ME CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program

07/15/2021

The ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program is proud to announce a new product available in our store, an audio recording of our founder Bruce Campbell's Pacing Tutorial, ready for download. The content includes:

· Introduction

· Part 1: Finding Your Energy Envelope

· Part 2: Adapting Using Pacing Strategies

· Part 3: Expanding Your Limits

· Minimizing Relapses

For detailed information and a sample of the introduction, please see our store at http://www.cfsselfhelp.org/store/pacing-tutorial-audio.

Want to win a free copy? Send your email address to audioentry@cfidsselfhelp.org by Saturday, July 31, 2021. Two emails will be randomly drawn in August.

06/02/2021

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in May:

1) "Pacing vs. Push and Crash"
Pacing offers a way to escape the vicious cycle of push and crash.

2) "Pacing Means Moving Ahead and Not Falling Behind"
Tips on the art of pacing from two guest authors.

3) "Lifting the Fog: Treating Cognitive Problems"
Fourteen strategies for treating brain fog.

4) "Optimism, Hope & Control: Attitudes & Health"
How a change in attitude can help you feel better.

5) "Sensory Overload: Sources and Strategies"
Too much sensory information? Read about causes, treatments and prevention.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

05/01/2021

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in April:

1) "Finding Your Energy Envelope, Part 1"
Describes a system for understanding your limits and offers two techniques for expanding them. (First of two articles.)

2) "Killing Me Softly: FM/CFS & Su***de"
Depression is common in long-term illness. This article by Lisa Lorden Myers offers ideas for coping when life seems hopeless.

3) "How Your Doctor Can Help If You Have CFS/ME"
Answers from CFS specialist Dr. Charles Lapp.

4) "Post-Exertional Malaise"
Why a little overdoing can trigger a relapse.

5) "Counting Your Blessings: How Gratitude Improves Your Health"
New research shows that people who keep a gratitude journal report fewer symptoms and feel better about their lives.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

Hundreds of articles on how to manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia, plus online books, logs, forms and worksheets.

03/12/2021

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "Physical and Psychological Recovery from ME/CFS"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/physical-and-psychological-recovery-cfs )

How ME/CFS patient Margaret Fergusson increased her functional level from 15% to 70%.

2) "Step by Step Improvement"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/Step-by-Step-Improvement )

How Dianne Timbers used tiny steps to improve, starting from being severely bed-bound.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

01/29/2021

Featured Success Story at Lapp-Campbell Website: Current featured success story on the Lapp-Campbell website:

"Combining Exercise and Rest "

(http://www.treatcfsfm.org/detail-60-Combining-Exercise-and-Rest.html)

The author writes: " I expanded how far I could walk greatly after I began to integrate rest periods into my exercise."

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

I was able to extend the length of my walks only slightly in the first several years I was sick. From time to time, I tried extending my walks by a few minutes a day, but most of these experiments produced increased symptoms, leading me to return to my previous level.  After two years, I was walkin...

10/15/2020

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "Stress Reduction: Five Practical Techniques"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/stress-reduction-five-practical-techniques )

Step-by-step instruction for five relaxation procedures.

2) "How I Improved from Near Bedbound to 80%, Part 2"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/Phoebe-Part2 )

How Phoebe Love used change of diet, and managing stress and emotions to return to near normal.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

An American non-profit organization offering low-cost online self-help courses and other resources for people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). Founded in 1998, they have conducted hundreds of self-help groups and also offer articles, forms, worksheets and online book...

10/04/2020

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in September:

1) "Fibromyalgia & ME/CFS: A Quick Overview"
A quick introduction to fibromyalgia and ME/CFS focusing on symptoms, treatments and prognosis.

2) "Coping Strategies for Severe Sensory Overload, Part 1"
How one person learned to use medications and pacing to cope with severe sensory sensitivity.

3) "Surprising Symptoms"
How to deal with nine confusing aspects of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia.

4) "Pacing vs. Push and Crash"
Pacing offers a way to escape the vicious cycle of push and crash.

