My outreach to people who have ME

Disability scammers

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Hello

I have received the following from my MP, in his newsletter, which I am now passing onto you.

Rob (Wilson) issues rogue trader warning.

I have been warning constituents to be on their guard against unscrupulous traders who are selling mobility aids on the doorstep.

Mobility aids, such as mobility scooters, walk-in baths and wheelchairs are often sold to vulnerable people in their home. I believe that mobility aids are vital products for elderly and disabled people, which can significantly improve the quality of their lives. I am raising awareness of this issue to support the campaign recently launched by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The campaign aims to make consumers more aware of the risks of doorstep sellers and the tricks that they use to get people to agree to buy their products, which are often available for cheaper prices elsewhere.

The OFT recommends consumers not to make snap decisions when purchasing these products. Consumers are advised to shop around and if they do invite a trader into their home, they should consider having a friend or relative present.

Housing benefit

If you are on housing benefit, and are concerned about the cuts, this will interest you.

Miriam

Next years benefit rates, the Wright Stuff on ME, and The ME Association fundraiser results.

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:49:00 +0000

Hello

Yes we do have a lot to get through, but it is worth it.

First of all, I enclose the benefit rates for next year, you get to know early!

You may remember, that I told you about the The ME Association, doing a special fundraiser this month, to raise vital funds for their ME Connect helpline, please click here, to see the results.

Finally, on the Wright Stuff, this week, they discussed ME, it was very good, and also very alarming. Once the adverts have finished, go to Part 5 to watch this morning's discussion on M.E. (The parts are clearly delineated in the bar directly under the video screen).

Unfortunately it cannot be downloaded, but you can access it by clicking here.

Now all that leaves me to do, is wish you a very Happy Christmas, and healing for next year.

Miriam

SWEET POISON!

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:36:00 +0000

Hello

OK, this completely different to what I have been posting, but everyone needs to read this.

In October of 2001, my sister (original author's) started getting very sick.

She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around.

Walking was a major chore.

It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.

By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications.

The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her.
She was in so much pain, and so sick she just knew she was dying.

She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter's name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.

She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.

On March 19 I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.
I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda?

She told me that she did..
As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment..

I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda!
I e-mailed her article my friend, a lawyer, had sent.

My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk!
The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn't feel 100% but, she sure felt a lot better.

She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home.

Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed!
He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind.

In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda...and literally dying a slow and miserable death.

When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning!

She is well on her way to a complete recovery.
And she is walking!
No wheelchair!

This article saved her life.
If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the label;
DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on 'ASPARTAME,' marketed as
'Nutra Sweet,' 'Equal,' and 'Spoonful.'

In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus.

It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant.

I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.
I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous:

When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants.

The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus.

Many people were being diagnosed in error.
Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers..

The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit.
He or she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition.
We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas.

In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia.
During a lecture, I said,
'If you are using ASPARTAME ( Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc ) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs,
Cramps,
Vertigo,
Dizziness,
Headaches,
Tinnitus,
Joint pain,
Unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!'
People were jumping up during the lecture saying,
'I have some of these symptoms..
Is it reversible?'

Yes!
Yes!
Yes!

STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels!

Many products are fortified with it!

This is a serious problem.

Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice; a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence!

Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates.

It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!

These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs.

Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve 'tissue specimens.'

Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the ' diet products ' and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period.

Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics.

We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame.
The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control.
Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE.
Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage,
Seizures,
Depression,
Manic depression,
Panic attacks,
Uncontrollable anger and rage.

Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as well.
Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet.

So called 'behavior modification prescription drugs' (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed.
Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place!

Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis with the very foods that were 'better for them than sugar.'

It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy.

Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.

There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.'

Herein lies the problem:
There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included in 100 different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done.
The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.

Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED!
There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced.
Everybody wants a 'piece of the Aspartame pie.'

I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is.

And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians?

This has been recently exposed in the New York Times.
These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products.

Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants.

The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.

The bill was killed.

It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you're informed now!

Try stopping havine this chemical for a month, and report back, has it helped?

Miriam

Remember, remember - the 5th of December

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:07:00 +0000

Hello

A change from ESA news.

Because that's the day we start the MEA Big Give Christmas Challenge. From the 5th to the 9th December, every online donation to the Christmas Challenge will be matched pound for pound - thanks to the generosity of some early pledgers. And, if all goes well, there's a chance to unlock an big extra donation from a big sponsor waiting in the wings. This year, money raised during the challenge will help provide extra training for our telephone helpline volunteers.

Miriam

ESA - the Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Hello

At the moment, I am concentrating a lot on ESA, as a lot of folks are going through it, I hope the information, I put here helps.

