Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), Epstein-Barr virus and parvovirus B19 have been suggested as etiological agents of chronic fatigue syndrome, but none of these viruses is consistently detected in all patients.
However, active viral infections may be localized in specific tissues, and, therefore, are not easily detectable.
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=14529
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Most of the 15 people gathered for a support group this month did not look sick.But when they began to talk about their common conditions, the list of symptoms went on and on.
Pain, fatigue, depression. Insomnia, nausea, headaches. Muscle spasms, ringing in the ears and sensitivity to heat, cold or light.
Dr. Charles Lapp has heard all of this before. He’s medical director of the Hunter-Hopkins Center, a Charlotte clinic that focuses on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Many group members are his patients.
http://www.montereyherald.com/health/ci_12315099?nclick_check=1
A ROSYTH student battling constant debilitating fatigue has been nominated for a personal achievement award at the upcoming Fife Adult Learners Awards.
Clare Birnie (25), of Churchill Place, was nominated by her tutors at Carnegie College for her determination to overcome her illness to continue with her education.
Clare developed myalgic encephalopathy (ME) five years ago, and has fought personal and professional setbacks to get her life back on track.
For the person with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, there just aren’t enough hours in the day.
Not, sadly, because we are so darned busy. Rather, it is because we need so much down time between exertions. Even if that exertion is just walking down the hall, making lunch, throwing in a load of wash — or fill in the blank with one of your own challenges.
At first glance, it seems silly to suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) could be connected to narcolepsy. In part, however, that’s because narcolepsy is almost as misunderstood as ME/CFS. Most of us only know what we see in the popular media, where narcoleptics regularly nod off at comically inappropriate times. It’s a lot more than that, and the closer you look, the more it looks familiar.
Most of the 15 people gathered for a support group this month did not look sick.
But when they began to talk about their common conditions, the list of symptoms went on and on.
Pain, fatigue, depression. Insomnia, nausea, headaches. Muscle spasms, ringing in the ears and sensitivity to heat, cold or light.
http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1519190.html
BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by severe and prolonged fatigue, along with a set of nonspecific symptoms and signs, such as sore throat, muscle pain, headaches, and difficulties with concentration or memory.
http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/50/2/147
Patient-funded studies searching for blood test to diagnose complex, frustrating chronic fatigue syndrome.
Nevada, Mo. — For millions of Americans living with a chronic condition like arthritis pain, fatigue and joint stiffness are often part of daily living. But in just six weeks, you can learn to reduce these symptoms and improve your everyday life.
http://www.fstribune.com/story/1531882.html
Does stress damage the brain? Accumulative stress not only affects your ability to remember and learn but research scientists have now discovered that chronic stress actually damages and kills brain cells.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/lifestyles/43195802.html
North Branch resident Charlene Smith is using May, Lyme Disease Awareness Month, to share her devastating experience. She hopes her story will help educate others and raise awareness about Lyme disease and tick-borne illnesses.
All too often, doctors or other health-care providers are uneducated about fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS). It’s common for us to be told the doctor/provider doesn’t “believe in” our illness, that it’s all in our heads, that we’re just whining about the normal aches and pains of aging, that we’re making it up, etc. I haven’t personally had a doctor say anything like this to me, but I’ve heard enough horror stories that I always have a lot of anxiety about seeing a new doctor.
It’s a sad reality that having fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) means sometimes having to deal with insensitive comments made by people who, A) don’t understand what these illnesses are like, or B) don’t believe that they’re really illnesses. These comments can put us in an uncomfortable position, and I’ve found that it pays to think ahead of time about how I’ll respond.
LEADING a normal life is something that 17-year-old Jade Hodgkinson knows very little about.
Simple things like going into town with her friends and learning to drive are activities the Pilling teenager has never had the chance to experience.
And preparing a holiday abroad with her family is often like planning a military operation.
http://www.garstangcourier.co.uk/features/ME-sufferer-Jade39s-hope-for.5238743.jp
In February 2009, Action for M.E. asked people with M.E. to send in their photographs for a new poster: faces of M.E. The pictures poured in. Then came the stories of their illness.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mahatama Ghandi used it. So did Mark Twain and John D. Rockefeller. Cindy Crawford, Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey and Prince Charles are all said to be fans.
The object of their admiration? Homeopathy, a non-toxic method of treating illnesses characterized as pure genius by its fans and pure quackery by its opponents.
http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/homeopathy-has-its-fans-and-foes/11737.html
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and irritable bowel syndromes (IBS) share the same predisposing markers, but triggering markers differ, a new study by UK researchers has found.
http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=23&storycode=4122519&c=1
We can’t always predict stress, which is enemy #1 for most of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but there are some situations you just know are going to stress you out.
