By TLB Contributor: Christina England

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), as it is often referred to, is classified as an autoimmune disease and can be found listed as an autoimmune disease on the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association website. http://www.aarda.org/autoimmune-information/list-of-diseases/

The ME Association states on their website that the main symptom of ME/CFS is severe fatigue and malaise following mental or physical activity. Other symptoms listed are as follows:

• Muscle symptoms include exercise intolerance and post-exertional malaise (i.e. feeling shattered the day after undue physical activity), pain/myalgia (present in around 75% of people) and fasciculations (visible twitching of the muscles which sometimes includes blepharospasm/eyelid twitching).
• Brain and Central Nervous System symptoms include cognitive dysfunction (problems with short-term memory, concentration and maintaining attention), clumsiness, disequilibrium likened to ‘walking on rubber’, and word finding abilities. Problems with control of the autonomic nervous system results in palpitations, sweating episodes and symptoms associated with low blood pressure/postural hypotension (e.g. fainting).
• Symptoms which suggest on-going abnormalities in immune system function include sore throats, enlarged glands, joint pains, headaches, problems with temperature control and intermittent flu-like feelings.  Other symptoms which frequently occur in ME/CFS include sleep disturbances (often increased requirements at the onset followed by an inability to maintain a full night’s sleep), alcohol intolerance (a very characteristic feature, particularly in the early period of illness) and irritable bowel symptomatology.
• Some people also develop emotional lability or mood swings and features of clinical depression as time goes on.Besides these more obvious and wide-spread symptoms there are also myriad “minor” ones.
• Not everyone experiences all of them and often they are not mentioned when patients describe their illness; however there is often very visible relief when they find others, too, have similar experiences.

 

Interestingly, although a link between ME/CFS and vaccination has been denied by governments and the pharmaceutical industry, the ME association states:

“Commonly, a previously fit and active person finds their illness triggered by an infection. Less common triggers include toxins, organophosphate pesticides, vaccinations, major trauma or stress (e.g. a road traffic accident), pregnancy and surgical operations.” http://www.meassociation.org.uk/about/the-symptoms-and-diagnosis-of-mecfs/

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