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What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)?
A person with CFS feels completely worn-out and overtired. This extreme tiredness
makes it hard to do the daily tasks that most of us do without thinking — like dressing,
bathing, or eating. Sleep or rest does not make the tiredness go away. It can be made
worse by moving, exercising, or even thinking.
CFS can happen over time or come on suddenly. People who get CFS over time get
more and more tired over weeks or months. People who get CFS suddenly feel fine one
day and then feel extremely tired the next. A person with CFS may have muscle pain,
trouble focusing, or insomnia (not being able to sleep). The extreme tiredness may
come and go. In some cases the extreme tiredness never goes away. The extreme
tiredness must go on for at least 6 months before a diagnosis of CFS can be made.
What causes CFS?
No one knows for sure what causes CFS. Many people with CFS say it started after an
infection, such as a cold or stomach bug. It also can follow a bout of infectious
mononucleosis (mono), the “kissing disease” that drains your energy. Some people
with CFS say it started after a time of great stress, such as the loss of a loved one or
major surgery.
It can be hard to figure out if a person has CFS because extreme tiredness is a
common symptom of many illnesses. Also, some medical treatments, such as
chemotherapy, can cause extreme tiredness.
What are the signs of CFS?
The signs of CFS can come and go or they can stay with a person. At first, you may feel
like you have the flu. As well as extreme tiredness and weakness, CFS symptoms
include:
* forgetting things or having a hard time focusing
* feeling tired even after sleeping
* muscle pain or aches
* pain or aches in joints without swelling or redness
* feeling discomfort or "out-of-sorts" for more than 24 hours after being active
* headaches of a new type, pattern, or strength
* tender lymph nodes in the neck or under the arm
* sore throat
For more information about chronic fatigue syndrome contact the National Women's
Health Information Center at
1-800-994-9662 or http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/cfs.htm
Click here to read about Mary's personal struggle with CFS.
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