Kim has done her homework and certainly gets an A+ for that effort alone. This film tells the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome story as well as it could be told. It keeps you interested and the numerous subjects are not only well-interviewed but edited with creativity and fluidity. Anyone who knows one person who is suffering from a long-term illness, not matter what it is, must see this film.
6 Reviews
I Remember ME
a_baron5 September 2016
In 1991, Michelle Akers was named the best female soccer player in the world. Shortly, she was struck down with a mysterious illness. Although she continued in the sport for the next nine years, she was never the same again. And she is one of the lucky ones. The majority of the sufferers of ME or whatever else you want to call it, are women, but not the vast majority. If there is one thing all sufferers have in common, it is that they have nothing in common, including mental aberration. They ranged from extremely fit and stunningly attractive like Akers to the kind of person you would pass in the street without giving a second look.
This full length documentary explores the anomaly of ME, talking to many other sufferers and the doctors who treated them. About the only thing that could be said for it then and can be said for it now is that its victims are not crazy, or any declension thereof. There is in fact evidence that it has appeared at various times throughout history. The American authorities did not take it seriously at the outbreak documented here; the mounting suicides prove how wrong they were.
This full length documentary explores the anomaly of ME, talking to many other sufferers and the doctors who treated them. About the only thing that could be said for it then and can be said for it now is that its victims are not crazy, or any declension thereof. There is in fact evidence that it has appeared at various times throughout history. The American authorities did not take it seriously at the outbreak documented here; the mounting suicides prove how wrong they were.
Recalling a memorable yet arguably poorly-titled film
take2docs10 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Based on the title, one might think this to be a film about dementia, but it's not. Nor does it have to do with dissociative identity disorder or the phenomenon of total recall. Rather, it concerns a mysterious affliction that has been given the name of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome -- albeit, there are those who consider the term to be quite inapt; a misnomer.
The director, Kim Snyder, in voice-over, tells of her own experience with said syndromic ailment, which she lived with for about five years. She was prescribed by doctors various drugs to help treat her debilitating condition, but to no avail. Upon her recovery, she set out in search of answers, and the documentary follows her around, chatting with medical experts and specialists, in an attempt at getting to the bottom of this medical mystery.
Enter the cynical disbelievers, who think CFS is a made-up syndrome, and that those who profess to having it are slugabeds, malingerers, or psychosomatic crocks suffering from nothing more than the crud. Little do these ignoramuses realize.
After all, even though many a doctor who has had a patient complaining of "The Thing" (as it has been dubbed) has been at a loss to explain it, they pretty much have all been in agreement that something profoundly enervating is at work. Nothing psychological going on here, and something more than just hypersomnia.
Ms. Snyder's search and research led her to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where circa 1985, numerous locals there were struck with some type of an outbreak; one which involved the recipients experiencing a high fever. Some in the community thought it to be an unknown virus. There's a GP in the film who is interviewed, who recalls the first case he received, of a woman who had just returned from China, with the flu. There were some if not many residents in the Lake Tahoe area who at that time became severely unwell, if not entirely bed-ridden. Another local is heard from in the film, telling of how this mystery syndrome ended up hurting the local economy. The Lake Tahoe incident would eventually prompt a CDC investigation into the matter.
I REMEMBER ME is not just a well-made and sympathetic special-interests story, but a well-researched one as well. We learn, for instance, that other mysterious syndromes similar to "CFS" have occurred throughout the U.S. and date back decades, all the way to the 1930s. The documentarian interviews several people within the medical field, including immunologists, an infectious disease specialist, an epidemiologist, among others. The doc takes us inside a CFS conference and is most interesting whenever Ms. Snyder is shown speaking with former experiencers (including film director Blake Edwards).
For anyone to come away from this film still thinking there is nothing to this would either have to be an insensitive and incorrigible critic or possibly an inattentive narcoleptic.
Incidentally, speaking of poor appellations and the like, I personally think the title of this documentary to be a tad vague itself, one that fails to fully capture the essence of its subject matter, but I digress and quibble.
The director, Kim Snyder, in voice-over, tells of her own experience with said syndromic ailment, which she lived with for about five years. She was prescribed by doctors various drugs to help treat her debilitating condition, but to no avail. Upon her recovery, she set out in search of answers, and the documentary follows her around, chatting with medical experts and specialists, in an attempt at getting to the bottom of this medical mystery.
Enter the cynical disbelievers, who think CFS is a made-up syndrome, and that those who profess to having it are slugabeds, malingerers, or psychosomatic crocks suffering from nothing more than the crud. Little do these ignoramuses realize.
