Chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is the name coined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in response to an outbreak of "chronic flu like illness" at Incline Village, Lake Tahoe in 1984-1985.

As of February 2013, the CDC recognized that more than one million Americans have CFS. The February 2015 Institute of Medicine report stated that there are 836,000 to 2.5 million ME/CFS patients.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome should be distinguished from chronic fatigue, which is a symptom of many different conditions, though not a condition in its own right. These terms are often confused by the media, healthcare practitioners and the general public. CFS is a grossly misnamed disease whereas CF is a symptom of many diseases, illnesses and drug therapies. Dr. Jarred Younger explains chronic fatigue and begins by stating "Fatigue is not a disease and it is not even a symptom. So fatigue is a alarm system and the most general alarm system the body has." Webinar with Jarred Younger, Ph.D. (@6:04-7:54)

Hallmark symptom

 * Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS. After physical or mental exertion (which for some patients can be a shower or making out a to-do list, others grocery shopping, socializing or reading a news article, while some just walking to the mailbox, getting to the doctor or mentally following a T.V. program) there is a payback which can be delayed 24-72 hours and can last 24 hours or more. The patient will experience even greater fatigue as well as exasperating the flu-like symptoms and body pain.  Every patient experiences different symptoms and symptom severity from different activities and exertion output according to how sick he or she is with the disease.

Core and additional symptoms (see IOM Clinicians Guide below)

 * Orthostatic intolerance
 * POTS
 * Cognitive dysfunction
 * Unrefreshing sleep
 * Chronic fatigue
 * Chronic pain
 * Immune Impairment
 * Infection

US Government guides on symptoms

 * The Institute of Medicine report - IOM Clinicians Guide
 * CDC - CFS Symptoms

Canada guides on symptoms

 * Alberta Clinicians Guide

Other symptoms, comorbids

 * Neurologic impairments - ME: ICC
 * Fibromyalgia, Irritable bowel syndrome, Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Expanded lists of symptoms

 * Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms - The Monster List!


 * What are the symptoms of ME/CFS?

Disease onset
CFS usually comes on with a flu-like illness, virus or infection where the patient is left never the same and with varying symptoms and disease severity fluctuating day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year and decade to decade as well as varying symptoms and disease severity among patients.

Female to male ratio
Like many auto-immune and neuro-immune diseases where mostly women are afflicted, the ME/CFS female/male patient ratio is 6:1. Fibromyalgia has a F/M 7:1 ratio and some ME/CFS patients have this additional diagnosis.

Jennifer Brea gives a WMC Live radio interview addressing F/M auto-immune ratio and the disease at 5:00.

Clinical Course
From the CDC: What's the Clinical Course of CFS?


 * The severity of CFS varies from patient to patient. Some people can maintain fairly active lives. For most patients, however, CFS significantly limits their work, school, and family activities for periods of time.


 * While symptoms vary from person to person in number, type, and severity, all CFS patients are limited in what they can do to some degree. CDC studies show that CFS can be as disabling as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, end-stage renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and similar chronic conditions.


 * CFS often affects patients in cycles: Patients will have periods of illness followed by periods of relative well-being. For some patients, symptoms may diminish or even go into complete remission; however, they often recur at a later point in time. This pattern of remission and relapse makes CFS especially hard for patients to manage. Patients who are in remission may be tempted to overdo activities when they're feeling better, but this overexertion may actually contribute to a relapse.


 * The percentage of CFS patients who recover is unknown, but there is some evidence to indicate that patients benefit when accompanying conditions are identified and treated and when symptoms are managed. High-quality health care is important.

Name controversy
The name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is controversial, as many consider it stigmatising. For decades, patient advocates have been lobbying the CDC to instead use the name Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), though the CDC has refused. Most patients and patient organisations prefer the name ME, or the hybrid ME/CFS.

In February 2016, Dr Anthony Komaroff, who was part of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) group of clinicians who coined the name Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, said of it:

"'I think that was a big mistake because the name, in my opinion, and the opinion of a lot of people, it both trivialises and stigmatises the illness. It makes it seem unimportant, maybe not even real'."

Dr. Nancy Klimas discusses the name controversy in the video ME/CFS Diagnosis and Name.

Learn more

 * Definitions of ME and CFS
 * Wikipedia - Chronic fatigue syndrome
 * Wikipedia - History of chronic fatigue syndrome