SELF website: What to Know About ME/CFS, a Complex Condition That Involves Crushing Fatigue and So Much More 2024

https://www.self.com/story/what-is-me-cfs

Charles Shepherd, MD, was a “perfectly healthy” 30-something-year-old when he came down with chicken pox, which he caught while treating a patient with shingles. Even after the painful, itchy rash disappeared, a cluster of debilitating symptoms—unrefreshing sleep, balance problems, brain fog, and an overwhelming fatigue that worsened with activity—strangely stuck around. For two frustrating years, he pushed through long hospital shifts that only made him feel worse, which, in hindsight, he considers one of his biggest mistakes. Finally, though, Dr. Shepherd received a diagnosis that not only changed his life, but also led him to help others dealing with the same issue: myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, better known as ME/CFS.

ME/CFS is a serious, complex, and often long-lasting condition that can make it hard to go to school, keep or advance in your job, maintain relationships, or even practice basic self-care. According to the CDC, an estimated 3.3 million people in the US are living with ME/CFS, which is thought to be caused by a number of factors, including infections, immune system changes, and genetics (but more on this later). Although the severity varies, about 25% of people with ME/CFS are house- or bedbound, and some need a wheelchair or another mobility device to get around. However, most folks who have it don’t “look” sick, which—like other invisible ailments—often leads people (even some doctors) to dismiss or minimize their symptoms.

Health experts started paying more attention to ME/CFS when millions of people developed long COVID. Specifically, they're both associated with physical and mental fatigue, and lots of people with long COVID meet the criteria for ME/CFS, so there’s been a renewed interest in finding treatments that work for both conditions.

Although ME/CFS is still being studied, one thing is crystal clear: ME/CFS is a real condition that can affect anyone—and the symptoms are not simply psychological. “I was taught in medical school that this was hysterical nonsense,” Dr. Shepherd, who’s the honorary medical adviser to the ME Association, a patient charity in London, tells SELF. Today, he still deals with ME/CFS, but thanks to advice on how to manage his symptoms, he’s been able to continue working and stay active in the ME/CFS community. Here’s everything to know about ME/CFS, including known causes, symptoms, and treatments.

 

interesting that this is an american site. Wonder why they chose to interview a UK charity rep?