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From The Times

July 23, 2007

Mum, nothing works. I can’t move

ME is difficult to treat but Leo, 13, is learning to take control of his condition. Our correspondent reports

Penny Wark

At 13 Leo has become used to people asking how he is and recalls his recent response to a friend’s inquiry. “Ask me on a Tuesday . . .” he says affecting the Scottish brogue of David Walliams’s strange hotelier in Little Britain. This is the kind of joke that teenage boys like, but for Leo it is a clear sign of progress because a year or so ago his response was very different.

“Do you know, what I hate more than anything else is when someone asks, ‘how are you feeling?’ It’s kind of a rhetorical question, but I don’t feel fine and I hate telling them that because you don’t know how many times I’ve had to say . . .”

This thought, unconcluded and delivered in a croaky and weary voice, forms part of an audio diary that Leo kept throughout much of the time he has suffered from ME (myalgic encephalitis, otherwise known as chronic fatigue syndrome). On Friday parts of the diary can be heard on Radio 4 in Leo, Rusty and ME, which tells the story of his illness through his voice and contributions from his parents (both broadcasters), his sister and the professionals who have helped him. At times it is unbearably poignant to hear the family struggle to endure his deteriorating condition, but it is instructive, too, because ME has long had a bad press.

Five years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified it as a neurological disorder, it is still little understood. There is no clinical test to diagnose it, no definitive treatment and no cure. The suspicion that those who claim to have it are malingerers who just need to get a grip persists, yet it is known that it commonly affects high achievers and it is now thought that one in 250 of us will have it at some point. As many as 25,000 children in the UK are thought to suffer from it every year.

Leo became ill in November 2005, a day his mother, Jane Ray – who produces the programme – remembers vividly. He had had a chest infection but seemed to be getting better so the family took him to a Harry Potter movie.

“At the end he looked at me and said, ‘Mum, nothing works, I can’t move’. It was as if dementors had swooped over him and scooped him out.”

Ray does not exaggerate. Over the months that followed Leo’s body ached, he had fearsome headaches and described his tiredness as violent. He found swallowing difficult and lost weight rapidly. Much of the time, he slept. Tests for glandular fever and Lyme Disease at the Whittington Hospital in North London were negative and it was not until January 2006, when Dr Andrew Robins, Leo’s consultant paediatrician, diagnosed a postviral syndrome (this was classed as ME three months later) that the family felt they had reached a turning point. “We knew what we were fighting against and stuff like that,” says the admirably succinct Leo.

His mother is more expansive. “Treating ME is the medical equivalent of watching paint dry,” she says. “The usual NHS view is that there’s nothing they can do to treat it, they just manage the symptoms. But here we had an [NHS]consultant paediatrician who was prepared to say, ‘I will see you every week until he’s better. You won’t be passed from pillar to post, and I will get a team together that will support your care’.

“In a practical way that saved us from wasting thousands and thousands of pounds, as other people have done, on crank cures and snake oil and new therapies that seem to attract people who are bewildered and desperate.”

Robins’s collaborative approach to Leo’s care was designed to support his physical, psychological and emotional needs simultaneously. The team consisted of a nutritionist, a physiotherapist, and Robins’s colleague, Dr Sebastian Kraemer, a consultant psychiatrist. “It was quite clear to me when I first saw Leo that it wasn’t going to be possible to do all this on my own,” says Robins.

“ME isn’t well understood but there seem to be threads of good practice and it seems to make sense to coach the young person with their family and give them a programme where they can be given space to get better over a longer time course than most people would appreciate. There is a problem in certain models in medicine. Instead of working in parallel we think in series and the physician gets to the end of the line and says, I’m sorry, I can’t do any more for you, go and see a psychiatrist. That’s often traumatic for everyone involved because they don’t necessarily feel that there is a psychological issue and feel abandoned by the medical side. We are saying that there are psychological issues and there are physical issues and we’re going to look at them together. In a world of limited resources it’s expensive putting two consultants in the same room for an hour, but it is definitely worth it in certain situations. The work we do for Leo’s family isn’t just me or just Dr Kraemer, it’s the product of the two parts.”

Kraemer remembers meeting Leo and finding a child so tired that it was as though he had been woken in the middle of the night. Realising that Leo is highly imaginative, he suggested that he come up with a name for his symptom. Leo came up with “Rusty” and gave the name to his whole body “because it was like a rusty gate, doesn’t work properly”.

