Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (10/16/2002)
Karen Brock - Hayden,
11angel@bellsouth.net
As life would have it, I inherited genes from my father's side of my family to be overweight and genes from my mother's side of my family to inherit a disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, a debilitating disease that caused me to go on disability September 13, 1996.
As a child, my mother tried with diet after diet enrollments to gyms and later, after the birth of my children to talk me into gastrointestinal by-pass surgery just to manage my weight problem. It was after the surgery I experienced the absolute worse 10 years of my life. The only thing good that happened was I lost 107 lbs. in 6 months. Due to physical problems, the by-pass was reversed 17 years ago. I then taught myself to eat much less, however; less is not always healthy. I have been starving myself to death just to not gain over 150 lbs. and not to wear over a size 16.
In March of 1996, I was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (hereditary peripheral neuropathy) and six months later, had to stop working and go on disability. I thought my physical condition would not worsen more than that day. Was I ever wrong? During the past 6 years, I have been in leg braces, a wheelchair, on walkers numerous times and had to have several surgeries. I would never give up. I would somehow get a little better. The last two summers (2000-2001) have been very hard. The heat caused me to have ulcers on the tips of all my fingers and on the bottom on my feet. These were just other symptoms caused by the CMT. CMT affects the peripheral nerves in your body and also causes muscle deterioration. In the winter months, I have suffered so much from pain that I have been in bed most of the time. My specialist has prescribed so many different kinds of medicines for me it is hard to even remember them all. If the pain was under control, then I slept most of the time. If I couldn't sleep, then I was in pain. I also developed fibromyalgia, very low blood pressure, and a slight heart condition. I had to stop driving due to the low blood pressure. I almost died from severe dehydration from not being able to keep liquids down because the lining of my esophagus and lining of my stomach were absolutely raw and bleeding from taking Vioxx. What will I do now, just take more pain medications? I would love to be able to spend more time with our grandchildren. I am only 50 years old and feel like I am 90.
Last summer (2001), with me not being able to work outside the home, I felt as if I needed to find something I could do to help supplement our income. I am very good on the computer and started looking into an Internet marketing business. Soon I came across the "Work From Home" site and inquired. Michelle Medina called me and sent me some information through email. I was very interested, however; I told her I was not quit ready to hear more and I would call her back. I knew that the winter months would be difficult to get past. In March of this year, I made that call. In April, I started on the product and within 3 days felt better than I had in several years. I was so excited and so I discussed this over with my husband, I decided this was the business for us.
We made Elite Supervisor on April 17, 2002. I lost a total of 30 lbs. in 6 weeks and 36 inches. Rather than having to take 14 medicines each day just to be able to get out of bed and walk, I now take 1 medication, which is my hormone. Last Friday, I noticed muscles again in my arms. This was such a joy I thought would never happen. Tony is ecstatic about my improvement in health. My energy level has tripled. I no longer have to stay on the heating pad. My pain is almost non-existent; the ulcers on my fingers and feet have healed. This has all been done on the Ultimate Program. My specialists at the University of Alabama Hospital in
THANK YOU HERBALIFE, I HAVE MY LIFE BACK AND A WONDERFUL BUSINESS AS WELL!!!!
I now take the following targeted products and I am completely symptom free.
Ephedra Free Green Ultimate Program (rather than taking the Thermo Bond, I take Florafiber)
Joint Support - 1 tablet 3 times a day
Herbalifeline - 3 capsules 3 times a day (this also helps raise low blood pressure)
Aminogen - 2 tablets 3 times a day
Herbal Aloe Concentrate - 2 glasses a day
Rose Ox - 1 tablet a day
Schizandra - 1 tablet twice a day
Woman's Advantage - 1 tablet a day, 3 weeks out of the month
Nature's Balance Cream - use twice a day, 3 weeks out of the month
Sleep Now - 1 to 2 tablets at bedtime (this is necessary for Fibromyalgia sufferers to help replace the melatonin that is lacking in the brain and is great in helping FM sufferers sleep)
K8 - 1 tablet a day or more if needed as stated on the label (this really helps with depression caused by having chronic pain)
Xtra-Cal – 1 tablet 3 times a day
Nan Elderkin -
nelderkin@frontiernet.net
I woke up one morning back in 1994 unable to get out of bed. I went to the Doctor's to get checked out and they diagnosised me with the flu. However, my symptoms continued with increased pain and muscle fatigue, I started having trouble with my eye sight, my speech was slurred, I had trouble swallowing, headaches/migraines started and I started having trouble sleeping.
As the weeks went on I went through medical test after medical test with no answers or relief from my pain. I was sent to a Neurologist and his first impression was MS. I went through an MRI only to find out that it wasn't MS. I was relieved, but what did I have.
Depression set in and I thought I would never be able to enjoy my life again. I was then sent to another neurologist and that is when I was diagnosised with Fibromyalgia. We tried different medications which only gave me temporary relief. I had just graduated from college and started my career as an Occupational Therapist and missing time from work was impossible. However, I would miss at least 1 to 3 days of work a month only to be flat on my back in bed.
