Bit confused

Ive read so many different contradicting reports. Is CFS the same as M.E? What is the difference?

Thanks for clearing that up for me :o)

thanks...I read one report that said they are not the same M.E is inflammation of the spinal cord and brain and can cause damage to all of the major organs in the body...Most people with M.E have CFS, But not necessarily everyone with CFS has M.E?

I also have a friend who had M.E back in the 90s and she is now in remission...she said they are not the same even though they share a lot of the same symptoms.

But most places you read, say they are the same...including PVFS...Thats why I was confused and wanted to hear what everyones experiences were.

xx

Kayla, I have CFS which is not chronic fatigue, it is an illness. I am not just chronically fatigued, I have many symptoms that go along with it, I feel like I am exhausted all the time but I also have flulike symptoms that can keep me down for days. I have body aches, memory & cognative problems, swollen glands, nausea & a malaise that has me in bed for days after exertion. I don't get true refreshing sleep & somedays feel like I didn't sleep at all. This is exactly why we have been pushing for a name change for years, it is why we are not listened to by doctors, it is why our families think it is all in our heads & we just have to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps & get on with life. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not just fatigue but an illness that is now looked at as possibly an auto immune disease not of the T cells like others but of the B cells. My daughter has Lupus, Scleraderma, Myocitis & RA, one of her symptoms is chronic fatigue but we see a major difference in our fatigue even though both of them are chronic, the syndrome is definitely a separate illness. Another thing researchers are looking at is mitochondrial disfunction & this research is looking promising. There is a lot of confusion about CFS & we have been trying to get the truth out there so we will be heard. I hope this helps, a lot of the old articles on the web do say they are the same but that is old school thinking & quite a bit has changed since, hugs, Denise

Kayla, thanks for the link, very helpful

Jewerlylady,

     Your comment about finding a cause for your symptoms struck me.  I wanted to offer you a possibility:  hyperparathyroidism (HPT).  You are the right age and gender for this disorder.  It strikes about 2-3% of the population each year. 

      Everyone know that they have a thyroid gland, but we all also have 4 parathyroid glands.  They are responsible for maintaining the level of calcium in the body.  In HPT, there is too much calcium.  The most typical symptoms are:  insomnia (including not feeling rested when you wake up), constipation, nausea, heartburn, excessive urination, memory problems, unrelenting fatigue, confusion, bone loss, and bone or joint pain. 

     Two blood tests are normally used to confirm the diagnosis:  calcium and parathyroid hormone (PT).  What most general practioners learn is that both have to be out the normal range for a diagnosis of HPT.  Unfortunately that is not true.  Endocrinologists that deal mainly with diabetic and thyroid patients might also be in the dark about this as well.  Calcium can be normal and PT high.  Google normocalcemic hyperparathroidism and you'll see what kind of research has been done on this subject.  You can also have high calcium and normal PT, but that is not as common.

      If you want to get an idea if you might have this, then vary your intake of calcium and vitamin D.  If you feel worse with an increased intake and better with a reduced intake, then it is certainly possible that you have HPT.

The treatment is surgery. 

      Hope this might help you feel better.  Let me know if I can answer any questions.   

 

Good morning Wackers34

         The doctor you want to see is an Endocrinologist, particularly one that specializes in parathyroid disorders.  Your family doctor may be aware of one. 

         You should know that calcicum levels rise and fall during a day and that can cause doctors to think that there was a problem with the test or the lab.  Since you've already had one high calcium result, I would ask to have serum calcium, ionized calcium and parathyroid hormone levels tested all at the same time.  If any one of these comes back out of range, ask to have a 24hr urine test for calcium.  This will often confirm cases that might be considered borderline. 

         Who wants to be sick when there is possible treatment.  If you need anything else let me know.  Best of luck.     

You are not lazy or depressed, but there is a way to relieve these symptoms. Check out the booklet, Everything is a Distraction by SCusick. It really helped me.