The idea behind the technique is to distance the patient from his symptoms so that he can look at them and think about them separately, Kraemer explains. “If you can look at what’s happening rather than suffer from it you’re more likely to be its master rather than it being your master. It helps people to use mental devices against an unseen enemy, if you like. We’re not claiming that any of this is curative – ME is tiger country – but a lot of children do get better and the objective is to make sure that happens as speedily as possible and not to let anything get in the way – such as wrong kinds of treatment or staying in bed all the time.”

Leo did spend a lot of time in bed and had many remissions and relapses. He lost so much weight that the hospital suggested that he should be fitted with a feeding tube. He didn’t like that idea, started to eat a little more and his weight stabilised. He recorded his wheelchair speeding down a hill and notes drily that when he crashed, his mother was more concerned about the well-being of the recording equipment than her son. Then his friend Curtis told him about a neurolinguistic programming technique called the Lightening Process. Leo was keen to try it, and Robins and Kraemer felt that his enthusiasm meant that the timing was right and that the technique could give him another way of taking control of his condition. As a result of the sessions Leo came up with the image of packing his ME into his wheelchair and abandoning both of them.

“Some of it is positive thinking,” he explains. “Saying I’ve got ME, so it sounds as though I’ve currently got ME, not I always will have. Things like that, really.”

He no longer has a home tutor and has returned to school part-time, and he has started to draw again. His mother finds some of his cartoons to show me. Leo cringes with embarrassment.

We eat the rock cakes he has made, he frets over his hair, but as he gets used to the agony of speaking to a stranger in front of his parents he starts to open up.

His body uncurls, his back straightens, his hands unwind and you begin to see a teenager who no longer looks ill. I admire his sweatshirt.

“The ultimate in cool – being dressed by your mother,” he quips.

“You can do your own shopping now, mate,” she says.

— Leo, Rusty and ME, BBC Radio 4, Friday 11am

Extract from Leo’s audio diary

April 17 2006: “It’s the night before my birthday. I’d like to be excited but I’m not. I’m dreading my birthday to be honest. I thought I’d be feeling better.”

April 18: “It’s my birthday. My stomach woke me up but I went downstairs and flung the door open and it was nice because there were balloons and everything. I opened my cards and then my presents. I got a few very funny cards, good presents. I thought we’d go go-karting but then Rusty had a bit of a bad turn just before, which was inconvenient. I was knackered. We sang Happy Birthday with my birthday cake and then I went to sleep and that was it. I mean, it was good but it was – well, I’m proud of what I did, but I’ve never felt more tired ever.”

Facts about ME

Myalgic encephalitis (ME): myalgia is muscle pain; encephalitis is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It affects an estimated 150,000 people a year.

Symptoms: long-term tiredness; poor short-term memory and muscular pain.

Treatments: no cure. Mild sufferers can care for themselves and may take odd days off work. Severe sufferers rely on bed rest most of the day. Some may experience intolerance to noise and light. Cognitive behavioural therapy, antidepressants, nutritional guidance and alternative therapies have all shown to be helpful.

Source: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Dr Mickels original theories regarding the cause and cure of CFS are sound. Unfortunately, he has hit the "tricky second album" stage and unwilling to leave something alone if it isn't broken he has gone off at a tangent and started to include his own new age beliefs. Matrix's of energy that lead us into repeated behaviour is clap trap of the highest order and only belittles the fantastic work he did in the first place. Shame.

Rob Fletcher, London,

it's great to see people recovering from this illness which is devastating to say the least. although i agree some people do get better with the lightening process it is important to point out that it doesn't work for everyone ester ranson's who daughter recovered after using this process points that out.

reverse therapy/mickel got quite a bad write up by patients in me magazine with the patients who did not get better being written as not having completed the course so again it does not work for everyone or the cbt m.e. centers would have positive results which they don't.

it seems important to me that he had a nutritionist and that his dr's state that it was the right time as it says he was starting to recover. i am sorry that it seems he hasn't made a full recovery yet i hope he does

david, tenby,

Hi Leo,

My name is Luise Moffatt. I was very moved by your experience. How awful that at such a young age you and your family had to cope with such a debilitating illness.

I have the pleasure to work as a Mickel Therapist. As such I have been delighted to see a continual turn around in people's health in a relatively short space of time (the latest case - only 3 sessions!). The empowerment and freedom they have from their symptoms is incredible.

