Disabling illness that is REAL! (ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

Member Name: licclevicki

Product:	ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Date:	28/09/08 (133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: meeting life long friends with the illness

Disadvantages: disrupted life

Imagine my supprise when l found a topic on ME/CFS on dooyoo.
Its true that many people do not understand this illness and as a long term sufferer this is very very very frustrating indeed.

The trouble with CFS is that the symptoms are so confusing and mind baffling, symptoms can include problems with cognitive functioning, headaches, reacurring infections, digestive problems, muscle weakness, muscle pain, extremely low energy, general weakness, insomnia, depression (often thought to be a result on the illness, rather than a symptom).
Every case is different. Many people believe that ME/CFS is just a general name for many different illnesses.
Of course we do not know.... because not enough research has been done. Probably because its an illness that hasnt been taken seriously!! What we do know is that its a very disabling condition that needs to be taken seriously!

I was about 13 when l first got ill, and back then there was even less understanding about the illness. It started as several reacurring infections. Im sure you all remeber when youve been so ill with flu that you could barely move, well this is how it started only l never recovered back to my former health. So l lost out on a lot of my education because of this, losing a lot of time from school.

Many young and old people suffer with ME. It is evident that lack of understanding and not recieving a quick diagnosis prolongs the illness.
Although there is no known cure, people do get better.
Many people believe that CFS is depression, or an illness for the lazy. This demonstrates the lack of understanding that we have on the illness. Of course there may be people that use any illness for an excuse, but for those genuine ones amongst us its important that its taken seriously.
Many people with ME find they are extremely sensitive to stress, and the lack of support they recieve with their illness only worsens their condition.

It is important to try to keep doing things with the illness but pacing is one of the most useful tools of therapy. Over exertion can lead to many sufferers relapsing. There are obviously different levels of the illness, whilst some sufferers have to be tube fed, others may be able to lead a relatively normal life.
Whilst sufferers may be able to manage some activity on one day on other days they may not be able to manage getting out of bed. (For the non sufferer this is confusing). Its like living on a batterys energy, you have to use resources sparingly and if you do too much you end up with a flat battery which can take days, weeks, months, even years to recover from!

For the future l would like to see more research, and doctors taking it seriously (it is starting to happen) then maybe everyone would take it seriously, and more people could be allowed the time to recover!!!

Summary: ME/CFS must be taken seriously