I've read a ton of books looking for answers for CFS. This book helped me because it was written by someone who had actaully experienced CFS and overcame it. If for no other reason than the encouragement factor, it was worth buying. I've been struggling for 10 years and felt close to giving up the fight. But after reading the book, I felt encouraged and ready to fight on, but with new tools and a new perspective.

I am a sophomore in college in a time in my life that is so crucial to where I am going and who I am becoming. I've had Chronic Fatigue for a few years now, but it is only in the past year that it has taken a serious toll on me. I got caught in the catch 22 between being a college student and caring for my body. I often can't do work, go to class, go out,I worry constantly about my future and being able to start a career, and I barely have time to sleep. After being an incredibly social and outgoing person in high school and then coming to college and not having a social life at all made me very depressed and lonely. Being in college and feeling as if you've lost your personality and you cannot perform up to your academic strength because your mind is so foggy and your memory so bad really started to ruin my life.

This is the first book I've ever read on chronic fatigue syndrome and it makes me cry because I have so much hope now. It has really been a motivation to try to heal myself and really try to succeed in the ways I know I can in college. The way that the author writes this book is so simple and easy to follow. I think all her ideas are great and really make sense and I'm starting to follow her eight steps. The getting enough sleep one is a little hard for me, as is treating myself as a patient because of all my work, but I'm really optimistic about this and I'm finally feeling as if I can escape this terrible illness. Like I said, I haven't been following for long, but even this sense of hope I'm feeling is the best I've felt in so long. I really recommend this to anyone who is suffering from CFS.

After 8 years of 'doctor-shopping' and trying way too many things that didn't work, I was a little hesitant to buy yet another book. But I'm not sorry I added it to my next Amazon order!

I recognized an awful lot in the author's story. Which in general is to be expected, but to me the specifics really stood out (could have been my medical record, minus the pregnancy.)

The book is the author's story, mixed in with an 8 step protocol (and a good explanation of why to follow it) with which she made a full recovery. Something to really look forward to!

This are the steps, obviously explained in detail in the book:

1. Understand your version of CFS.
-- Keep a daily short log of activities/rest periods, sleep, symptoms, meds
2. Find a doctor who will work with you.
3. Break the cycle of fatigue
-- Strict rule: Sleep at least 10 hours a night! And apparently after a few months of keeping a log you will notice a pattern, and know what is `too much' - that way you can avoid the `major crash after'.
4. Build a support network
5. Be sick! Be a patient!
-- aka: ignore what others think of you and don't feel guilty for taking care of yourself.
6. Fuel your wellness
-- General health info, with the addition of vitamin/supplement recommendations
7. Maintain an optimal blood pressure.
-- Mine, like the authors, turned out to be constantly low (105/65) -> fixable!
8. Manage your stages of recovery.

I wish there was one extra part explaining a little more about 'finding the pattern' for step 3. (Just an example of hers would be good).
I guess I'll figure it out in a few months, or let someone more awake look at it.

I've been following the steps for only a week now, but I hope to report results in a few months (will be in the comments).
Four stars for now, for a clear and easy-to-read book.
Might change to five - I certainly hope so.

This book was helpful to me. It help me re-think the ways in which I currently cope with CFS & FM. I always want to know information in how others who have CFS & FM are well now. It was not much money and was a small enough book not to overwhelm me. I suggest it to others who have this disease.

This book is excellent for helping a person with CFS feel less alone with this confounding disease; Kilcoyne definitely "gets it". The chapter about finding "your own version of CFS" is right on. However, she really did have all the makings of success: a loving advocate in her (employeed) husband so she was able to Be A Patient and a good support network including an open-minded doctor who worked with her. In reality, many of us are financially unable to drop everything and attend to our health in the early days of CFS when healing is optimal, and are frustratingly unable to find a doctor who will work with us rather than write us off. Still, her idea of keeping a Daily Record (and what factors to include ) is a great one which I believe may help me even after 14 years. Bottom line: a bit naive but not without merit.

I have recently been diagnosed with CFS after ten years of struggling. I had previously been diagnosed with post partum depression, orthostatic hypotension, anemia, depression, and Epstein Barr. Nothing the doctors prescribed helped. This book made me cry. I felt like I was reading my own story. It affirmed that I do indeed have CFS and that I am not alone. To have someone who has gone through this write about her story and recovery is so helpful. It has been difficult to explain the disease even to my husband who sees first hand what I am going through. He just couldn't understand the "foggy thinking" and why some days were good and some were so bad. The book has helped us both. I have completely changed my diet and I am keeping a daily record of all my activities. I have realized how much rest I really need. I am finally accepting this disease and have hope that I will recover. After two weeks on the diet (I gave up my four cups of coffee with sugar every morning!) I feel a difference. Not an amazing improvement but a feeling of "health" and hope that I didn't have before. I have low blood pressure and "fainting" spells and the increase in sodium and water has helped that tremendously. I am allowing myself to let things go and take care of myself with proper diet and lots of rest. The book is easy to read, concise, and so helpful. Anyone with CFS should read this and follow the plan! It is working for me and I am ready for a long, slow recovery but a recovery none the less! Even it takes a year or more to get better at least I won't lose another ten years to this cruel disease.

This book is great for those days when your brain fog has taken over and you can't comprehend something too complicated. Good book! Great idea to make a daily journal.

Provides a good step by step guide on how the author was able to defeat CFS. A powerful read.

This was a well written easy to follow book for someone who is just beginning the journey of learning about this dibilitating disease. However, for us, it has been two years of suffering and trying to find answers with no luck. It was helpful in making us feel confident that we have done all there is known to help.

This book is a breath of fresh air and practicallity. My own experience was much less debilitating than the author's but went on for many more years due to lack of solid information. This book makes sense out of something that even health care practitioners can't seem to make sense out of. The frustration level this disease generates is astounding. Kilcoyne's book should help many many people sort through the often contradictory symptoms and medical advise.

Kilcoyne is wonderful at relating her experience while being clear that we are all dealing with our own version of Chronic Fatigue. She has found eight common denominators that led her to health, and can help others. While always framing her advise compassionatly, the author pulls no punches in identifyiing clear and positive steps that will improve the quality of life for Chronic Fatigue suffers. Trained as a scientist, her writing is concise and broad minded. Coming from her personal experience with Chronic Fatigue, she has distilled her method of recovery into steps that can be understood and used. I very much appreciate the time and devotion she has put into this book. It is truly a labor of love and a strong helping hand. It's a support system I wish I had had available at the beginning of my journey. Thank goodness it's here now!

Martha Kilcoyne puts into words what I have known in my "gut" for five years now. You have to be A patient and have patience.

Her small book(I carry it around in my purse)summarizes the HOW TO of getting better for CFS sufferers. She explains it isn't simple, or easy to make the lifestyle changes but worth it in the long run.

I have read other books on CFS that were much longer and not nearly as helpful. She just gets to the point faster.

There are no easy solutions but there is hope. Martha's book gives us back that hope.