I tried to get out of bed, but my joints were locked in pain and I could only roll to one side, landing on the floor face down. There I lay for several minutes as I slowly unfurled my limbs and, eventually, summoning what little strength I had, sat up.
This was my reality last September, shortly after being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Bedridden with chronic exhaustion and pain, I was unable to work, look after my two children, Tabitha, 7, and Tasker, then 4, and was completely reliant on my husband, Stuart, for care.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also referred to as ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), is a long-term debilitating illness dominated by fatigue, muscular and joint pain, flu-like symptoms, poor concentration and headaches. Fibromyalgia, a similar condition, causes tenderness and pain in the muscles and fibrous areas of the body, with sufferers experiencing a heightened reaction to pain because of subtle changes in the brain and nervous system.
“This can be compared to a ‘volume control’, where a low signal may be amplified by the nervous system and result in increased pain perception,” says Dr Bhavna Khan, a consultant rheumatologist at MediClinic City Hospital Dubai and the medic who diagnosed my illness.
Dr Khan says up to 15 per cent of the patients that she sees in the UAE suffer from CFS or fibromyalgia. While the cause of both conditions is not fully understood, a popular theory is that a viral infection is the trigger. But there’s no known cure, and, while the average recovery is within two years, some patients remain ill for years.
The idea that the life I enjoyed – as a mother and as an editor at The National – would be drastically limited by illness was terrifying. When I joined online support groups, I found patients who had been ill for years, some even in wheelchairs and relying on carers.
Just 10 weeks after the devastating diagnosis, however, I returned to full-time work, and today, 11 months on, I am almost fully recovered. So how did I do it?
I used a combination of treatments, but the most significant was to rewire my brain using the Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS) – a Canadian programme that remaps the brain away from a constant cycle of illness and back to full health over a period of six months. When I completed the programme in April this year, I became the first person in the UAE to do so. I heard about the programme from a close friend in the United Kingdom, an ME sufferer whose health was finally improving after 20 years of illness. I had always relied on conventional medicine, but, by then, I was ready to try anything.
The programme was launched in 2009 by Annie Hopper, a counsellor and psychotherapist from Toronto, after she recovered from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Using her professional experience and the latest research in neuroscience, she concluded that she was suffering from a limbic-system disorder where the brain is locked into a permanent trauma loop (or state of fight or flight), which makes it see everything around it as some form of threat.
The limbic system is a complex set of structures in the brain that’s largely responsible for how we interpret sensory input. Several factors can impair its function, from exposure to chemicals, a virus, an emotional or physical trauma or accumulated stress. Once the system is damaged, it causes cross-wiring of the neuronal circuits in the brain and, as a result, distorted sensory perceptions.
“Intuitively, I knew I was suffering from a brain injury of some kind that was affecting my physical health, my emotional well-being and my thought processes,” explains Hopper.
Her theory made sense to me. My own brain was telling my body that the world was too loud, too bright and too tiring.
But once the limbic system gets caught in this perpetual trauma loop, sufferers struggle to break it. For this, Hopper turned to neuroplasticity, a monumental breakthrough in neuroscience in the last century when scientists realised the brain was not a solid, set structure but plastic – something that could adapt and change.
Hopper teaches sufferers to self-direct positive changes in the structure and function of the brain through a series of repetitious neuroplasticity-based exercises. In short, I needed to think myself well. To do this, I verbally repeated a series of phrases to shift my focus to the past when I was well, reliving healthy memories, and then again to the future, when, again, I would be healthy.
According to the programme, by repeating these exercises for an hour a day, the brain would slowly rewire itself by blocking pathways that were no longer useful to it – such as those sending messages of illness and pain – and instead create new pathways. Effectively, by thinking and acting as a well person, my mind could slowly persuade my brain that I was healthy.
To date, the DNRS programme has only treated 3,000 people – some on courses hosted by Hopper in North America and more than 1,800 through a 14-hour DVD that she created to reach those farther away.
I needed four days to complete the DVD course. It features seminars hosted by Hopper, along with expert excerpts explaining the thinking behind the programme’s steps. On the first day, towards the end of October 2013, I was too exhausted to sit up to make notes. By the second day, I was not only sitting, but standing and even dancing.
With every positive thought and action, I was engaging the frontal cortex of the brain. At the end of the DVD programme, Hopper asks for a six-month commitment to repeat the DNRS steps for an hour a day. She also suggests mixing up your daily routine. I ate and wrote with my left hand, changed my nail polish to unusual colours and drove different routes to work. I also bought a red sofa to change my living room decor.
Slowly, my health improved. Less than a month after starting the six-month course, I returned to full-time work.
But I must be clear, the DNRS wasn’t my only treatment. I’d been unwell since May 2012 with bouts of chronic illness and respite in between. Each illness flare was worse than the last, and my doctor prescribed aggressive antibiotics to treat what was then considered a recurring mycoplasma infection – otherwise known as walking pneumonia. Dr Khan made her diagnosis after months of extensive tests in Dubai and London, after excluding a series of other diseases, from lupus to rheumatoid arthritis, Addison’s disease and even cancer.
To start my recovery, Dr Khan prescribed medication to reduce inflammation, boost my immunity and ease pain. Next, I contacted XY Clinics, a personalised medicine centre on Dubai’s Al Wasl Road that I’d written a story about the previous year. There I met Dr Sam Rao, the centre’s founder, who was shocked by my frail appearance. His medical team prescribed a three-month programme of supplements to boost energy production. I also radically changed my lifestyle, altering my diet and exercise regime. I now even have a personal trainer who is helping restore me to full physical fitness.
The most important step in my recovery was being diagnosed. The next was believing I could get better. There’s no one-stop solution for everybody, but treating both the brain and the physical symptoms was the key to my recovery.
arayer@thenational.ae
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
More from Aya Iskandarani
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Wallabies
Updated team: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Reece Hodge, 12-Matt Toomua, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Kurtley Beale, 9-Will Genia, 8-Pete Samu, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Lukhan Tui, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rory Arnold, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16-Folau Faingaa, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Izack Rodda, 20-Ned Hanigan, 21-Joe Powell, 22-Bernard Foley, 23-Jack Maddocks.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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