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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome News and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment Information
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Your Chronic Fatigue Syndrome resource for breaking research and treatment news. This site is updated daily with the latest Chronic Fatigue Syndrome news to help you learn the latest information to manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Simply click on any of the links below to read the complete Chronic Fatigue Syndrome information.
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ChronicFatigueSupport
The National Fibromyalgia Research Association is sponsoring the conference to share best practices for improving FM & sleep disorder outcomes, and the latest science connecting the two conditions.
Researchers at Tufts University, Boston, and the University of Illinois at Chicago are issuing a national call for ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) patients in the U.S., ages 13 through 64.
After 30 years in development and testing, the experimental “antiviral/immune modulatory” drug AmpligenR has been accepted by the FDA for review as potentially the first prescription drug approved in the U.S. for treatment of ME/CFS – specifically for certain patients with severe ME/CFS.
What’s HHV-6? A ubiquitous herpes virus that is integrated into the chromosomes of nearly 1% of all newborns, causes roseola in small children, can infect/reside in many types of cells including the lining of blood vessels, can re-activate with stress, and “has a strong association with many diseases of the central nervous system,” Dr. Bell explains.
This study, undertaken by Dr. St. Amand's Fibromyalgia Treatment Center and the City of Hope Research Center in California, "reinforces our stance that the disease is inherited in the vast majority of patients" and "points the way for future biochemical analyses."
A concise summary of fibromyalgia and ME/CFS ('chronic fatigue syndrome') symptoms, similarities, differences, and current realities regarding diagnosis & treatment.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this prescription drug for treatment of Fibromyalgia pain, according to an announcement today by the Indianapolis-based drug maker Eli Lilly & Co.
Why 57% of survey respondents with ME/CFS or FM said they don't feel safe talking truthfully about their illness or symptoms with their doctor - and some tried & true things patients can do to gain the most benefit from their office visits.
This excerpt is from a book on multiple chemical sensitivities – Killing Us Softly - that Environmental Medicine specialist Dr. Mark Donohoe has offered online for free download and sharing.
Fibromyalgia may not cause destruction along the pain pathways, but it does cause chronic abnormal changes all along the pathway components, and this results in chronic pain via both peripheral and central neurological mechanisms. Dr. Pellegrino explains amplification, wind-up, allodynia, Substance P, generalization, and more.
Results of a ProHealth ME/CFS patient survey provide a community profile of age, length of illness, and years/number of doctors required to receive a diagnosis.
A list of searchable online databases that consumers can use to do their own detective work on drug, supplement, herbal medicine and food interactions.
ME/CFS is a disorder involving the cells’ energy-producing mitochondria – but it’s a mitochondrial disease like no other, Dr. Bell believes. He explains why it hasn’t been diagnosed, classified, and studied like other kinds of mitochondrial diseases - and why a change may be “just around the corner.”
Topics covered in this special Q&A ranged from the problems of depression and social isolation to strategies for coping with sleep, cycle & flair management, and stress.
A clear and simple explanation of the immune system developed by Dr. William Collinge, PhD, a world authority on the healing benefits of complementary therapies for ME/CFS and FM patients.
Research shows that a connection between biochemical abnormalities in ME/CFS/FM, Lyme disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, and Gulf War Syndrome - and an equally complicated and misunderstood vitamin - may be a key to improved health for many.
Cort lived up to his reputation as a mine of information, as host of a Live Chat in the ImmuneSupport.com Community Chat Room.
Chat participants worldwide joined ProHealth's Live Chat Q&A with Dr. Lapp. Based on his wide knowledge as a hands-on physician, researcher, and educator, he answered as many questions as he could, and promised a return engagement to answer more.
Welcome to ProHealth's Live Chat Q&A (held Jan. 11, 2008) with Dr. Nancy Klimas, MD - a noted immunologist and a world leader in ME/CFS/FM/Gulf War Illness research, treatment, education, and advocacy.
Welcome to ProHealth's Live Chat Event with Dr. R. Paul St. Amand, MD. To many Fibromyalgia patients and the doctors who treat them, Dr. St. Amand needs no introduction. As director of the Fibromyalgia Treatment Center (FTC) in Marina Del Rey, California, Dr. St. Amand has seen thousands of patients and is known worldwide as developer of the Guaifenesin Protocol.
Pat Gurnick is a Psychotherapist and Certified Lifestyle Counselor practicing in Boulder, Colorado – with a specialty in ME/CFS, FM, and MCS patient education. Pat’s stronger health status today, after years of debilitation with these illnesses, is built on her relentless pursuit of insights from the country’s leading specialists.
Numerous medical professionals and specialists treat Fibromyalgia. But one specialty in particular - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation - is especially skilled at diagnosing and treating this chronic condition.
A profile of Karen Lee Richards – part of a series highlighting the accomplishments of ME/CFS Fair Name Implementation Committee (FNIC) members.
