A brief guide to understanding chronic fatigue syndrome

For years, people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) were told by doctors, friends, and family that their pervasive fatigue and achy joints were all in their mind. Now we know better.

We now know through rigorous scientific research that CFS is not a figment of one's imagination.

• For example, scientists at the University of London have identified 88 genes that are expressed differently in people with CFS, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME.
• A study by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention found that women with CFS have abnormally low morning levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
• People with CFS also have higher levels of an immune-system molecule, called tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), that has been linked to fatigue.
• In short, CFS is a complicated condition that likely involves infection, genetics, hormones, and a malfunctioning immune system.

Many scientists now believe that CFS reflects an energy crisis:  people have spent more energy than they're making and blown a "fuse," in this case, an almond-sized part of the brain called the hypothalamus.

• The hypothalamus controls sleep, hormonal function, and autonomic function (the system that regulates blood pressure, sweating, and bowel function).
• Many triggers, including infections and hormone deficiencies, can blow that fuse.
• Although the challenges of your condition may leave you blue, you have reason to be hopeful. By getting an accurate diagnosis and combining several kinds of treatment, from medication to exercise, you can keep your pain low, not your spirits.

You are not lazy or trying to get attention. Rather, you have an illness that needs to be treated.

• Remember that, and take steps down the road to feeling better.
• No one medication or therapy is the entire answer to CFS.
• Together, you and your doctor can put together a multipronged plan to address your particular symptoms.
• Your doctor can't cure CFS, but there's plenty that can be done to make you feel better.

We now know that chronic fatigue syndrome can be a seriously debilitating ailment for many people, and no two patients are the same. Talk to your doctor about what you can do to improve your condition and help you take back your life. Whether this means getting more exercise, having a better diet, or seeing a counsellor to improve you mental health, addressing the issue is better than ignoring it.