Mickel Therapy North West - Getting well from M.E. | Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | Fibromyalgia | IBS | Depression and Anxiety

The Importance of Listening to Your Body in ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia

admin — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:36:47 +0000

Traditionally in cases of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia, when someone talks about listening to their body, they usually mean that when they are fatigued they will rest, and they will be more active when their body allows. They will avoid reading, computer work, etc when they have a headache, they will avoid walking, exercise etc, when their muscles are sore. In other words sufferers act in response to their symptoms. At least this was the case when I was poorly with ME. Please forgive me if I am out of date with this.

In Mickel Therapy when we talk of listening to the body we mean something quite different. We ask clients to respond to the feelings behind their symptoms. When clients have symptoms, we ask them to note where they were when the symptoms increased or started, who they were with, what they were doing, thinking, saying, etc. By doing this we can get clues about why the symptoms started.

I can give you an example of this from when I suffered from ME. I often started to feel more ill when I was walking around the supermarket with my Mum. I would get a headache, or a worse headache, my sight would become over-sensitive, my hearing would become heightened and I would be very fatigued. I would just want to get out of there, go home and lie down. (I would want to act in response to my symptoms in other words). I always associated these symptoms with an over sensitivity to supermarket lights, as this is the sort of reason sufferers often look to, in order to explain their symptoms. Eventually though, I cottoned on that I didn’t always feel like this in the supermarket and I realised that my symptoms got worse when I was annoyed with my Mum in the supermarket.The reason that I would be annoyed with my Mum, (who is super), was because I had to help her with her shopping as well as doing my own shopping. Half the time I would be forgetting what I wanted for helping Mum. Once I realised this, I started to ask my husband to do our shopping, so I could concentrate on helping Mum with her shopping, or if we had to shop together I would make sure that I had my own shopping in my trolley before helping Mum. This was a simple solution and it helped me to get around the supermarket without feeling so ill that I wanted to die. So you see, I was responding to the feelings behind my symptoms. This resulted in those particular situational symptoms being eradicated.

In the same way, in Mickel Therapy we teach people to interpret what is happening behind their symptoms, (why their symptoms are happening). Taking appropriate action on the emotion results in clients reporting their symptoms being eradicated. Consistently taking action on the feelings behind symptoms results in clients reporting their conditions of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia disappearing. It is about listening to your body in a different way that you are used to, but it is highly effective.

In my next blog, I will continue on the topic of listening to your body, especially when you have fatigue and brain fog.

Words from one former Fibromyalgia sufferer about her roadto recovery

admin — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:31:14 +0000

This is something that one of my former Fibromyalgia clients wrote about how she came to get better. They are wise words for anyone, not just people with Fibro.

“A number of years ago I was diagnose with fibromyalgia and the road to where I am now seemed very difficult at times.

I was use to being on the go all the time never saying no when asked could I do something, my caring role and family commitments were increasing, I never really considered like so many of us what impact it was having on me.

At first everything I did seem to create more pain.

Slowly over time I changed my way of doing things, which included being aware of what I wanted to do and finding time for myself.

It took time and I still had difficult days. I had the basic knowledge what I had to do to create a sense of wellbeing.

Going to the Mickel Therapy Sessions has enhanced my understanding of what I need to do to keep well.

By responding to messages sent by symptoms and taking action does take some practice but it is possible.

Going to the Mickel Therapy Sessions was also a reminder that my needs are important and I did benefit from going to them.”

Linda McIndoe

Another ME patient symptom free

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:07:39 +0000

Another ME patient symptom free with Mickel Therapy. After 6 sessions she is now really well and about to take her A Levels. It is very satisfying to see.

Inspirational Fibromyalgia, ME, Chronic Fatigue people 26/03/2010

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:50:02 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me the inspirational things that poorly people do. Take for instance, Fibroduck, (www.fibroduck.com) Jamie Goodwin, a person who is suffering from Fibromyalgia, spends a good deal of time and energy to raise awareness of Fibromyalgis and gives information and support to other sufferers. Amazing! Well done Jamie.

I also remember years ago reading about a teenager who was bed bound with ME, who set up a group which sent little gifts, cards and messages of support to children who were bed bound. It was a brilliant idea and I’m sure it must have helped a lot of children who were very poorly.

One of my Fibromyalgia Mickel Therapy clients has entered a half marathon midnight walk in aid of the local hospice. She is nearly better, but hats off to her and I wish her all the luck in the world with it.

Please though, if are doing or going to do something really inspirational, remember to put your needs before those of anyone else or any group or charity that you run.

CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia – My experience of diets

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:09:24 +0000

About 7 years into my illness, I met a nutritionist who talked about CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia being solvable by diet. Being very eager to get well, I duly booked an appointment and was soon undergoing blood and stool analysis. Sure enough the tests showed that I had an overgrowth of Candida, a bacterial imbalance and an infestation of parasites. I also had a few minor food intolerance. I felt very excited, as well as validated and felt that I had found the key to my ill health. I started a very strict regime immediately: an anti-Candida diet, anti fungal medication, anti parasite medication, beneficial bacteria and cutting out the foods I was intolerant to. I suffered very bad effects from the die off of the Candida and the parasites, which made me quite ill and the diet was restrictive and trying. Nevertheless, I stuck to the regime and and after about a year I was on top of the Candida, the parasites had gone and my gut bacterias was back in balance. However, I felt NO BETTER. I still felt exactly the same with the ME as I had when I started. No doubt my gut was in an awful lot better state than when I started and I’ve only ever had one stomach bug since then, but I was so disappointed that no improvement had been made in the ME. I had also spent about £1000, with appointments, tests, supplements, etc, not to mention the money that I had spent on special foods. Despite all this effort and money my health deteriorated further and I ended up in a wheelchair. If only Mickel Therapy had been around in those days I wouldn’t have wasted 10 years of my life.

Never give up CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia sufferers – you WILL get well 23/03/2010

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:46:59 +0000

Never give up on getting well again. I was poorly for 10 years with ME and Ankylosing Spondilitis and was in a wheelchair at one stage. Now I’m a club cyclist and visit the gym 3 times a week. There’s many more of us out there, leading very full and active lives after illness. If we can do it, so can you. I’d advise you to be prepared to change yourself, the way you think and the way you react to life. You will get there. Never give up.

19/03/2010 The Importance of “Me Time” in CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:41:54 +0000

Just had the 4th session with one of my wonderful clients with Fibromyalgia, who is making great progress. On her first appointment she reminded me soooo much of how I used to be when I was ill, in that despite her own health problems, she was still taking care of every Tom, Dick and Harry in the neighbourhood. Slowly she is learning to take care of herself first and to put her own needs before those of anyone else. To a lot of you that might seem selfish, but it is totally necessary in order to get well and stay well. When I was poorly, my homeopath used to tell me the analogy of the penny jar. Imagine that you have a jar to collect money in and that every time you do something nice for yourself a penny gets put in the jar and that every time that you do something for someone else, a penny gets taken out of the jar. Now imagine if you spend all your time looking after other people, washing, cooking, cleaning, fetching and carrying and rarely have time to do anything nice for yourself. There would be no pennies left in the jar. This is how your body feels when you don’t pay enough attention to your own needs. It is depleted. It’s not selfish to look after your own needs first. It’s self preservation. If I can give you one piece of advice today, it would be to think of some nice things to do for yourself, give them priority in your day and do them. They might only be things like a short walk, time to read your book, a bath, or they might be a massage, or a special treat. It doesn’t matter what, as long as they are things that are just for you, that bring you pleasure and are fulfilling. Go off and do them now and watch some pennies being put into your body’s penny jar.

18/03/2010

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:03:33 +0000

The Variety of Different Treatments for Chronic Fatigue, ME, Fibromyalgia

The other day, a lady on the telephone made a comment to me about the number of different treatments for ME, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. She felt that there were so many to choose from that she didn’t know where to turn or which to trust. There are indeed many different treatments specifically aimed at people with these chronic conditions nowadays, all making claims, all vying for your money. All I can say is that I only have experience of Mickel Therapy and know that works for around 77% of people who start treatment. It gives you the techniques needed not only to get well, but to use for the rest of your life, for a more satisfying, happier life.

17/03/2010

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:07:23 +0000

Donated 10 copies of Dr Mickel’s book, “Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, M.E., Fibromyalgia – The Long Awaited Cure”, to Warrington Library service last Thursday, 11th March. The Warrington Guardian wrote a short, rather misleading piece about the donation, which a) made it sound like I was still ill and b) like I was going to do a talk in the library when I handed over the books. Much to the panic of the library staff, they started receiving phone calls from CFS, ME, Fibro sufferers asking what time I was starting my talk. Oh dear! I was by that stage quite willing to do a talk, but the library staff explained to people that I would be merely donating the books and having some press photographs taken. Many apologies for any misunderstandings.

One lady did turn up, however, and I had a short chat with her, to give her some advice for her son, who had been unwell for years, following a bout of Glandular Fever. Many of us will be able to relate to that man, as many people with CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia present with some kind of virus at the onset of their illness, which it appears they never seem to recover from. However, in Mickel Therapy rather than believing that the Glandular Fever/the virus is the cause of the the CFS, ME, Fibromyalgia, we believe it is an effect of the hypothalamus starting to malfunction, leaving us open to opportunistic infections such as Epstein Barr, (Glandular Fever), flu and other viruses. We believe this occurs when our body intelligence and head intelligence are not working in conjunction, resulting in dis-ease in the body. This dis-ease can be rectified easily with Mickel Therapy, by teaching the client how to allow their body and head work together: how to be their true self.

The library service tell me that people are already asking to borrow the donated copies of Dr Mickel’s book and I hope that they go on to help many sufferers to regain their health.

New Website

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:43:46 +0000

I am very pleased to say my new website is now up and running. Find out all about Mickel Therapy, my own story and even book and pay for Mickel Therapy sessions online.