I can't tell you how fabulous it is. It should be shouted from the rooftops

Luise Moffatt, Glasgow, Lanarkshire

Hi Annette

Sorry for the delayed reply. I've been away on my first real holiday since I became ill with CFS/ME, & it was sheer bliss!

To respond to your query, I was diagnosed as having CFS by both my own GP here in Scarborough, Dr Alison Williams (dignosis by exclusion - after all the usual barrage ests for everything else, including Lyme disease, Thyroid problems, etc, etc), & this was also confirmed by Seacroft Chronic Fatigue Clinic, part of St James' Hospital in Leeds. The diagnosis came after years of being unwell yet no-one being able to explain why, other than send me for treatment for depression (no wonder I was so unhappy - I was really ill, given no explanation why, and treated as if it was all in my head!) The psychotherapist whom I saw confirmed that I did NOT have depression, but was physically ill; luckily, she also recognised the symptoms of CFS/ME, & suggested that my doctor investigate that dignosis.

I hope that helps. Do you have CFS/ME, Annette?

Susie Novis, Scarorough, North Yorkshire

I suffered from ME, Chronic Fatigue & Fybro Myalgia for 2 years and depression for 17 years. I tried many remedies and therapies but although they helped at the time symptoms just came back worse than ever. I had to take months off work and my life effectively shutdown.

A friend sent me an extract from a local newspaper and it was written by Dr David Mickel so I signed up for treatment. After 5 sessions I had made a full recovery from ME/Chronic Fatigue/Fybromyalgia and my life improved dramatically. The depressive illness took several more sessions and I am now able to effectively control that and my quality of life is now much better than it has been for 17 years.

I was so impressed by the treatment that I trained as a therapist and I have successfully treated a number of patients.

As with most radical new treatments I was sceptical at the beginning but my fears were unfounded - I know it works and I would recommend it to anybody.

Rod MacLeod, Lossiemouth,

Hello Annette,
I suffered from ME for 7 years before being cured by Mickel therapy.
I was diagnosed by Dr Mitchel an ME consultant in Norfolk and Professor Findley a nuerologist and ME consultant in Essex.
I fully understand your healthy scepticism as I would feel the same had I not gone through the illness and dramatic return to health myself.

Having trained as a nurse and a midwife in the past I feel very priviledged to have trained as a Mickel therapist and am still thrilled and amazed by the results this therapy has on my clients.

Gill, Norfolk,

Would Susie Novis and others who claim that they had M.E, and have been cured by LP or Mikell therapy please be as kind as to say who exactly diagnosed them with M.E.?

There are very few doctors left alive in this country who have the knowledge to do so.

Many thanks

annette, london, england

Hi Essa

I'm pleased you recovered so rapidly from ME - it's the pits, isn't it?

Yes, LP has clearly helped some people recover rapidly, but so, too, can Mickel Therapy! There are many who have recovered after only one or two sessions, one of those being a personal friend who went from needing a wheelchair to walking and living a normal life - and of course, returning the wheelchair! Recovery is possible - but the time it takes depends on the person. I notice that LP asks people to fill in a questionnaire to see how suitable they are for the process, which would suggest that for some people, it doesn't work. And Leo, although better, is obviously not yet fully recovered ...

What I love about Mickel Therapy is that it empowers the individual. When you get better, you know exactly what it was that you, personally, did, to return to health once more. And like LP, from what you are saying, it is a tool that enhances your life.

Well done to all of those who are better!

Susie Novis, Scarorough, North Yorkshire

Hi Arthur from London
What is a Snake Oil Index? Cynicism, maybe? Come and see me, and my family, and friends, and actually listen to their reports of my huge improvement - not to mention what my doctor has to say about the very dramatic difference to my health! But even then you'd probably say I wasn't really ill, and was either faking it or it was psychological...

Healthy scepticism is fine. But don't dismiss the facts without knowing them.

I never, ever again want to have to live life with ME, CFS, or whatever label you wish to put on the illness that totally incapacitated me. It was a living hell. I'm very thankful, almost to the point that words alone cannot convey, that, like many others who have recovered, I have my life back again.

