What do you think?
Rate this book
The Doctor's Guide To Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Understanding, Treating, and Living With CFIDS
Written by one of the world's leading experts in Chronic Fatigue/Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), this book is the most authoritative guide to a devastating illness that affects millions of people. Misunderstood by both the public and the medical community, CFIDS has been subject to rumors and misinformation, making it next to impossible to determine what the facts are.
David S. Bell, M.D., a noted expert and pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of CFIDS, has written this book to provide accurate, up-to-date, and accessible information for all those who need to understand this emerging health epidemic. This definitive guide to the history, symptoms, effects, theories, treatment, continuing research, and recent advances covers all that anyone who has been touched by this devastating illness needs to know to understand, treat, and live with it. Furthermore, this book details the tremendous strides that are being made in the search for the cause and the cure for CFIDS, and provides sufferers with the latest information on what they can do to best treat the symptoms they suffer from. For many of the victims of CFIDS, there are often more questions than answers. Here at last are the facts from the acknowledged expert.
David S. Bell, M.D., a noted expert and pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of CFIDS, has written this book to provide accurate, up-to-date, and accessible information for all those who need to understand this emerging health epidemic. This definitive guide to the history, symptoms, effects, theories, treatment, continuing research, and recent advances covers all that anyone who has been touched by this devastating illness needs to know to understand, treat, and live with it. Furthermore, this book details the tremendous strides that are being made in the search for the cause and the cure for CFIDS, and provides sufferers with the latest information on what they can do to best treat the symptoms they suffer from. For many of the victims of CFIDS, there are often more questions than answers. Here at last are the facts from the acknowledged expert.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1993
83 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 10, 2012
This book contains a mix of information about M.E. and about 'CFS.'
That is very problematic but even so parts of the book could be considered useful reading to some extent for patients with M.E. (The books by Dr Hyde are far superior however, in every way. I can't express how much!)
But right at the end he writes "In regard to CFIDS, the need is simple. It is not billions of dollars for medical research, for those billions have more urgent needs; CFIDS is a horrible illness, but it is not as dangerous as AIDS or cancer."
What a shame to include such an ignorant and dismissive statement in such a book. It shows his appalling ignorance of genuine M.E. and most especially severe M.E. which leaves many patients far more disabled than AIDS patients (and with far less support, making it even worse in soem ways).
This book may in part be about M.E. but only the most mild or maybe moderate cases. The previous statement does kind of back up the idea he may not have seen too many OR ANY really severe patients in his time though perhaps.
This may be a controversial statement, but in some ways Bell very much seems be getting further and further away from describing and discussing pure neurological M.E. as time goes on. More and more his work is muddied by 'fatigue' and by the bogus definitions of 'CFS' and does not relate to actual pure neurological M.E. whatsoever these days.
This book is good in parts, very bad in others. Politically it is terrible.
What patients need to know politically is that:
-----
M.E. patients were treated appropriately and correctly diagnosed until around 1988, when there was an increase in the number of M.E. patients and outbreaks in the US. Some medical insurance companies (and others) decided that they would prefer not to lose many millions of dollars on so many new claims and so they created a new vague fictional disease category called 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' to try to confuse the issue of M.E. and to hide M.E. in plain sight.
Under the cover of 'CFS' certain vested interest groups have assiduously attempted to obliterate recorded medical history of M.E.; even though the existing evidence has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals around the world and spans over 70 years.
M.E. is a distinct, scientifically verifiable and measurable, acute onset, organic neurological disease. 'CFS' in contrast, is not a distinct disease. 'CFS' doesn't exist. Every diagnosis of CFS - based on any of the CFS definitions - can only ever be a misdiagnosis. A watebasket diagnosis.
The fact that a person qualifies for a diagnosis of 'CFS' (a) does not mean that the patient has M.E., and (b) does not mean that the patient has any other distinct illness named CFS.' M.E. and 'CFS' are not the same.