I didn't dare to do the things I enjoyed like hiking, swimming, camping, and even everyday activities like cleaning the house would put me into a flare up. People I worked with said they understood what I was going through, but behind my back they would say I was faking it.
Over the years the stress from my employer became too much, my health was deteriorating, so after 12 years as a therapist I quit my job.
However, two weeks before I quit I had found something wonderful. I was looking for a way to stay home and work. I came across The Online Business Systems and Herbalife. I called and started my own business. I started taking the products right away and in a week's time I felt better, my pain and fatigue was less. It has now been 8 weeks on the products and I haven't had a fibromyalgia flare up since April. I even started exercising and I haven't done that in a very long time. I lost 15 pounds and I feel like a new person. Thank you Herbalife.
I now take the following products.
1. Ultimate protein plus program
2. Herbalifeline
3. Schizandra Plus
4. Rose ox
5. Sleep now
6. Relax now
7. Garden 7
8. Woman Choice
9. Joint support
10. Lift off
Randhi Wilson -
Hi--I am a new distributor, and my very first customer* was a really good friend of mine who has been suffering from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)since 1994. She has tried absolutely everything--from acupuncture to Chinese herbology, read all research, and takes excellent care of herself -an all natural, organic gal, a vegetarian.
She has made a lot of progress in the last few years, and has been able to maintain a full time job. But that's all she can do, because the symptoms are still there--extreme fatigue, muscle aches, digestive problems, and sleep disorders. Her quality of life, while much improved since '94, has not been high.
I got her started on an Ultimate Green program about 2 weeks ago. I kept in daily touch with her, asking if her energy was noticeably different, and she kept saying that she felt no difference. On the 8th day, she called me and told me that she just realized something. Her first week on the products was the first week since 1994 that she hasn't taken DAILY IBUPROPHEN for her muscle aches!
She's jazzed, I'm jazzed. I got together some information from Dr. Jamie on Fibromyalgia and the products and just shipped her off RoseOx™, Schizandra and Herbalifeline from this advice. When I called to tell her they were on their way, she told me that it has been a week since she's had any over the counter medication for stomach discomfort, also a DAILY staple since 1994! She has also been sleeping really soundly, which for her is unusual, and will go a long way in helping her feel rested. The information that I gathered about CFS and Herbalife said that once the cells are properly nourished, then the body can get more rest--much needed in CFS sufferers.
She is one of my dearest friends, and I am so happy for her I could explode. And it's only 2 weeks! Just wait until she's been on the products for a whole month!
*in
Rhondi Gartenfeld -
desktop@planetary.com.au
Hi guys, I’m Rhondi Gartenfeld
Since the age of 18, I have suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have also had Glandular Fever, blood clots on the lungs, 10 broken ribs (through having Osteoporosis), a collapsed lung, a broken back, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Endometriosis & Fibromyalgia (to name a few).
I spent 3 months in hospital unable to walk & confined to a wheel chair & had also been issued with a permanent parking disability permit.
I was unable to get from the car to the house without having to sit & try to recoup what little strength I had left. After taking the girls to school & shopping for dinner, I would have to sit down for the rest of the day & read. (I have a permanent 10% discount at the bookshop). Great life eh?
I managed to eke out an existence, thanks to a well-known Professor, who put me on Panediene Forte (2x3-4 times a day), Tryptanol & Xanax. Also, due to my inactivity, I began to get ‘middle age’ spread.
I answered an ad to work from home (not sure I could even cope with that) & was started on the products. I lost 6kg in 3 weeks! Not only that, but because of the great nutrition & energy I got from them, I am now C.F.S. FREE, after 30 years !!!
I don’t need to rely on my medication anymore (I kept forgetting to take them anyway as I felt that good).
I now walk between 4 to 6 kilometers a day (I have done 8)!!! I have not seen a doctor in the 4 months that I have been on the products. In fact, I find my body actually craves the products. I also found that they have also given me a natural ‘high’ in life, nothing seems to phase me any more, not even my girls on a bad day! Now I have a permanent smile on my dial.
Because of my incredible results, my parents, brother & husband are now on the products & the word is still spreading.
Thanks to Herbalife… I now have a life !!!
Before I started on Herbalife it seemed that my life was on a downhill roller coaster with all curves and no stops. I struggled to find the strength to make it through each day and was beginning to lose faith that it would ever be any different.
I have been suffering from Fibromyalgia for 6 years. This is a systemic illness which causes wide spread body pain along with many other symptoms. In my case these included Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Acid Reflux Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Migraines and Depression.
3 years ago I became disabled after having an attack which is now believed to be caused by MS. My cognitive skills, motor skills, balance, and bladder functions were impaired. The pain and spasms in my legs became unbearable and for the following year I was unable to walk without a cane. I was in an "exacerbation period" for that year and then improved somewhat but still dealt with these issues along with other neurological symptoms to the degree of total disability.