Susie Novis, Scarorough, North Yorkshire

Like many others I too got better from ME through the 3-day Lightning Process training. After 16 years of deeply distressing incapacity I, almost instantly, regained my health and am living a wonderful, busy, active life. I have met people who had been ill longer than I and/or had been more severely afftected who have also had the same success. Many of them, myself included, are now approaching the end of training to be LP practitioners so this extraordinary tool for recovery will become more available.
Like Mickel Therapy it addresses the neurological and endocrine systems but does so with great rapidity: in my own case I, who had been housebound, did an 8 mile hill walk the week after the LP.

I hope everyone with ME and other associated conditions investigates the LP, the process is rapid, the success rates high, and the results are wonderful

Essa

Essa, Exeter,

Like Leo, I too got well from ME by using the Lightning Process and I could not recommend it more highly to anyone who suffers the awful fatigue, pain, isolation and misery of ME or CFS. I was severely ill for nearly 5 years and like many others, I was very moved by Leo and his parents and glad they are so clearly happy with the fantastic progress he has made so quickly. Thousands of people are now well by using the Lightning Process , unlike Mickel Therapy (7 or 800 is quoted) and with the LP there is at least a 95% success rate which I think is also way higher, so I just wanted to put the record straight. Also Professor Findlay at the ME Centre is sending his patients to do Lightning Process training and has started a research program. I did the Lightning Process two years ago, cleared all my symptoms in 7 days and have been totally well since, no relapse and in fact feel better and happier than before, because you can use the LP for many other things too.
It's brilliant !

Kate, Suffolk, UK

It's very sad and distressing to read about Leo's suffering, however the question must be asked "what is he suffering from?"
People who have ME (Myalgic Encepheomyelitis, not Encephelitis in the article) know that this is a political as much as a medical question.
Leo's parents don't appear to have asked this question very thoroughly or they have been very naive in accepting the responses they have been given. I understand this though
There are very few doctors left in the country who can diagnose M.E. as many of them have died and the NHS has not replaced them.
What we do have are doctors who diagnose CFS and then some where along the line this is equated to M.E.
If one digs into this CFS diagnosis one often finds that the doctor was diagnosing CFS using one particular criteria that equates to a distressing but simple fatigue after a virus or infection.
This is not M.E.
Unless Leo and his parents can show that he had M.E. they really should stop using the term

annette, london, england

Although considerable progress is being made, presently there is no diagnostic test for ME and therefore any claims and 'testimonials' should be viewed with considerable caution and scepticism, no matter the source. The familiar pattern of technical and knowledgable sounding terms and claims being rolled out to snare the unwary - 'adrenaline'- 'hypothalamus'- 'emotional basis' - along with non-reporting of 'failures' should surely serve as a snake-oil index.

Arthur, London, UK

Hi Leo

I too was 13 when I first got M.E so reading your story brings back many memories of what my life was like back then. I had M.E over 13 years some of that time I was bed ridden and housebound. I missed out on getting qualifications from school due to this ilness.

My situation did improve slightly but I never had good health and had to spend a lot of time in bed resting as payment for doing normal everyday tasks.

I am one of the fortunate 750 people that has recieved Mickel therapy. When I first heard of this therapy was extreemly skeptical as I had tried many things with no success and I was tired of getting my hopes up to have it fail again. 2 of my friends tried Mickel therapy and fully recovered. It is the best thing I have ever done I now really have the energy to enjoy life.

Leo I would really love it if you could look into Mickel therapy. you dont have to waste as many years as I have to this ilness.

Julia, Inverness,

This article states, "Five years after the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified it as a neurological disorder...". That is actually incorrect. ME has been listed by the WHO as a neurological disorder since 1969 i.e. for nearly 40 years!

However, when the Chief Medical Officerâ€™s Report on M.E. was released just over five years ago, the C.M.O. Professor Sir Liam Donaldson said that M.E. â€œshould be classed as a chronic condition with long term effects on health, alongside other illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and motor neurone diseaseâ€. (Professor Sir Liam Donaldsonâ€™s comment from the 11th January 2002 can be found on the BBC News website at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1755070.stm.) It would therefore be interesting to know if those who believe in, promote and treat people with ME with the Lightening Process would recommend it for the other serious, neurological conditions mentioned by the C.M.O., namely multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.

