LIVING WITH ME

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Pacing is hard for anyone with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and a new study shows that teenagers with the condition really need to learn how to do it.

Researchers looked at two groups of teenagers 6 months after they’d come down with mononucleosis (the “kissing disease,” caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.)  The kids with ME/CFS were just as active as those who’d fully recovered, in spite of the severe symptoms and fatigue caused by their activity level.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/09/18/need-for-pacing-in-teens-with-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

The makers of the immune-modulating-drug Ampligen, Hemispherx Biopharma Inc., presented new data Sept. 8 at the first International Workshop on XMRV suggesting that the drug works differently in chronic fatigue syndrome patients depending on their XMRV status.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/09/20/ampligen-for-xmrv-positive-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm

For the past few years, researchers have been tantalized by reports linking a new retrovirus to some cases of prostate cancer and, more recently—and more controversially—the mysterious illness chronic fatigue syndrome. With the excitement over discovering a possible new cause for these diseases, however, has come skepticism, as some groups have found scarcely a trace of the novel virus, called XMRV.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/329/5998/1454

BOSTON — Within a year, the debate over whether a mouse virus causes chronic fatigue syndrome is likely to be settled, a prominent researcher told MedPage Today in an exclusive InFocus video interview here at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Two teams have now claimed to have isolated sequences from murine leukemia viruses, including XMRV, from most patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, but several other research groups have been unable to confirm the findings.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ICAAC/22166

(ARA) – If it seems like it’s just harder to roll out of bed every morning when the temperature drops and sunrise comes later, you’re not imagining things – and you’re not alone. Whether they have chronic fatigue, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or an old-fashioned case of the seasonal blues, many people experience fatigue when seasons change and the weather cools.

http://www.crestonnewsadvertiser.com/articles/ara/2010/09/13/8034710404/index.xml

Prolonged and severe tiredness over months that does not go away with rest is not something to brush off – it could be chronic fatigue syndrome.

WE all know that women have dual roles – in the economic workforce, as well as in the domestic setting.

While this has been a known fact for centuries, it has taken a while for the world to acknowledge and reward women’s contributions on an equal scale with men.

http://thestar.com.my/health/story.asp?file=/2010/9/12/health/6995043&sec=health

A LOT of people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome struggle to describe their condition or its symptoms. I don’t have that problem.

It’s a relatively simple equation, it just needs a bit of imagination.

Think back to the worst hangover you’ve ever had.

The one when you get home at 4.30am, barely able to stand and then your alarm goes off seemingly before your head even hits the pillow to tell you the hardest working day of your life is about to begin.

http://www.couriermail.com.au

How long have you had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome? Are you a newbie or a seasoned veteran? Take the poll!

Some of us were sick for a long time before we were diagnosed. What did it take for you to get a diagnosis?

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Because it is something of a mystery disease that can show itself as a bewildering array of other conditions, you could have Leaky Gut Syndrome and not even realize it.

The reason is that Leaky Gut Syndrome is one of the many concepts in medicine that cuts across the boundary lines of specific diseases.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Teenagers with chronic fatigue syndrome may push themselves too hard, which contributes to ongoing fatigue, claim the authors of a new study.

http://www.latimes.com/

Adolescents who do not recover from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) continue to experience extreme fatigue, to use medical services at a high rate, and to miss school and work; and, those who attempt to keep up with their healthy peers experience greater fatigue and need for sleep, according to two articles published in the September issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

http://www.modernmedicine.com

Indicative of a possible viral infection, they are similar to those previously identified in adults with the condition.
Samples taken from youngsters contained higher than normal levels of free radicals, molecules which can damage cells, tissues and organs via a process called oxidative stress. Also, a much greater number of neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cells, were found to be at the end of their life cycle. The high turnover of neutrophils indicates the body’s need to fight infection.

http://www.physorg.com/

Cerus has struggled for years to convince regulators that its technology for ridding the nation’s blood supply of pathogens deserves a chance on the U.S. market. Now the Concord, CA-based biotech company is pinning some renewed hope for its business on a study that says it can wipe out a newly discovered virus that some scientists suspect may the culprit behind the poorly understood disease known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

http://www.xconomy.com/

Brain fog does strange things to those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. While mine has improved significantly, I still struggle with a few aspects of it.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

As I sit here looking at my baby toe, my thoughts turn to acupuncture and how I love it. It has been a valuable companion on my return journey from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Case in point. I stubbed that toe big-time last Wednesday. It became a purple, glowering blob and I figured I was in for a very bad time.

Fortunately, my next acupuncture visit was the following day. While my naturopath Dr. Kelly Upcott did not jab needles into my ailing toe, she would have if she’d seen it sooner.

http://www.empowher.com

JADED, miserable, aching, terrified — for thousands of sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it seems their bodies have turned savagely on them.

And there is little hope. Some doctors will treat CFS as a cover story for deep depression, or simple malingering.

Now a psychologist has come up with a treatment she says cured her CFS — a combination of nutrition, medical treatment, de-stressing and self-help.

http://www.herald.ie

Do you think fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome can be cured? Certainly, some people who used to be seriously disabled from them are now living symptom free. Some say they’re cured, while others say they’re in remission.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/

For those who are seeking an effective CFS aid this scalar energy pendant may be an effective chronic fatigue solution, using an energy pendant without suffering any side effects may just be the answer they are looking for.

http://www.release-news.com/

Unrefreshing sleep is one of the common features of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome — no matter how much we sleep, we don’t feel rested.

However, each of us has our own set of sleep problems, and the amount of hours we spend asleep varies greatly. Some of us (me included) are insomniacs and lay awake most of the night, while others can do little besides sleep.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

A group led by researchers from the US Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health has used nested PCR assays to detect gene sequences from a virus related to murine leukemia virus in patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a disorder that has no known cause or cure, according to a recently published paper.

http://www.genomeweb.com

Do you find yourself dripping with sweat at odd times, for no apparent reason? This is one of those bizarre, confusing symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome that you don’t see on those inadequate little symptoms lists. Doctors and researchers don’t really bother themselves with it because we have so many bigger problems, but when you have to deal with this every day it can have a big impact on your life.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Most, if not all, of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome have to live with symptoms of dysautonomia, which is dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. I recently took a poll on which dysautonomia symptoms are the most bothersome, and it got an unprecedented response.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/

New Zealanders with myalgic encephalopathy (ME) — commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome — are looking at studies in the United States that show a possible link between the illness and a retrovirus.

http://www.voxy.co.nz

Patients with ME will no longer be able to donate blood in the UK under new safety guidelines.

Officials say the ban, starting on 1 November, is designed to protect the health of people with ME – also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

But the ME Association says the move is motivated by concerns that the illness may be caused by a virus similar to HIV that can be passed on via blood.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2308

This MEA summary is intended to be a factual and balanced account of the current situation. It follows the story of retroviral infection (ie XMRV and MLVs) in ME/CFS over the past year and tries to answer all the common questions that are being raised.

The summary is very cautious when it comes to drawing any firm conclusions about the role of retroviral infection in ME/CFS – as either a diagnostic marker, causative agent, or abnormality that requires treatment with antiviral medication.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2240

The discovery of a potential retroviral link to ME/CFS, which is estimated to affect some 17 million people worldwide, has certainly caught the world’s attention — no bad thing for an under-researched and often-overlooked illness! The scientific report, entitled “Detection of infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in the blood cells of CFS patients”, appeared online in Science, one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world, on 8th October 2009 and described the findings of a consortium of researchers from the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI, located at the University of Nevada, Reno), the National Cancer Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health) and the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

http://www.meresearch.org.uk

We are receiving a growing number of enquiries from people with ME/CFS who are having difficulties when trying to take out a new life insurance policy.

In some cases, the insurance company is no longer willing to cover people with ME/CFS. In other cases, the insurer is only willing to do so if the payments are loaded.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2290

ME Research UK publishes its own magazine Breakthrough approximately twice a year, featuring updates on projects funded by the charity, recent research from around the world, information about Friends’ fundraising activities, and other articles on ME/CFS issues.

http://www.meresearch.org.uk/

Work on a study which is exploring the possibility of setting up a UK post-mortem tissue bank for ME/CFS is covered in a short report in this week’s Journal of Clinical Pathology. The ME Association is co-funding the study.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2263

Action for M.E. submission to the WCA call for evidence.