After all, even though many a doctor who has had a patient complaining of "The Thing" (as it has been dubbed) has been at a loss to explain it, they pretty much have all been in agreement that something profoundly enervating is at work. Nothing psychological going on here, and something more than just hypersomnia.
Ms. Snyder's search and research led her to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where circa 1985, numerous locals there were struck with some type of an outbreak; one which involved the recipients experiencing a high fever. Some in the community thought it to be an unknown virus. There's a GP in the film who is interviewed, who recalls the first case he received, of a woman who had just returned from China, with the flu. There were some if not many residents in the Lake Tahoe area who at that time became severely unwell, if not entirely bed-ridden. Another local is heard from in the film, telling of how this mystery syndrome ended up hurting the local economy. The Lake Tahoe incident would eventually prompt a CDC investigation into the matter.
I REMEMBER ME is not just a well-made and sympathetic special-interests story, but a well-researched one as well. We learn, for instance, that other mysterious syndromes similar to "CFS" have occurred throughout the U.S. and date back decades, all the way to the 1930s. The documentarian interviews several people within the medical field, including immunologists, an infectious disease specialist, an epidemiologist, among others. The doc takes us inside a CFS conference and is most interesting whenever Ms. Snyder is shown speaking with former experiencers (including film director Blake Edwards).
For anyone to come away from this film still thinking there is nothing to this would either have to be an insensitive and incorrigible critic or possibly an inattentive narcoleptic.
Incidentally, speaking of poor appellations and the like, I personally think the title of this documentary to be a tad vague itself, one that fails to fully capture the essence of its subject matter, but I digress and quibble.
For sufferers and doubters and certainly for physicians
gundicus18 February 2006
Anyone interested in the veracity of CFIDS (formerly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) needs to see this film. Although much research has been done since the film was made - not much ground has been covered and certainly no cure has been found. Those of us who suffer from this disease need more people to view this film with an open mind, compassion and empathy. It is well researched and covers all views of the topic - from disbelievers to sufferers. A must-see documentary for anyone interested in illness and the ways in which it impacts lives. If viewing this piques your interest also check out 'Osler's Web' by Hillary Johnson - the only comprehensively researched book to date on the horrifying consequences of the medical communities failure to act in a swift & compassionate manner - which caused untold suffering & continues to promote skepticism and prejudice in the eyes of the general public. We haven't come far enough - but this film does much to educate the layman as to the depth of the suffering cfids victims face daily. Thank you Kim Snyder for helping to tell our story!
Can't Recommend This
knittink330 March 2014
I watched this hoping the film would inform me about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. By "inform" I mean provide some of the details of the biological background of the syndrome, introduce me to some of the people who suffer from it and give some idea of how this syndrome will be treated in the future.
I felt like what I got was 90% loosey-goosey soft science. I'm not denying that everyone in this documentary is suffering, but I still don't know from what.
One quote from the movie I found damning was as voice-over stating that many children who suffer from this syndrome have been home-bound for 6 to 7 years. The next scene features a high-school-aged young man who had been home-bound for 6 months. Being ill for six months is very sad. But if this illness causes any child to be ill for 6 to 7 years, his/her story was not told in this film.
After watching this documentary, I am more inclined to think that what is currently labeled "CFS" could be a combination of any of the following: viruses, unknown physical illnesses or mental illness. I'm deeply sorry for all of those who suffer from this syndrome; but I don't think this documentary clarifies what is, for many, a murky topic.
I felt like what I got was 90% loosey-goosey soft science. I'm not denying that everyone in this documentary is suffering, but I still don't know from what.
One quote from the movie I found damning was as voice-over stating that many children who suffer from this syndrome have been home-bound for 6 to 7 years. The next scene features a high-school-aged young man who had been home-bound for 6 months. Being ill for six months is very sad. But if this illness causes any child to be ill for 6 to 7 years, his/her story was not told in this film.
After watching this documentary, I am more inclined to think that what is currently labeled "CFS" could be a combination of any of the following: viruses, unknown physical illnesses or mental illness. I'm deeply sorry for all of those who suffer from this syndrome; but I don't think this documentary clarifies what is, for many, a murky topic.
Not very impressive
perrywynkles18 March 2021
Doctor Peterson says he is "i think i'm actively following around 1500" patients. Of course people don't see him unless they are rich. Someone needs to make an investigative doc about this illness as it affects all society not just the rich and privileged.
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