One to One
Tips, strategies and helpful thoughts about CFIDS

Dental records help win disability claim
When applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), records from my dental hygiene clinic turned out to be a great source of medical documentation.

For 18 years, I had gone in once, sometimes twice, a year to have dental cleanings. The clinic was run by a university, and the students there were trained to keep comprehensive health histories of the patients. A worker at the clinic copied my complete file and a student even dropped them off at my house. Page after page documented my unusual and extreme fatigue going back to the early 1980s. These records actually provided far more detail about my fatigue than my doctors’ records.
A PWC in Ogden, Utah

Try a cold splash for added energy
I find totally cold showers to be excellent for both waking me up in the morning and for dealing with my body aches. When I have sore limbs, I spray them with cold water until they ache from the cold. The ache disappears immediately after the shower — and the pain is usually gone, too. I swear by cold showers and have them every single day.
Fergal Hayes, Ireland

Parasite test found intestinal bug
For years I suspected that a parasite might be contributing to my intermittent diarrhea and irritable bowel. But repeated and extensive parasite tests failed to detect anything. Finally, a highly sensitive saliva test for antibodies to the common amoebic parasite Entamoeba histolytica found an infection. A three-week treatment program with two antibiotics wiped out the parasites. The lab that does the test is Diagnos-Techs Lab
(1-800-87-TESTS).
Joyce Waterhouse, Pasadena, Calif.

Resting everyday according to a fixed schedule, not just when I feel sick or tired, has been an important part of a shift from living in response to symptoms to living a planned life. Before I discovered scheduled rest, I often experienced the cycle of push and crash, swinging from too much activity to periods of rest and back.

After experimenting, I decided that rest meant lying down with my eyes closed in a quiet place (without television or the telephone). If you decide to try preemptive rests, you may discover that your mind is pre-occupied with worries. Lying down may not feel restful if your mind is full of anxiety. A solution is to use a relaxation technique or meditation practice during your rest.

Most people who try preemptive rests take one or two rest breaks a day of 15 minutes to half an hour. You may want to experiment to see what works best in your unique situation.
Bruce Campbell, PhD, Palo Alto, Calif.