| I suffered from Fibromyalgia and Chronic
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| | Becoming chronically ill is very much
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| Fatigue for 4 years before reaching a
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| | like a bereavement. The losses and
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| point where I am 90% better than I was at
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| | emotions involved are very similar.
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| the beginning of the illness.
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| | Giving up works means not only that you
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| I will say from the outset that I believe
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| | lose income but you also lose status,
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| this is one of the worst afflictions that
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| | friendship and a purposeful role in life.
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| can strike any person, at any age and at
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| | Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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| anytime.
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| | encompass the full range of human
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| Not only is it so debilitating that it
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| | emotions and magnify the negative ones
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| now has the same disability rating
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| | ten-fold.
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| assigned to heart disease patients, but
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| | This disease really is a monster. The
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| at the same time you have to deal with
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| | usual response is to want to hide away
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| negative connotations that surround it.
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| | from the world. However, confronting
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| Even the name doesn't sound credible,
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| | these emotions can be very important as
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| "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", "what is that
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| | part of your psychological rehabilitation
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| like a bad hangover or something" people
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| | which should be addressed in conjunction
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| will say. At a time when you need the
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| | with the manual therapy discussed later.
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| most support in your life, often, people
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| | This really is an area where a healthy
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| are turning their backs and walking away
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| | mind can assist a healthy body towards
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| or muttering under their breath. It is a
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| | better recovery.
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| frightful condition.
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| | The pain that comes with Fibromyalgia and
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| This will be a pivotal point in your
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| | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can be
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| life. You will find that during the
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| | frightening and this in itself can cause
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| course of your illness you will find out
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| | fear, loneliness, isolation, panic and
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| who your real friends are, and who really
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| | anxiety.
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| cares.
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| | Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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| There is no point disguising the reality
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| | can create a fear of rejection by others
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| which is, I'm afraid to say, that you
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| | even when there is no evidence of this
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| will lose a lot of friends and colleagues
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| | happening. I mean, who wants to be around
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| along the way to the monster that is
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| | someone who is like this, we say to
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| Fibromyalgia and CFS.
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| | ourselves.
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| It is NOT possible to explain this
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| | Again this is a normal reaction, our self
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| condition to people who have no
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| | esteem is based on what others think of
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| experience of it either by having
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| | us, and usually that is based on what we
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| suffered, or through having a particular
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| | "do" or "how we play" , or "what we say",
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| medical interest in the area. They WILL
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| | generally how we interact with other
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| NOT understand what, or to what extent,
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| | people. As we take to "doing less",
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| you are suffering. Again, I'm afraid this
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| | "playing" less and generally interacting
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| is the norm. Accept it as such and you
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| | "saying" less, then our self esteem
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| will not then be personally offended by
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| | plummets along with our health.
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| acts of prejudice. Easier said than done
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| | We are worried about the future; the dark
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| I know. Let us examine a common sequence
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| | shadow of uncertainty is round every
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| of events which may ring a bell with
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| | corner. Will I ever get better? What if I
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| sufferers, to understand the prejudice
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| | don't? How long is this going to go on?
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| from an outsider perspective.
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| | We ask these questions every day. We
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| You had a viral/ bacterial/ chemical
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| | begin to experience life in a shadow
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| exposure of unknown etiology, the same as
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| | land. Our hopes and dreams have been
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| happens to millions of people throughout
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| | shattered and the road ahead can be bleak
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| America every day, and for some reason
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| | and never ending.
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| that no-one can explain to you, you have
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| | Anger is very common emotion - Why me? -
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| felt generally ill and exhausted with
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| | Why now? - What have I ever done to
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| multiple symptoms and multi-systemic
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| | deserve this? Unfortunately this anger
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| involvement ever since. Your doctor
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| | alienates those we love even more.
