End Fatigue

HealthFirst for Thursday - Chronic Fatigue

By Leslie LoBue

(11/11/04)-- Doctors now believe that over six million people suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. HealthFirst reporter Leslie LoBue shows us how a simple plan is doing wonders to help those suffering from this. Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are two illnesses that leave patients exhausted, unable to sleep and can seriously limit any sort of normal life. But one doctor's unique approach is making a difference for some patients. Anne Francis enjoys her daily walks with O'Shea. It was something she could not do a year ago. "Life was not worth living. If I had no pets, I can honestly say I would not be here," she said.

Anne has battled pain, fatigue, and frustration for nearly ten years. "It is like a fog had descended and a fog in which I was literally living like a vegetable in pain," Anne explained. She has chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia--two conditions Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum says are hard to overcome. "It devastates them. Picture having the average weight 32-pound weight gain, total exhaustion, brain fog with no energy, widespread pain, and you basically feel miserable," Teitelbaum said.

To offer relief, he targets four areas. First, maximize sleep-get eight hours a night. Then, correct thyroid, estrogen or testosterone deficiencies. "Any of these hormones can, when they are deficient, cause fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome," Teitelbaum said. Watch for infections-sinusitis and yeast infections are most common. Finally, get a good mix of nutritional supplements. "When you treat all four of those, people get well. The fuse goes. The circuit breaker comes back on and they feel well," Teitelbaum said. A recent study finds this approach works for more than 90 percent of sufferers. Francis takes a page full of supplements every day and has her hormones and infections under control. "I look forward to each day. I know that I am getting better." She says it has paid off to finally live where pain is not at the top of her list.

The treatment does take some trial and error, since there are so many different root causes of chronic fatigue. For more information see www.vitality101.com

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