Lorna, Somerset,

my son is 13 hes been ill with this horrible illness for almost 2 years, after having what we thought was a nasty headcold. the gp was great as james dont make fuss but was in so much pain in hisa bits and stomach etc. first were tests for glandula fever and mumps, than tests for everything else including cancer and the L word.
but were left to cope with no specilast help after being told hes got me from one ped at hospital and cfs from another! and were told hed be better 6 months!
james is jealious youre getting help with home tutors etc as its impossible to access yhem here.
school is very hit and miss, dispite him trying to struggle to do his best. # hugs sent to you and your family. x

zana, england, norfolk

Reading the article and listening to the show on Radio 4 left me with a sense of sadness and frustration for Leo. Originally trained as a chartered psychologist, I now work with Dr David Mickel and Mickel Therapy. Over the past 4 years we have seen close on 800 sufferers regain full health following treatment with our practitioners. There is nothing more wonderful than witnessing a sufferer change from being house bound needing a wheelchair to getting out and engaging fully in life once more, pursuing their passions.

There is an answer, Leo. I just wish we could get a little more recognition for our efforts.

Kyle Davies, Cardiff, UK

It is good that people are starting to talk more about ME. I had the condition for over 2 years and it stopped my life in its tracks. I was referred to an 'ME Specialist Consultant' in Lancashire who said 'you've had it for 2.5 years, you will probably have it for at least that again, keep pacing!' Then a friend told me about Mickel Therapy. I decided to give it a go as I didn't want to give up on life at 25. It doesn't matter how hard you try to 'pull yourself together' or fight it, it made no difference, until I start listening to my body and understanding why my symptoms were being sent. I am a naturally sceptical person but deciding to go ahead and have Mickel Therapy was the best decision I ever made. After 5 seesions I was better and now I have my life back, my friends and family have the 'real me' back and I am looking forward to the future. I am even back competing in triathons which at one point was just a dream and seemed like an impossibility.

Martin, Lancashire,

I cannot bear to still see anyone suffering from CFS/ME - especially since there is now such an effective treatment in the form of Mickel Therapy.
Practically bedbound by ME a few years ago a family friend came across an article in the Sunday Post about Dr David Mickel. After trying every possible treatment going, I was absolutely desperate to find something to give me some kind of a life back. I had a one year old son who needed me - it was heartbreaking the day he called his childminder 'mum'. After only 4 sessions of Mickel Therapy things started to change - a few months down the line my health was restored.
Now a few years later I have two children and also work. I also have oodles of energy! I really do not know where I would be now if I had not picked up the phone that day and made my first appointment.
Dr David Mickel does not get the recognition he so deserves. If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be here today.
Pamela Scott, Orkney

Pamela Scott, Evie, Orkney, Scotland

Hi Leo,
I too had M.E. for 15 years and had to give up my career as a professional dancer because of it. I remember my doctor sitting on my bed 3 months into my illness, telling me I would never dance again! We actually took a bet on it that day and I'm so grateful to say now that, thanks to Dr Mickel and Mickel Therapy, I won the bet and I am dancing again! My G.P. however, still owes me the fiver!!
I am now trained as a Mickel Therapist and my only regret is that I didn't meet Dr Mickel earlier. He turned my life around!
Best wishes

nicky, east sussex,

imagine there being such a terrible illness that devastates lives and then imagine being told there is no hope of recovery. As a past suffer i now now this to be incorrect. I was treated by Dr Mickel and now have returned to full health. This treatment is real and the hope given is not fulse. Once or twice in our ife times we stumble across something amazing and life changing. Mickel therapy is a becon of light in an illness that is so dark. We just need to open our minds and hearts cause there is strong hope. This is not an illness of the mind. i suffered for 4 long years, but now have returned to full.

chris monahan, melbourne, australia

I am a consultant working in the NHS treating CFS/ME. I agree with comments above about Mickel therapy. For those of us who use this approach the condition is not a mystery. It is clear that ME has an emotional basis - but that emotions are physical reactions that happen in our body in response to situations. ME is not a psychological condition. This approach is very successful in particular with adults. Of course this needs to be shown in clinical trials. It is extremely difficult to set up a clinical trial without funding and without being in an academic department as Dr Mickel has found out.
This approach does give hope to all ME sufferers.

Derek Proudlove, Liverpool,

Leo
I also have had ME for two years can honestly say that Mickel Therapy saved my life. From being unable to do very much of anything I now lead a full life and am completely well thanks to Mickel Therapy. I always say that phoning to make my first appointment was the best phone call I ever made. Hope you do it too. There is life after ME.

