Question:
Can anyone give me a description of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? I have had fibro for years,
but recently the exhaustion has become overwhelming. Anything you can
tell me?
Answer:
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an emerging illness characterized by
debilitating fatigue (experienced as exhaustion and extremely poor
stamina), neurological problems, and a variety of flu-like symptoms. The
illness is also known as chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome
(CFIDS), and outside of the USA is usually known as myalgic
encephalomyelitis (ME). In the past the syndrome has been known as chronic
Epstein-Barr virus (CEBV).
The core symptoms include excessive fatigue, general pain, mental
fogginess, and often gastro-intestinal problems. Many other symptoms will
also be present, however they will typically be different among different
patients. These include: fatigue following stressful activities;
headaches; sore throat; sleep disorder; abnormal temperature; and others.
The degree of severity can differ widely among patients, and will also
vary over time for the same patient. Severity can vary between getting
unusually fatigued following stressful events, to being totally bedridden
and completely disabled. The symptoms will tend to wax and wane over time.
This variation, in addition to the fact that the cause of the disease is
not yet known, makes this illness difficult to diagnose.
