The alarm rips through your sleep and you fumble to shut it off. You blearily look around and realize it’s time to get up even though you feel as if you haven’t even slept. Your muscles ache, your head is starting to pound and is that another sore throat starting? You make a note to call your healthcare provider because this has been going on too long. You make your way into the bathroom to take a hot shower to start your day wondering what on earth is wrong with you?
You may have Chronic Fatigue syndrome. This illness is difficult to diagnosis and affects people in different ways. Because there isn’t any one test that will discover if you have the disease, it’s a process of elimination. However, the main symptoms are fatigue or tiredness that’s overwhelming, lasting at least 6 months and not relieved by sleep. Some other symptoms are the following:
-Fatigue lasting more than 24 hours after a normal amount of exercise.
You may have Chronic Fatigue syndrome. This illness is difficult to diagnosis and affects people in different ways. Because there isn’t any one test that will discover if you have the disease, it’s a process of elimination. However, the main symptoms are fatigue or tiredness that’s overwhelming, lasting at least 6 months and not relieved by sleep. Some other symptoms are the following:
-Fatigue lasting more than 24 hours after a normal amount of exercise.
-Sleeping an adequate amount of hours and still feeling exhausted.
-difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, confusion or being irritable
-headaches different from any you’ve experienced before
-painful joints, without swelling or redness, moving from joint to joint
-tenderness of the lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
-mild fever
-unexplained muscle weakness all over
-reoccurring sore throat
A diagnosis of CFS must include the following: Absence of other causes of chronic fatigue (excluding depression), at least four of the symptoms listed and extreme long term fatigue. CFS often follows a course of alternating between periods of illness and well-being. Some people experience a partial or complete remission of symptoms during the illness but the symptoms often reoccur when they overdo it when feeling better.
No one really knows what causes CFS but doctors do feel that chronic stress is a factor. Other factors such as age, prior illness, environment or genetics can also be a factor. This disease commonly occurs in women ages 30-50.
Unfortunately there isn’t a treatment for CFS; instead the symptoms are treated. People with depression and other psychological problems can be treated with antidepressant drugs. Eating a healthy diet and using sleep management techniques can also be useful. You can take medication that will help reduce the pain, discomfort and fever. On days that you’re too tired, avoid doing too much. Try breaking your time down to activity, rest and sleep. You can take large tasks and break them into smaller tasks that are more manageable. You can try biofeedback, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy or muscle relaxation techniques.
The long term outlook for people with CFS varies with each person. Some people recover completely after 6 months to a year and others may take longer. Unfortunately some people never regain their former health and well being. Studies do show that people who seek treatment are more likely to recover than people who ignore the symptoms and hope they’ll just go away.
Catching CFS in the early stages and getting treatment can increase the likelihood of improvement. So if you’re feeling persistent, severe fatigue with or without any of the other symptoms, contact your doctor. You can get your life back!
-difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, confusion or being irritable
-headaches different from any you’ve experienced before
-painful joints, without swelling or redness, moving from joint to joint
-tenderness of the lymph nodes in the neck or armpit
-mild fever
-unexplained muscle weakness all over
-reoccurring sore throat
A diagnosis of CFS must include the following: Absence of other causes of chronic fatigue (excluding depression), at least four of the symptoms listed and extreme long term fatigue. CFS often follows a course of alternating between periods of illness and well-being. Some people experience a partial or complete remission of symptoms during the illness but the symptoms often reoccur when they overdo it when feeling better.
No one really knows what causes CFS but doctors do feel that chronic stress is a factor. Other factors such as age, prior illness, environment or genetics can also be a factor. This disease commonly occurs in women ages 30-50.
Unfortunately there isn’t a treatment for CFS; instead the symptoms are treated. People with depression and other psychological problems can be treated with antidepressant drugs. Eating a healthy diet and using sleep management techniques can also be useful. You can take medication that will help reduce the pain, discomfort and fever. On days that you’re too tired, avoid doing too much. Try breaking your time down to activity, rest and sleep. You can take large tasks and break them into smaller tasks that are more manageable. You can try biofeedback, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy or muscle relaxation techniques.
The long term outlook for people with CFS varies with each person. Some people recover completely after 6 months to a year and others may take longer. Unfortunately some people never regain their former health and well being. Studies do show that people who seek treatment are more likely to recover than people who ignore the symptoms and hope they’ll just go away.
Catching CFS in the early stages and getting treatment can increase the likelihood of improvement. So if you’re feeling persistent, severe fatigue with or without any of the other symptoms, contact your doctor. You can get your life back!
by Linda Lee Ruzicka
Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond, and for Healthcarejobsite. More of her blogs are at Healthcarejobsiteblog.
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