Strategies: A Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Journey

Strategies: A Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Journey
Tami Brady
Loving Healing Press
ISBN: 978-1932690484
Non-Fiction, Memoir, Health

It is estimated that 4-8 million people in the United States suffer with Fibromyalgia. Another one million also have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Some statistics state that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia may directly affect 5% of the world's population.

I am one of the individuals in this growing epidemic. In 1997, after a chaotic year of intense medical and psychological testing, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. I spent much of the last ten years in deep denial feeling alone, confused, frustrated, and angry. It has taken me a great deal of soul searching, but I believe that today I am a better, more centered person because of my experiences.
I've never been someone who dictates advice, so my book provides worksheets you can develop to tailor your personal responses to symptoms and crises. It is the good, the bad, and the ugly of my personal journey that I share with you, my fellow Fibromites. My hope is simple, that you will find solace and renewed hope in my words.
Reviews

"This book is a passionate, intense account of one person's conquest over suffering. As a psychologist working with chronic pain sufferers, I can endorse Ms. Brady's philosophy, approach and tools."

-Bob Rich, PhD, author Cancer: A Personal Challenge

Tami Brady shares her story with us of her journey with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Until she was diagnosed with these disorders, she really struggled with fears about her health and limitations imposed by her symptoms. She was diagnosed in 1997 and along the way has learned what works and doesn't work for her. She also made many personal discoveries about herself and how her perceptions of herself and her behaviors can influence her conditions.

Nine years ago, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I already had two friends who had serious cases of it. When the doctor gave me eight prescriptions to help me deal with the symptoms, I decided that it was time to quit my stressful job and focus on recovering my health. I saw so many similarities between Ms. Brady's journey and my own. We both started out with overachieving personality types. We take on big goals that really just serve to put more pressure on our own health. For myself, I insisted on getting straight A's through two graduate programs, while sometimes working two jobs. As Ms. Brady discovered with her own overachieving efforts, it had serious implications on our health. We also both have gotten into heavy workout routines that our bodies are unable to maintain. I just went through a phase were I was trying to work out two to three times a day. I feel like if I am going to be in pain, I will give myself a reason to hurt. In the long run, as Ms. Brady discovered, this just hurts my self.
Another common issue that I see with people that have this disease is as she states, "No one sees scars or disfigurement so it's a shock to most people that you actually have something really wrong with you That we become incredible actors to mask and hide the symptoms makes the situation that much more difficult." I know that most people suffering from CFS and fibromyalgia can relate to this. There are still a lot of professionals that will tell us that it doesn't exist and it is in our head.
Ms. Brady discusses many common symptoms that come with having these conditions. I think the most common symptom is the pain that occurs in the trigger points. She also discusses what she calls "Fibrofog." It brought me great relief to read about this because I have this happen so much, I get anxious that it could be the start of Alzheimer's disease, at forty! It was a relief to see that it is part of the condition. The interrupted sleep sessions definitely exacerbate the bouts. I also share her experience with her legs giving out on her. Mine happens at times when I get out of bed. It is a scary experience.
In addition to discussing what doesn't work, Ms. Brady also discusses what she found helpful. Moderation with everything definitely seems to be very important. Reiki is also a good healing practice. I also practice Reiki. I found that either doing it on my self or others is beneficial. Healthy eating is important as well. Getting into fad diets is not the way to go. Our bodies let us know with pain, that we are doing something wrong.
To help us with a healing plan, Ms. Brady offers a series of strategies to help with certain symptoms. She gives her own personal examples and then offers blank charts so that we can fill in our own information. This is an excellent strategy for tracking symptoms, causes and treatments. This is a great way for you to organize a program and keep track of what works. There is an extensive list of resources to help you on your way. Applying these resources to yourself helps you to take charge of your own health. "Strategies" is an excellent resource for people at all phases of the disease. It is a relief to hear someone else share their story, and know that you are not alone.

Paige Lovitt for Reader Views

In my role as a holistic health practitioner, I frequently advise people with chronic health problems seeking realistic solutions to their ailments to search for books written by individuals with the same illness or problem. Such books tend to be straightforward and clear, free of expensive unhelpful treatments, without long-winded intellectual discussions, and can help people by giving grounded, practical, real-life information and solutions. Such books are often much more helpful than many of the books written by famous, highly-educated doctors.
"Strategies" is a book of this type. In it, Tami Brady shares her personal experience with realizing she has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. She relates her pathway through denial, acceptance, and not receiving much help from the conventional medical establishment. Then she describes which alternative modalities and resources have helped her most as she continues living with and healing from these debilitating conditions. Tami includes worksheets, a list of medications, resources, organizations, and a bibliography as tools for the reader to help oneself. This book is easy to read and gives a clear picture of how personal psychology and stress contribute to illness, and how working on yourself can help greatly. This book may be beneficial to people who have realized they have FM or CFS and would be inspired by the insight shared from a person traveling that same path of healing.

