ME/CFS Awareness

May 12th of this month was ME/CFS Awareness day. 

I am posting this on my blog to increase awareness. I too am a blog follower. I religiously follow two blogs of two women whose lives are deeply affected by this terrible condition. I was moved by their entries and want to join the cause..... I want more research done on this condition..... I want to be an advocate. My mother also suffers from Fibromyalgia, which shares many of the symptoms of ME/CFS. I want to be a part of this fight. 

First- a little bit of background on ME/CFS (straight from Wikipedia):

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is the most common name given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder or disorders of certain causation. It is also commonly known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME.  Symptoms of CFS include widespread muscle and joint pain, cognitive difficulties, chronic, often severe mental and physical exhaustion and other characteristic symptoms in a previously healthy and active person. Fatigue is a common symptom in many illnesses, but CFS is a multi-systemic disease and is relatively rare by comparison. Diagnosis requires a number of features the most common being severe mental and physical exhaustion which is "unrelieved by rest," is worsened by exertion and is present for at least six months. All diagnostic criteria require that the symptoms must not be caused by other medical conditions. CFS patients may report additional symptoms including muscle weakness, cognitive dysfunction, hypersensitivity, orthostatic intolerance, digestive disturbances, depression, poor immune response, cardiac and respiratory problems. It is unclear if these symptoms represent co-morbid conditions or are produced by an underlying etiology of CFS. Full resolution occurs in only 5-10% of cases. CFS is thought to have an incidence of 4 adults per 1,000 in the United States. For unknown reasons CFS occurs more often in women than men and in people in their 40's and 50's. The illness is estimated to be less prevalent among children and adolescents, but studies are contradictory as to the degree. There is no medical test which is widely accepted to be diagnostic of CFS. It remains a diagnosis of exclusion based largely on patient history and symptomatic criteria although a number of tests can aid diagnosis.

The following is a link to a blog by CFS Warrior. She chronicles her symptoms, treatment protocols, and the struggles she encounters while living with this condition. She is one of the bravest people I know. The second link will connect you with Miss D's blog. She too is full of strength, wisdom, patience and love. Her blog will inspire you to read, cook, create art and more importantly, work on being the best human being you can be. She too is an Amazing woman!

CFS warrior's Blog

Miss D's Blog 

I hope you learned something new after reading this blog. I hope you too will become an advocate in the fight for ending this terrible condition. It takes a village.