There is a large list of symptoms that have been found in folks with this disease. For a complete list, please see the Survey results which contains a complete symptom list. Many doctors try to treat each of the symptoms separately. Folks soon find they are taking many prescription medications for their Irritable Bowel Syndrome, migraines, sleep problems, pain, Restless Leg Syndrome…and on and on.

You can meet many CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia sufferers, from all over the world, at Sleepydust's community area over at MySpace. It's a great place to meet new friends, to chat with other sufferers, and to ask for friendly advice.

TIP: You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story. Do you have a photo of yourself to add? Great! Click the button and find it on your computer. Then select it. Click below to see contributions from other ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia sufferers... Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome - A Year and a Half in Hell This is my story of living with Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome..

What's your verdict on treatments and therapies for ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia? Rant or rave here...

That depends on what they are and how often they are used. If they are benzos, then they are potentially harmful. If they are Soma, Baclofen, or Relafen, then the hope is that they are used only for the relaxation of the muscle spasms, instead of being used as though they were as safe as aspirin. In any case, too frequent use of muscle relaxants will cause us to develop tolerance to them, so that we will need more and more to do the job that one used to do.

Like lack of Stage 4 sleep, too much stress can cause additional problems for us. It is often listed as a factor in causing flares. As difficult as it may be, most specialists recommend minimizing stress.

CFS is a multi-symptom, complex illness. It is more than "just fatigue." Most patients state that their illness began with flu-like symptoms that never fully improved. The fatigue of this illness is substantial and significantly interferes with daily functioning. The 1994 International Case Definition, although designed for researchers, is loosely interpreted by clinical practitioners for diagnostic purposes.

Apparently, not much. The symptoms of each overlap the other by 75-90%. Many of us have evolved through CFS, FMS, and MCS over the years and some of us have been diagnosed with all of them. Folks with GWS are being found to meet the criteria for CFS and FMS. Most CFS, FMS, MCS, and GWS specialists consider them to be the same disease with different main symptoms, i.e., CFS = more fatigue and diffuse pain; FMS = more localized pain; MCS = more allergies; GWS = mainly CFS & FMS.

In addition to the official researchers' definition discussed below, patients and experienced clinicians have noticed symptom patterns that seem prominent in CFS. These are described in question 1.01 above, and also include the observations that cognitive dysfunction often increases over time (over several years), and that brain scans often show that blood flow to the brain is decreased. CFS is defined somewhat differently by various medical groups in different countries.

Most doctors define "progressive" as a disease that would gradually extend, advance or increase in complexity and severity, eventually causing death. Since CFS or FMS don't cause death by themselves, that's where they're coming from. However, unless we correct the sleeping problems, increase our activity, and begin nutritional supplements, the cascading effects of the HPA axis dysfunction will increase and worsen our symptoms.

All three of these conditions have now been recognized by Social Security as "medically determinable impairments." The descriptions for them are contained in the "Program Operations Manual" or "POMS." There is an extensive POMS for CFS and shorter ones for MCS and FMS. They are still, however, considered controversial diagnoses.

Blurred or hazy vision (Like looking through a cloudy piece of glass or viewing an impressionist painting.) Age Related Cataracts - occurs when protein clusters up in the lens and causes cloudiness or from the discoloration of the lens from aging

Yes, and it is especially important to have alternate options for women who do not want to use hormone replacement therapy in light of the recent controversy surrounding its use.

FMS, CFS, and MCS are what are referred to by the insurance industry as "self-reported conditions." In other words, there are no generally-accepted tests that will show, independently of the patient's account, that the condition exists or how serious it is.

Yes, children as young as age five have been diagnosed. Pediatrician David Bell, MD, FAAP, in the CFIDS Research Review, Fall 2000, discusses pediatric CFS, citing that symptoms appear to be similar, yet he has observed some differences: In addition, Dr. Bell states that since young children are often unable to verbalize what they are experiencing it is difficult to distinguish symptom patterns and many do not see themselves as being ill because they have no clear reference to normal health.

You suffer from forgetfulness, seeing things out of the corner of your eye that are not there, feeling a presence, feeling overwhelmed, or having invasive thoughts. Top

Those are just a few pages from the large ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome section. To check out the main CFS/ME section, click here!

As of yet, no universal cure has been found for CFS/ME. But there are medicines, supplements and therapies that seem to have helped some CFS/ME sufferers. Interestingly though, what works for one sufferer may not necessarily work for another. So the key is to read up on what’s available and to consult with your doctor before spending lots of cash on something that may or may not be suitable for you.

When evaluating patients with chronic fatigue of unknown origin, physicians can use the following definition of CFS as a guide. This detailed definition was developed for research use under the leadership of the Centers for Disease Control. It was published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" in March 1988. Because the disease is still poorly understood, however, the outlined criteria should be considered provisional.

Any clinician *should* be able to diagnose it -- beware of having to "fly away" to an authority who will diagnose and treat CFS.

That it is all in your mind; if you would just rest more, you could be well; if you would eliminate some stress, you would be better, etc.

That it can be cured, prevented, that it causes cancer, AIDS, etc. Solid scientific research should address all avenues and fact, NOT FICTION, should be reported to the public. Also, there is not a good patient data base, thus "hyped" estimates of patients only tend to create panic and threats of an epidemic which have no basis in fact.

No one knows for sure what causes CFS. Many people with CFS say it started after an infection, such as a cold or stomach bug. It also can follow a bout of infectious mononucleosis (mono), the “kissing disease” that drains your energy. Some people with CFS say it started after a time of great stress, such as the loss of a loved one or major surgery. It can be hard to figure out if a person has CFS because extreme tiredness is a common symptom of many illnesses.

The signs of CFS can come and go or they can stay with a person. At first, you may feel like you have the flu. As well as extreme tiredness and weakness, CFS symptoms include: Many people with CFS report other symptoms too, ranging from a constant cough to feelings of depression. If you think you may have CFS, talk to your doctor.

Right now, there is no cure for CFS. But there are things you can do to feel better. Talk to your doctor about ways to ease your symptoms and deal with your tiredness. You might also try these: Try to stop or do less of the things that seem to trigger your tiredness. For a week or two, write down what you do each day and note when you feel really tired. Then, look over this list to find out which activities tend to tire you out.

It’s normal to feel cranky, sad, angry, or upset when you have an illness like CFS. Here are some things you can do that may help you to feel better: See the "For more information..." section at the end of this FAQ for a list of organizations that can help you cope with CFS. Join a CFS support group. Sometimes it helps to talk with people who are going through the same thing.

Yes, oxygen, and expecially hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT, oxygen under pressure, usually in a chamber), has been used to treat chronic illnesses. At one of our affiliated clinics, Molecular Hyperbaric Medicine (www.o2med.com), we are examining the use of HBOT to treat ME/CFS, FMS and GWI in IRB-approved clinical trials. Often these illnesses have associated chronic, anaerobic infections that should respond to oxygen therapy.

Dr. Kaplan has identified 12 key skin symptoms associated with estrogen loss in peri-menopausal and menopausal women. They are: