Just told I may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

[seabiscuit]

Hi everyone,

I was in the ER today because I have been so exhausted, drained, weak and sometimes feel faint. This had got worse over the past few days to the point where I couldn't work my normal 5 hour work shift. I took today off and couldn't see my internist but determined to get medical attention for feeling so awful, I wen to the ER where the doc said I may have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. He says there isn't a treatment for it yet. Great!

Does anyone have this syndrome or know anything about it? Thanks!

[kelly315]

I've thought for a long time that I might have it, and I talked to my doctor about it, but you know doctors, of course she said it was more likely that the symptoms were caused by the fact that I'm FAT (the old lazy doctor standby) and that when I lost weight, if I still felt that way I should come back. Sigh.

[kaplods]

A doctor shouldn't diagnose chronic fatigue without ruling out tons of other things (including infectious diseases like lyme disease and mono, sleep disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy, autoimmune and endocrine disorders like lupus, ms, thyroid issues and diabetes, ... and dozens of other things too).

Until you've had all the other possible disorders excluded, you can't be sure that you have chronic fatigue (and the good news is that there are treatments and even cures for some of the other possibilities).

An ER doctor shouldn't really be diagnosing chronic fatigue anyway - because emergency care is by definition supposed to be dealing with acute problems. You need a doctor familiar with chronic disorders, and you need to have the diagnostic tests done to rule out the other possibilities (because some of them are quite dangerous to leave untreated).

[Esofia]

I've had CFS for 14 years. If it's suspected, the single most important thing to do is rest, as this can drastically affect your prognosis. (And if it's not CFS, it's not going to do any harm.) That said, I too am suspicious of an ER doctor suggesting it. How long have you been feeling like this for? You can't get a diagnosis of CFS, in my country at least, unless you've been ill for at least six months. It's not a short-term thing. Have you had the usual battery of blood tests to rule out the huge number of conditions which can also cause fatigue?