In 1982, a 21-year-old North Hollywood ballerina named Cynthia Toussaint developed her first chronic fatigue symptom following a hamstring injury. She described her pain as \”being doused with gasoline and lit on fire.\” Muscle spasms contracted her right arm and leg, folding her limbs up and making her feel constantly fatigued. She had trouble keeping her eyes open and frequently fell asleep in chairs. \”I was bedridden for a decade and could barely crawl to go to the toilet,\” she told www.ABCNews.com. \”They said it was in my head — that I had stage fright or tendonitis from Mars. People said I was making it up.\” Eventually she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic fatigue syndrome awareness began in 1984, after several hundred patients developed flu-like symptoms in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Patients complained of extreme fatigue (the primary chronic fatigue symptom), as well as sore throats, mild fevers, headaches, memory loss and confusion. Doctors found most patients had several concurrent viruses, such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr and herpes virus 6. At the time, the Centers for Disease Control thought these symptoms were little more than frenzied hysteria.
The most recognized symptom is fatigue. However, this fatigue is nothing like what most folks experience after a demanding workout at the gym or a particularly stressful day at work. The Centers for Disease Control describes it as \”severe, incapacitating and all-encompassing.\” Individuals with CFS frequently can\’t go to work, attend school, engage in social activities or deal with their personal needs because they constantly feel mentally foggy and bodily worn out. In the most serious instances, people never leave their beds or their houses. Lately, it is been found that the problem might be linked to a chronic fatigue retrovirus known as XMRV.
\”Life for us is different,\” explains Janet Krause, 58, who has been suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome for at least 15 years. \”We have to constantly balance what we can do, and people don\’t understand that. That\’s why a lot of relationships and friendships break up.\” Krause experienced her first chronic fatigue symptom in her twenties, when she suffered from skin rashes, sinus problems, chemical sensitivity, migraines, breathing difficulty, sore throats, arthritic pain, eye focus problems and debilitating fatigue. By 2005, she could no longer work in the hospital food service, since she was dropping boxes at work, couldn\’t hold a pencil and was ready for bed at 3 pm. Just a small trip to the store would leave her incapacitated for the rest of the day.
In addition to the chronic fatigue symptom of extreme exhaustion, many CFS patients begin to suffer from depression. It can be difficult explaining to friends and family members why you can\’t do something. No one seems to understand why a \”little bit of rest and relaxation\” can\’t make you feel better. Surely you must be exaggerating that you can\’t finish putting up the Christmas decorations or take a small trip to the store, right? According to Dr. Robert Matsko Sr. of Marysville, Pennsylvania, \”Chronic fatigue syndrome is a viable medical condition. It\’s not \’all in your head.\’\” Hopefully, future research regarding the CFS virus will solidify the idea that, while the syndrome has mental repercussions, this condition has real physical roots.
If you think you might be experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, you need to visit your doctor. But you also need to educate yourself and your family. Find the help you need at Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Help.
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