A profile of Leonard Jason, PhD - part of a series highlighting the accomplishments of ME/CFS Fair Name Implementation Committee (FNIC) members
Dr. Lucinda Bateman, director of The Fatigue Consultation Clinic in Salt Lake City, explains how primary care physicians can help ME/CFS patients improve their physical conditioning while avoiding post-exertion "payback" - considering the individual's particular level or type of illness.
Dr. Stricker, a noted Lyme expert who contributed to the ILADS Evidence-Based Guidelines for Lyme Management, warns the healthcare community of "Lyme denialists" who reject what ILADS terms a chronic-Lyme epidemic.
Is the higher incidence estimate owing to a broader case definition including cases with primary psychiatric conditions? If so, this "will have detrimental consequences for the interpretation of both epidemiologic and treatment efficacy findings," Dr. Jason asserts.
"Doubting doctors are ordered to take ME patients seriously," stated a headline in the London Daily Mail on August 22, 2007. That was the day the UK’s National Health Service publicly launched a clinical guideline for CFS/ME.
A grass roots effort to change the name 'chronic fatigue syndrome' is gaining momentum, giving patients the opportunity to vote on a new name.
Today I’m convinced Fibromyalgia is indeed a broader’ condition with various subsets, writes FM specialist Dr. Mark J. Pellegrino, MD. He outlines a Fibromyalgia Spectrum model, which he finds helpful in organizing and educating patients.
If you ever had chicken pox - and especially if you're a Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patient with immune vulnerabilities - you're at risk for the pain of a shingles attack. Dr. Podell explains shingles, its signs and complications, and a wide range of possible treatments, depending on severity and duration.
A UK-based patient-researcher who was first diagnosed with ME/CFS, but subsequently with borreliosis (Lyme disease), offers information about Lyme and a personal perspective on the difficulty of accurate testing for its presence. This is a particular issue for individuals diagnosed with ME-CFS, but also for those with diagnoses of Fibromyalgia, IBS, and a host of other illnesses.
UK-based CFS/FM specialist Sarah Myhill, MD, says chronic low blood sugar has been a common cause of fatigue, disturbed sleep, and stress among her patients. She outlines a cause, test, and remedy.
Since early February 2007 when the CFS Name Change Advisory Board announced its decision to call for changing CFS to ME/CFS, there has been a flurry of comments, both pro and con. Acknowledging that there is no perfect name, in my opinion they made the best possible choice.
Martin L. Pall, PhD, answers scores of probing questions from patients and healthcare professionals about the "new disease paradigm" he has defined - as detailed in his acclaimed new book Explaining "Unexplained Illnesses".
Dr. Pall explains his nitric oxide/peroxynitrite (NO/ONOO-)cycle theory, which he believes may be the cause of "a stunning array" of previously unexplained symptoms and illnesses - and if so is truly revolutionary.
The FDA announced on Thursday, June 21, that it has approved Pfizer’s pain drug LyricaTM (pregabalin) as the first prescription treatment for Fibromyalgia. The drug "reduces pain and improves daily functions" in some FM patients, but also has important possible side effects.
What FM patients and their healthcare providers should understand about Fibromyalgic muscle pain and therapy, from the new book Fibromyalgia: The Complete Guide from Medical Experts and Patients, by Sharon Ostaleki, PhD.
"Our first meeting had only me and one other person," says Marie Ritzel, founder of the Tillamook Fibromyalgia Support Group. Now they're growing constantly.
Mark Pullinger was a promising young musician when Chronic Fatigue Syndrome struck. It turned his whole world upside down…
Despite new research that has begun to unravel the mystery of Fibromyalgia, several myths about FM are still being repeated today. It’s time to clarify the facts.
The "Functional Medicine" approach Dr. Podell employs combines alternative with traditional modes of treatment to maximize support for the body's natural healing systems.
Welcome to our online chat with CFS patient Dorothy Wall, author of the acclaimed book, Encounters with the Invisible: Unseen Illness, Controversy, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – the only book on CFS to blend a vivid personal story with an investigation of the history, science and politics of the illness.
Prescribed medicines are an important part of fibromyalgia treatment - for pain relief and improved sleep, energy, and mood. Presently there are no FDA approved medicines for FM treatment, but many studies have shown how numerous prescribed medicines can benefit those with FM. Physicians are able to prescribe these medicines off-label for FM because of the evidence-based studies.
ProHealth founder Rich Carson's wide-ranging live patient Q&A session ended with a preview of emerging plans for the next, patient-led, phase of the Campaign for a Fair Name.
Dr. Daniel J. Clauw, MD, has written an update for physicians on new research and concepts regarding Fibromyalgia’s nature and treatment - in language that patients as well as their healthcare providers can understand.
Studies have found that many physicians aren't keeping up with new research that might point to updates in their evidence-based patient diagnosis and treatment practices. There are several reasons for this.
Holistic treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia
Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD, is Medical Director of the Holtorf Medical Group Center for Hormone Imbalance, Hypothyroidism and Fatigue in Torrance, California. He specializes in treatment of CFS and FM patients.
