Angus recounts developing severe ME and fibromyalgia after a sudden collapse while running. He experienced progressive shutdown of bodily function, severe muscle tenderness, tinnitus, inability to eat (substantial weight loss), and prolonged confinement. A doctor diagnosed ME and fibromyalgia and predicted lifelong suffering. About 13 years ago, at age 30, he became ill. He later found and followed the Gupta Program for several years, which he credits with major recovery: regaining ability to enjoy birdwatching, care for and play with his daughter (now seven), pick her up from school, cook family meals, and participate in beach and music activities. He expresses gratitude and optimism for the future.
Questions this video answers
ME and fibromyalgia.
About 13 years ago.
Around 30 years old.
Seven years old.
Chapters
My name is Angus. My life before I got ill was really rushed. I grew up in a family unit and people around me where sort of the more that you do, the sort of better person you were, really. So I had a really strong achiever and I was working really hard. I was training to do a marathon. I think I was ill at the time and I went out running. I just went on a short run, which was an eight mile run for me, was very short and easy and my, it just, it happened very suddenly. My legs literally just stopped working. And you know, that, that was it from, at that point I pretty much didn't run again. Basically got ill from that point and progressively got worse as the months and years went on. The symptoms at that point were a list as long as your arm. Absolutely just complete shutdown of my body, a ringing in my ears and my muscles were just completely tender and I couldn't step, one step without symptoms, without completely just my body shutting down, which obviously meant I was confined to the house. You know, the body just wouldn't work properly. So the, the biggest problem with that was it was nutrition, taking food in because obviously we need food to stay alive. And we got, I got to a point where I, I, I'd lost so much weight and my, But I just couldn't take food in at all for days and days on end. I got, you know, you could see my ribs and I, you know, you could get your hand around my waist. I'd been to the doctors and they just, the doctors didn't know what to do. He did diagnose the ME and fibromyalgia. He said, you'll basically suffer from it for the rest of your life. Obviously, you can imagine the way you feel at that. I mean, I was, this was 13 years ago, so it's 30 at the time and you know, and I just, I couldn't, I couldn't, my brain couldn't cope with what was going on. I found the Gupta program online now. I have been on it quite a while, a good few, good few years. And I think that's, you know, testament to the progress and I've made. My experience of life is completely enhanced now, basically thanks to the program. You know, I just was, I started bird watching and yeah, so it was some things like that and just to be able to just sit and watch nature and, and to really enjoy it in a way I hadn't done before. Over the period of the illness, I've been really lucky enough to be blessed with a daughter and the, the, for me. It's just being able to be on the beach with her and build sand castles. It's just so precious that the time that I've been able to spend with it because that just couldn't happen before. I just wouldn't, I couldn't even, even when she was born, I just couldn't spend time with her at all. And it was just so trig to be symptoms wise so to, to be able to go and pick her up from school and you know, see her face when she runs out of school. And it's been very, very special to be able to cook a family meal together and, and sit and play music and chat and you know, and just interact and, and be present with her and play games with her. That these, these have been the most precious gifts because if I hadn't basically have done the program or hadn't retrained my brain, these things would, I would still be sat in this, in this loop now. I'm really, really excited for the future and bringing my daughter up. She's still only seven, so there's so many things that we can do together and experiences that we can have and.