J. DeCourtney- Author of Recapture Your Health

This book is a must have guidebook for anyone newly diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and/or Fibromyalgia., and for support group leaders. You will recognize yourselves as she deals with pain and emotional issues, and rejoice as she has her light-bulb moments.

The second half of the book deals with strategies and coping methods and how you can chart the things that work for you, and also how to keep track of appointments, medications, priorities, etc. She has even shown us how with the charts she made for herself. Ms. Brady’s book will leave all readers with hope and resolve.

Susan May- Support Group Leader

The idea of having worksheets is particularly appealing to my Type A personality and may help me to get a grip on my Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Katherine M. Scott

Having lived with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for almost two decades I can totally empathize and relate to the author's journey of discovering how to live with these diseases.

Ms. Brady's personal account of her struggles with FMS/CFIDS, her desire to discover the blessings in each and every day, her despair, anger and frustration with a body that will no longer behave as it is "suppose to" do is poignant, inspiring, heartwarming and, most importantly, rings true. Personally experiencing many of the same struggles, successes and soul-searching as the author I can honestly say that this is the first book on chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia that truly captures the essence of what living with these diseases is all about.
I thank Tami Brady for sharing her experiences with the public and for finally giving those of us who live with these conditions a book that truly does help & inspire, instead of yet another one that was obviously written by a person who does not suffer from the diseases they claim to know so much about.

CozyLover, LibraryThing

Tami Brady is a not an obscure name for avid readers, especially those who have been reading about health issues; her book review website TCM Reviews being one of the most popular book review sites on the Internet and her status as a writer and a whole health therapist well-respected. In her latest book titled Strategies: A Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Journey, Tami shares her personal story of suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome – a pair of twin diseases whose exact cause and effective cure are yet unknown. They are both quite prevalent today and one or both of these conditions affect an estimated 4 to 8million people in the U.S. alone. To make things worse, the symptoms of these diseases are often taken for some other disorder by many physicians. This disappointing situation is certainly not the end for the victims of these debilitating disorders since Tami’s book works out a perfect treatment plan to keep an effective check on all the painful symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The amazing aspect of Tami’s approach to coping with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is her realization of the unique individual needs and responses to various disturbing effects of these conditions. Unlike the mainstream medical practice that tends to prescribe drugs for symptomatic relief irrespective of the patient’s unique personality and lifestyle, Tami considers that each patient should develop his/her own treatment plan after carefully and thoroughly recording his/her responses to particular situations and treatment methods over time. Illustrating through her own life story, the author informs on the importance of stress management, exercise, proper nutrition, and over-the-counter medication that she personally finds helpful in controlling the pain and exhaustion associated with the two medical conditions.

After telling her inspiring story of personal encounters with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, the author includes her own summary of strategies that worked for her to get back in control of her life. Three main strategies central to her plan of treatment are: physical support, meditation and other techniques for stress management, and medication (both natural products and over-the-counter drugs). These strategies are model for all readers so as to help them develop their treatment plans according to their specific health situations. With her glossary of important terms, a useful resource guide, and a bibliography, Tami Brady makes her book a perfect guide for victims of all painful diseases – since Strategies is meant to subdue pain and get back in control.

The primary target audience of Strategies are all those who suffer from fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. But Tami’s invaluable information and resource guide will certainly make a difference in the lives of every health conscious individual who has experienced and/or who cares about avoiding the most prevalent health problems like stress, fatigue, pain, and depression. It is an important book for everyone.

Ernest Dempsey

It must have been fate that lead me to come upon this book. While I do not suffer as bad as Ms. Brady has, I've suffered through many aches and pains through the numerous sprains I've suffered through the years. Having a sister who has been diagnosed with Lupus has led to doctors usually dismissing my fibromyalgia possiblity as being a hypocondriac.

From start to finish, I found Ms. Brady's words encouraging, as I too do not like to be dependant on any drugs, perscription or OTC. While the use of mediation, reiki and other holistic methods may not be everyone's cup of tea, it works for the author and offers another path for those who have never thought to try this avenue.

The charts in the back help to summarize the author's symptoms and what she had found to counteract it in various methods.

Thank you, Ms. Brady, for emphasizing that these diseases affect each sufferer differently, and thus treatment should follow that same logic.

Tygerlander, LibraryThing

Every Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia patient has a unique story to tell. In Strategies: A Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Journey, Tami Brady shares her experiences with these two debilitating illnesses.

