I just wanted to take a moment to tell you about a very easy and inexpensive way to support CFS research. I'm sure many of you are in the same boat as my family - we want to contribute as much as we can to CFS research, but our income is limited (since I can only work part-time), and our medical expenses keep growing.
There's a website called iGive.com. It's basically an internet shopping portal. You sign up - for free - and select which charity you want to help (I choose the CFIDS Association of America). Then visit the site first whenever you do any online shopping. You connect to the online store of your choice through iGive. There are hundreds of stores, including Lands' End, iTunes, Staples, Toys R Us - just about any online store you can think of. Each store contributes some percentage of your purchase to your charity (usually between 1% - 5%).
I signed up a few years ago but kept forgetting to use it. I recently added it to my Toolbar as a reminder and have gotten into the habit of going there first now. This is especially convenient for those of us living with CFS, since we often don't have the energy for walking through stores anyway. iGive also alerts you to special deals from merchants, like free shipping or coupons.
So sign up today, and tell your friends and family about it, too!
I have had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) since March 2002. Both of my sons also got ME/CFS at ages 6 and 10. Our younger son fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Our older son still has ME/CFS and also has Lyme disease plus two other tick infections. This blog is about how our family lives with chronic illness, with a focus on improving our conditions and enjoying our lives in spite of these challenges.
Igive is an amazing tool for being charitable - but I have had the same problem with remembering to use it.
ReplyDeleteiGive is a great site for online shopping and donating to charity. My all-time favorite though is iBakeSale. It's like iGive but with way more flexibility. It's got the same stores and offers but allows you to divide up your savings however you want and has a great user interface. You should check it out.
ReplyDeletehi...i just read your blog..my best wishes to you in your search for a cure , i too am a long time sufferer, 14 years,and can relate to so much of what you wrote, i am currently using famvir, also antiviral..and some other natural prodts to enhance the effects..if you are interested in knowing the details , let me know..it has been a long and very frustrating road...i hope you continue to feel better with your meds..i have been feeling better this week.hope it continues..best wishes, marsha
ReplyDeleteHi, Marsha -
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting. I am interested in hearing more about your treatment with Famvir and how it's going. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail (from my profile page). I hope you continue to improve!
Sue
Hi Sue, I finally got back to your blog. Lost the link in my fave list amongst all the CFIDs links I've saved when researching. LOL Definitely time to clean my desk top.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your Rx woes with Medco. I'm a little scared now as they are our Rx provider as well. As it is, I haven't been able to start the valcyte treatment yet due to Calif regulations restricting out of state docs and labs. Also encountering issues with my other meds that I get thru an out of state compounding pharmacy. They are no longer able to ship to Calif.*sigh* Anyways, my Wa specialist is working on getting her Calif lcense to practice medicine so we can get the ball rolling.
For me, this will be my last attempt at anything medical.Nothing else I've tried has worked(supplements, IVs, B-12 injections, etc) I fit the profile of viral infection and have had mild improvement using Amantadine, so hope the valcyte will beat it back into remission. I don't have low level functioning punctuated by crashes anymore, I have long term crashes which are briefly interrupted by low level functionaing days. LOL
Enjoy your quiet house and I will most definitely use igive or something similar to donate. I do ALL my shopping online anymore. ^_^
If I find out anyhting in regards to the Rx issue, I will certainly let you know. In our case, our PCP told the ins co that other drugs would not work. If ther eis no acceptable substitute for your allergy/sinus med, your PCP can push it for you. Of course, you may have to pay a higher copay. Grrr.
I agree, ins is a big pain but compared to not having any, I'm grateful.
My best wishes to you and your family this holiday season
*hugs*
wannabewell
Very interested in Famvir results!
ReplyDeleteDid anybody take it and get worse?
I did two weeks and felt far worse
whether coincedence or cause /effect I dont know.
Dear Tim -
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks isn't enough time for an anti-viral. In fact, you're supposed to get worse at first - it's actually a sign that the medication is working and is killing off lots of virus (it's called a herx reaction). Having gotten worse at first is a sign that it might have helped you, so you might want to give it a longer try. I just finished 16 months on Valtrex and am going to switch to Famvir for 3 months. To read more recent blog entries, go to: www.livewithcfs.blogspot.com
Sue