*Vermont CFIDS Association <vtcfids.html#four>*

The following is excerpted from The Outlook, Spring 2000, published by
*The Vermont CFIDS Association, Inc.*

 


                    Lisa Creans Annotated Book List!

 

*PERIODICALS*

*The CFIDS Chronicle* and *The CFIDS Research Letter*, both published
quarterly by the CFIDS Association of America (800-44-CFIDS or
www.cfids.org).  The MUST-HAVE journal and medical letter for all
patients, families and doctors from the leading national CFIDS
organization.  The latest breaking news on research, treatment,
disability insurance, and public policy, with coping articles, book
reviews, commentary, and a thorough list of publications and resources.

*Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome*, published quarterly by Haworth

*Medical Press* (800-HAWORTH or www.haworthpressinc.com).  Peer-reviewed
medical journal is heavy sledding for the layperson, but presents the
latest scientific research.

*COMPREHENSIVE INTRODUCTION*

*The Doctor's Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome*, David S. Bell, M.D.,
Addison-Wesley, 1994.  Leading CFIDS clinician combines compassion,
insight and research to address diagnosis and treatment.  Great place to
start educating yourself, your doctor and your family.

*Facing and Fighting Fatigue:  A Practical Approach*, Benjamin
H.Natelson M.D., Yale University Press, 1998.  Leading CFS researcher
draws a clear distinction between fatigue, the most common medical
complaint, and CFS, the devastating complex of symptoms.  He covers
diagnosis, treatment and coping.

*Hope and Help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome*, Karyn Feiden, Simon and
Schuster, 1992.  Thorough, compassionate book that saved my life when I
first got sick.  Great chapter to xerox and give family and friends on
what they can do to help.

*Running on Empty*, Katrina Berne, Ph.D, Hunter House, 1995.

*A Parents' Guide to CFIDS:  How to be an Advocate for your Child with
CFIDS*, David S. Bell, M.D., Haworth, 1999.  The complete pediatric
CFIDS resource by the world's leading pediatric CFIDS expert.

*REFERENCE*

*Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:  A Treatment Guide*, Erica F. Verrillo and
Lauren M. Gellman, St. Martin's Griffin, 1997.  Comprehensive symptom
description and treatment catalogue, covering pharmaceutical, herbal,
vitamin and every other imaginable therapy.  Focuses on what you TAKE
(pills, treatments) to combat CFS, not what you DO (coping, lifestyle
changes).  Exceptionally well organized, documented, indexed and easy to
use.

*Alternative Medicine Guide to Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia and
Environmental Illness*, Burton Goldberg and the editors of Alternative
Medicine Digest, Future Medicine Publishing, 1998.  Various doctorand
alternative health care practitioners promise cures, promote miracle
success stories and push expensive products.Reads like many magazine
articles taped together, without an authorial presence to analyze them
critically.  But taken with a large grain of salt and a healthy dose of
common sense skepticism, it provides copious--if
undocumented--information about alternative therapies.

*COPING*

*Managing Pain Before It Manages You*, Margaret A. Caudill, M.D.,
Guilford Press, 1995.  Great program, in an easy-to-use workbook format,
for understanding and coping with chronic pain.

*We Are Not Alone:  Learning to Live with Chronic Illness*, Sefra Kobrin
Pitzele, Workman, 1986. Comprehensive, easy-to-read, beautifully
organized manual covers issues from the emotional (grieving,
relationships, depression) to the practical (health care team,
caregivers, rest, sex, adapting rooms).

*500 Tips for Coping with Chronic Illness*, Pamela D. Jacobs, M.S.,
Robert D. Reed Publishers, 1995.  Useful, practical advice in small,
easily digestible chunks.

*Coping with CFS*, Fred Friedberg, Ph.D., New Harbinger, 1995.  Slim
volume of  nine emotional coping strategies, by a psychologist/patient,
based on early 90's research.

*LEGAL*

*Disability Workbook for Social Security Applicants*, Douglas Smith,
Esq., Physicians' Disability Services, 1997.  Handbook navigates you
through SSDI application process and provides sample forms you will have
to fill out.

*AUTOBIOGRAPHY*

*The Alchemey of Illness*, Kat Duff, Bell Tower, 1994.  Introspective,
meditative look at having a meaningful life while having CFS.

*Dazed and Fatigued in the Toxic 21st Century*, Mark Llewellyn Hall,
Consafos Press, 1998.  Hip, wild, self-indulgent, humorous memoir of a
twenty-something Californian's journey with CFS.

*The Diving Bell and the Butterfly*, Jean-Dominique Bauby, Knopf, 1997.
A French journalist's poignant and poetic account of his life after
astroke completely paralyzed him.  He dictated the book by blinking his
left eyelid.  Nothing to do with CFS, but puts illness and wellness
inblunt perspective.

*POLITICS AND HISTORY*

*Osler's Web*, Hillary Johnson, Crown, 1996.    Not-always-accurate
story of the early days of CFS, and the unhappy intersection of
medicine, government, patients and politics.  Johnson's rage sometimes
overcomes her research.  Not for the CFS novice or the faint of heart.