I recently learned that many others suspect, like I do, that pharmaceutical companies have people who spend their time studying the human body in search of aberrations. When they find those anomalies, we suspect, they invent medical-sounding names for them. After that, they figure out some drug that supposedly can make it all better and sell said drug to consumers — always, of course, with the admonition, “Ask your doctor if this is right for you.”
http://www.cnjonline.com/opinion/drug-33263-suspect-many.html
A TEENAGER from Thornbury has spoken out about an illness that she says makes her life a misery.
Helen Wood, 19, still lives at home with her family in Thornbury, however, unlike other teenagers Helen’s dream of having her own place and living her own life might never come true.
http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/4323639.Teenager_speaks_out_about_effects_of_ME/
Greensboro, NC – Every now and then you hear someone’s story and it just inspires you to do more.
We heard about 12-year-old Brian Wood’s battle with POTS disease (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and how despite his disability he remains the same jovial kid he was before getting sick.
POTS disease is a rare autonomic developmental disorder. That basically means, Brian has an extremely rapid heart rate while sitting or standing upright.
http://www.digtriad.com/news/gms/article.aspx?storyid=122256&catid=67
In the House of Lords yesterday (May 6), The Countess of Mar asked health minister Lord Darzi of Denham whether the Clinical Network Collaborative Consortium for ME/CFS was fulfilling the purposes for which it was set up.
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/859/70/
Letter from Dr Charles Shepherd, ME Association, responding to a recent article about cultural differences in illnesses. Dr Shepherd says there is M.E. in France and that the ME Association is regularly contacted by people in France in regard to seeking a diagnosis for their condition and advice on management.
www.independent.co.uk/opinion/letters/letters-swine-flu-1676350.html
Two charities are launching a recession-busting campaign to raise £1,000,000 for biomedical research into the much-misunderstood illness ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/854/161/
The Royal Society of Medicine is now taking bookings for the latest in its series of Medicine and ME meetings on “ME and CFS – Hearing the patient’s voice” which will be held at 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G OAE on Saturday, July 11. The arrangements have been a joint collaboration with The ME Association, Action for ME, the Association for Young People with ME (AYME), The 25% ME Group for severe sufferers, and the Young ME Sufferers Trust.
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/858/161/
Objective: The energy envelope postulates that patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) will improve functioning when maintaining expended energy levels at the same level as available energy level.
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=14465
Of all the reasons to appreciate and admire the work Peak Adventures does, my favorite is how it doesn’t have any effeminate, ad-covered cycling suits on display.
You may be wondering why someone such as myself, who has several pollen allergies, poor balance and is withering away from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I mean senioritis, would choose to write an article on anything involving physical exertion of any kind.
Organic causes can be ruled out in most patients who complain of being “tired all the time” with just four blood tests, as well as a good history and physical examination, new GP research suggests.
GPs who conducted a study of 325 patients presenting with unexplained chronic fatigue say that the range of blood tests should be limited to haemoglobin, ESR, glucose and TSH, and these should probably be postponed of four weeks.
http://www.6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=476454
The following letter from The ME Association appeared in “The Independent” newspaper today. It was in response to an article that appeared earlier in the week in which the newspaper’s health editor Jeremy Laurence interviewed Professor Simon Wessely.
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/852/161/
Leading Parliamentary advocate for people with ME/CFS, the Countess of Mar, made another impassioned plea for the cause – during the Lords’ second reading debate on the Welfare Reform Bill this evening (Wednesday, 29 April 2009).
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/853/161/
Have you tried an elimination diet? If you have fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), you should.
Why? Because a lot of us have food allergies or sensitivities that make our symptoms worse, or may even be the cause of many symptoms we blame on FMS or ME/CFS. In fact, undiagnosed food intolerances may even contribute to the onset of these conditions.
The next edition of The ME Association’s quarterly ME Essential magazine was being posted out to today (Tuesday May 6). It will contain 48 pages packed full of news, medical and research items, features and gives more details about the ‘Just Four Quid’ campaign – a big surprise for ME Awareness Day!
http://www.meassociation.org.uk
Five Things You Should Know About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
http://blog.su-spectator.com/2009/05/five-things-you-should-know-about-cfs/
TORONTO—New research from Canada found taking a daily supplement of probiotics reduced anxiety symptoms for chronic fatigue sufferers. In the pilot study (Gut Pathog. 2009;1(1):6), 39 chronic fatigue patients were randomized to receive either the probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota or a placebo daily for two months. Results showed a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among those taking the probiotic versus the placebo (P=0.01). They found 73 percent of subjects taking the probiotic experienced increased levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in the gut, which corresponded with a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms.
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/hotnews/study–probiotics-curb-anxiety.html
To The Editor: May 12 is International Awareness Day for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome.
I’m writing to call attention to the fact WHO, NIH and CDC&P do not acknowledge its existence, but wrote it off as a mental illness or injury of the brain (encephalomyopathy) rather than an autoimmune disease.
