thanks for the encouragement. I can't understand why a doctor would say such a thing even if it were true. I could live for the rest of my life with my current symptoms as long as I know there's hope for recovery. Without hope my futures seems pretty bleak.

BTW I just replaced my family doctor with this new doctor. So I went from a doctor that misdiagnosed me as not having any problems (therefore no advice like stop boozing / running)... to a doctor on the other end of the spectrum that thinks I have so many symptoms that remain after 3 months so I must be doomed.