On 12 August 2010, Action for M.E. launched a public survey to find out how people with M.E. would like us to respond to two major Government consultations relating to benefits.

http://www.afme.org.uk/news.asp?newsid=931

The board of NHS Highland has agreed to end future support for homeopathic treatment for its patients.

Director of public health Dr Margaret Somerville told the board there was “no evidence” that the remedies work.

Patients presently receiving homeopathic treatment will be allowed to continue in the meantime.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2232

Publication of research by Dr Gwen Kennedy and her team at the University of Dundee offers further indications that M.E. has a pathology that now needs some serious resources to be made available for much larger scale research.

The study, published in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found abnormalities in the white blood cells of children with M.E., suggesting they had been fighting off infection.

http://www.afme.org.uk/news.asp?newsid=925

From 1 November 2010, people with Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) will be permanently deferred from giving blood in the UK.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2330

Letter to the paper from Rebecca Sultana, Nicola K Reiss and Beatrice Gatt (ME Sufferers Malta).

ME patients need government support

Following recent research that links Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) to a retrovirus called XMRV and the indefinite blood ban on people with a history of this chronic neurological disease, ME Sufferers Malta calls on the government to provide appropriate education and training of health care professionals.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2179

From The Times of Malta, Comment section, 1 October 2020 (Written by Michael Briguglio, chairman of Malta’s Green Party)

What makes one’s condition a disability? Notwithstanding the natural causes of a disability, one has to look at the social context surrounding such a condition. For example, the public transport system would exclude “disabled” people if the buses were not purposely designed.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2143

NHS Scotland has published the Scottish Good Practice Statement on its website, with extensive revisions in the light of patient comment following professional peer review.

http://www.afme.org.uk/news.asp?newsid=918

From BBC News, 1 October 2010

New rules aimed at banning discrimination by employers, covering areas such as age, disability and pay, have come into force.

The Equality Act covers many workplace areas and draws nine separate pieces of legislation into a single Act.

Equalities Minister Theresa May says it will now be easier for firms to comply with anti-discrimination rules.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2107

Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services Department, has invited Sir Peter Spencer to meet him in October, to discuss the recommendations made in our election manifesto for M.E.

The manifesto, which was produced in consultation with people with M.E., highlighted priorities in health, welfare, research, employment, social care, education and the interests of carers.

http://www.afme.org.uk/news.asp?newsid=911

From Access Legal, the website of Shoosmiths Solicitors, 1 October 2010 (Story by Stephanie Tracey).
Chronic fatigue syndrome – or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – has long been the subject of controversy in the medical world.

Labelled ‘yuppie flu’ in the 1980s, for many years even its very existence was challenged by medical practitioners.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/?p=2134

I’m recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and for me it’s been a naturopathic process all the way. Treatment for the last three and a half years with Dr. Kelly Upcott, ND has been slowly bringing me home.

http://www.empowher.com

Vitamin D is one of the most frequently recommended supplements for people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and with good reason. But is your supplement doing enough for you?

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

As someone who is at the end of a 16-month process of claiming employment support allowance (ESA), Melissa Viney’s recent Cif article about draconian incapacity benefits tests, and how they are failing the sick, really spoke to me. I’ve had ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) since 2007, and in April 2009 reluctantly ceased my work as an illustrator due to increasing symptoms.

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Temperature sensitivity, changing barometric pressure, low light levels, varying routines … whatever you blame it on, it’s rare to find someone with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome  who doesn’t see a seasonal flux in symptoms. Sometimes it’s severity that changes, while other times it’s just different symptoms for different seasons.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

The treatment and diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) could be revolutionised by the results of a recent study.

This is according to Dr Neil Abbot, operations director of ME Research UK.

ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, is sometimes diagnosed as post-viral fatigue syndrome.

http://www.privatehealth.co.uk

Do Epsom-salt baths ease the pains of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome? They’re a common home remedy, but do Epsom salts really do anything? And if so, how?

I take Epsom-salt baths frequently and I believe they’re more effective than a hot bath without them. However, that’s not something I can prove or quantitatively measure.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

After years of research, the link between Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and exposure to a virus  may finally be solidifying. A certain retrovirus appears to be present in extremely large numbers of people diagnosed with CFS, compared with control groups. While this does not mean that the virus actually causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, finding a correlation is a significant step forward.

http://www.expressnightout.com

When it comes to chronic fatigue syndrome, researchers are starting to ask: What’s the role of the virus known as “X”?

