Having worked with numerous CFS/ME and FMS patients, we know how devastating it is to your life. These illnesses go unrecognised by the medical profession, relatives and friends which can make you feel isolated and like you are making it up. The problem is that most people with CFS/ME don’t look unwell and unless you are completely bed bound, people think there is nothing wrong with you. They cannot feel what you are feeling.

The journey to recovery is months and years. There are no quick fixes. Generally there is a long back story to why you have reached the point you at. At the initial appointment a long case history is taken to understand what stresses, traumas, illnesses from birth you have experienced. The trigger is often a virus but not in all cases. If you become a Perrin patient then a prognosis is given about length to recovery by using a validated questionnaire and physical exam.

The key to recovery is calming the nervous system and draining toxin build up from a back flow of lymph from certain structures in the brain. For CFS/ME it’s from the hypothalamus. For FMS it is from the thalamus (pain centre). To read more about the Perrin Technique read the Osteopath and Neuroscientist webpage Dr Ray Perrin who founded this procedure in the 80s, click here. His work has been incredible and as imaging has improved, it is only in more recent years that his hypothesis has been substantiated.

The initial appointment is 90 minutes. This does not include treatment. Taking the in-depth case history and going through the physical exam is more than enough to deal with when suffering with chronic fatigue. After that treatment is weekly for approximately 3 months. Then it can be spaced out to fortnightly and then monthly.

Rhian is also a qualified Integrated Nutritional Therapist which means that she will start incorporating Personalised Nutrition in your programme. However if this becomes too in depth for a Perrin session then a separate nutritional appointment can be made.

The journey to recovery is up and down. Many people feel worse initially as the toxins are released. Some people start to see improvement by 3 months but most by 6 months. If at 6 months there is no improvement then treatment will be stopped. This is rare.

Patients find that they start to have ‘big crashes’ between the 3-9 months mark. This is not because they are getting worse; it’s because they are getting better. The gap between how they are feeling now has improved from what they constantly felt like originally is getting bigger; hence the feeling of a ‘big crash’. This is Stage 2 of recovery. It is at this point that people tend to go ‘mad’, eager to regain their life and then overdo things as their energy improves. The key at this point is to stick to the 50% pacing rule (which you will be taught). 50% of what you think you can do always increases as you get better.

The last stage of the journey will become more rehabilitative concentrating on getting the physical body stronger again after all the resting.

If you have had CFS/ME you will always have to be mindful about your new way of life after CFS/ME, avoiding putting yourselves into stressful situations that did not work for you before. Hopefully through the process you will have learnt to be sympathetic and listen to your body so you can live a life without exhaustion.