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Newsgroups: alt.med.cfs
Date:         Sun, 10 Jan 1993 12:08:15 -0500
              <CFS-L@NIHLIST.BITNET>
From:         KEGANRO@HUGSE1.HARVARD.EDU
Subject:      sleep

Just finished reading the various replies people have posted in response
to my sleep dilemma questions...thanks to everyone who responded -- I'm glad
to have some new things to try.

        A few questions (of course!)...Liz, I think it was you who mentioned
that you took a drug called ludiomil, along with prozac, and it seems to help
 -- what is ludiomil?  Also, did you discover your allergies by doing an
elimination diet?  I did an elimination diet a few years back -- ate almost
nothing for a week, and then gradually introduced one food group at a time to
see if I had any particular reaction.  I didn't notice anything, but I wonder
how long it took you before noticing differences in your sleep patterns?

        I think I'll also try adding a calcium/
magnesium supplement to my repetiore of daily pills...it seems like at least
it won't cause any more problems, even it it doesn't help the sleep.  It is
amazing to me how so many of us have such similar, bizarre sleep patterns.
John O'Donnell wrote some about sleep dysfunction being a symptom of Lyme
disease...you may have spoken about this previously, and I don't know if
others have reached their limit with the Lyme discussion, but I am interested
in knowing whether you think those of us who had a sudden onset of our illness,
and who had no awareness of getting a tic bite, and weren't in the woods or
by the beach or in any other high risk area -- if you think it's quite possible
that we have Lyme disease?  Do you think Lyme disease is the cause of most
of these chronic fatigue-like illnesses?

        Also, thanks Marshall for writing about Spirulina.  I've been thinking
of trying it for a while, but haven't quite known which kind or how much.  I'd
 love
 to hear anyone else who has tried it, how long and how much and whether or not
you've felt any results.

        And finally, a little update for those who asked how my trip home
over the holidays went (thanks!)  It actually went pretty well -- my family was
very supportive, and did lots of things like renting videos instead of going out
 to the movies.  The *best* thing I discovered came via my sister.  I had told
her that I was concerned about the noise level in the house, and getting enough
rest.  She brought this little machine -- I'm not really sure what it's called
 --
I call it a sound machine.  Anyway, its a small round machine often used in
therapist's offices, that makes a soothing humm, that worked just great at
blocking out other sounds.  I was able to close the door of the room I was
staying in, turn on the machine, and really rest.  I couldn't hear the TV
in the next room, or even the phone ring.  So I made clear limits -- was in
my bedroom from 11 at night till 10 in the am, and then shut myself in for
another few hours in the afternoon.  If anyone wants to know where to buy
a sound machine, let me know -- my sister gave me the mail order catalog
where she bought it.

        Oh -- 1 last bit of info -- a friend of mine sent me a review of a
book that others may be interested in.  It's called "Sick And Tired Of Feeling
Sick And Tired: Living With Invisible Chronic Illness", by Paul Donoghue and
Mary Siegel.  It sounds like a sane and supportive book -- they both have
chronic illnesses, and write about the psychological effects of having an
illness that people can't see and many don't believe.

        Time to rest!  -- Kate
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