See my neuro for first appointment tomorrow, that will no doubt be the beginning of the fun.

I've been wondering if you have National Health insurance there?
They may have steps to conserve resources and visits may revolve more around cost effectiveness rather than YOU.

I accidentally ordered L-Carnitine, not the acetyl version. I've had look on the forum and from what I can see its absorbed slightly less efficiently, does that mean I should take higher doses?

For now when starting you're okay. Just don't take your dose all at once. Spread out during the day, may give you better final absorption. L-Carnitine was all there was for a long time, so it still will work some.

We have a national scheme but I also have private health insurance. I can't help but feel that a lot of the problems that I'm reading about with poor service are due to ignorance or laziness or both on the part of the medical professionals.

The capsules are 850gm, should I break them up?

I suppose it would not be necessary to break them up...that is alot of work.

I could not find any comments in papers about empty stomach vs with food, but did find that l-carnitine is absorbed in the intestine partially by passive diffusion and some active transporter. It is the transporter that has the ceiling of ability.

So if you take it on an empty stomach it might work better.
Remember we make our own carnitine, and unless this is damaged you already have some. You don't have to flood your body with it.
The RX drug Carnitor, does not have directions or warnings about taking with food or not.

People who get positive effects from carnitine report less muscle fatigue as evidence it is working. So you may see improvements, and that would reaffirm your taking it correctly.

Sally- what is CFS?

My capsules are 500mg, so l might start with that and see how l feel. The thing that worries me with all these vitamins, is the body getting used to being fed these fit/min, and when you stop the body isn't able to make its own anymore?

mrsD-We have medicare here, which what l think is your National Health Insurance. We get a portion of our accounts refunded back to us when we make our medical expenses claim.
I am wondering if its worth me taking our private insurance. I have never needed it, as l think our public health here in Oz, is very good.
But with PN now, maybe it could be wise.

RIDE-ON- will be thinking of you today. All the best. Yes this is where the fun begins for me too. Woke this morning and nearly burst into tears thinking about what l was just diagnosed with yesterday. I just can' t believe my body has let me down like this. Here l was thinking l was the healthiest l could ever be and l would outlast them all. Struggling to get my head around it all.
I have blood tests coming up next week. I just wish they could find out why l have PN...:(

Sue

Sue, I have been really struggling mentally with this. I have always been very fit and active and looked after myself. I am the main bread winner and I have 2 beautiful young kids. All of this keeps weighing on my mind, but I also realised all this thinking is not helping, if anything it is probably having a negative effect on my body. For me a main challenge is getting my head in the right place.

Thank you for your thoughts.

Shezian, it is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I have had it 20 years. With my supplements, it is finally doing very well. I also have POTS. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Sydrome. Three years for that. It is Autonomic Neuropathy with a little peripheral also. My doctors have that doing well too with my supplements.

The POTS is what I am trying to improve from now. I am so much better. It is so awful though. The blood pools, will not stay in the brain and heart when standing.. Much more to it though.