One of the confounding aspects of Monday’s PNAS paper that reported finding a family of retroviruses in CFS patients was that none of the viruses appeared to be XMRV, which many scientists have shortened to simply X. (The commentary accompanying the paper inspired this post’s title.)

http://blogs.wsj.com

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) — Another study has found evidence that a mouse virus may play a role in chronic fatigue syndrome, a poorly understood disorder that causes incapacitating exhaustion and malaise.

Using blood samples collected in the mid-1990s from chronic fatigue sufferers from the New England area, researchers found evidence of gene sequences for murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related virus in the blood of 32 of 37 patients, or 86.5 percent.

http://www.businessweek.com

SCIENTISTS have found further links between a virus and chronic fatigue syndrome, a study published this week says.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and Harvard Medical School analysed blood samples that had been collected 15 years ago from 37 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Of the subjects, 32 – or 86.5 per cent – tested positive for the murine leukaemia virus-related virus, the researchers found. In contrast, tests on 44 healthy blood donors detected evidence of the virus in only three of the subjects, or 6.8 per cent.

http://www.smh.com.au

Despite extensive research, no reliable biological marker for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has yet been identified. However, hyperactivation of melanotrophs in the pituitary gland and increased levels of plasma alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) have recently been detected in an animal model of chronic stress.

http://7thspace.com

Researchers said they had identified a family of retroviruses in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, opening up a potentially promising new avenue of treatment for a debilitating disease that afflicts as many as four million Americans and 17 million people world-wide.

The finding will likely spur patients with the condition to seek treatment with drugs used to fight HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Although HIV and the newly identified virus group are different, they are both retroviruses.

http://online.wsj.com

Fresh evidence linking chronic fatigue syndrome to a family of mouse viruses was reported in a U.S. government study that has spurred new debate over how to treat the disease.

Almost 90 percent of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome showed signs of infection with a group of mouse leukemia viruses in the study, raising more questions about the cause of the debilitating condition. The results suggest antiviral drugs, including Merck & Co.’s Isentress and Gilead Sciences Inc.’s Viread, should be tested for the condition, French researchers said in an accompanying editorial.

http://www.businessweek.com

NEEDHAM, Mass., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National CFIDS Foundation Inc., of Needham Mass, has announced its formal disease model for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) also known as Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) as well as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). According to the NCF, a subgroup of patients with CFS fit a unique disease profile based on a model for a radioactive toxin.

Since starting its formal research grant program, the NCF has provided one million dollars in grant funding to pursue its own directed research to study ciguatera toxicology; a critical immune protein known as STAT-1; and myelodysplasia as well as myeloid leukemia — all of which have been identified in the patient subgroup.

http://www.prnewswire.com

The Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS (SGPS) was published on Wednesday September 1 on the Scottish Health Department’s website, Scottish Health On the Web as three downloadable documents.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug 19, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. /quotes/comstock/15*!chtp/quotes/nls/chtp  (CHTP  3.99, -0.08, -1.97%)  announced that a new investigator-led phase II clinical study of Droxidopa, an oral synthetic precursor of norepinephrine, has been initiated in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

CFS is a complex and crippling disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that is not improved by rest. In addition to fatigue, patients with CFS experience symptoms, similar to that of fibromyalgia including, weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and concentration. Droxidopa has been shown to improve symptoms of fatigue, weakness and concentration in neurogenic orthostatic hypotension associated with a variety of conditions including Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy and pure autonomic failure. Droxidopa is also being studied in an ongoing Phase II trial in fibromyalgia where, during an interim analysis, an independent data monitoring committee saw meaningful efficacy in multiple treatment arms.

http://www.marketwatch.com

This is a new short documentary  film (in two parts) about Laura Fursland, a promising young music student who developed ME following an episode of glandular fever, with complications, at the age of 18.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

XMRV NEWSBRIEF: Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) scientists, who were behind the first study linking the retrovirus XMRV to chronic fatigue syndrome, now say they’ll be publishing new findings by the end of the year.

In an interview with The Reno Gazette-Journal, Dr. Judy Mikovitz said her team can now tell what damage XMRV is doing to an immune system. “So we could have a diagnostic test to follow clinical treatment,” she said, “and show that people’s immune systems go back to normal. That’s the latest data that’s really amazing. That’s what we’re after.”

http://chronicfatigue.about.com/

On 4 August 2010 The ME Association and The Young ME Sufferers Trust (Tymes Trust) issued a joint statement that expressed a number of concerns about the proposal to carry out a feasibility study, involving children and adolescents with ME/CFS, into the use of the Lightning Process.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

Is the science of diagnosing pain causing a number of pain sufferers to defend their honor? Research out of the University of Cincinnati is examining the diagnosis of pain that evades scientific testing, and the additional emotional suffering that can result for the patient.

http://www.physorg.com

The number of youngsters diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome in Cambridgeshire has almost doubled in five years, new figures reveal.

Ninety children between the age of 5 and 17 are currently receiving treatment and support for the debilitating illness compared to just 50 in 2004, when a special unit was set up to help young sufferers.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk

Former Olympian Roger Black now runs a successful motivational speaking and consultancy company from his base in Guildford, Surrey.

But looking back on his glittering career, it’s extraordinary to learn that right at its peak he suffered from a common and debilitating condition – the Epstein-Barr virus.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

RESEARCH is proving the old saying “you are what you eat” to be true.

A FEW years ago, James Colquhoun’s father Roy was in a very bad place, physically and mentally.

Suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, depression and persistent flu-like symptoms, Roy Colquhoun was on a cocktail of prescription drugs, eating poorly and mostly couldn’t get out of bed.

So James, a Sunshine Coast filmmaker, decided to launch an intervention, virtually forcing his father to begin exercising, start eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables and take vitamin supplements.

http://www.news.com.au/

To the common person, a lot of noise can possibly cause a headache and irritability. When you have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, loud, repetitive, grating or otherwise annoying sounds can cause a whole host of symptoms.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

The ME Association has issued the following commentary on the latest paper to be published on retroviral links with ME/CFS:

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

Having Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) can be a very isolating and lonely experience. ME/CFS Victoria is able to link people with ME/CFS into support groups that run throughout Victoria.

Support groups people with ME/CFS operate across metropolitan Melbourne and country Victoria. Some support groups offer an annual program of guest speakers for participants, while others have a more social focus.

http://www.healthnews.infoxchange.net.au

When you have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, pain can hit anywhere, at any intensity, for any length of time. Sometimes you can foresee that a certain thing will trigger a certain pain, but it’s largely unpredictable.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

In response to the announcement that an independent review of the WCA (a key part of the Employment and Support Allowance) was to take place, The ME Association has prepared this submission.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

The ME Association and WAMES (the Welsh Association for ME and CFS Support) will be teaming up at an ‘ME Question Time’ in Cardiff on Saturday, October 23.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

YORKSHIRE batsman Joe Sayers is suffering from an illness that left him so tired he could barely walk up a flight of stairs.Sayers has been diagnosed with Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS) – a condition linked with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and ME.

http://www.meassociation.org.uk

Fatigue has today become a major part of everyone’s stressful life. Whether one suffers from a common cold, or a severe cancer, fatigue is accompanied with all kinds of physical and mental ailments. For instance, disorders like hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, thyroid problems, anemia, anxiety, and depression, have an unavoidable symptom of fatigue. Plus, it can also be seen as a side-effect of many drugs.

http://topnews.co.uk/

In this age of high-speed and high-stress lifestyles, fatigue is a common complaint. Fatigue is a symptom of everything from the common cold to cancer. It’s a symptom of hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease, tuberculosis, thyroid problems, anemia, anxiety, depression, and many others. And it could be a side effect of some of the medications used to treat these conditions.

http://www.mb.com.ph

One of the many things that’s blamed for symptoms of fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), especially pain and mood symptoms, is an over-excited brain. In studies, FMS and ME/CFS brain scans light up like crazy in the areas that deal with pain and emotion. It’s a bit ironic that those of us with the least energy are actually hyperactive in certain small areas.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

It’s pretty common to see the “syndrome” left off of chronic fatigue syndrome  — it’s a long term, so that’s understandable — but it’s important to watch out for websites that intentionally use the confusion between “chronic fatigue” and “chronic fatigue syndrome” to take advantage of you.