Far fewer than 0.5% of the population has the distinct neurological disease known since 1956 as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is an artificial construct created in the US in 1988 for the benefit of various political and financial vested interest groups. It is a mere diagnosis of exclusion based on the presence of gradual or acute onset fatigue lasting 6 months. If tests show serious abnormalities, a person no longer qualifies for the diagnosis, as 'CFS' is 'medically unexplained.' A diagnosis of 'CFS' does not mean that a person has any distinct disease (including M.E.). According to the latest CDC estimates, 2.54% of the population qualify for a 'CFS' (mis)diagnosis.
The patient population diagnosed with 'CFS' is made up of people with a vast array of unrelated illnesses, or with no detectable illness. However, while 'CFS' is not a genuine diagnosis, those given this misdiagnosis are in many cases significantly or even severely ill and disabled. 'CFS' is made up of people with cancer, MS, Lyme disease, depression and hundreds of other unrelated conditions.
Sub-grouping different types of 'CFS,' refining the bogus 'CFS' definitions further or renaming 'CFS' with some variation on the term M.E. (such as 'ME/CFS') would achieve nothing and only create yet more confusion and help to continue and further entrench the mistreatment and abuse.
The problem is not that 'CFS' patients are being mistreated as psychiatric patients; some of those patients misdiagnosed with CFS actually do have psychological illnesses. There is no such distinct disease/s as 'CFS' - that is the entire issue.
Due to outrageous political influences on medicine and govermnent policy, the vast majority of M.E. patients will not be able to be correctly diagnosed with M.E. Most M.E. patients will unfortunately be misdiagnosed with 'CFS.' It is extremely important to note, however, that only a very tiny percentage of those told they have 'CFS' will be M.E. patients. The overwhelming majority of those misdiagnosed with 'CFS' do NOT have M.E. 'CFS' is NOT just another term for M.E.
The name Myalgic Encephalomyelitis must be fully restored (to the exclusion of all others) and the World Health Organization classification of M.E. (as a distinct neurological disease) must be accepted and adhered to in all official documentations and government policy. M.E. patients must again be diagnosed with M.E. and treated appropriately for M.E. based on actual M.E. research. For this to happen, there is a real need for patients (and others) to participate in genuine advocacy and activism.
The bogus disease category of 'CFS' must be abandoned. All those misdiagnosed with 'CFS' must immediately reject this harmful misdiagnosis and begin the search to find their correct diagnosis whether this be M.E., PVFS, depression, cancer, or any other disease. Correct diagnosis is vital in obtaining the correct treatment.
-----
Quote: "While patients suffering the despair of CFIDS may disagree, I do not feel that CFIDS is our greatest enemy. Our enemy is the apathy that has allowed CFIDS to go unrecognized, the same apathy that has allowed our society to fall to the present dangerous level"
Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.
That is very problematic but even so parts of the book could be considered useful reading to some extent for patients with M.E. (The books by Dr Hyde are far superior however, in every way. I can't express how much!)
But right at the end he writes "In regard to CFIDS, the need is simple. It is not billions of dollars for medical research, for those billions have more urgent needs; CFIDS is a horrible illness, but it is not as dangerous as AIDS or cancer."
What a shame to include such an ignorant and dismissive statement in such a book. It shows his appalling ignorance of genuine M.E. and most especially severe M.E. which leaves many patients far more disabled than AIDS patients (and with far less support, making it even worse in soem ways).
This book may in part be about M.E. but only the most mild or maybe moderate cases. The previous statement does kind of back up the idea he may not have seen too many OR ANY really severe patients in his time though perhaps.
This may be a controversial statement, but in some ways Bell very much seems be getting further and further away from describing and discussing pure neurological M.E. as time goes on. More and more his work is muddied by 'fatigue' and by the bogus definitions of 'CFS' and does not relate to actual pure neurological M.E. whatsoever these days.
This book is good in parts, very bad in others. Politically it is terrible.
What patients need to know politically is that:
-----
M.E. patients were treated appropriately and correctly diagnosed until around 1988, when there was an increase in the number of M.E. patients and outbreaks in the US. Some medical insurance companies (and others) decided that they would prefer not to lose many millions of dollars on so many new claims and so they created a new vague fictional disease category called 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' to try to confuse the issue of M.E. and to hide M.E. in plain sight.