At some stage, you will be sent a letter, asking you to attend an interview at your local Job Centre, now you may have been told, that if you refuse to go to this interview you will loose your benefit, this is not the case.

If you have stated on the form, that you are housebound with ME, and have a backing letter from your doc, simply ring them up, and tell them, sometimes they don't read the forms properly and so don't enter the data properly, stick by your guns.

Ask for the interview to be done over the telephone, and generally that is OK, you can also ask for it to be done over a period of time, in small bits, as well.

The system is generic, one size fits all, and as you know, it doesn't work like that, have them work round you.

If you come up as being able to work when you clearly can't don't be afraid to appeal, people are appealing several times, in fact the system, in on the verge of collapse, because of the number of appeals.

If you don't like the system, feel free to get onto your MP, you voted for them, so use them, for your benefit.

That's it for now.

Miriam

ESA and energy prices

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:38:00 +0000

Hello

First of all, sooner or later, we are all going onto ESA, so I have been researching it, I hope the information I give you helps.

I have done several posts on this, you can look through my blog, to find the others.

For today, I am talking about the first part.

Once you have sent the form off, within 13 weeks, you will receive a letter back, it is very generic, hard to understand, and does not really tell you much!

If you receive a letter saying that you are going into the 'work related group' don't panic, we all are!

Please see here for more details.

Unless you are pregnant, or have a terminal illness, this is what happens, the next stage is to be sent a letter detailing when your assessment is going to be, this gives you the opportunity to show what you can and cannot do, if you are on disability living allowance, be sure, to show them a copy of the letter detailing this, it will work in your favour.

Action4me, have kindly put together an easy to read guide, is it very helpful, be sure to read it.

Once you have had the assessment they will then decide, if you need to have the practical medical as well, after doing all this, they will then decide whether you go into the support group, or the work group.

I would recommend that when you have the assessment, you have someone with you, who knows what you are like, on a day to day basis, it all helps.

I hope this has helped you.

Now for something totally different.

Energy prices

We all have to face them, we all dread them, but there are services, that help people like you and I to pay for them. I hope you find both of these useful.

Decc Gov UK

Warm home discount.

I hope the information helps you, and feel free to use the comments section to share your experiences.

Norwegian breakthrough in ME-Research [TV2 Nyhetene with English sub]

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:48:00 +0000

Hello

Please see below.

**To use ENGLISH subtitles, click/activate the "CC" icon on the videobar. You need to be on a PC to have this feature.**

Miriam

The government are threatening to take away your benefits.

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 12:33:00 +0000

Hello

At present, if you go onto ESA, on the middle benefit, you have a year to get better, or continue to claim, but it is means tested, not good.

It gets even worse, currently going through parliament is a bill, so that those who have contributed, will only have their benefit for a year, then it is stopped, please get onto your MP, this is not allowed to happen.

I am not trying to scare you, and it won't start until 2013, but it will be discussed this week in parliment, so there is no time to loose.

Miriam

Could you be a Christmas Angel?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:16:00 +0000

Hello

Afme, are looking for Christmas angels for people who have M E.
To find out more, please go here.

Miriam

Concerned about ESA?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 15:09:00 +0000

Hello

Changes are daunting at the best of times, but when people don't seem to know what they are doing, it is even harder?

What view point do you feel out the ESA form from?
Do I believe the rumours that are going around about it?
What is the best way to go forward, in order to receive the benefit?

The list goes on....

This is what happens.

They send you a letter stating, that it is your turn to go onto the benefit, in the letter it states, that they will call you, this is simply to explain how it will all work, and answer any questions you may have to ask, the people who ring, are really nice.

If you are housebound, you can have any assessment you need done in your own home, you just have to have a letter from your doctor, that you include with your form, stating that you need an assessment done at home, rather than going out, and the reasons why.

The secret is to put as much information in the form as possible, to include testimonies from friends. Look at it as a job interview, the assessors want to know, how your illness affects you, as you are applying for financial help, via benefits, instead of applying for a job, you are effectively apply for benefits, they want to know, are you well enough, physically, mentally and cognatively to do an 8 hour day, on a regular basis, if you are not, you need to prove that in your form, if you have a benefits help type agency near where you live, I would recommend you contact them, as they help with getting people benefits all the time, this will give you the best chance possible, once you have filled it in, send it in, with the testimonies, by the date given on the covering letter, they give you a couple of months to send it in, so you can do it bit by bit.

They will then contact your doctor, to find out more about you, and depending on that and the information that you put in the form, will determine, what happens next, if you put enough in, they will input the information into a computer, and that decides, what you will receive. They will then ring you with the result, if you need an assessment, they will ring you, to arrange for the assessment and medical.

How has it worked for you so far, feel free to share, via the comments section.
You can also share your experiences and learn from others at the Afme forum.