Chronic fatigue, the symptom, is a really common thing.  Its causes include cancer, multiple sclerosis, just about any other disease, sleep disorders, high stress levels, shift work, a lumpy mattress or staying up too late on a regular basis.  These people may be tired all the time, but they don’t have the wide-ranging symptoms and dysfunctions of chronic fatigue syndrome. “I’m tired all the time” is one of the most common complaints doctors get, from sick and healthy patients alike.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

We all know that carrots are good for our eyes, but they’ve got a lot more going on than that. Carrots can do a lot of the things those of us with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) need.

Carrots contain substances called carotenoids — in fact, they’re the single best source of them. Carotenoids fight cancer and reduce your risk of heart disease, and while this is controversial, some doctors believe ME/CFS increases your risk of both. It’s also worth noting that XMRV, the retrovirus tentatively linked to ME/CFS, may be tied to a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

The American Association of Blood Banks  (AABB), an international, not-for-profit association representing individuals and institutions involved in the field of transfusion medicine and cellular therapies, is recommending that blood collectors discourage donors who have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) from giving blood.

http://www.sleepreviewmag.com

A MAN was sacked from his factory job after he refused an eight-week back to work plan, an employment tribunal has heard.

William David Astbury, 52, of Connah’s Quay, is suing Flint-based Nice-Pak International for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination after he contracted chronic fatigue syndrome in April 2008.

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk

Cher’s ordeal at the hands of the Epstein-Barr Virus has been well-documented over the years, and the pop diva has never kept her condition a secret.

In 1992, Cher took some time off from her career and it was widely reported that the virus was responsible. “My experience was it was really a physical illness but it does make you depressed as well,” she told the BBC. “It’s a virus you have it’s called Epstein Barr virus and the disease it gives you is chronic fatigue.”

http://www.celebrities-with-diseases.com

OK, so it makes your breath bad — that’s a small price to pay for a food that reduces inflammation, kills nasty bugs in your system, and tastes great on toast.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

The charity Coeliac UK says there’s widespread misdiagnosis of the condition. It carried out a survey of more than 1,600 of its members and found that nearly 60% of them had previously been incorrectly diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) instead of being tested and diagnosed with coeliac disease.

The charity says one in 100 people in the UK have coeliac disease, an auto-immune condition caused by gluten intolerance.  Left untreated by the diet it can lead to osteoporosis, infertility and bowel cancer.

http://www.webmd.boots.com

Virtual constellations of blogs and websites revolve like satellites around the weight and gravity of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Each of these sites is a thing of beauty and value, representing a world unto itself.

It would be impossible to highlight all of them but I’ve selected a few for you to explore.

Some action in the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ghetto has gotten us craning our necks on our cots these days. Or … there might be some action.

http://www.empowher.com

This study investigates the response of the underlying sleep disorder associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) to treatment. We retrospectively reviewed 118 cases clinically consistent with CFS or FM, treated in a neurology practice.

http://www.prohealth.com

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM) are chronic conditions that affect every aspect of every day for the sufferer. Bruce Campbell recommends the 1% Solution.

While the 1% Solution will not cure CFS or FM, Campbell’s suggestions can become significant factors in making life more manageable. Here are a few of those suggestions.

Taking regular rest breaks can increase stability and restore energy levels somewhat. If you can be in contact with other people also dealing with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or fibromyalgia, this can help to reduce the sense of isolation, and increase a sense of community and belonging that has been sorely lacking for many.

http://www.empowher.com

While researchers have yet to pin down the exact causes and mechanisms involved in chronic fatigue syndrome, most of them are now agree that the condition involves significant problems with the immune system, and that immune dysfunction leads to many of the characteristic symptoms.

The immune system is complex, and research can be hard to understand. To help you get a better handle on what some of the terminology means, here are definitions of 15 immunological terms related to chronic fatigue syndrome:

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Health care is expensive. It can be hard enough to pay for the multi-pronged care those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome  typically need even if you’re able to work and have good insurance. What happens if you’re underinsured, uninsured or unemployed?  Those are questions I’m being asked more and more.

