Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Fight Endless Exhaustion
By itself, the name for what you have is enough to tire you out. Your doctor calls it chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome, or CFIDS. Others call it chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, for brevity. You're not just tired, you're bone-achingly tired, and you've been feeling terrible for a long time. You may also feel feverish, forlorn or forgetful. You feel like you need an awful lot of sleep, but when you do sleep, you sleep fitfully.
What causes CFS? No one knows for sure. Some researchers theorize that the trigger is a viral infection, chronic stress or some other ongoing trauma that continually activates the immune system. But studies have not been able to pinpoint a specific causes or causes, says Carol North, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, most people diagnosed with CFS are women--mostly Caucasian and mostly between the ages of 25 and 45.
SICK OR JUST PLAIN TIRED?
The hallmark of CFS is severe, unexplained fatigue that is not relieved by rest. Often women can recall exactly when they started to feel tired and could no longer go about their daily tasks.
If you've been diagnosed with CFS, you've probably been experiencing at least four of the following symptoms.
* Faulty memory or poor concentration
* Sore throat
* Tender lymph nodes (glands in the neck, armpits and elsewhere)
* Joint pain
* Muscle pain
* Headaches
* Exceptional fatigue after normal efforts
* Sleep that does not restore your energy
HELP YOURSELF FEEL BETTER
While the exact cause of CFS is a mystery, experts agree that you can take measures to help yourself feel better, and that feeling better can actually put you on the road to recovery.
Take the "morning test-walk." Symptoms of CFS differ from woman to woman--and from day to day in the same woman, says Jill Anderson, R.N., Ph.D., a clinical nurse specialist at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center. "Test what kind of day that you're going to have by taking a short walk each morning." You'll know whether it's going to be a good day or a bad day by how you feel. Then measure your daily activities accordingly.
Use memory aids. Memory problems associated with CFS are most perturbing to women, says Dr. Anderson. "They feel terrible when they forget basics, like where they keep the coffee, for example. So organize your kitchen. Make lists. Write yourself notes and post them prominently. Label the drawers. And store necessities in visible places," she suggests.
Plan for some downtime. "If you have to attend an important but energy-draining function, like a wedding," says Dr. Anderson, "plan for the effort. Keep the day before the event free--and the day after--for rest."
Let wheels do the work. If you have to lug things around--like gro ceries--use a luggage carrier with wheels, says Dr. Anderson. "If your supermarket has a motorized riding shopping cart available, use it."
When To See A Doctor
"Those who seem to do best with chronic fatigue syndrome are those who start treatment within six months," says Dedra Buchwald, M.D., director of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Clinic and associate professor of medicine at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington in Seattle. "So I recommend that you see your doctor if you have unexplained fatigue that lasts for more than a month." If you have chronic fatigue symptoms when you stand for a while, you may in fact have a blood pressure regulation disorder that causes the heart to pump less blood when it needs to pump more. Known as neurally mediated hypotension, it is treatable with diet and medication.
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Sit down on the job. Keep a tall stool in the kitchen so that you can prepare meals or do the dishes sitting down. "And get a shower stool so that you can sit when you bathe," says Dr. Anderson.
Similarly, if you work in an office, the right chair, properly aligned with your desk or computer, can make you more comfortable, says Dedra Buchwald, M.D., director of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Clinic and associate professor of medicine at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington in Seattle. To find what works best, you may need to enlist the advice of an occupational therapist, says Dr. Buchwald.
Ask your spouse to help. "Among the women with chronic fatigue syndrome who do the best are those whose spouses are helpful, loving and supportive, but who still do as much as they can," says Dr. Buchwald.
Reach out and e-mail someone. "Online computer support groups help women with chronic fatigue syndrome keep their spirits up," says Dr. Anderson. "I know women with chronic fatigue syndrome who take fantasy cruises and plan dinner parties online."
Take a message. Dr. Anderson suggests that you arrange for caller identification service through your phone company so that you can screen calls and talk only when you feel up to it. "And keep your answering machine on," she urges. "That way, you can call people back when you feel like chatting."
Get your Zzzs. "Women with chronic fatigue syndrome need their sleep; it's a priority," says Dr. Anderson. (For tips on how get the most restful sleep that you can, see page 495.)
