Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — A disease long dismissed as nonexistent turns out to be all too real.

image from about chronic fatigue syndrome

Funding for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research should be increased.

We need to heed the lesson of the CFS debacle: A disease long dismissed as nonexistent or “all in the head” turns out to be all too real, a multi-organ system ailment and far more common than the CDC estimated.

—————

About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Every one of us gets tired. But when people feel devoid of energy as unplugged from their power supply, this might be the sign of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The early sign is a strong and noticeable fatigue that comes on suddenly and never stops. It feels like having gone without rest, even after getting a full night’s sleep.

Inability to concentrate, muscle weakness, joint aches, cognitive impairment, ongoing headaches of varying degrees are chronic fatigue symptoms that persist during six or more consecutive months of illness.

————–

New Study: Genes In Blood May Link Chronic Fatigue Syndrome To Mononucleosis

New Study: Genes In Blood May Link Chronic Fatigue Syndrome To Mononucleosis

This is great news for anyone suffering with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Once doctors are able to see a specific cause of this disease, they will not be able to deny the existence of CFS, they will not be able to say our symptoms are due to depression or anxiety. This could also lead to an actual diagnostic test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which would also validate this disease as more than just a diagnosis of exclusion. Even better news would be if this new information could lead to better treatment.

A Recap — Some of my favorite posts from “Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”.

Click on the links above the pictures to see original post.

I am so tired, please see me through eyes of compassion.

You may not be able to see it, but I am suffering; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a silent disease, that is gradually stealing my life from me.
—————————————————————————————–

Where In The World Did My Memory Go?

————————————————————————————-

What Should You Do If You Think You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

—————————————————————————————

Helpful Information From The CDC — For family, friends, and physicians of patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

——————————————————————————————

The Campaign For A Fair Name For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

————————————————————————————-

Living With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — It’s Not Easy…To Be…Me

—————————————————————————————

Redefining Yourself From Healthy and Successful, To Successfully Living With Chronic Illness

————————————————————————————

Coping With Loneliness When You Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

————————————————————————————–

I Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — But I Won’t Be Silent Anymore

———————————————————————————-

One Lesson From A Decade of Fighting Chronic Illness

—————————————————————————————

People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Don’t Want Your Sympathy, They Want Your Empathy

———————————————————————————-

Chronic Illness and Depression — What Came First?

—————————————————————————————

Finding Empowerment Through Adversity

—————————————————————————————-

Living In The Shadow of Myself

Life in general is very unpredictable and ever changing, not just for those of us that are sick. We need to face our lives in the most positive way we can, even with our medical obstacles. I’m not saying it will be easy, it will actually be very difficult. But we grow with our struggles. And there will come a point in each of our lives when we will look back, and realize that we are not defined by our illness, but by the person we have become to spite it. There is a good chance that many of us will never do what we thought we would do with our lives, that we might not become the person we thought we would become. But, this doesn’t have to be a tragedy. You may actually become someone you never dreamed you could be, and do things you never dreamed you could do. There are a lot of successful people that also suffer with chronic illness, and there is no reason why you can’t be one of them. Again, take your life one day at a time…it’s not a race.

One thing I will never do is give up hope. Not just that I get well someday, although I do hope and pray for that. What I refuse to give up hope about, is that I am here for a purpose. I will never give up hope that I will one day see the blessing, and see the purpose, in what I now can only see as suffering. I believe in my heart that we are all here for a very important reason, it’s just that many of us aren’t quite sure what that reason is, and that’s okay. We just can’t give up hope that one day we will see the light, and it will all make complete sense to us….on my dark and sad days, that is what I try to remember.

———————————————————————————————