Revised and expanded, this edition offers the latest findings on chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and overlapping diseases such as Gulf War Syndrome. It includes new information on the interaction of the brain, emotions, and immune system as well.

Symptom checklist included in appendix A.

Newly Diagnosed? Long Time Sufferer? You are NOT alone! You CAN change your life and REVERSE this highly frustrating, emotionally confusing, very often unrecognized invisible illness. Too many fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome patients find themselves suffering in pain, depressed, and alone. Abandoned and misunderstood by their families, the medical community, and society in general, they retreat to their medicine cabinets full of prescription drugs and supplementsmere bandagesthat wont reverse their condition. Chantals story removes the bandages and offers these patients real hope and help. Part memoir/part self-help, Chantal chronicles the steps she took to reclaim her life while following the Guaifenesin Treatment Protocol. Join Chantal in her journey. A must-read, Chantals book will bring you HOPE, INSIGHTFUL tips and POSITIVE results. Th is AMAZING book has changed my Fibromyalgia life. Kris Bruinsma, FMS survivor I am so proud to read this book written by my friend, Chantal. Her articles have graced many publications including my own and I am thrilled that she has taken the time to make her story public. I know firsthand the power of shared experiences on recovery and know her book will make a difference to so many. Claudia Marek, co-author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Fibromyalgia Th is is a story of hope and determination written by an individual who has been a patient in my integrative medical practice for the past eight years. She is an outspoken advocate and our resident expert in the protocol of R. Paul St. Amand, MD. She has graced us with her knowledge and exuberant energy at our clinics monthly fibromyalgia support group meetings. She is the consummate teacher and is always available to help our other fibromyalgia patients working through the subtleties of the Guaifenesin Protocol. A must-read for anyone lost in the abyss of fibromyalgia with seemingly no apparent way out." Thaddeus P. Srutwa, MD, Spring Lake, MI

"Dr. Keddy captures the patient's experience of living and coping with suffering in the poignant interviews with twenty women who have fibromyalgia, herself included." -Dr. Jock Murray, medical humanities and neurology professor, Dalhousie University Medical School Fibromyalgia, a musculoskeletal condition characterized by widespread chronic pain and fatigue, specific tender points, and sleep disturbance, is a major medical and social concern for physicians, employers, workers' compensation boards, and the insurance industry. But what about those who suffer from the condition? Drawing on her own experiences as well as the stories of twenty other women living with the challenges of fibromyalgia, Barbara A. Keddy, RN, PhD, discusses current theories of causes and types of treatments. She also speculates about why this condition is more prominent among women than men. By sharing these stories, Keddy highlights the invisibility of the daily difficulties fibromyalgia sufferers face. With its uniquely personal perspective, Women and Fibromyalgia validates Keddy's experience and offers hope for her and others that they will someday take back control of their bodies.

Much of the current literature describes fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other related syndromes in terms of anecdotes and sales pitches without benefit of medical fact. Dr. Duclos is a practicing internal medicine physician who treats patients with these conditions every day and has found striking similarities among these conditions. He uses the latest scientific research to support his theory that the problem common to these disorders lies in the central nervous system. He describes the underlying disease process in clear terms for non-medical professionals and offers hope for treatment. "For years," Dr. Duclos says, "patients have been told that their symptoms are all psychological. Now we know better."