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| appears cynical and can't give you an
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| | You will find supportive people, often,
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| adequate diagnosis so you may by now have
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| | and encouragingly the last people you
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| been referred to a psychologist for
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| | would expect. Those who are supportive
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| analysis as a suspected depressive
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| | are often people, or those close to them,
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| incident. "hmmm okay" you hear them
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| | who have experienced serious illness and
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| mutter.
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| | are living with it, or have come through
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| Ask yourself this question.
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| | it.
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| If you had no knowledge about
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| | Or, those who have experienced
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| Fibromyalgia and CFS what would your
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| | Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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| reaction be to someone else developing
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| | or have someone close to them who has it.
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| these symptoms?............ You see? Its
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| | These are the people you should aim to
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| human nature, it's cruel isn't it?
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| | spend your limited energy resources
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| So how do we as sufferers cope and
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| | building relationships with for the
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| rationalize what is happening.
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| | moment.
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| Knowledge is power. Educate yourself
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| | Do not feel bitter towards people who you
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| about your condition.
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| | lose at this stage, hold on while you can
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| Concentrate on yourself and try not to
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| | then just let them go lightly, they are
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| dwell morbidly over the people that you
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| | not your problem. Fibromyalgia and
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| have lost already. Those that do not
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| | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome IS your problem,
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| stand by you, and there will be some, are
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| | and fighting it hard is your duty to
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| what we term fair-weather friends,
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| | yourself, to get your health back, for
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| usually activity based they were your
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| | you and your loved ones. You are going to
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| friends due to your common interest in a
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| | need the energy you have left for this
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| certain activity, be it sport/ work etc.
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| | fight.
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| The activity has gone due to your
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| | I do advocate counseling and support
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| illness, therefore by association so does
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| | groups. You will need to find someone who
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| the friendship, this is okay because we
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| | has specific knowledge about the
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| are going to get you to a stage where you
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| | emotional effects of Fibromyalgia and
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| can resume the activity, you can forgive
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| | Chronic Fatigue, again a good doctor
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| those "acquaintances" if you wish and
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| | should be able to put you on the right
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| resume the activity with them, you will
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| | path, there are also Fibromyalgia and CFS
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| also be wiser and more aware of "the
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| | support groups based in most cities and
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| type" of friendship you have with this
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| | towns across the US.
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| person.
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| | Once you have found a good support group
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| What goes around come around and what is
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| | you will also find good counseling.
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| going around is that you are going to get
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| | However, the majority of cases will NOT
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| better!!
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| | need to see a psychologist unless you are
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| There is a small consolation that I allow
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| | being referred for Cognitive Behavioural
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| myself, and this is the level of
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| | Therapy, as your illness is NOT
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| self-knowledge and wisdom that you will
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| | depression, and therefore you should not
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| gain from this painful journey. It's a
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| | accept anti-depressants, with the
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| small consolation I know and I hear most
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| | exception of possibly low dose
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| of you screaming, "it's wisdom and
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| | amitriptyline if your symptoms include
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| knowledge I could well do without", but
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| | severe nervous pain and sleep
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| it is there and when you do come out the
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| | disturbance.
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| other side in the following weeks and
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| | However I cannot personally vouch for
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| months what you have been through will
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| | this but there is enough evidence to
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| make you ten times the person you were
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| | suggest is a valid treatment.
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| before.
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| | Mental and emotional preparation,
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| You have plumbed the depths of pain and
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| | knowledge of your condition, and the
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| despair and in the future you will be
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| | correct course of treatment are all
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| scaling the heights. If you come through
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| | essential and work symbiotically to
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| this nothing in life will phase you
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| | assist your recovery.
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| again. You will value the simple things
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| | In my next article I will explain new
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| in life. You will live every day. You
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| | research which is allowing us to
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| will scoff at the vanities and
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| | determine how genetic and biomechanical
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| selfishness of our systems and culture.
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| | anomalies, predispose certain individuals
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| Fibromyalgia and CFS will create
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| | to attacks of Fibromyalgia and Chronic
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| emotional havoc for you and for your
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| | Fatigue Syndrome.
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| loved ones. This is normal.
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