I hope this information helps.

Miriam

Do you feel isolated and alone?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Hello

One of the problems with ME, is that you can feel isolated and alone, with the illness.

Action4me, have just launched a forum, so that you never need to feel this way again.

It is there for you, whatever your need is.

Miriam

Have you heard of the Outside Clinic?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Hello

If you are housebound with ME, help maybe at hand, at least with the opticians.

The 'Outside Clinic' effectively brings their opticians equipment with them.

You can have as many rest breaks as you need while they are with you.

The cost is the same, as if you go to the optician, depending on what benefits you receive, and if you do have to have your glasses changed, they will bring them to you.

Their contact number is 0800 85 44 77

Miriam

Looking for cheaper petrol?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:43:00 +0000

Hello

Whether you have ME or not, a lot of us, need to run cars, and you want to run it cheaply.

The following site, will show you where the nearest and cheapest petrol station is to your home, or anywhere else for that matter.

While the following site, will help you to run your car as cheaply as possible.

Enjoy.

Miriam

Action for ME has had a facelist

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Hello

As many of you will know, Action for ME, is an excellent, orgnisation, that support people who have ME, however it is now 'new improved', to check it out, please click here.

I was watching the Andrew Marr show this morning, and they were talking about energy prices, he was interviewing an MP, I can't remember which one, and Andrew asked how vunerable people are meant to cope with the energy price hikes when they are struggling already financially, the MP said, that if you contact your energy provider, and explain your situation, the government has put a pot of millions by, that they can use, to help to pay for their energy bills.

I hope this helps.

Miriam

What treatment do you want, and what treatment do you receive?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Hello

This is a very big question, and one that Afme are asking via a survey, you can add your points by going here.

Miriam

Want help with the new ESA form?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 29 May 2011 17:23:00 +0000

Hello

The ME Association, has put a guide together, to help you with the new ESA form, or order yours please click here.

Miriam

Lord calls for IB migration freeze

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:35:00 +0000

Hello

If you’re well enough, please join us at the Hardest Hit march against government cuts to benefits and services, 11 May.

It seems that like us, Lord Low of Dalston believes, “The Government should freeze their plans to migrate more than a million and a half incapacity benefit claimants on to ESA from April this year until they can implement the recommendations of the Harrington review.”

Miriam

Are you receiving the right benefits?

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 14:20:00 +0000

Hello

I have found a free tool, that will help you to find out what benefits you are entitled to.

Miriam

Home Safety Checks

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Hello

I don't know, about you, but I received my Council Tax annual bill this week, and with it, was enclosed, some leaflets, which most people, just throw away.

If you go to the finances leaflet, and open it up, you will find, that the fire service, has a special home safety check for people like us, all you need to do is, follow the instructions, and go from there, I hope it helps.

Miriam

Debate on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:50:00 +0000

Hello

Please see the enclosed below, which is self explanatory.

ME research, Westminster, and Benefits Reform

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Hello

For all the above and more please click here, thanks.

Miriam

Mike Crawford recovers from ME

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:56:00 +0000

Hello

We have all heard of Michael Crawford, but did you know, he has recovered from ME, and is now back in theatre?

Please click here to find out more.

Miriam

Biobank for M.E. Appeal

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Hello

Want to help set up UK’s first biobank for M.E. research?

Lets move forward with ME in 2011.

Have a great Christmas, enjoy the snow, and I hope you have a better year next year.

Disabled working help

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:49:00 +0000

Hello

I have added a link to the blog, it is for disabled people, and has an array of information, please click here to find it, or click on the link, on the right hand side.

Miriam

Act now, before its to late.

noreply@blogger.com (Miriam) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:22:00 +0000

NICE Guideline Review: short consultation period
by tonybritton on November 5, 2010

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has just published a provisional decision regarding a possible three year review of the controversial guideline on ME/CFS that has been in place since August 2007.

The decision – which is available for stakeholder consultation and comment until 14 November – concludes by stating:

The guideline should not be updated at this time.
The guideline will be reviewed again according to current processes.
Registered stakeholders for the ME/CFS guideline, including The ME Association, have been invited to comment on the provisional review decision via the NICE website.

Individuals and organisations who are not registered as stakeholders, but who still wish to comment, can do so by registering as a stakeholder or by contacting a registered stakeholder organisation that most closely represents their interests and passing on their comments to them.

If anyone wishes to pass on any observations on this provisional decision to The MEA please send them to us via meconnect@meassociation.org.uk. by Wednesday 10 November.

MEA trustees will then assess the situation, along with any responses we have received, and decide on what action to take.

More information on the reasoning behind this provisional decision, along with the new research papers that were taken into account when making it, can be found in the review. Please click here for more information.