Chronic Fatigue Syndrome No Longer Seen as ‘Yuppie Flu’

NY Times ^ | DAVID TULLER

[neverdem]

For decades, people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome have struggled to convince doctors, employers, friends and even family members that they were not imagining their debilitating symptoms. Skeptics called the illness “yuppie flu” and “shirker syndrome.”

--snip--

Dr. Reeves responded that understanding of the disease and of some newer research technologies is still in its infancy, so methodological disagreements were to be expected. He defended the population-based approach as necessary for obtaining a broad picture and replicable results. “To me, this is the usual scientific dialogue,” he said.

Dr. Jose G. Montoya, a Stanford infectious disease specialist pursuing the kind of research favored by Ms. Loomis, caused a buzz last December when he reported remarkable improvement in 9 out of 12 patients given a powerful antiviral medication, valganciclovir. Dr. Montoya has recently completed a randomized controlled trial of the drug, which is approved for other uses, but the findings have not been released.

Dr. Montoya said some cases of the syndrome were caused when an acute infection set off a recurrence of latent infections of Epstein Barr virus and HHV-6, two pathogens that most people are exposed to in childhood. Ms. Flowers, the former figure skater, had high levels of antibodies to both viruses and was one of Dr. Montoya’s initial C.F.S. patients.

Six months after starting treatment, Ms. Flowers said, she was able to go snowboarding and take yoga and ballet classes. “Now I pace myself, but I’m probably 75 percent of normal,” she said.

Many patients point to another problem with chronic fatigue syndrome: the name itself, which they say trivializes their condition and has discouraged researchers, drug companies and government agencies from taking it seriously. Many patients prefer the older British term, myalgic encephalomyelitis, which means “muscle pain with inflammation of the brain and spinal cord,” or...

[blackbart.223]

"Many patients point to another problem with chronic fatigue syndrome: the name itself, which they say trivializes their condition and has discouraged researchers, drug companies and government agencies from taking it seriously.

That is certainly a plus.

[neverdem]

Mutation Spells Bad News for Breast Cancer Patients

Leeds medics solve an ancient riddle – and offer new tool for diagnosis (finger clubbing)

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Fawnn]

Caption for the illustration with the article (underline/emphasis mine): Donna Flowers was once debilitated by chronic fatigue but has tamed her disease with exercise and treatment.

Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are two separate diagnoses. So, right off the bat, the NYT gets it wrong.

Depending on the cause, it's understandable how Chronic Fatigue might be helped with exercise. The endorphins, etc.

Exercise has been proven to be counterproductive for many who have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, especially those of us with the exercise-intolerant form of the condition.

Now that I've got that out of my system, I'll go back and read the article. ;)

[neverdem]

Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are two separate diagnoses.

"So, right off the bat, the NYT gets it wrong."

How do you get two separate diagnoses? IMHO, it's an editing problem. It's a naming problem. What's the difference in symptoms? Syndrome is a 'cool word' medical term now. The terminal 'S' in SIDS and AIDS stands for syndrome. So the NY Times forgot the complete term. It's too long to enter as a complete keyword in this forum, i.e. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, even if you delete the spaces. I use Chronic Fatigue and cfs for keyword entries.

[Sacajaweau]

In the years when I was working 80 hours a week, I went to the gym twice a week and played volleyball. It reinvigorated both body and soul.

I think it has something to do with protecting myself from physical harm and then there's always that satisfaction that comes with a successful spike.

Work a diversion into your life..."take time to smell the roses".

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I got the cure.

1.) Throw out the TV.
2.) Get some sleep.
3.) Get some exercise.
4.) Get a life.

I'm the Louis Pasteur of CFS.

[Nervous Tick]

>> Researchers believe the illness will ultimately prove to have multiple causes, including genetic predisposition and exposure to microbial agents, toxins and other physical and emotional traumas.

Wonderful. Another government-sanctioned trial lawyer feeding program.

John edwards, call your orifice.

[Fawnn]

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ICD10-CM or WHO ICD-10 G93.3) has a different medical diagnostic code than idiopathic Chronic Fatigue (WHO F48.O).

[Fawnn]

In the years when I was working 80 hours a week, I went to the gym twice a week and played volleyball. It reinvigorated both body and soul.

I, too, used to work 80 hours a week -- and prior to my diagnosis I walked at least 3 miles a day, not twice a week. I worked in a half hour or longer aerobic workout four or five times a week.

During my denial period, I first had to cut back on one of the jobs. I still kept up with the walking until the day I had an almost total muscle collapse. I was on my hands and knees at the time, dusting the baseboards in my dining room. All of a sudden I had to lie down, and then I was unable to get to my feet. It took me over two hours to serpentine my way to the living room to where the only way I was able to work my way up onto the sofa was to remove the cushions first so that I only had to pull myself up to a lower height.

Tests at the time ruled out MS.

I'm glad exercise invigorates you. You have no idea how much I wish it were the same for me.

[Fawnn]

I got the cure.

1.) Throw out the TV.
2.) Get some sleep.
3.) Get some exercise.
4.) Get a life.

I'm the Louis Pasteur of CFS.

[Chode]

i had all the symptoms and learned to deal with it... the no sleep is a killer

then i was finally diagnosed with Hep-C. i went through the protocol and am now virus free, and STILL can't sleep.

[lexusppd]

"antiviral medication"

Since when is there a cure for a virus induced illness?

[ottbmare]

Thank you, Fawnn. The whole article is about real physical conditions and the drug(s) that treat them, and rather than read the article, these medically ignorant posters can only say “Get a life.” When they develop cancer, will some callous individual say “get a life” to them?

[ottbmare]

Since when is there a cure for a virus induced illness?

What do you mean? There is a huge class of anti-viral medications.

[Fawnn]

You’re welcome.

[SunkenCiv]

A coworker was (as usual) running a talk radio stream “Hayhouse”, very new agey, and the “intuitive” (who says she’s not a psychic) identified a caller’s malady as chronic fatigue syndrome without even hearing her symptoms. :’)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.

[Scotswife]

“Exercise has been proven to be counterproductive for many who have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, especially those of us with the exercise-intolerant form of the condition.”

Back in 2003 I went through “something” that never got diagnosed.
After a year of testing (they thought I had MS) and blood tests, it just went away on its own.
My ferriten level was low, and I did start taking low levels of iron supplement - don’t know if that was part of the problem or not.

I do remember how frustrating it was when people suggested I was simply depressed.

I wish you the best in your struggle and that you beat this thing soon.

[Dianna]

I’ll never understand why people think everything we know, right now, about the human body is all there is to know.