Welcome to the website of author & composer, Patrick Ussher.
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I'm delighted to announce the publication of my new book, Understanding ME/CFS & Strategies for Healing.
The book explains the breakthrough ME/CFS research of Prof Klaus Wirth and Prof Carmen Scheibenbogen. I'm honoured also to have the Foreword written by Prof Wirth about his work on developing the world's first potential medication for ME/CFS and Long Covid, 'Mitodicure'.
The book also talks about my own health journey and the strategies that I have used to improve my quality of life.
The book is available in e-book and paperback from most major online retailers (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc). It is also available as an audiobook from Kobo books.Click on this link to see the main options for buying the book.
It will also be possible to buy digital copies of the book and to buy the audiobook from me directly (book website under construction - expected to be finished by mid-March, 2025).
Review/collaboration copies and interviews? Please get in touch via the contact form below and I would be glad to discuss this with you.
About the book:
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) might - at last - have been explained and demystified.
Recent research has mapped out the central, interlinking mechanisms which can create an illness of exercise intolerance and post-exertional malaise. Those mechanisms include low blood volume, vascular and cardiac autoimmunity, dysfunctions in the cells and mitochondria, microclots and, in general, a reduction in blood perfusion throughout the body.
In particular, research from Germany has mapped out a convincing model for how all of these dysfunctions inter-relate and how they are likely part of one big vicious cycle. For the first time, this provides a ‘unifying model’ of what ME/CFS probably is. Aimed at a patient audience, this book offers accessible explanations of this crucial, breakthrough research by Prof. Klaus Wirth and Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen.This book also focusses on healing strategies and solutions. This includes discussion of various conventional medical procedures and treatments as well as of:
- the Buteyko method (to improve bodily oxygenation)
- ancestral approaches to nutrition and diet (to improve gut health and energy production)
- the Perrin technique
- treatments for microclots
- the potential strengths - and limitations - of neuroplasticity interventions.
Possible future medications are also discussed, including the ‘Mitodicure’ pill. Based on the research of Wirth, this pill could become the world’s first ME/CFS-specific medication and one which could be capable of profoundly reducing the suffering of millions worldwide. It could even be a medicine which leads to recovery.Patrick Ussher, an ME/CFS patient, weaves together the personal and theoretical in this book, unravelling the most exciting research ‘in plain English’ but also talking about his own personal experience with various treatments to improve quality of life. He also shares advice on how to construct a life of hope and meaning, despite having a chronic illness.
This is primarily intended to be a guide and handbook for ME/CFS and Long Covid patients (although it will also likely be of interest to patients with the closely related Fibromyalgia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)). It will help many sufferers understand the true physical nature of their illness and provide them with a range of healing strategies.
But most importantly, this is a book which inspires hope for a future in which ME/CFS patients are at last treated with the dignity they deserve and in ways which truly do diminish their suffering.
The book has a foreword written by Prof. Klaus Wirth in which he describes his encounter with ME/CFS, subsequent research and initial work on developing the ‘Mitodicure’ drug..
Praise for the book:
" In Understanding ME/CFS & Strategies for Healing, Patrick Ussher skillfully integrates a huge amount of research that at first glance looks unrelated. From it, he communicates a unique and compelling hypothesis about what is going on in ME/CFS and how to recover. Ussher supplements the science with his own personal journey of improvement and that of other patients. Understanding ME/CFS is a respectful, balanced and very readable book for both practitioners and lay readers".
--- Dr. Eleanor Stein MD FRCP(C), Canadian physician with 35+ years-experience in the field and former ME/CFS patient. Online educator for ME/CFS and related illnesses
'I have been strongly impressed by the high scientific level of Patrick's writings on ME/CFS, particularly considering his non-medical background and the short time that he could have worked on this area. I welcome the publication of his book which seeks particularly to explain the research by myself and Prof. Scheibenbogen in an accessible way for a patient audience, as well as talking about other facets of the illness and ways to improve quality of life.'
--- Prof. Klaus Wirth, Chief Scientific Officer of Mitodicure & Adjunct Professor in Pharmacology, Goethe University, Frankfurt (from the book's Foreword)
"In a field where the mechanisms of ME/CFS remain unclear and many potential therapies abound, Patrick's approach stands out. Combining his critical thinking and logical reasoning, he fearlessly embarked on a journey of self-discovery to uncover what genuinely works for him. Through rigorous self-experimentation—challenging his body, testing therapies, and meticulously analyzing the results—he not only improved his own life but also gained a deeper understanding of the underlying biology at play. In this book, Patrick shares these transformative experiences alongside key insights into the ME/CFS research. His perspective offers invaluable guidance, providing both clarity and practical approaches that, in my opinion, have the potential to significantly improve the lives of others.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking to enhance their quality of life or to better understand possible pathways to improvement for conditions like ME/CFS, Long COVID, or other post-acute infection syndromes. Patrick Ussher's work is a beacon of hope, offering both scientific understanding and tangible solutions for those in need."
---- Peter Deen, Professor in Metabolic Physiology of the Radboud university, Nijmegen, The Netherlands and CEO of Streasure4Health, a start-up developing diagnostics for ME/CFS, Long Covid and Other Post-Acute Infection SyndromesBooks
In addition to the books below, I have also recently written a popular but pseudonymous political satire.
POTS: What It Really Is & Why It Happens
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a debilitating and often disabling autonomic illness that affects at least one million people worldwide. In the book, I argue that the condition's cause stems from a misfiring in the limbic system in the brain and that this can be corrected through neuroplasticity. I had this illness some years ago but recovered from it (although subsequently developed other chronic health issues, unfortunately, but that's life!). I have a YouTube channel and website connected with the book.
Stoicism & Western Buddhism
A comparison of two philosophical ways of life, Stoicism, the ancient Greco-Roman philosophy, and Buddhism as practised in the West. Although there is no direct influence of the one on the other, I argue that both philosophies share many similarities and could also learn from each other. This book stems from research I did during my MA at the University of Exeter. This book has been featured on Shepherd.
Following the Pink Ribbon Path
This is a new edition of The Pink Ribbon Path, originally written by my late mother (Mary Redmond-Ussher). It is spiritual path for those facing serious illness, originally compiled by my mother during her six years with breast cancer. This new edition includes additional writings by those touched by my mother's original book as well as an introduction by myself on how I saw my mother live during her years of illness. I spoke about the book and my mum on Irish radio station, RTE.
Stoicism Today Vol I
In 2012, I founded the Stoicism Today blog, which I then ran for four years. These two books are compilations of some of the best pieces from that time. The Stoicism Today project, now known as Modern Stoicism, is a collaboration between academics and psychotherapists working on developing Stoic resources for the modern-day. I was part of the team from 2012-2016. Every year, the project runs 'International Stoic Week' which is followed by thousands of people worldwide.
Stoicism Today Vol II
The Myth of Primary Polydipsia
This is a hypothesis in which I challenge the condition known as 'psychogenic water drinking' (aka 'Primary Polydipsia'). This condition is currently regarded as involving the overconsumption of fluids as a result of mental illness. However, the cause is also acknowledged as unknown. In this book, I suggest that the typical clinical presentation of dilute urine, hyponatraemia and unquenchable thirst can mainly be explained with reference to the low blood volume, and the thirst this creates, in illnesses such as ME/CFS, POTS and Long Covid. Available as a free download here.
Music
Starting at the age of 18 and all through my time at university, I composed music in my spare time. In the past five years, I have had the opportunity to work on my music much more and this led to me composing new pieces, polishing up older ones and producing around 60 tracks of music in a contemporary classical style. Wherever my pieces have strings, whether cello or violin, these are live.
I did study music in the Irish school leaving certificate but I have not studied music theory since then and I have no formal training in composition: all of my music is composed 'by ear'.
Below you will see summaries of all the albums I have released on Spotify. Additional tracks can also be found on my Artlist profile.
'Life's Sweetness', my first album, speaks of a receptivity to the moment and a reminder that it may contain more wonder than you might otherwise realise.
Inspired by the Mexico's valleys of Miraposas (Butterflies), the lead track symbolises a sky filled with butterflies of different hues and colours.
More meditative, evocative and atmospheric pieces, usually with violin and piano. Includes a variation of my favourite Gregorian chant, 'Salve Regina'.
Variations of traditional Irish songs and melodies. My versions are often more melancholic and nostalgic than the originals.
One of my favourite pieces, a simple and soaring melody played on the violin, with piano accompaniement, and which speaks of new beginnings.
Variations of two pieces of Romanian classical music, 'The Danube Waltz' by Ion Ivanovici and 'Balada' by Ciprian Porumbescu.
'The Path' is inspired by my mum's book, The Pink Ribbon Path (see below). It is a piece about facing life's challenges and, no matter how seemingly insurmountable, nevertheless finding your way through.
Recent release in which my favourite version of 'Life's Sweetness', with piano and string quartet, is released alongside more upbeat, electronic versions of it and other songs.
