You’ve always been a cheerful, energetic person, always on the go, always willing to help out a friend. Now, however, you just can’t seem to summon up much energy. You’re too tired to work, too tired to play, and you’re depressed and confused. Concerned friends urged you to go to the doctor, so you did. He poked and prodded and tested for several different conditions. The tests all came back normal, but you’re still exhausted. Maybe you have Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) or what is commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome.
CFIDS is difficult for doctors to diagnose because the symptoms mimic so many other conditions. However, once those conditions have been ruled out, CFIDS may be the answer. If your fatigue has persisted or recurred for six months or more, and you can do less than half of what you could before, you may have CFIDS. Other symptoms include mild fever, confusion, concentration problems, sore throat, muscle aches, and sleep problems.
CFIDS often begins after you have had an infection like a cold, bronchitis, or mononucleosis. No one knows for sure what causes it, but most doctors now believe a virus, such as herpes, sets it off. Most people who have CFIDS carry some form of the herpes virus. Researchers think this virus may lay dormant in your body until extreme stress or an illness weakens your immune system and lets CFIDS take over.
Because no one is sure what causes chronic fatigue, it is difficult to treat. Doctors usually treat specific symptoms. For instance, many doctors prescribe antidepressants to treat the depression that often accompanies CFIDS. This works well for many people. Your doctor also may prescribe medicine to help you sleep better, so you wake feeling a little more refreshed and energetic.
Although CFIDS has no cure, some lucky people find their symptoms disappear on their own after a few months. For others, the battle with fatigue rages on and off for years.
