Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatments

As you know by now, I’ve done a lot of research on chronic fatigue. However, I don’t remember ever reading a book on chronic fatigue mentioning mercury specifically, and I think this is an important issue that should not be ignored.

 
In case you are not familiar with mercury, it is a chemical element, a highly toxic ones. Unfortunately, it is possible to inadvertently get mercury poisoning: this can happen by directly touching it, inhaling mercury vapors (i.e. from a broken thermometer, or while drilling silver fillings) and - possibly the most likely, in my opinion - exposure to fish contaminated with Mercury.

 
Until recently, I used to eat a lot of Sushi. It’s tasty, it’s healthy, in New York city it’s very affordable - so why not? Last year suddenly my chronic fatigue increased dramatically (after it has been improving because of the B-12 shots I’ve been getting), I started getting headaches, and my blood pressure - which is normally average to low - went way up. I also I became very thirsty - and worst, I started forgetting things (I normally have an exceptionally good memory).

 
I went to see a doctor, who wanted to put me on blood pressure medications, and was quite surprised I get headaches (said that my blood pressure isn’t high enough to warrant that). She couldn’t explain any of the other symptoms. So I decided to go to a specialist: I went to a neurologist and explained the problem (I didn’t think my chronic fatigue specialist is the one to ask, since he routinely examined me and didn’t notice anything unusual). He ran me through an entire series of tests.

 
The results, to me, were very surprising - I was suffering from mercury poisoning. Although he said I should not be getting headaches, the fact of the matter is, I was. So based on that, and the fact my blood pressure went up at the same time, I believe I was suffering from mercury poisoning for at least 3 months before it was officially discovered. He said I have more than 3 times the maximum allowed amount of mercury in my blood, and this is not good at all. The scary thing is: I wasn’t eating that much Sushi! So although it’s possible I was getting it from another source, I don’t believe I did - I mean, I where could I have gotten it from?

 
The scary thing is that mercury testing is a really simple test and yet it is not a routine one, moreover, many people - at least in NYC - often eat Sushi, so it’s possible many are exposed and this affects them to various degrees (here’s an article that suggests this as well). I felt stupid about it, since just a few months before, there were lots of articles warning New Yorkers about eating Sushi (here’s one), and I figured that this was probably resolved by then (clearly I was mistaken).

 
Unsurprisingly, the symptoms, particularly of low-level exposure, include fatigue, loss of memory and increase in blood pressure. What a coincidence!

 

My suggestions for you, if you suffer from chronic fatigue

If you have any reason to suspect you’ve been exposed to mercury, which should not normally be the case (unless you eat a lot of fish - and I think this is a problem particularly in New York, though I may be wrong on that), simply ask your doctor to do a blood test for mercury.

 

Treatment

If you do suffer from mercury poisoning, there are ways of treating it. One way is through chelation therapy, which supposedly absorbs the mercury out of one’s system in a session of treatments. The problem is that - so I’ve been told - if you have silver fillings, there’s a risk it’ll literally cause the mercury component to melt into your system and make things worse (not to mention the dental ramifications!). I don’t know whether that’s true, but I’ve decided not to risk it.

 
Second, there are also detox diets which help the body get rid of mercury (and other heavy metals). Although I personally never tried those, here are two eBooks that explain the process: Detoxification Kit: cleanse your body from heavy metal and Be free from Heavy Metals.

 
Personally, I decided not to risk chelation therapy, and at the time wasn’t aware of any eBooks. One of the symptoms of mercury is extreme thirst since the body tries to get rid of this toxic material. So I decided to assume the body knows what it’s doing. I drank massive amounts of water every day, and went for monthly blood tests. At some point I was even able to calculate the estimated drop of the mercury level in my blood. I don’t know how accurate the tests were, but within 4 months I was back in the threshold of “allowable” mercury level (even if at the maximum level). One thing that bothered (and to an extent, still does), is that a doctor suggested that even this exposure can do some damage. “Officially”, it does not (not at my level of mercury), but you just never know. Anyway, what’s past is past.

 
Once I got to that point, my headaches vanished completely, my blood pressure went down, my extreme thirst disappeared - and my chronic fatigue significantly lessened (roughly to the level it was before).

 
Hopefully you’ll find this inspiring. Mercury is not normally associated with causes of extreme fatigue, but I believe mercury poisoning can very easy lead one to believe he or she suffers from chronic fatigue. Even worse, it seems doctors are generally not too aware of the risk - otherwise why is this not a routine test? The good thing is, if that is your problem, it is relatively easy to cure and detect.

 
As always, please keep me updated!

In recent years, it’s become quite common to read about celebrities such as Madonna taking vitamin B12 injections to get more energy. Is there truth to the matter?

It is a known fact that vitamin B12 helps maintain various parts of the body, including the skin and hair, the nervous system and  the liver; more importantly, it has been linked to the function of the immune system - which is often a significant component in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - where it is weakened from one reason or another. Consequently, vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms can definitely result in extreme constant fatigue.

Fortunately, vitamin B12 deficiency can be found out through a simple blood test. If indeed your body does not get enough vitamin B12, which could happen from a variety of  reasons: not eating certain foods, inability to absorb it properly, etc, then getting vitamin B12 shot may indeed be helpful for you.

In fact, some doctors consider getting vitamin B12 shots to be a crucial component of a treatment for CFS sufferers regardless of their cause, as it is so frequently  helpful.

These shots can either be administered in the doctor’s office by a nurse (or the doctor himself), or even at home by yourself, after getting some minimal training.

Personally speaking, this is another one of the treatments I have tried. I can say I’ve taken B12 injections on a weekly basis (though I’ve read online that a bi-weekly shot is recommended), though admittedly I never gathered the courage to give the shots myself and preferred to go to the doctor’s office every time. In addition, I’ve used a vitamin B12 spray under the tongue, twice a day (I never really understood why it must be under the tongue - perhaps for quicker absorption?).

Since my improvement occurred roughly during this time, I can only conclude that this is one of the few treatments that has been helpful for me. I cannot say I’m cured, but my condition has certainly improved. However, don’t go start giving yourself B-12 shots (I’m not sure whether you can even do that without a prescription). Discuss this with your doctor and find out whether you have a B12 deficiency. And if this case, work out a plan to treat it - preferably with a specialist who is very familiar with these issues.

On a final note, if you live in New York City, I’ll be more than happy to give you the name of the doctor who treated me (or you can just search for him on the web, you’re likely  to locate him the same way I did).

As always, please keep me - and the readers of this blog - updated whether this has been successful for you.

• Get Vitamin B12 - Liquid, 4 oz
• B12 w/B6 Sublingual - 30 tab
• B12 Lozenges - 2000 mcg 100 lozenges

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a serious condition that is not well understood. It generally causes its sufferers to not be able to deal with life’s daily issues as they are simply too tired. Moreover, it results in "Brain Fog" (cognitive deterioration) and/or poor memory, weakness of muscles, irritable bowel syndrome and a host of other problems. Those that are diagnosed with CFS often find that sleep is simply does not refresh them; no mater how much they sleep, hey still wake up feeling tired.

If you’ve read this website so far, you already know this stuff.

Sleep Apnea is a different issue that is occasionally relates to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

As you may know, there are five levels of sleep. The deepest level is called REM (for Rapid Eye Movement) and is dream sleep. Most people spend a quarter of heir time at level 5 sleep, which is refreshing and necessary. People who suffer from Sleep Apnea, for various reasons, literally choke in their sleep for a very short period of time. During this time, the brain detects the ack of Oxygen and brings back the person to a lower level of sleep. This can literally happen dozens of time every hour, resulting in very poor quality of sleep, and consequently, a never ending feeling of being tired.

As I mentioned in previous articles, Chronic Fatigue can explain a wide range of problems, and sleep apnea is just one of them.

One of the doctors I was sent to sent me to a sleep clinic. I have to say that this was much less pleasant than I thought it would be, trying to sleep with so many things hooked on to me, and being unable to go to a restroom without calling an aide to untie you. But I eventually managed to. They discovered I have "mild to moderate" sleep apnea.

Can this explain my chronic fatigue? Probably not, because I’ve had sleep apnea my entire life, and chronic fatigue for only for two years. However, any improvement in my sleep may result in a big improvement of my CFS. Makes sense, no?

Thus, I was sent to the sleep clinic for a second time, to try sleeping using a machine called CPAP (which stands for "Continuous Positive Airflow Pressure"). Sleeping with CPAP is a very strange feeling, as the machine constantly pushes air into your nose, basically keeping the air passages open. The idea is that it will prevent the choking that takes place, and the person could reach a deeper level of sleep. Some people have reported a almost miraculous improvement in their quality of life using a CPAP machine.

Unfortunately, I never got my results. I came to the clinic feeling ill, and simply was not able to fall asleep.Particularly with a machine stuck up my nose, and tens of wires hooked up to me. At 2am the technician and I gave up, and we decided to try it another time. My personal feeling is that the machine would have helped me sleep better, despite the fact it is generally uncomfortable (though it is said this is very easy to get used to).

I intend to go back and be tested again. But so far have not.

My conclusion: check with your doctor whether you may have sleep apnea. If he suspects you suffer from it, he’ll send you to a sleep clinic. If you do have sleep apnea, you’ll be tested with a CPAP machine, and if that proves effective, you’ll be given one from your insurance provider (or so I am told). This could eliminate a large component if not the major component of what causes you to be chronically tired.

As always, please keep me informed whether you’ve tried this and this has proven to be effective.

•  For an eBook called Get Rid Of Tiredness & Sleep Less, click here
•  For CPAP equipment, click here. Note that I do not recommend buying any CPAP equipment without going through a sleep clinic. These machines are delicate and you need to know what you’re doing.

Double click on the video for a free Resveratrol trial!

 

Full disclosure: I have not attempted to use Resveratrol, and frankly, I am a bit skeptical whether this will make any difference. However, Resveratrol is tauted as the ‘miracle anti-aging’ supplement and as you’ll read below, some have suggested it can help sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so I figure it’s worth including. I’m actually considering trying it myself (and in this case, would update this article to reflect my own experiences). If you’re interested in trying Resveratrol,  double click on the above video for a free sample (just pay $0.99 (!!!) for shipping and handling). (only pay for shipping and handling).

With all the information available today regarding the anti aging benefits of resveratrol and how the skin from a red grape is helping people feel healthier and live longer it’s amazing that more people aren’t taking it.

The way that resveratrol improves longevity is that it stimulates the SIRT1 gene which in turn activates the protein and enzyme called Sirtuin. Sirtuin helps cells repair themselves before they die and even persuades cells close to destruction to heal themselves. Less cells that die means that your body doesn’t age as fast.

Regardless of what age you are now everyone can benefit from supplementing their diet with resveratrol, from younger looking skin, to increased energy to amazing weight loss benefits. There is even evidence that resveratrol is helping to heal some cancers - those with pancreatic cancer are finding that their cancer cells are being destroyed by the high antioxidant benefits coming from just taking the resveratrol supplement. And we all know that that having a strong immune system will help fight any disease or illness.

Is there no limit to this amazing property of resveratrol?

What about resveratrol and chronic fatigue?

Chronic fatigue is a mysterious disease that drains energy and makes the sufferer constantly tired no matter how much sleep they get. With the great health benefits that resveratrol is having on so many other diseases, wouldn’t it be justified to say that it will also help those suffering from chronic fatigue?

Those that have taken resveratrol for their chronic fatigue symptoms have found a remarkable improvement in their energy levels, their quality of sleep, less pain in their joints and an added benefit is their feelings of despair and depression have reduced considerably.

If resveratrol can have such an amazing impact and health benefit to those suffering from cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and such, then wouldn’t it also have the same benefit for chronic fatigue sufferers?

Whether you suffer from chronic fatigue or you are just plain tired all the time, then this will be of great use to you. All of us suffer at some point or another from being tired and this could be from our jobs, our home lives, even our children have the ability to make us incredibly tired. Just talk to any parent today!

Our lives consist of so much more stress than our ancestors did, and today we no longer eat a balanced meal consisting of fruits and vegetables high in nutrient value. A majority of our foods are either take-a-ways or something we grab out of the freezer.

Not many of us are growing our own fruits and veggies anymore and tend to rely on the markets for that. The only thing is, most of our fruits and vegetables have a concoction of chemicals sprayed on them to keep the insects away, and I’m sure that isn’t doing our bodies any long term benefits.

As said, if you’re interested in trying Resveratrol,  use the following link to get a free sample. Please keep me updated as to whether this has been effective or not.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Kelly A McCaffrey

It’s really no wonder that so many of us suffer from chronic fatigue or even just plain tiredness, but there is a way to turn it around and get our energy back.

This is where consuming a supplement such as resveratrol can be useful. Our cells become stronger, they are able to rejuvenate quicker and of course heal themselves. This has an enormous health benefit for our bodies, which can now restore dead cells with new healthier cells at a quicker rate, causing us to age slower, increase our immune system to fight disease or even kill cells that are already diseased.

Who wouldn’t want those benefits?

If you would like to try a FREE sample of this amazing product for yourself and see your health benefit, then I encourage you to give it a go. Follow this link to learn more about resveratrol at http://www.ResveratrolCuringChronicFatigue.info

Go on, give this amazing product a go - follow the link for your free trial and start getting the amazing benefits today and who knows, it may even fight your chronic fatigue symptoms!

Stress tends to set off major physical reactions that create chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia (many do not differentiate between the two). Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome that involves chronic fatigue, generalized muscle aching, and stiffness. According to the 2000 American College of Rheumatology Fact Sheet, two percent of the United States population, primarily women of childbearing age, are affected by this syndrome.

Although criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia have been established, controversy exists as to whether this diagnosis represents a unique syndrome. The cause is unknown and no pathologic characteristics have been identified that are specific for the condition.

Treatment consists of attention to the specific symptoms reported by the patient. Some nursing aids may be used to treat the diffuse muscle aching and stiffness.

Tricycles antidepressants are used to improve or restore normal sleep patterns and individualized programs of exercise are used to decrease muscle weakness and discomfort and to improve the general deconditioning that occurs in these individuals.

Managing Treatment

Typically, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have endured their symptoms for a long period. They may if feel their symptoms have not been taken seriously. Nurses need to pay special attention to supporting these individuals and providing encouragement as they begin their program of therapy.

Patients support groups may be helpful. Careful listening to patient’s descriptions of their concerns and symptoms is essential to helping them make changes necessary to improve their quality of life.

The first step to minimizing fibromyalgia, is to develop an awareness of when and how the condition affects you. Then, take time to learn a few relaxation techniques and deep breathing. To facilitate healing, take time to perform these simple treatments.

1. Catch an afternoon nap

Experts say that people who get the afternoon swoon to put the phone on voice mail, turn the ringer off, and steal a 20 to 30-minute snooze.

The later in the day you nap, the more likely you will enter deep sleep, so it is better you nap in the early or midafternoon. The longer you sleep, the greater the chance you will enter deep sleep and wake up groggy and worse than before.

Personally speaking, this is actually effective. But unfortunately it’s quite hard to take a nap when you’re at work.

2. Watch your meds

Staying energized means paying close attention to everything that goes into your mouth, medications included. Antihistamines, high blood pressure drugs, and cough suppressants can all make you tired. But plenty of other common medicines can also leave you feeling lethargic.

Many people assume that their fatigue is coming from headache, arthritis, or whatever and do not realize that it is really coming from the medications. If you are taking medicine and often find yourself feeling groggy or low on energy, it is highly recommended that you should talk to your doctor about the side effects of medications and asking for alternatives to drugs that may be sapping your energy.

Again, this too I have felt. From my experience, medications that make people drowsy have a much stronger effect on people suffering from CFS. Not much we can do about it though.

3. Break out boredom

It is all about exercise that is refreshing versus exercise that is not. That is why it is important to find some exercise that is enjoyable or challenging. Taking regular breaks throughout the week to engage in some exercise or other physically demanding, but interesting, activities should help prevent chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.

It is important to note that some doctors say that execrise may actually make CFS worse (temporarily) for some peolpe. So be wary - if you feel noticably more tired after exercise, consult with your doctor.

4. Feed the machine

Often, even the modest calorie restriction can lead to marginal vitamin levels. And if you are short on vitamins, you may feel tired as a result.

Consuming fewer than 1,800 calories per day is a risk factor for low-nutrient intake simply because nutrient intake is tied to calorie intake. Most health experts advices dieters who eat fewer than 1,800 calories per day must learn to take multivitamin or mineral supplement.

Fibromyalgia is a medical emergency necessitating early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to eliminate the causative factor; otherwise, the joint may be destroyed relatively quickly.

So the next time you feel stressed out, never hesitate to ask for a rest. The treatment of fibromyalgia is focused on the physiologic mechanisms that must be understood in the context of the body as a whole. The person, as a living system, has both an internal and an external environment, between which information and matter are continuously exchanged.

Hence, the goal of treating and managing chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia is best achieved within the interaction of the body’s subsystem to produce a dynamic balance or steady state. In this way, all subsystems are in harmony with each other and the probabilities of developing fibromyalgia are lessened.

Although the following book may be somewhat exaggerated How To Beat Fibromyalgia And Chronic Fatigue Syndrome In 30 Days (though I don’t know, I haven’t tried all the methods myself), it has some useful tips that are helpful.

Author: Lee Dobbins

Lee Dobbins writes for http://chronicfatigue.topicgiant.com where you can learn about causes, symptoms and treatments for Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia.

As I stated in the intro to this website, there seem to be numerous causes for chronic fatigue. Generally speaking, the reasons underlying Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are unclear, and there seems to no one medical solution.

One theory suggests - and many doctors actually do not agree with this - is that there may be a candida (official name Candida Albicans) overgrowth in the body of CFS sufferer that weakens his immune system and saps his energy. This theory suggests that by significantly reducing the amount candida from the body, the immune system can be improved again, and the chronic fatigue be beaten.

The presence of candida yeast in the body and the effect it has are not well understood and are controversial. Many believe that numerous health problems can be traced to an overgrowth of candida though there are others who say it is harmless. Some illnesses that are believed to be associated with candida are Fibromyalgia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Ironically, some people diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome try to eat more sugar based foods for the immediate energy that they provides, but unfortunately this may actually make things worse. Candida albicans loves sugar which actually helps it grow and spread. Similarly, frequent usage of antibiotics can dramatically increase the presence of candida in the body.

It a person exhibits any of the symptoms of Candida (such as thrush, bloating, yeast infections, skin rashes, or frequent respiratory and/or sinus infections) they should consider treatment for the yeast. Personally, I believe that just going on an anti-candida diet may be worthwhile even if these symptoms are not all present.

Reducing candida can be mainly done with anti-candida diets: by ’starving’ the candida in your body by avoiding certain foods such as sugars, the amount of candida can be dramatically reduced.

Vitamin B12 supplements or injections might also help, as low levels of B12 can lead to anemia, which may result in an overgrowth of candida. In addition, other treatments to lower the amounts of the yeast in the system such as certain anti-fungal medications may be helpful as well.

Personally speaking, when my CFS has first started I’ve done a lot of research about this, and reached the conclusion that I suffer from candida overgrowth because: (a) I’ve taken a great amount of antibiotics (long story) over a period of two years and (b) I literally only eat foods that candida loves. The combination of the two is a recipe for candida overgrowth, and this is actually not medically disputed.

My research showed that for some people anti-candida treatments and diets can be very effective. I believe it all relates to the underlying symptome that really causes the fatigue.

Unfortunately for me, even though a blood test showed my candida levels were slightly elevated, this did not seem to be my cure. Probably my chronic fatigue is related to other causes. However, it doesn’t mean it won’t work for you - and you have nothing to lose.

Here are some eBooks that can help you eliminate Candida. All have money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose really.

• How to Cure Candida
• Naturally Eliminating Candida
• Natural Candida Cleanse
• Yeast Free Cooking Manual/Cookbook   

One last favor. If you try this and you manage to defeat your CFS this way - can you please let me know? Even though this method hasn’t worked for me, it would really make me happy knowing that it has worked for someone else, and I was the person pointing him or her in that direction!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a condition marked by extreme fatigue, muscle pain reduction in cognitive abilities and a host of other symptoms. It is extremely difficult to diagnose as there is no definitive test that can be done to tell if you have the syndrome. While no one knows what causes it, become a way of thinking is that it may be triggered by certain environmental toxins, viruses or bacteria, and also have a genetic predisposition.

This can be a debilitating condition and it’s no wonder that people are desperately seeking new treatment options for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. While there is no treatment specifically for chronic fatigue, there are treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms. Here are some treatment options including medicines and more natural treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Medications and Procedures

Provigil is a medicine sometimes used to treat the symptom which can help with mental alertness and positive attitude. It is relatively free from side effects and need only be taken once a day. Effexor is an antidepressant that can help alleviate some of the pain associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well as help with fatigue and mental clarity. Neurontin is an anticonvulsant which may be effective in treating sleep disorders, headaches, anxiety and mood problems as well as the pain associated with chronic fatigue.

In addition to medications you may want to investigate whether or not a food allergy is exacerbating your problems for diagnostic testing, try using an elimination diet to pinpoint foods that trigger chronic fatigue and also think about having all your amalgam fillings removed as a sensitivity to mercury can cause immune system problems and fatigue.

Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements can help your body feel it’s best and there are some that can help people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in particular. Magnesium is of vital mineral and many people do not get enough of it has been shown In studies to help improve the fatigue associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well as relieve muscle aches. Injections of vitamin B12 can help you sleep wake cycle and provide better sleep.

Alternative Therapies

Many people are turning to alternative therapies and treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Aromatherapy is one that may be able to help and in particular lavender oil which has a soothing and relaxing effect may help manage chronic pain. acupuncture can restore balance to your body and help your overall health. Massage is relaxing and can help the blood flow in your body and also may increase the amount of endorphins which can help alleviate pain. Chiropractic can also help restore the energy flow in your body. Something as simple as ice pack can reduce pain by relieving inflammation at the site of the pain.

There are many herbs that are sent to help with the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but you doctor may not be aware of them. If you find an alternative medicine doctor or an honorable a second help you be sure to discuss and the herbs you think about taking a medical professional to be sure that it will not interact adversely with any other medications you are taking.

Author: Lee Dobbins

Lee Dobbins writes for http://chronicfatigue.topicgiant.com where you can learn more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and it’s treatments.

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