I wish there was an easy answer, but there’s just not. There are, however, ways you can save money on health care, and there are places to turn for help. I’ve compiled these resources from around the About.com Health network

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Are you staying cool and hydrated during this hot weather? Those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome should take extra precautions to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion/heat stroke.

Most of us have some form of temperature sensitivity, which can mean that we get overheated easily and our bodies just won’t cool down like they should.  That’s believed to be because of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, or dysautonomia.  The autonomic nervous system controls homeostasis — things like temperature regulation, heart rate, blood pressure, and physical responses to stress.  Sure seems to fit, doesn’t it?

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Problem statement: Several investigators have indicated that case definitions for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are characterized by vaguely worded criteria that lack operational definitions and guidelines. The most widely used CFS case definition is the Fukuda et al. criteria, which uses polythetic criteria (i.e., patients are only required to have four out of a possible eight symptoms).

http://www.prohealth.com

Q: I’ve seen claims that people who went on a gluten-free diet have lost all symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Is this possible? What’s going on?

A: This is definitely a topic that’s coming up a lot. So far, we don’t have enough research to know for sure what’s happening in these cases. I suspect we’ve got a few things happening:

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Still reeling from the retirements of Libby Trickett and Jodie Henry, the Dolphins are now getting their head around Campbell pulling out of August’s Pan Pacs and October’s Commonwealth Games.

Campbell, 18, had been due to tune up for the year’s two biggest meets at this week’s national short course titles in Brisbane.

Instead, Campbell is unsure when she will return to full training again due to a “mild form” of chronic fatigue syndrome.

However, a stoic Campbell described it as a “hiccup” ahead of her hurriedly reassessed goal – the 2012 London Olympics.

http://news.smh.com.au

Researchers have been exploring to the depths of science possible for the last 25 years trying to find out what causes and how to treat chronic fatigue syndrome  (CFS). While many discoveries have led to identification of body-wide effects of CFS beyond fatigue, there is still no known cause or method of treatment for CFS as a whole.

http://www.empowher.com

Caffeine is such an ingrained part of most people’s daily life that we often don’t realize how much we’re getting. If you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, it’s definitely something to think about.

We like caffeine because it gives us energy, and who needs energy more than we do? The problem with it, though, is that after the initial burst, it can make you feel worse. That’s true for everybody, but even more so for many of us — it artificially speeds up an energy-depleted body that may not be able to tolerate an increase in activity, and that can put you at risk for a symptom flare. It’s like an energy credit card with a really high interest rate.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, citing a need to re-evaluate their data, have delayed publication of a new study believed to provide evidence of a link between chronic fatigue syndrome and a little-known retrovirus.

The study, already peer-reviewed, was supposed to appear in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The delay has sparked an outcry on blogs and social networking sites among chronic fatigue patients, who are desperate for answers about their debilitating illness and fear that important scientific data are being suppressed.

http://www.nytimes.com

Researchers believe they’ve discovered the way herpes viruses invade cells — something that had long remained a mystery. The new study, published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, provides what they say is a detailed map of the herpes virus “cell-entry machinery.” Researchers believe this finding could lead to new antiviral drugs that are effective against the family of viruses.

http://chronicfatigue.about.com

When the University of Nevada, Reno’s $77 million Center for Molecular Medicine opens in September, it will house 40,000 mice and state-of-the-art laboratories to conduct research into possible cures for muscular dystrophy, breast cancer, stroke, herpes and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other illnesses.

The 116,500-square-feet structure will allow the university to expand its research and generate more federal grants, said Thomas Kozel, a professor of microbiology and immunology and the center’s project manager for the School of Medicine.

http://www.rgj.com

7-July-2010 — Applied Kinesiology Center is pleased to announce that Austin Chiropractor, Dr. Kieran Kuykendall, has helped hundreds of locals find relief from chronic fatigue syndrome without using drugs. Chronic fatigue syndrome is difficult to identify and even harder to determine the best method of dealing with. Modern medicine chooses to take a symptomatic approach and use a variety of medications to provide relief from symptoms. Dr. Kuykendall’s wellness approach works to provide long lasting relief from the condition without all those medications.

http://www.officialwire.com