Lorna, Ross-shire

lorna taylor, Ross-shire,

I think Jane Colley may be incorrect in her assumption that, as she puts it no proper tests are carried out for the majoirty of those who are told they have ME. I was thoroughly tested for every possibility, including that of Lyme Disease. ME is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, simply because current medical thinking does not understand how the illness occurs.

Mickel Therapy, which gave me the tools to help my own body heal, is NOT an illness management technique - it addresses the root cause of the illness, and then deals with that. That's why it worked for me, and for many, many others - and continues to work ...

Susie Novis, Scarborough, England, UK

My daughter was ill for ten years from 8 to 18. At 14 she was misdiagnosed with ME. No proper tests were carried out to make this diagnosis. This is true for the majority of those who are told they have this illness.

At 17 she could no longer walk and was having trouble swallowing. We found an environmental hospital who tested her. She had a very serious bacterial infection - the result of coming into contact with an infected deer tick at a local park at age 8.

She is now fit and healthy. Had I continued with the advice given to me by the ME charities she would still be languishing and deteriorating.

Illness management techniques could never have helped her because a spirochetal infection which could have killed her was destroying her central nervous system.

I would urge any parent with a child with ME to do some research of their own to at the very least to rule out the possibility of other illnesses such as Lyme Disease.

Jane Colley, Leicestershire,

I had CFS/ME for over 10 years and eventually it turned into a living death. By the time Iâ€™d reached my 60th birthday, despite trying every available therapy & alternative medication, as well as the usual treatment prescribed by the NHS â€“ physiotherapy with graded exercise, pacing, & CBT â€“ nothing made me well; I was getting worse and worse. I was scared I would spend the rest of my life ill and dependent on others for my well-being. But then I discovered Mickel Therapy and 2 years on, Iâ€™m living life for myself once more, & life is much better and more fulfilling than it ever was prior to falling ill with ME. Thank you Dr Mickel, for treating me with respect and not as depressed; thanks for giving up a well paid life as a GP in order to continue successfully helping we whom the NHS have badly failed.

So donâ€™t despair, those of you with ME, there is hope; there are many, many of us who have become well again â€“ and itâ€™s about time you got to hear about it!

Susie Novis, Scarborough, England

As a Mickel Therapist in New Zealand and past sufferer of ME I have observed that a major stumbling block to healing is not understanding why illness occurs: Symptoms are necessary and intelligent communication from the body, an attempt from disregarded parts of ourselves to be heard. People will (unconsiously) manifest physical pain in their bodies because itâ€™s easier to take it physically than emotionally. Symptoms are not random happenings and will never be sent unless there is good reason. Once we understand healing as a process of growth and self-realization, we can appreciate sicknesses and symptoms as healthy reactions to unhealthy situations. When messages and the emotions underlying them are not heard by individuals, and their inner selves do not feel validated, the alarm signal has to stay on until the message is heard. This becomes a habitual state until we address the problem on a whole body level. True healing requires transformation, not just fixing symptoms.

Kim Knight, Auckland,

I had CFS/ME for over 10 years, & eventually it became a living death. By the time Iâ€™d reached my 60th birthday, despite trying every available therapy & alternative medication, as well as the usual treatment prescribed by the NHS â€“ physiotherapy with graded exercise, pacing & CBT â€“ nothing made me well. In fact, I was getting worse and worse. I was scared I would spend the rest of my life ill and dependent on others for my well-being. But then I discovered Mickel Therapy, & 2 years on, Iâ€™m living life for myself once more & life is much better and more fulfilling than it ever was prior to falling ill with ME. Thank you Dr David Mickel, for treating me with respect, not as depressed; thanks for giving up your well-paid work as a GP in order to continue successfully helping those whom the NHS have badly failed.

So donâ€™t despair if you have ME, there is hope; there are many, many of us who have become well again â€“ and itâ€™s about time you got to hear about it!

Susie Novis, Scarborough, England, UK

Leo, I'm sorry to hear you've suffered from this terrible illness for so long.

I was sick with M.E / CFS for over 4 years and while I was fortunate enough to make good progress on my own, it wasn't until I did Mickel Therapy that I made a full recovery.

This treatment looks at how the Hypothalamus gland goes into a state of overdrive creating the wide range of symptoms people get.

In treating it, it looks at symptoms as useful information from the body, that if interpreted and understood can be stopped.

Mickel Therapy has now treated well over 700 clients successfully (according to their positive testimonials) and more research is planned to further reinforce this.

This is light at the end of the tunnel & I'm one of many to prove it!

Saul Levitt, London,

Hi , I am also glad that people are talking about, I have had anxiety, depression, which progressed to m.e over 15 years, It got to the stage where I could not remember to make a cup of tea,I had to have my hair washed , I could not longer work. The dark place and the frustration of feeling so useless and yet having to battle the people that said things like 'pull your self together' was unbearable, i fantasied about taking tablets and thought that if I cut my self and bleed,I may start to feel better. My house was trashed, I had note all around my house to remind to wash up, getting pound coins for the meter and regulalry had to go home in the middle of a simple trip to the shops. I was intolerant to many foods and had sever greasy hair, the despair every morning was incredible. I had anti-depressants, CBT Painkillers for aching joints and was refered to the gym. It didnt make me better, Mickel therapy did, I though it was another con and it was the only time I was fully understood.

Nicola Dean, kilgetty, Pembrokeshire

Hi Leo
Thank you for sharing your story and helping people understand what a truly horrendous illness this is to live with. I was ill with ME for 16 years and had tried everything - as so many sufferers do. Then about 2 years ago I heard of Mickel Therapy. At first I was reluctant to raise my hopes yet again, having tried so many 'treatments'. However, after hearing from several trusted sources that even long-term sufferers were completely better, I decided to give it a go.
I am now fully well and loving life. In fact I spent last Sunday hill walking in the Cairngorm Mountains - in the rain but smiling and feeling great. Only people who have been so ill can really appreciate the joy of being able to do these things again.
Nobody needs to be resigned to being ill for years anymore because Mickel Therapy has approached this awful illness from a different angle and seen the answers. No psychological tricks, strange potions, rest or restrictive diets -just getting well and staying well.

Alison, Inverness, UK

I am very happy to know leo is doing better.
My son has ME,he is 11 years old now and has been ill for two and a half years,the last year and a half diagnosed with ME.
At the start it was very difficult,trying to find medical care,understanding and any kind of support,it was a fight I would rather not have had to do because all I wanted to do was take care of my very poorly little boy, but I eventually found a GP 'not too proud to admit he didnt know everything' and got my son reffered to a specialist I had heard of.
The care and support of this specialist team has made all the difference.
My son is doing much better now and if all goes well,he will go to school again part time.

For anyone going through the same struggles to receive the right care and support,dont give up,sometimes it feels like looking for a needle in a haystack but it is out there and it is these times now that will change the future; where Some day it wont be so difficult.. .Always have hope!.

T Senior, Lancaster, uk

I suffered from ME for two and a half years and tried everything. It was only when I discovered Mickel Therapy that I got my life back and now feel better than ever before. I find it very frustrating when ME is labelled as neurological or psychological as I remember when I had ME how isolated and misunderstood this made me feel. One of the worst things about having ME is the lack of understanding from others and these kinds of labels exacerbate the problem. Mickel Therapy understands that ME is a physical condition (caused by a malfunctioning hypothalamus) and that is such a relief for a misunderstood sufferer. It is also treatable and I am writing this to let people who are suffering know there is hope and they can get their lives back too.

Beckie, Lancashire,

Hi Leo,
Iam a former sufferer of M.E. and had tried many different treatments as you have, you have certainly been fighting it which does help, i tried a new therapy about 4 years ago called Mickel Therapy and it has given me new life and a new hope for the future.
It is a very difficult illness to get over but this certainly did it for me.

Best Wishes

Robert, East Kilbride,

I wish the care Leo has had was available across the board - sadly it's rare to find a dr who believes in let alone understands the difficulties people with CFS/ME face daily.

I've had it for around 4 years now - after 3 appointments my specialist said there was nothing more they could do for me and that I was capable of self treatment, that was last year - I've had 2 minor relapses since then but don't see the point in wasting my doctors time, we both know there's nothing he can do for me so I just have to wait it out until I'm back to semi-functioning again.

I'm not well enough to work but i'm not ill enough to fit the criteria for financial aid.. I'm doomed to a half life with little help of bettering myself. No wonder they prescribe anti-depressants!

Vicky, manchester, UK

I have had ME for 8 yrs now and it makes me a little happier that people are talking more about it because when i first became ill not many people knew to much about the illness.

Im also happy for all those who have got better from ME because it gives all of us hope that one day we also will get there..

