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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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  1. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    ....but...wouldn't that mean your beans are BETTER?
  2. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    Ooohh one for my Christmas list! Along with the new improved gold coloured beans if course!
  3. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    Maybe a Cylon toaster? That's a robot called a toaster.... But then in Big Bang Theory they had a toaster that toasted a Cylon face into the bread. I rely wanted one of those.. Oh. Er.....I feel a bit peculiar. It was 2 beans twice daily, wasn't it????o_O:confused:
  4. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    Ah, now! The gentleman makes a good point. Can we drink while taking the beans, Mrs S? Cause I'd miss the crowd down at the Phoenix Tavern.....
  5. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    [aside,] @Mrs Sowester - your small print needs to be just a couple of points smaller. I could just make it with my magnifying glass. Just so you know.
  6. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    Are there any special incantations which should make just before/ after swallowing. To increase their efficacy? Any magic symbols required? Bit of ritual to add to the magic? Apparently, that can boost the effect of some treatments, you know! It's true! I read it online!
  7. I

    Stressed by ESA

    :thumbsup: Great news!
  8. I

    Mrs Sowester's Magic Beans

    Ooooh gold ones!! They've got to be even better right?
  9. I

    Predators and scammers

    Get used to it. :rolleyes: Once people discover you have ME it's :"oh! My cousin's girlfriend's half brother had that they were completely cured by xyz!" xyz bring some rather dubious & probably expensive "treatment" possibly involving drawing circles on paper.
  10. I

    Stressed by ESA

    Cripes! I really hope it's a clerical error on the part of the council or the DWP in notifying the council. There's just no end to the nightmare, is there? I've been waiting for several months for the outcome of my ESA review. They're still paying me but these things really hang over you...
  11. I

    Blue Ribbon Foundation: new ME/CFS 5 hour online continuing education course

    I'm a suspicious creature :cautious: what kinda stuff are they proposing to teach? BPS? The realities of living with ME? Drawing circles with magic words written inside?
  12. I

    A THREAD FOR THOSE IN NEED OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

    Ta-Da!!!! A lovely delivery of the Cazalet novels arrived today. It was a lot cheaper to buy as new paperbacks than in kindle format - even allowing for p&p. 5 new books to read. How lovely. Don't know whether to get stuck straight in or save em. I'll probably be sitting there tapping the...
  13. I

    False hope?

    Well, right now we don't know for sure but things seem to be snowballing a bit. There is rituximab but also cyclophosphamide. There may well be others - perhaps drugs currently used for other things. Once we start getting a few more answers over the next year or two I'm hoping that progress...
  14. I

    Suggestions for a woman with sweats

    When I first became ill I was way below menopause age but was plagued by sweats. But they were alternating hot and cold sweats. This has continued throughout the last 20 years but there have definitely been some times worse than others. Someone suggested to me recently that this can be a...
  15. I

    Cosmopolitan: Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them

    I don't have any problems at all with gobby old mares... when it serves I am one. :) In my life I have had to stand up for myself. I have had to deal with sexism (beyond the norm because of my chosen career) and racism. In the last 20 years I have also had to face some extreme prejudice...
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    Cosmopolitan: Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them

    @lilpink I don't know that much about the author and I simply think that, given the target audience, both articles were good. This doesn't mean that I will like her other articles and nor is it a comment on her professional ethics. I certainly do not view her as a saviour figure nor do I...
  17. I

    Cosmopolitan: Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them

    You do/don't like this article? I thought it was good. Sometimes you have to write your article for your target audience - the Cosmo level article is good in terms of its audience in my opinion, but it's not an in depth,weighty, discussion piece. There are some excellent & very factual...
  18. I

    Cosmopolitan: Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them

    I agree @Cinders66 . I also think that if more women realized the extent of the discrimination that still faces us when we become ill we could re-educate their palates. This Cosmo article is a great start. Even if it just plants a seed into the minds of some of it's subscribers that might...
  19. I

    Low-dose Naltrexone

    There are a couple of different threads on LDN. Some if them go back a while and contain a lot of information. If you use the search facility you should be able to dig out quite a lot of information with the added bonus that, if some of the previous posters are still "watching" the threads...
  20. I

    More from Science Medica Centre on SMILE

    ....and I've heard it said that we're a tough crowd :rolleyes: ETA - crossed with Jonathan's last post.
  21. I

    PIP Appeal problem (UK)

    I understand. Don't forget they want people to give up. That's why I would consider carefully any thing that will help you case now. If you regret your decision later then it'll be all the more difficult to fight back. This is one of the real evils of the current system. Pushing ill people...
  22. I

    PIP Appeal problem (UK)

    Muse away. I find musing helps as you have to put your thoughts in some sort of order to discuss ' em and that, in itself, is helpful. If you do decide to try to go in person then I would definitely either contact the CAB to see if they can help & send someone with you or contact the DWP...
  23. I

    ALL Countries Please sign the MEA's new petition to NICE:do not classify ME as 'functional'

    @lior I'm in the UK. From my experience and input from others over the years neurologists are firmly in the BPSers camp. While NICE is finally reviewing their guidelines on ME, there is an insidious movement afoot to conflate ME with Functional Somatic Syndrome / MUPS /MUS. If we let this...
  24. I

    MEA website question for October: Melatonin for sleep disturbance

    As per usual there's always an awkward sod.....& I'm told it's usually me: @charles shepherd - I think it's worth distinguishing between prescription versions such as Circadin and herbal ones. In my own case herbal ones do absolutely nothing but Circadin does help if I'm careful what time I...
  25. I

    PIP Appeal problem (UK)

    Might it be worth checking with your GP practice to see if the person who diagnosed you with Asperger's also wrote to your GP? It is customary that a note would be sent back to the referring GP - which doesn't mean it happens of course. If Fightback aren't able to help (I've heard good things...
  26. I

    WHICH OLDER WOMEN DO YOU FIND INSPIRING? FICTIONAL OR REAL.

    The Countess of Mar - don't know why I didn't think of her sooner really. The mothers of Lynn Gilderdale, Sophia Mizra, Emily Collingridge. Still mulling it over!
  27. I

    BPSers using new research to justify psychological treatments

    Couldn't agree more. My mind loved it too. Both body and mind loved all the sports and hobbies that I now can't do, thoroughly enjoyed hopping into the car to travel long distances to meet up with friends. We had lots of plans to go travelling too. If I got better tomorrow both my body and...
  28. I

    More from Science Medica Centre on SMILE

    ....we could crowdfund that?