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is generic and is not meant to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure any condition, illness, or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and reviewing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.
|