5) "Will I Get Better? Tilting the Odds in Your Favor"
Many people with ME/CFS and fibromyalgia improve over time. Here are some ideas on how to increase your chances to be among those who get better.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

08/14/2020

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "Finding Your Envelope"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/finding-your-envelope )
The tools for defining limits in ME/CFS and fibromyalgia.

2) "How I Use Pacing to Manage ME/CFS"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/how-i-use-pacing-manage-cfs )
Bianca Veness's seven pacing strategies.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

An American non-profit organization offering low-cost online self-help courses and other resources for people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). Founded in 1998, they have conducted hundreds of self-help groups and also offer articles, forms, worksheets and online book...

08/01/2020

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in July:

1) "Solutions for Sleep"
Better sleep using improved habits, medications and treatment of sleep disorders.

2) "How Families Can Help People with CFS or FM"
How to support your loved one's efforts to improve if she has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or fibromyalgia (FM).

3) "How I Use Pacing to Manage ME/CFS"
Bianca Veness's seven pacing strategies.

4) "Coping with the Impacts of ME/CFS and FM"
ME/CFS and FM create widespread effects on patients and those around them. Here's how to cope with four of those impacts: unpredictability, intense emotions, stress and sensory overload.

5) "Coping Strategies for Severe Sensory Overload, Part 1"
How one person learned to use medications and pacing to cope with severe sensory sensitivity.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

Hundreds of articles on how to manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia, plus online books, logs, forms and worksheets.

07/03/2020

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in June:

1) "Dr Lapp's Recommendations on Supplements"
Tips from a prominent CFS/FM physician.

2) "Pacing by Numbers: Using Your Heart Rate To Stay Inside the Energy Envelope"
How to control symptoms by staying within your anaerobic threshold.

3) "About ME/CFS"
Basic information about ME/CFS: symptoms, diagnosis, causes, treatments and prognosis

4) "Post-Exertional Malaise"
How a little overdoing can produce a relapse.

5) "CFS versus FM: Twins, Cousins, or Just Acquaintances?"

Dr. Lapp compares the two conditions.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

06/25/2020

Featured Success Story at Lapp-Campbell Website: Current featured success story on the Lapp-Campbell website:

"Getting Through the Bad Days "

(http://www.treatcfsfm.org/detail-80-Getting-Through-the-Bad-Days.html)

The author writes: "Like many CFIDS patients, my emotions go up and down along with my symptoms. I've had times when I've been at the top of my personal health curve, working full time and feeling good. I've also been bedridden. I learned some lessons in my relapses, so I won't be caught off guard by them in the future."

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

Like many CFIDS patients, my emotions go up and down along with my symptoms. I've had times when I've been at the top of my personal health curve, working fulltime and feeling good.  I've also been bedridden, the low end of my curve. I've been everywhere in-between, too.  Along with the physical r...

06/19/2020

This month’s featured of chapter from Bruce Campbell’s recovery story is “Life Inside the Envelope” (www.recoveryfromcfs.org/ch08/). Bruce describes the second part of pacing: learning to live within the limits imposed by illness. “By using a variety of pacing strategies, I was able to replace a feeling that my life was out of control with the experience of predictability.”

The story is available free online and as a free PDF download.

Bruce Campbell is the founder of the ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's main website contains several hundred articles on pacing and related topics, plus dozens of patient success stories.

Elena Rosen, Program Administrator
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

8. Life Inside the EnvelopeTable of Contents Part I: Getting Started 1: Keys to Recovery 2: Now What Do I Do? 3: My Situation 4: Multiple Strategies 5: Is Recovery Realistic? Part II: Pacing 6: Pacing vs Crashing 7: My Energy Envelope 8: Life in the Envelope 9: My Secret Weapon 10: CFS Scientist 11:...

06/12/2020

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "Pacing FAQ"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/pacing-FAQ )
Answers to commonly-asked questions about pacing.