SMITHFIELD — Sharon Chadbourne counts her blessings these days, despite the fact that she cannot leave her home without wearing a mask to cover her nose and mouth.
Chadbourne, 61, suffers from multiple-chemical sensitivity (MCS) syndrome, a condition that radically constricts her breathing if she is exposed to household chemicals, fragrances or fumes.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6161024.html
Some days, I just don’t have the energy to do much of anything. Those aren’t my favorite days by any means, but in some ways they’re the simplest to deal with – just lay on the couch and take it easy. On days when I do have more energy, I have other things to contend with.
We now shop, network, fact-find and even seek soulmates online. So it’s little surprise that, at the first mysterious twinge in the chest or shortness of breath, we self-diagnose by Googling our symptoms. A 2008 study by Microsoft in the US found that roughly two per cent of all web queries were health-related, and a quarter of the participants engaged in at least one medical search during the study.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/4986309/Online-self-diagnosis-leads-surfers-to-fear-the-worst.html
BiomagScience, a leading development company in magnetic research therapy spanning 30 years believes that health conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus or even Fibromyalgia are directly linked to abnormally low-powered electricity in the cells of the body.
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=80356&cat=1
Fibromyalgia and lupus are very similar-seeming illnesses that frequently go together. They share many of the same symptoms (pain, fatigue, brain fog), they’re both marked by flare-ups and remissions, and they’re both hard to diagnose. They’re each frequently diagnosed as the other, and lupus appears to make you predisposed to fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia, however, doesn’t seem to increase your odds of getting lupus.
http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2008/11/20/when-you-have-fibromyalgia-lupus.htm
Participants with chronic fatigue syndrome were categorized into subtypes based on actigraphy and illness self report symptom severity data. [Actigraphy is a measure of activity level determined by a small monitor worn on the waist that collects and compiles data on the subject’s movement and movement intensity. The illness self report data were collected in a battery of questionnaires.]
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=14441
Lexington, KY – Stress, regardless of the severity or duration, is a reality no one can escape. We live in a time when we are working harder, eating unhealthier diets, exercising less, taking more prescription drugs, and sleeping less than at any other point in history. Influencing and further exacerbating this dismal picture are the worsening economic recession, fear of terrorism, the shrinking job market, and the increasing cost of and decreasing access to health care. Have you ever considered the effect of stress on your health? If you haven’t, then this article is going to provide you with some very sobering information.
http://www.bizlex.com/Articles-c-2009-03-31-85989.113117_Stop_stress_before_it_stops_you.html
Patients with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome may be missing out on treatment and support because of a lack of understanding of their condition, researchers from Norfolk have found.
Patients, health professionals and others interested in the conditions will be attending an event at Norwich Sportspark tomorrow where they will hear about the findings so far and asked for their ideas about how the findings can be of most use to patients.
Effective treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) relies on a correct classification of so called ‘fluctuating active’ versus ‘passive’ patients. For successful treatment with CBT is it especially important to recognise the passive patients and give them a tailored treatment protocol.
INDIANAPOLIS – Compassion fatigue in nurses, doctors and other front line cancer-care providers significantly impacts how they interact with patients, with patient families, with other healthcare workers, and with their own family, according to analysis by Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute researchers published in the March issue of the Journal of Health Psychology.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/iu-cfi040109.php
Much has been said about the global energy crisis, and a great deal of money, time and talent is being directed at the world’s need for more energy.
Less appreciated, however, is the fact that on a personal level most of us are also battling with our own energy crises.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090401/news/news5.html
In a world where most people function on a shortage of sleep, chronic fatigue syndrome is the Rodney Dangerfield of diseases — it gets no respect. And in Canada, it gets little or no money.
http://www.canada.com/health/Chronic+fatigue+sufferers+largely+ignored/1452610/story.html
SUFFERERS of ME and their carers can find out about the latest research into the debilitating illness at a special event in Burgess Hill.
Hurstpierpoint based charity reMEmber is hosting the event on Saturday May 9 in the Sheldrake Suite, Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill, starting at 2.30pm.
http://www.ryeandbattleobserver.co.uk/mid-sussex-news/Help-for-ME-sufferers.5226867.jp
Lupus:
Chronic condition still a mystery
Their stories on lupus couldn’t be more different.
Robin Sanzi knew from the start that something was terribly wrong.
The sudden pain and swelling in her hands and wrists were so bad that she couldn’t zip her pants or open a bottle of water. “Something wasn’t right,” she recalled.
Tests were done, and when the results came back a little askew, Sanzi was off to a specialist. The diagnosis was fairly quick in coming: Sanzi had lupus.
http://behealthy.baystatebanner.com/issues/2009/0402/stories/040209001.html