Scientific Consultant Services, Inc.

Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia
Treatment Survey

Who Should Respond

This survey is applicable only to those who have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM), or other equivalent condition (e.g., Myalgic Encephalitis or ME), for a period of at least one year. The object is to obtain statistical information regarding the reported effectiveness of a variety of treatments. Do intravenous vitamin C drips really seem to help? How about guaifenisin, allergy shots, prednisone, or chiropractic? Which of the many extant treatments or remedies are most effective? Which appear to be useless, or even harmful? These are the kinds of questions this survey is intended to address; the intention is to collect information that will be of immediate value to those suffering from CFS or FM. Results will be posted on this site for the benefit of all as soon as sufficient data become available.

Illness Characterization

The questions in this section are intended to obtain general background information on you and your illness. Please check the most appropriate response to each of the questions below. When you have completed this section, go back and check that every question has been answered.

Although I experience both pain and fatigue, I would have to say that the more prominent symptom is:
pain uncertain fatigue
I have suffered from the condition for:
1-2 years 2-4 years 4-6 years 6-8 years 8 or more years
So-called "brain fog" or "fibrofog" is a feature of my illness.
yes sometimes no
I suffer from muscle aches, spasms, or knots.
constantly often sometimes rarely
I have been medically diagnosed as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
true false
I have been medically diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia.
true false
I have been given a diagnosis of Epstein-Barr.
true false
Due to my illness, I am unable to work full-time.
true in-between false
I have been diagnosed as hypothyroid.
true false
I react adversely to common household chemicals.
yes possibly no
I suffer from allergies.
yes sometimes no
I experience a wooze or dizzy turn on standing up (orthostatic hypotension).
frequently sometimes hardly ever
I am genetically:
male uncertain female
My age is in the range of:
11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-199

Treatments and Their Effectiveness

Please indicate your response to each of the treatments listed below. Did the treatment make you feel worse? Then rate it as "Harmful". Better? Then give it a "Helpful" rating. A treatment that made you feel much better deserves to be rated "Very Helpful". Were you uncertain as to whether a treatment had any effect, beneficial or otherwise? Then it should receive an "Uncertain" rating. A treatment should also receive an "Uncertain" rating if it simply appeared to have no effect. If you have not had experience with a specific treatment, indicate this by selecting the "Not Applicable" choice from the five choices available. Be sure to respond in some way to every item.

Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Magnesium injections
Herbal remedies
Antibiotic therapy
Yoga
Caffeine (coffee, tea)
Sauna therapy (whole body heating)
Stimulants (e.g., amphetamines) in low doses
Psychotherapy
Growth hormone injections (e.g., Humatrope)
Avoidance of electromagnetic fields (e.g., from computer monitors)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Wakefullness (anti-narcolepsy) drugs
Ginko Biloba
Change to a different climate (involving a move)
Potassium aspartate
Acupuncture
High-dose supplementation of all 8 essential amino acids
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Anti-viral drugs (e.g., AZT)
Borage oil
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Elimination of wheat and wheat products from the diet
Kutapressin injections
Whey protein (often taken as a powder that can be mixed into a drink)
Meditation
Modafinil
Thyroid hormone (e.g., Armour or Synthroid)
DHEA
Effexor
Ozone therapy
Oxycodone (low dose)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Malic acid
Intestinal flora supplements (bifidus & acidophilus)
Restriction of dietary fat (i.e., a "low fat" diet)
Ampligen
Cell-permeable superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic agents
NADH
Vitamin D
Gamma tocopherol
Green tea (brewed; e.g., Sencha)
Echinechia
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Theanine (an amino acid reputed to be effective for brain fog)
Allergen-restricted diet (avoidance of foods shown to cause an allergic response as assessed by scratch tests or elimination)
Pancreatic enzyme tablets (usually taken with meals)
Human immune globulin ("gamma globulin") injections
Flaxseed oil
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Pycnogenol
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS; e.g., Naproxen)
Vitamin E
Reduction of dietary sugars (low sugar diet)
Pressure-point massage
Narcotic painkillers (e.g., low-dose morphine)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
High-dose oral vitamin C (10,000 or more milligrams per day)
Vitamin A supplementation
Folic acid supplementation (800 or more micrograms per day)
Astragalus
Air filters (only high quality HEPA filters with activated carbon pre-filters, such as the Honeywell Enviracaire series, count; "Ionic Breeze"-type products do not qualify)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Guaifenisin
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) supplements
Reduction of chemical exposure (e.g., by elimination of most household chemicals, from cleaning agents to waxes, from the home)
Raw-food diet
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Red wine (daily, in moderation)
Tai-chi
Essential fatty acid supplementation (e.g., Efamol)
Graded, progressive exercise
Ultraviolet irradiation of the blood (a protocol once used by Dr. Atkins)
Noni juice
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Strict avoidance of salicyclates (e.g., aspirin)
Ginger root (daily dose, powdered or fresh)
Chelation with DMSA or DMSP
Chiropractic manipulation
Diet high in "quality" fats (high fat diet)
Anti-fungal/anti-yeast drugs (e.g., diflucan)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Removal of dental amalgams (fillings containing silver and mercury)
Cod liver oil
Magnesium tablets
Colon cleansing (e.g., "high colonics")
Glandular extracts
Turmeric (anti-inflammatory herb/spice)
Amino acid supplementation based on blood test results
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Strict avoidance of alcohol
Dr. Armand's protocol
Nicomide
Macrobiotic diet
L-Carnitine
Prayer
High-dose coenzyme Q10
Diet high in quality protein (high protein diet)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Low-dose antidepressants (often used to improve sleep in CFS)
Ginseng ("Russian Ginseng", which is not really ginseng at all, does not count)
Intravenous vitamin C drips
Melatonin
Magnetic therapy (static magnetic fields, e.g., from special bed pads)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Growth factors (which may be given along with human growth hormone)
Long-term bed rest
Undersink water filters (only high-quality activated carbon types count)
B-12 injections
Light therapy (exposure to bright light designed to simulate daylight and its effects; often accomplished using an "Ott lamp")
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Corticosteroids (e.g., Prednisone, Cortef)
Restricted carbohydrate diet ("low carb" diet)
Botanical anti-fungal/anti-yeast treatments (using Garlic, oil of oregano, and/or other herbs and herbal extracts)
Dr. Cheney's protocol
Strict avoidance of coffee and tea
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Curcumin (available as "Curzone"; an anti-infalmmatory substance derived from turmeric)
Allergy "desensitization" shots
Diet high in grains (rice, wheat, rye, oats, or their products, e.g., wholegrain breads or pasta)
Neurontin
Garlic therapy (daily dose of fresh, raw garlic)
Treatment or remedy	Not Applicable	Harmful	Uncertain	Helpful	Very Helpful
Antihistamines (e.g., benadryl or one of the newer non-drowsy varieties)
Elimination of artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame) from the diet
Quitting smoking
Losing excess body weight
Quitting recreational drugs (e.g., marijuana)
Occasional fasting
Monolaurin
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

Respondent Identification (Anonymous) for Cross-Reference Purposes

Choose a unique series of at least 16 letters and/or numbers for your ID Code. Be sure to remember your ID Code. In fact, write it down! You should use it when responding to other surveys (allowing us to correlate the data). You will also need it to retrieve personal test results, diagnostic profiles, and other person-specific data from this site.

ID Code:

So that it will be unique, anonymous, and easily remembered, we suggest that you build your ID Code by starting with the first four letters of your first name. Follow that with the first four letters of your mother's first name, the first four letters of your father's first name, the first four letters of the name of the street where you live, and the last four digits of your telephone number. If any item has fewer than four letters or numbers, use what you have (do not pad to obtain four characters). Leave no spaces in your final ID Code. An ID Code constructed as described above will have a high probability of being unique, will maintain your anonymity (due to the fragmentary and un-indexed nature of the embedded information), and has the very desirable feature that it cannot be easily lost or forgotten.

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Copyright © 2004. Scientific Consultant Services, Inc.
Revised - 2004.11.17
CFS/FM Home Page: www.scientific-consultants.com/cfs-main.html
Home Page: www.scientific-consultants.com
E-Mail Jeffrey Owen Katz, Ph.D.: jeffkatz@scientific-consultants.com
E-Mail Donna McCormick: donnamccormick@scientific-consultants.com
Phone: 631-696-3333Fax: 631-696-3333
Snail-Mail: 20 Stagecoach Road, Selden, NY 11784 (USA)