PPDA Patient Interviews:
Penny & Louise

Summary:

Penny developed extreme fatigue along with brain fog, shortness of breath, malaise and huge energy crashes after a bout of shingles in 2017, and was diagnosed with ME/chronic fatigue syndrome 15 months later. Thankfully, two years after becoming ill, she learned about the neuroplastic approach from a Buddhist nun, and started to understand that her symptoms were directly related to recent significant stresses, including a highly toxic work environment and the loss of two friends to suicide. She made a rapid recovery in 2019, also resolving 15 years of chronic arm and hand pain; left the job and has worked ever since to help spread the word on recovery being possible. In summer 2022, she founded Living Proof, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation raising awareness of this approach, and is collaborating with networks globally to help speed up access to this life-changing information.

Louise was working as a teacher when she developed severe and disabling symptoms which were diagnosed as ME/CFS, PoTS, Fibromyalgia, Functional Seizures and Chronic Migraine. For over 8 years she was largely housebound, often bed bound and using a wheelchair before discovering the mind body approach which led to her complete recovery. Following her recovery in 2019, she sustained serious injuries including multiple spinal fractures when she fell off of a mountain whilst riding her bike. Despite being told that she would have chronic back pain for the rest of her life, she is now completely pain free and enjoying the hills of Scotland again, thanks to this life changing approach. Louise now works as a SIRPA trained mind body practitioner helping others to find their way out of chronic fatigue and pain.

Quotes:

  • "I had a really strange symptom which I've never actually heard of anyone else having yet." - Penny

  • "I just couldn't bear this for one minute longer... I can't do it anymore." - Louise

  • “I needed that validation I needed someone to say… this is not all in your head it's real, it's physical, it's really happening to you… You can get better it's reversible.” - Louise

  • "I felt like something had changed... the symptoms just lifted." - Penny

  • "I just woke up one morning and it was as if [the fog] had lifted... I just thought, 'It is lifted!" - Louise

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Common PPD Symptoms Guide

Still curious? Browse our guide to common Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD). It is important to recognize that PPD symptoms manifest uniquely in every individual; however, certain manifestations of PPD are more common than others and they are the subject of this page.