Your Symptoms Are Real: What to Do When Your Doctor Says Nothing Is Wrong

by Benjamin H. Natelson

Praise for
Your Symptoms Are Real

""Thank God for this book. It provides the help that millions of Americans with 'silent illnesses' like chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia have been waiting for. Dr. Natelson is a brilliant and compassionate clinician who covers the best treatments that medical science has to offer, along with a thorough consideration of complementary approaches. Short of cloning him, this book offers the specific help you need to work in partnership with your own physician.""
--Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of
Minding the Body, Mending the Mind

""Natelson is the kind of doctor every patient is looking smart, thoughtful, empathetic, and supportive. Reading Your Symptoms Are Real is the next best thing to having a world-renowned specialist managing your case.""
--Charles W. Lapp, M.D., Director of the Hunter-Hopkins Center
and Assistant Consulting Professor at Duke University Medical Center

""Do not throw up your hands and give up when one doctor after another tells you there is nothing wrong with you--instead, read this book! Benjamin Natelson is the person you have been looking for to guide you on your path to recovery.""
--Sandra Blakeslee, coauthor of The Body Has a Mind of Its Own

""Natelson superbly incorporates research studies, clinical trials (even on drugs in development), and patient case reports in this book. If you are battling pain and fatigue symptoms but your tests are all normal, you will enjoy reading Natelson's pro-patient approach to explaining the real nature of your illness, his recommended treatment approaches, and how to cope with everything that is going on in your life.""
--Kristin Thorson, editor of the Fibromyalgia Network and President of the American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr Natelson is a caring and creative doctor who is dedicated to helping his patients feel better, and to shedding light on chronic illnesses. However, his approach is fundamentally flawed in its underlying assumption, which is endemic to modern medicine: throughout the book he talks about “you” (i.e., the patient) being “in control.” In other words, he assumes that with enough guidance, the patient’s mind can control their body, or at least fool itself into believing so. But chronic illness at its heart is a refutation of this idea. In chronic fatigue, the body demands to be heeded, not overridden. In fact, the effects of chronic fatigue on the brain (e.g., brain fog, depression, sleep disruption) show very clearly how intimately the body and mind are intertwined. Dr Natelson goes so far as to prescribe amphetamines to fatigued patients on occasion in order to give them more energy, artificially hyper activating those whose bodies are demanding rest. His gentle stepwise exercise regimen seems reasonable (although he doesn’t qualify it enough with reminders to listen to your body and go more slowly if needed), but his diet is absolutely nuts (advising chronic fatigue patients not to eat any carbs). In the end, the arrogance of modern medicine, that it can “solve” and “overcome”the frailties of the body, obscures the usefulness of the book.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated but for those with Chronic Fatigue or Fibromaylgia this could at least help them to realize that yes, there is something wrong, and yes, there are doctors who recognize it, most that there is hope even if there is no cure.

[Janet Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An answer!

Dr Natelson is a wonderful doctor and man. He is caring and exceedingly knowledgable. I am so glad I found him.

[Laren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good read if you or someone you know is having a lot of vague medical symptoms without getting a good diagnosis as to what is wrong. the author is a doctor who outlines the many tests he would order for symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, etc. He is good at explaining the order in which they should be run, and why. Then he goes into more treatment specifics regarding certain ailments which many doctors still have trouble believing are real, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, IBS and more. Also included is advice on how to get your doctor to be your partner, and getting a new doctor if necessary.

[Becky Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is going to convinve me that I am not losing my mind....YAY! I knew I was right!

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

chapter 8 was helpful to me, but that was about it.
i can see how the book could be helpful to others though.
the author seems like a good, conscientious doctor.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Already knew a lot of this so skimmed it. I wish I read this earlier though.