2) "How I Created a Good Life with Fibromyalgia"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/how-i-created-a-good-life-with-fibromyalgia )

Joan Buchman's account of how lifestyle changes and mental adjustments led to a fulfilling life with chronic illness.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

An American non-profit organization offering low-cost online self-help courses and other resources for people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). Founded in 1998, they have conducted hundreds of self-help groups and also offer articles, forms, worksheets and online book...

05/15/2020

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "The Anatomy of Hope"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/the-anatomy-hope )

How to keep hope alive, even when you have an illness with no cure.

2) "Living with Fibromyalgia: What Helps Me"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/living-with-fibromyalgia-what-helps-me )

Fibromyangia patient Kathy Gamble describes the many strategies she used to create a good life with FM.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

An American non-profit organization offering low-cost online self-help courses and other resources for people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). Founded in 1998, they have conducted hundreds of self-help groups and also offer articles, forms, worksheets and online book...

04/23/2020

Featured Success Story at Lapp-Campbell Website: Current featured success story on the Lapp-Campbell website:

"Consistency: A Key to Pacing Success"
(http://www.treatcfsfm.org/detail-66-Consistency-A-Key-to-Pacing-Success.html)

The author writes: "In my mind, consistency is both a major challenge and the key to success in pacing. Of the strategies I investigated, I found six especially useful and crucial to my recovery."

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

In my mind, consistency is both a major challenge and the key to success in pacing. Of the strategies I investigated, I found six especially useful and crucial to my recovery.

04/16/2020

This month’s featured of chapter from Bruce Campbell’s recovery story is “Finding My Energy Envelope” (www.recoveryfromcfs.org/ch07/). Bruce describes what he did to define the limits imposed by ME/CFS. “Understanding my limits in detail was the foundation for regaining control.”

Bruce Campbell is the founder of the ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's main website contains several hundred articles on pacing and related topics, plus dozens of patient success stories.

Elena Rosen, Program Administrator
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

7. Finding My Energy EnvelopeTable of Contents Part I: Getting Started 1: Keys to Recovery 2: Now What Do I Do? 3: My Situation 4: Multiple Strategies 5: Is Recovery Realistic? Part II: Pacing 6: Pacing vs Crashing 7: My Energy Envelope 8: Life in the Envelope 9: My Secret Weapon 10: CFS Scientist 1...

04/09/2020

Currently featured articles at The CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org):

1) "Habit Changes & Rules: Two Keys to Improvement"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/habit-change-rules-two-keys-improvement )

Two strategies that help when old habits make symptoms worse.

2) "From Defiance to Discipline: How I Found Freedom Through Acceptance and Adaptation"
( http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/from-defiance-discipline-how-i-found-freedom-through-acceptance-and-adaptation )

How Bianca Veness learned to manage her CFS by listening to her body.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the program has conducted hundreds of self-help classes since 1998. The program's website contains information about our self-management courses, plus several hundred articles on topics such as coping strategies, pacing and support. In addition, there are many patient success stories and information for family and friends.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
www.cfsselfhelp.org

An American non-profit organization offering low-cost online self-help courses and other resources for people affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). Founded in 1998, they have conducted hundreds of self-help groups and also offer articles, forms, worksheets and online book...

03/13/2020

The five most popular articles at the ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program website (www.cfsselfhelp.org/library ) in February:

1) "Pacing by Numbers: Using Your Heart Rate To Stay Inside the Energy Envelope"
How to control symptoms by staying within your anaerobic threshold.

2) "About ME/CFS"
Basic information about ME/CFS: symptoms, diagnosis, causes, treatments and prognosis

3) "Post-Exertional Malaise"
How a little overdoing can produce a relapse.

4) "How I Use Pacing to Manage ME/CFS"
Bianca Veness's seven pacing strategies.

5) "Surprising Symptoms"
How to deal with nine confusing aspects of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia.

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., Founder www.cfsselfhelp.org

Hundreds of articles on how to manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and fibromyalgia, plus online books, logs, forms and worksheets.