Jonathan Walker, Tredegar, Gwent

My son, Jake, then 10, had ME in the early eighties. Our GP diagnosed first, migraine, then school phobia. Jake had just recovered from German measles, and was sent on a cross-country run at school in severe weather. He went downhill from there--joint pain, extreme debility, loss of appetite leading to serious weight loss. A medical colleage of his great-uncle, a retired pediatrician, suggested post-viral syndrome. It appeared there was no treatment except for rest and patience. He recovered fully in about five months without further specialist intervention. I suggest a regime of fresh air and good food, perhaps a stay in the country or by the seaside once the worst is over.

We shall forever be grateful to Mr. Sinclair, whose then new computer, used with the telly, kept our patient entertained and stimulated during his long absence from school. It also helped to have a sympathetic teacher who regularly sent projects and books, and kept him in touch with his class.

Arlene Polonsky, London, UK

How lucky to find a consultant that took Leo under his wing and organised a programme of help. My daughter now 25 was diagnosed with fibromyalgia nearly three years ago - a similar condition with many of the ME , chronic fatique symptoms. It cost us a fortune going privately to get a diagnosis and then no help or support has been offered. People just think she is malingering and should give herself a shake. She is alone out there with her problem, she has not been offered any regular backup or help and support. Her doctor just renews her prescription with hardly a question. Her condition is like a barometer with the bad weather causing even greater aches and pains. A few activities result in being tired and exhausted - and coming home for an afternoon sleep. What a life for 25year old.......................

Susan J Wilson, Colyton, Devon, UK

Thanks, Leo, for sharing your story. The worst part for me was when most of my colleagues, a lot of my friends, and even many of close relatives accused me keep telling me things like, 'You've got to pull yourslef together...Think about your wife and kids...You can't go on like this...' It can be very lonely. It's great that your mum, and others, understand well and are there to support. Take each day as it comes.

Stephen , Belfast,

Hi great to hear of another success story with the Lightning process. my son ( William 12 ) recovered after 7 months of M.E in matter of hours after undergoing training in the Lightning Process. He trained himself to use a coach called Albert to help him recover from such a debilitating illness.. It is a very powerful and simple tool and I hope that one day science will fully explain how it works but for now just incredibly relieved that William found a way through M.E and has been 100% well for the last 6 months. It is also great that some paediatricians are open to alternative treatments.

pauline robertson, camberley, surrey

Dear Leo and Ms. Wark ~

There is hope. I had ME/CFS for three years and tried everything to get well. ME/CFS/FM is a hypothalamus disorder and can be treated using Mickel Therapy. I have been well for a year now and am 100 percent. It's not that I just have the disorder under control; I am well and better than ever. I even stopped taking the bowls full of supplements, herbs and vitamins that I'd been used to. Dr. David Mickel discovered and developed the treatment and it works.

Be well and good luck,

Ellen Pendleton, Carmel, California USA

It was with great sadness that I read this article. I have been working in the treatment field of ME for over 8 years. My original role was as a general practitioner and I left this job to focus on creating a successful treatment for ME. I now no longer agree that a cure is not available since myself and my colleagues have now treated more than 750 people who at the end of their treatment declare that they no longer have symptoms. I base my hypothesis on the idea that the condition is the result of a dysfunctional hypothalamus gland akin to Dr Hans Selye's work in the 1930's. I defend our patients very strongly against claims that the condition may be psychological. It simply is not which I believe is heighlighted by the fact that psychological factors do no more than help someone cope with being ill. My treatment is called Mickel Therapy and we have now more than 70 practitioners worldwide, many of whom are ex-sufferers who recovered with our process.

Dr David Mickel, Elgin, UK

I suffered from EBV and ME for almost 5 years from age 47 until finding a unique 75 plant mineral. I wrote an article in "Healing Today". Feel free to contact me if you would like information or a copy of the article by email. Many others have had astonishing results - and not just with ME. My parents and my son also take them.

Dawn Adrienne Taylor, London,

I'll look forward to Leo's diary. I'm at home right now, unsure if I've improved enough to commit to work again. It can be very hard to know if I am well, sick, on the mend or over it. ME is variable and I hate the names...they describe nothing to others. Rusty is so much better!! When I'm bad, I call it being ''spikey''.. sore, grey, toxic, shallow and creaky. Then sometimes, I'm fine. It is a very strange thing to know.
Well done LEO.. Good Luck , Love Pippa x

Pippa, Warwickshire,