If you have chronic fatigue syndrome it is likely that your doctor or someone in your family has told you that there is nothing wrong with you, acused you of being lazy, or that it is in your head.  You may have gone for years not understanding what is happening to you and beating yourself up for it.  Yet Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) can shut your life down and take the joy away much like MS, Lupus, and other chronic conditions.

Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms begins with a profound fatigue that is not improved by sleep or bed rest.  CFS symptoms can be worsened by mental and physical activity; symptoms may include muscle pain, insomnia, and a host of other symptoms like sore throat, tender lymph nodes, and sleep that doesn’t refresh you.

These chronic fatigue symptoms must occur for a period of six months or more for the illness to officially be classed as CFS.  There are other diseases that cause similar symptoms to CFS, these include fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelits (ME), chemical sensitivities, certain types of depression, sleep apnea, and chronic mononucleosis.

There are tens of millions of people who are chronically fatigued but who don’t meet the exact definitions. It affects children and adults (although ages 40-50 are most affected), men and women (women are 4 times more likely to be affected), rich and poor, and does not favor any particular race.

Most who suffer from CFS go into a management of the condition rather than even hoping for a cure.  We are told by the CDC that full recovery comes to only 5 to 10% of those affected.

As time goes by we will be looking at alternative treatments such as diet, breathing exercise, yoga, and acupuncture.

The Time of Year When CFS & FM Symptoms Flare

It’s that dreaded time of year again for us ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia patients.  The fall weather, changes in temperature, and the shortening days tend to make symptoms flare full force.  For about the last week I have been experiencing a very noticeable difference in my body and the season changes are really affecting me.

The Psychological Component of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Being sick is hard and having an illness that many doctors still don’t believe in is even harder. If a doctor can’t figure out what is wrong with you, they assume your symptoms are all in your head. You are automatically labeled emotional or depressed.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS

Related articles about fatigue and chronic fatigue

• Learn About Pathological Fatigue – FightingFatigue.org (killerstartups.com)
• Chronic fatigue `a true human infection,’ study says (healthzone.ca)
• Virus Is Found in Many With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (nytimes.com)
• ME/CFS Research Abstracts from ProHealth (fightingfatigue.org)