Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome --
CFIDS
WHAT IS CFIDS/CFS?
CFIDS/CFS is an illness believed to be a failure of the immune system to down-regulate
itself after an infection. It doesn't matter what caused the initial infection -- antibiotics won't help cure it. Many PWCs (Person with CFIDS/CFS) became ill after root canals, bronchitis, flu, or surgery.
When the immune system kicked in to help the person get better, it never shut off,
leaving its victims with constant fatigue and a variety of other maladies. After going from doctor to doctor to find out what's wrong with them, PWC's begin to wonder if it's all in their heads. It's not. You just have to find the right physician who understands and can help you. Please don't feel you're not sick -- you are. And it's not called the "Yuppie Flu" anymore -- anyone from any background can get it, not just "yuppies."
Visit the Hitchcock Bookstore
today!!
What Works For Me
When I got CFS over 10 years ago, I was a mess. Over the years, I've found a combination of supplements, plus Synthroid (I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in 1998) that work for me. Remember, every PWC is different, so what works for me may not work for you.
But here's what I take - and *always* consult your doctor before taking any of these!
200mg Co-Enzyme Q10
500mg Vitamin C
200mcg Chromium Picolinate
500mg L-Lysine
.075mg Synthroid
I also have switched to a high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat diet. I have lost 20 pounds so far and feel much better than I did before, so I think this helped me tremendously with my CFS. However, I do still have to take naps when I overdo (which happens more often than not - when I feel really good, I do way too much, LOL).
Who gets CFIDS/CFS?
Unfortunately, women seem to be the ones most often diagnosed with it, twice as many as
men, and the majority are in their 20's and 30's. A theory is that many men with CFIDS/CFS
don't step forward because they're embarassed.
Read an article about CFIDS by Jayne Hitchcock at Listening to CFIDS. This article is about
Jayne's personal experience with CFS -- she has it.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF
CFIDS/CFS?
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has an official list of symptoms for physicians to
use when diagnosing CFIDS/CFS.
They are:
- Persistent fatigue
- Sore throat
- Muscle weakness
- Headaches
- Depression
- Inability to concentrate
- Mild fever
- Lymph node swelling
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Forgetfulness
- Sleep disturbance
You must have eight of the above symptoms for at least six months. Although this list isn't
sketched in granite, the medical community now has something to go by. Some PWC's have all
these symptoms, others don't have the "required" eight. But if your physician is sharp enough,
they'll know whether you're a good candidate for CFIDS/CFS. Also, a blood test for CMV
(Cytometalogical Virus) and EBV (Epstein-Barr Virus) can help your physician -- high titers are
a strong indication you could have CFIDS/CFS.
A Short History of CFIDS/CFS
There have been outbreaks of Chronic Fatigue-like illness for hundreds of years all over the
world. Documented cases have appeared in primarily cooler countries such as England, Scotland,
Canada, Switzerland, Japan, and Australia. These outbreaks were given different names such as:
Postviral fatigue syndrome; English sweats; muscular rheumatism; chronic mononucleosis-like
syndrome; Royal Free disease; Icelandic disease; Addington's disease; Akureyri disease; chronic
hyper-fatigability syndrome; and benign myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The most recent
epidemic was in Incline Village, Nevada, when a large portion of the population came down with
an unusual illness in 1984. Drs. Daniel Peterson and Paul Cheney treated many of these patients
and in 1985 notified the CDC to investigate. The CDC initially denied there was an epidemic,
but later claimed they suspected it was connected to the Epstein-Barr virus. The CDC later
retracted this, since tests indicated the presence of other viruses as well, which may or may not
have caused the epidemic. Soon, the illness began to appear in other parts of the U.S. Finally in
1992, the CDC recognized CFIDS/CFS as an epidemic illness. Now CFIDS/CFS affects just
over one percent of the nation's population, or about three million people.
For more information about CFS/CFIDS, email Jayne Hitchcock.