Under the cover of 'CFS' certain vested interest groups have assiduously attempted to obliterate recorded medical history of M.E.; even though the existing evidence has been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals around the world and spans over 70 years.
M.E. is a distinct, scientifically verifiable and measurable, acute onset, organic neurological disease. 'CFS' in contrast, is not a distinct disease. 'CFS' doesn't exist. Every diagnosis of CFS - based on any of the CFS definitions - can only ever be a misdiagnosis. A watebasket diagnosis.
The fact that a person qualifies for a diagnosis of 'CFS' (a) does not mean that the patient has M.E., and (b) does not mean that the patient has any other distinct illness named CFS.' M.E. and 'CFS' are not the same.
Far fewer than 0.5% of the population has the distinct neurological disease known since 1956 as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is an artificial construct created in the US in 1988 for the benefit of various political and financial vested interest groups. It is a mere diagnosis of exclusion based on the presence of gradual or acute onset fatigue lasting 6 months. If tests show serious abnormalities, a person no longer qualifies for the diagnosis, as 'CFS' is 'medically unexplained.' A diagnosis of 'CFS' does not mean that a person has any distinct disease (including M.E.). According to the latest CDC estimates, 2.54% of the population qualify for a 'CFS' (mis)diagnosis.
The patient population diagnosed with 'CFS' is made up of people with a vast array of unrelated illnesses, or with no detectable illness. However, while 'CFS' is not a genuine diagnosis, those given this misdiagnosis are in many cases significantly or even severely ill and disabled. 'CFS' is made up of people with cancer, MS, Lyme disease, depression and hundreds of other unrelated conditions.
Sub-grouping different types of 'CFS,' refining the bogus 'CFS' definitions further or renaming 'CFS' with some variation on the term M.E. (such as 'ME/CFS') would achieve nothing and only create yet more confusion and help to continue and further entrench the mistreatment and abuse.
The problem is not that 'CFS' patients are being mistreated as psychiatric patients; some of those patients misdiagnosed with CFS actually do have psychological illnesses. There is no such distinct disease/s as 'CFS' - that is the entire issue.
Due to outrageous political influences on medicine and govermnent policy, the vast majority of M.E. patients will not be able to be correctly diagnosed with M.E. Most M.E. patients will unfortunately be misdiagnosed with 'CFS.' It is extremely important to note, however, that only a very tiny percentage of those told they have 'CFS' will be M.E. patients. The overwhelming majority of those misdiagnosed with 'CFS' do NOT have M.E. 'CFS' is NOT just another term for M.E.
The name Myalgic Encephalomyelitis must be fully restored (to the exclusion of all others) and the World Health Organization classification of M.E. (as a distinct neurological disease) must be accepted and adhered to in all official documentations and government policy. M.E. patients must again be diagnosed with M.E. and treated appropriately for M.E. based on actual M.E. research. For this to happen, there is a real need for patients (and others) to participate in genuine advocacy and activism.
The bogus disease category of 'CFS' must be abandoned. All those misdiagnosed with 'CFS' must immediately reject this harmful misdiagnosis and begin the search to find their correct diagnosis whether this be M.E., PVFS, depression, cancer, or any other disease. Correct diagnosis is vital in obtaining the correct treatment.
-----
Quote: "While patients suffering the despair of CFIDS may disagree, I do not feel that CFIDS is our greatest enemy. Our enemy is the apathy that has allowed CFIDS to go unrecognized, the same apathy that has allowed our society to fall to the present dangerous level"
Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.
March 22, 2008
This was the first book I read after I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and it still remains my favorite. Buy two copies -- one for yourself and one to give to your doctor.
July 21, 2007
Not a bad book, for it's time. There has been quite a few advances in research and treatment since this book was written (1994), but a lot of it is still relevant. If you have been diagnosed with CFS/CFID's, have a relative/s or even just a friend, this book is still well worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews