Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatments

I was originally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome back in 2007. This terrible illness – the constant feeling of being tired and ‘brain fog’ affected me very badly; it disrupted my life and work. I tried to address it from practically every aspect I could think of. Furthermore, I’ve done a lot of research online and saw several specialists, and consequently, kept coming with more possibilities as to what might be causing or making my symptoms worse (I’ve not even shared everything on this site yet).

 
Now, three years later, I am much better. It is hard for me to point at one treatment that ‘made the difference’. I’m quite certain that the weekly B-12 shots and supplements helped. I also believe that my mercury poisoning, even though it didn’t cause chronic fatigue by itself, certainly made it much worse. Once the mercury was out of my body I felt much better. Finally, dealing with my sleep apnea helped. There’s another factor which I have not mentioned in any of the articles on the website, frankly, because I am unsure whether it played a part.. though it might’ve.

 
When I launched my site, my idea was that I could help others benefit from my experiences (since I had so many). Based on the steady increase in the site’s visitors, I’d like to think this has been a success. However, I would like to hear from you. Do you have any stories to share? Any attempts that worked, or unfortunately, didn’t work? I would be very happy to hear, and if you allow it, publish it on this site.

Being constantly tired is debilitating. It’s something that’s very hard to live with. As you can tell by website, I researched a great number of solutions for this health issue and tried most on my own.

One of the resources I tried was this book: Get Rid Of Tiredness & Sleep Less. This book took a methodical approach towards trying to diagnose my fatigue.

It examined what I eat. For example, certain food allergies can cause fatigue. In my case, I am apparently lactose intellorant – something I was not aware until recently (though as my doctor explained, being sensitive to dairy can develop late in life as the body doesn’t need dairy anymore).

It examined what I drink. Do I drink too much caffeine?

It examined chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia – including tests, symptoms and treatments.

It discussed sleep apnea.

It examined some common causes for fatigue like iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, etc.

It examined Hypothyroidism: the situation where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones

It even suggested ways of improving the quality of my sleep.

In short, it was a very valuable resource which I highly recommend. If you want to check out this eBook, here’s the link: for the book. This type of book comes with a moneyback guarantee, so you can always take a look and return it if you’re unhappy.

There are a number of different types of immune disorders that are caused by viruses such as the well known HIV, as well as other types. Sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) experience a wide range of symptoms – one of the most pertinent of which is excessive tiredness and a lessened ability to perform at times even simple tasks due to this overwhelming fatigue. The pathology for this disease has not yet been discovered to its full extent but it is well-known that the immune system can affect neural pathways in a similar way to that which MS sufferers experience and when the immune response has been lowered both CFS and MS sufferers seem to have worsened periods of exacerbated symptoms.

 
Direct correlation
Doctors have been looking into this for years and researchers can show firm statistics that demonstrate a correlation between a weakened immune system and these worsened symptoms. There is no real treatment method that addresses this weakened immune system. The best that medicine can offer are general treatments that try to strengthen the body’s defenses.

 
The dangers of having lowered body defenses may mean that all kinds of other diseases and infections can take a hold and cause all types of complications – a most unwelcome prospect for the sufferer of CFS who probably already has enough on their plate to deal with. The best approach to trying to strengthen a weak immune system for someone who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome might include Herbal remedies – some of these have shown to help reduce stress and subsequently improve the immune response. One way of doing this is by using taking natural supplements that can boost the immune system. For example, Omega 3-6-9 has been tremendously useful in achieving this goal. This has been one of the methods – in addition to other methods (I also took B12 shots) – I used in order to fight CFS. To receive a free bottle, go here.

 
Stress management
Stress has been shown time and time again to be a relating factor when diagnosing patients have weakened immune responses. Lowering stress levels can have a huge effect on the course of a chronic disease. Getting away from high stress situations can really mean the difference between severe symptoms presenting themselves and a much more gentle form of the illness. If you need ways of combating anxiety, this book suggests a four step useful technique for stopping anxiety. An additional method is described in this book.

 
Supplements
There are many vitamins and minerals are suitable to add to the diet that can help improve the immune function, including vitamins A and E and anything that contains plenty of antioxidants, an important way of removing free radicals which cause inflammation. If there is information present in the body the immune system can be overactive and cause just as much of a problem as an inactive immune system. As stated, B12 shots or Omega 3-6-9 can do this as well.

 
Diet
The food we eat can make a big difference to our health in general; eating food that contains a proper balance of nutrients that our body needs can assist substantially in reducing symptom levels caused by a weak immune system.

 

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also called ME, has been studied extensively over the years its history. Its history of medical discovery dates back to the 1700s and is often treated skeptically by onlookers; however, it has now been shown that this is a real disease with real symptoms and real chronic debilitating effects. The exact science behind this disease is not fully documented as yet, but major inroads have been made into investigating how it can affect people, and ways to combat the tiredness, and invasive fatigue that CFS brings with it. It is thought to be an immunological disorder that affects the ability of motor nerves somehow in a way that the brain interprets as tiredness and debility. Similar diseases that have been identified properly include multiple sclerosis, whose eventual symptoms can be much more obvious and disabling but may include the same symptoms that sufferers of CFS might experience, especially before a firm diagnosis has been made.

 
Spirals of anxiety
A link between the trigger point for these types of you immunological/neural disorders has been established by researchers, with CFS and MS sufferers both enduring more severe bouts of symptoms during or following periods in which stress and anxiety have been noticeably increased. A typical example might be where a patient has been working; battling daily growing fatigue from CFS and in a spiral of stress-related anxiety which is increasing the more the patient feels unable to adequately complete their daily work. This can soon become an all-consuming anxiety that can produce severe symptoms of CFS and almost seal the deal for an impending job loss.

 
It is a very frustrating situation of those on the brink. Trying to balance a chronic illness with a normal life is tiring enough in itself. Balancing a working life with a chronic illness is also a difficult prospect; particularly where the symptoms of illness can easily be confused with laziness, a not especially desirable asset for an employee. Taking time off work with an explanation of tiredness does not go down well with many employers and many medical professionals have not added positively to the situation either. It’s no wonder that CFS sufferers are under stress and anxious under this pressure.

 
Researchers have discovered direct links between a number of neural diseases and stress. The science is still not understood but it is thought that stress reduces the immune response to such an extent that inflammation of nerve axons produces the symptoms that for CFS sufferers, includes headaches, chronic fatigue, depression, memory dysfunction (“brain fog”) and in some patients, sore throats and lumps in the armpits/tender lymph glands.

 
Finding Peace
Avoiding stressful situations is all very easy to suggest but going about it is not so easy. Methods of stress reduction for CFS patients are much the same as for any other person seeking to be calmer. For some this may be enjoying company, others in contrast like to meditate – it’s a personal thing but whatever make you feel peaceful, whether its feeding the ducks in the park or getting some Zen, bringing down the stress levels reduces anxiety and definitely reduces CFS symptoms

 
Some additional methods for dealing with anxiety can be found in these two books. The first suggests a 4 step useful technique for stopping anxiety. Similarly, the second, offers a natural way of overcoming anxiety.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one of those illnesses that its effects aren’t truly appreciated by people who do not suffer from it. I have heard more than once “what, you are tired again? You already slept so much!”. It doesn’t help to remind that I suffer from a condition and I’m not just being lazy.

 
The fact is, suffering from this condition and still leading an ordinary life requires changes to one’s routine. Moreover, at times this might even be impossible. The following suggestions may help.

 
I can’t claim that I found the best solution to dealing with this, but here are a number of tips that have been greatly helpful to me. Also, although this book – “Stop Tiredness Today” – was not written specifically to people who suffer from CFS, I found several of the tips to be quite useful.

 

1. Avoid pushing myself. One of the things that makes me particularly tired – and I know it is a known factor – is exercise. At times even mild exercise can really have a serious effect. In this case, as well as other aspects that cause my condition to worsen, I simply factor that into my routine and expect being tired. By doing so at least I am prepared and can avoid my plans from being disrupted.
   
    

2. Live in a central location. This might not be possible for everyone, particularly if you own the place you live in, but if you rent an apartment or a house, it might be worthwhile to live close to where your main activities take place even if it means sacrificing some things. Not only this prevents wasting valuable time on commute but it also conserves energy. My own example: a while ago I made the mistake of renting an apartment which was about 15 minutes from the train station. These 30 extra minutes of walking every day have had a much more pronounced effect on me than they should’ve… but that’s how it is. I now know that it is better for me to live in a smaller and more cramped place but at least know I have more time and energy every day to do what I need.
   
    

3. Be efficient. This is easier said than done, particularly for a procrastinator like myself, but I’ve learned that when I have energy – I should use it. It is very frustrating to spend time doing nothing of value, only to finally begin my chores and feel myself falling asleep or have brain fog emerge.
   
    

4. Taking naps. At times during the middle of the day I feel tired and/or brain fog sets in. I find that an hour or two can really – at least temporarily – alleviate these symptoms. It’s not a cure, but it helps. I’m not sure this will affect everyone the same way, but at least in my case it does.
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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.

Vitamin B12 can be taken in many forms. You could get it in Liquid form (Vitamin B12 – Liquid, 4 oz), you could get it in sublingual form – that is, under the tongue (B12 w/B6 Sublingual – 30 tab), you can get it as lozenges (B12 Lozenges – 2000 mcg 100 lozenges). Of course, you can also get it in the form of injections.

Personally speaking, this is another one of the treatments I have tried. 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 have a nurse perform this every time. In addition, I’ve taken vitamin B12 in sublingual form, 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. My own B12 deficiency was pretty bad according to the blood work – probably it was some kind of poor absorption issue.

Although I cannot say I’m cured, my condition has definitely improved. However, I wouldn’t recommend that you just start giving yourself B-12 shots. Discuss this with your doctor and find out whether you have a B12 deficiency. And in 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.

Summary of options in case you are interested in getting Vitamin B12

• 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 lack 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 went 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 be the only reason I suffer from 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 an almost miraculous improvement in their quality of life using a CPAP machine.

After having to do this twice (the first time I was simply unable to sleep!), I got my own CPAP machine. It took some time getting used to but the improvement in sleep – both time and quality – is dramatic! If you’re looking to get your own, I got my CPAP equipment from this place. Check it out if you need to get one!

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 should get one. This could potentially (depends on your condition) transform your sleep and your life as it will 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.

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, use the following link to get some. (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 some. Please keep me updated as to whether this has been effective or not.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Kelly A McCaffrey

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!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex disorder about which little is known. The reasons for onset, etiology or cause of CFS are still largely unknown. In spite of the fact that more than one million individuals suffer from the disorder in the United States alone, physicians are still focused primarily on symptoms, rather than causality. There are no physical signs to alert an individual or your medical practitioner to the presence of CFS, nor are there any conclusive diagnostic laboratory tests designed to diagnose it. The only thing more difficult than diagnosing and treating chronic fatigue syndrome, is living with it!

The onset

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome differs from other chronic illnesses in that about three-fourths of occurrences come with what can only be described as an abrupt onset, often presenting suddenly and, seemingly, out of nowhere. Other instances of chronic fatigue spring up after a long period of mild symptoms, generally triggered by a traumatic event or stress. While suggestive, the link between stress and chronic fatigue remains only that…suggestive.

Etiology or Cause

The research into CFS has been extensive, published virtually around the world and in every scientific journal and magazine you can think of, the interest is intense as the disorder reaches epidemic levels. Every organization, from the National Science Foundation (NSF), to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have researched this complex and puzzling phenomenon, but to no avail. There are a number of powerful hypotheses but as of yet no solid data to support any of them. While anecdotal, it seems that the disorder only recently, in fact over the past three and one-half decades, has burst onto the scene, peaking the interest of scientists, researchers, and the medical community as a whole.

Transmission

No solid conclusions have been drawn pertaining to transmission of chronic fatigue. In fact there is no evidence at all to support the proposition that CFS may be contagious. Nevertheless, multiple cases of the disorder have been diagnosed in the same family. There does seem to be powerful suggestive evidence that chronic fatigue may indeed have a genetic component, however, the jury is still out. More research is needed to prove or disprove the suggestion that CFS is or is not genetic.

Symptomology

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is categorized by incapacitating, debilitating, and even totally disabling fatigue. CFS presents with a myriad of symptoms, many resembling other illnesses. Symptoms of CFS mimic those of several other disorders, making it extremely difficult to properly diagnose. Chronic fatigue symptoms are similar to those of Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, mononucleosis, and even Lyme disease. The symptoms are widespread, and are usually broken down into three categories, they are listed below.

General or physical symptoms:

Many sufferers of CFS find it nearly impossible to perform any sort of physical exertion. When engaged in physical activity, such as exercise or any sort of physical labor, the CFS sufferer may experience shortness of breath, light-headedness, and even blackouts. While some individuals are able to conquer the work week, usually exerting tremendous effort to do so, many more are bedridden, forced to rely solely on others, totally disabled. Problems compound in the ear, nose and throat area, appearing to be endocrine driven symptoms (glands and hormones). Sore throats and swollen lymph nodes occur, perhaps suggestive of an infection (antigen/antibody reaction), as when the body attempts to fight off a foreign body or when the body is undergoing an extreme stress reaction. While allergies develop and symptoms become more severe, fevers often present as a symptom as well. Additionally, CFS sufferers will experience night sweats, weight change with little or no apparent change in dietary habits, and they will often suffer from irritable bowel syndrome and bladder dysfunction. Interestingly, many of the conditions listed above are often present during periods of exaggerated stress.

Neurological symptoms:

Sleep disorders are a common symptom of CFS and it has been suggested that increased pain sensitivity may contribute to the restlessness and sleeplessness many experience. Chronic fatigue sufferers often experience difficulty with their senses, mainly in the form of vision changes and sensitivity to bright light, olfactory changes (odor perception) and sensitivity to certain chemicals have been documented. Disorientation may also occur with CFS, while some suffer with problems of balance and spatial perception. Trouble with concentration and memory have also been reported, seeming to present along with impaired word usage during a phenomenon called "brain fog." Some living with CFS are even subject to seizure-like episodes and unusual and disturbing nightmares.

Emotional problems:

Depression is often connected with chronic fatigue syndrome. Along with depression, CFS sufferers experience suicidal ideation, anxiety (with or without panic attacks), anger and rage issues, and mood swings ranging from pronounced manic episodes to suicidal depression. The depression experienced alongside CFS may be chemically induced, due to a serotonin and norepinephrine imbalance, as well as a consequence of external events, such as severe pain, disability, and hopelessness due to lack of treatment options.

CFS varies in degree and expression, type and severity, from one patient to the next. In the same individual, chronic fatigue may wax and wane from one day to the next, even hour to hour. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms may be mild to acute, fleeting to chronic, in the same individual and from day-to-day.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome crosses all barriers and touches individuals from all walks of life. There are no clear ethnic, socioeconomic or age-related factors…anyone may be affected. However, there does seem to be a gender issue, with twice as many women as men presenting with the disorder, particularly women between 30 and 50 years of age. Of the known cases of CFS, those with verifiable diagnoses, at least twice as many women have the disease as men. It also appears to affect pregnant women at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. The reason or reasons for the gender discrepancy, like the difficulty with the initial diagnosis, is problematic and requires more research. The complexity of the disorder, combined with a lack of any sort of diagnostic standard, results in a medical community that is reactive, required to treat symptoms, with little or no real idea of etiology (cause). The impact of chronic fatigue on the lives of those suffering from this debilitating and disabling disorder is unfathomable to those who aren’t living it on a daily basis. Like Chronic Pain Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome creates a constellation of secondary and tertiary consequences, some as bad if not worse than the original condition. Until etiology (cause) is established, CFS sufferers deal with, on a daily basis, one of the most debilitating of all disorders. While their load may be lightened with an individually designed and implemented treatment strategy, the ultimate treatment, a cure, still appears elusive.

Author: John Zajaros

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