I could see a lot of my own experiences in those of Ms. Brady. Like Ms. Brady, my illness made itself apparent after a very stressful period in my life. I also endured the frustration that came from waiting for months for a correct diagnosis. Even after I received that diagnosis, there was very little offered to me in the way of treatment options. As Ms. Brady noted: "No follow up visits. No care regime. The rest was left up to me." Many patients will see something of themselves in the author's struggle to adjust to life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.

I enjoyed reading this book and found it helpful to my own struggle - both physical and mental - that comes from living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. As Ms. Brady states in the Foreword, "In the end, we are all changed forever. On good days, I believe for the better."

Ruth King, Bookish Ruth

The story of one women's Journey of being diagnosed and living with potential debilitating conditions known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. Along the way she developed strategies for dealing with the sometimes crippling pain and mental confusion she aptly names fibrofog. A heartwarming revelation of one's expectations, goals and struggles. Interlaced with encouraging and humorous quotes that introduce each chapter. Amazing enough she maintains a hectic lifestyle even for someone without these conditions. She is a wife, mom, an Archaeologist and self-described workaholic that won't let anything hold her back, especially a medical condition. A testament to one women's perseverance which provides encouragement and hope to anyone with any serious medical condition or someone who may have a loved one dealing with a ongoing condition.

Ryan Ritchie, Simi Valley, CA

After having read very many of the available books on the subject, we appreciate this author’s honest and vulnerable account of her struggle with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. As a family who also deals with these illnesses, reading her story gave us hope and encouragement that our loved one can still accomplish her dreams while not ignoring health limitations.

An added, helpful bonus was the author's resourse guide with many useful websites that support those who struggle with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This feature alone might merit the book’s purchase price, especially since internet resources are date sensitive and often disapear with the passage of time.

DrAlford, LibraryThing

Chapters 13 and 14 are excellent. It's worth buying this book just to learn how to apply the author's techniques to managing one's health.

The appendices are also excellent and complete. The author lists Medications and Supplements, a Resource Guide, a Bibliography (5 pages long), and an adequate index.

LaurieLibrarian, LibraryThing

I received this book through Early Reviewers, and am glad to have read it. It describes the authors' journey through the difficulties of having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. It's relevant to me because I also have Fibromyalgia, TMD and Chronic Pain Syndrome. It's inspiring to read about another's journey through pain, fatigue, and the great courage she had to find a way to live with these debilitating diseases. Her writing is eloquent, and she brings hope to those who have yet to find ways to find some relief from the myriad of symptoms that come with these auto-immune diseases. She also offers up suggestions of things to try for relief that have helped her to cope. It's also good to know that those of us who are experiencing these diseases are not alone.

sidhevicious, LibraryThing

Strategies: A Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromayalgia Journey is one woman's personal style of coping with her diseases. Tami Brady goes through all of the steps of how she first learned of her diseases and how she finally came to grips with the constant pain and suffering of them. Most people would not believe the truth and since it can be very debilitating and is a chronic condition with no outward signs, most people think it is a "made up" disease. I have been told by people with some medical training that Fibromyalgia is an "old persons" disease or that it only occurs when people loose limbs so I can undestand the authors not getting into depth with the symptoms. I am not sure that words would really explain all of the pain and suffering that one has with these diseases anyway.

I am a great believer in journaling to help track conditions and triggers so I think the charts in the back of the book are extremely helpful. I also liked the pages of support goups. It is very helpful to talk to other people to find different or new ways to cope when what you are trying is not working well.

Overall, I found the book interesting and a fast read. With more options to try - this makes the book a great find, and for someone that was recently with these diseases it would be a great help in finding more information and strategies in coping with all of the pain and suffering.

Kaysee, LibraryThing

The book reads quickly and soon gets into 'taking the bull by the horns' as the writer moves on to develop her own personal method of coping . Here there is a wealth of advice and discussion of what she has done to help herself. Brady has beaten down her demons and ends the journal with an optimistic outlook full of hope. I have no doubt that those battling these same conditions can find hope and some answers in this book. Also included is a generous amount of open pages for the use of the reader, and a really great reference section. I see it as a useful read for those who are seeking help with these problems. At the very least, they can realize they are not alone with their trouble.

justmeRosalie, LibraryThing

I fully agree with the author stating that sufferers become great actresses in order to mask their symptoms from the world and that the majority of people never realize the afflicted have health issues because they cannot see it. I also agree with her stating that being keyed in to the smaller symptoms and taking care of them right away can often prevent a major flare up from occurring. I also believe, like the author, that we should each take our healing into our own hands, that using alternative methods such as Reiki and meditation is a very worthwhile approach. For saying these things, out loud and in print, I thank Ms. Brady with all my heart!

ArtzyDiva