Tips for Winning a Fibromyalgia [or CFS] Disability Case
What’s pacing? It is an evidence-based strategy for physical activity “that will limit the number and severity of relapses and avoid at least some of the complications of inactivity,” says Dutch expert Ellen Goudsmit. “Thousands of patients have found it useful for many years. And above all, it is unlikely to cause harm!”
FM, CFS and MCS: They are common poorly understood chronic multi-system illnesses that are newly recognized by the medical community and mainly affect women. Men and children can also be affected. They occur in 1.5 percent to 3.0 percent of people, according to the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey. They cost the healthcare system millions of dollars in healthcare costs and the economy millions of dollars in lost wages. As a result of being chronic illnesses, this added burden often leads to family break-ups.
Pharmaceutical companies are “racing” to gain regulatory approval for their drugs to serve the virtually untapped Fibromyalgia market, according to an industry update from Reuters news dated January 7.
Much of the history of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome revolves around the efforts to define it and the debates over what to call it. Other diseases that started out being called by one name were later renamed, either for the sake of medical accuracy or for political correctness, but one has to wonder whether any other illness has ever had so many names or so much trouble finding its own identity.
Is CFS psychological or physical? This seemed such a stupid question that I never bothered to consider it. I estimate I must have now seen more than 4,000 patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and it is clear CFS is primarily a physical disorder.
The polyphenols in tea may preferentially suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the gut, but not the growth of “friendly” bacteria, says a new study from Singapore.
Using a common painkiller such as aspirin or ibuprofen (AdvilR, MotrinR, etc.) "might not be a good idea" around the time of a flu shot or other inoculation, according to a new report from vaccine researchers at the University of Rochester (New York). In particular, you probably should avoid taking one for pain at your injection site. These widely used drugs, known as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), appear to interfere with the body's immune response, and particularly with the intended production of antibodies after a vaccination.
Inability to point to test-verified evidence of their pain or its cause has been a harsh reality for patients with Fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes. Aside from FM specialists, the medical profession and the public in general often do not believe that “pain can be very severe – and sometimes untreatable – in a person who does not seem to be injured,” observes FM expert Richard Gracely, PhD. 1
Many folks with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia suffer from chronic infections. Garlic is a remarkable food source with an incredible spectrum of activity against bacteria, fungal infections, and viruses. Now, with new and stable formulations available, garlic supplements can be used to combat infections naturally, according to chemist Peter Josling, Director of the Garlic Center in Sussex, England and author of the book, Allicin: The Heart of Garlic.
Inadequate sleep quantity and quality are well known to cause a variety of different biochemical and physiological changes, and are a key part of the vicious cycle of CFS. It is imperative to do everything possible to optimize sleep quantity and quality.
While the question of what causes ME/CFS is logically the first question on people’s minds, it is almost an inappropriate question. It has occupied many years of research on the illness, and has caused enormous confusion, yet now fades to the background because it is becoming apparent that it is almost irrelevant. And the difficulty in finding “a cause” has been one of the prime reasons that people have doubted the reality of this illness.
The natural dietary supplement D-ribose - a form of sugar essential to fuel cellular energy generation - "significantly reduced clinical symptoms in patients suffering from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome," a Texas-based research group reported recently.
The newsletter today is my first discussion of intravenous saline as a treatment agent for ME/CFS. I have now been using this treatment for nearly six years and wish to share my thoughts. While I plan to be open, honest and even blunt about this treatment, I will not compromise the confidentiality of the patients treated. I have nothing to sell, and I am not encouraging this treatment, as it has not been rigorously tested. However, I do not think I am witnessing a placebo response, and all things considered, it is the most effective treatment for severe ME/CFS that I have found in my 21 years of looking. But it has serious drawbacks and risks.
Some American consumers, encouraged by increasingly heavy advertising of prescription sleep drugs, may be assuming unnecessary risk because they're ill informed about the pro's and con's of these "sedative/hypnotics" versus other means of coping with sleep problems. So says the latest in a series of drug comparisons that the independent, nonprofit Consumer Reports organization (CR) has produced as part of a public Drug Effectiveness Review Project.
An open label Phase III “intervention” study of the antiviral drug AmpligenR 511 - the most recent step in Hemispherx Biopharma’s decade-long quest for FDA approval - is recruiting subjects with “severely debilitating” CFS/ME at centers in seven states, nationwide, according to ClinicalTrials.gov.
National Conference to Feature “Unifying Theories” of CFS and of FM
An excerpt reproduced with permission from the journal of Karen Dickson, a CFS/ME patient in the UK
October 2006
Many FM Patients Report Pain "Much or Very Much Improved" In Lengthy Pregabalin Trial
A number of patients with CFS, FM, and other chronic illnesses such as lupus and Lyme disease are reporting success with the experimental Marshall Protocol, originally developed for relieving the symptoms of patients with the "Th1" inflammatory disease sarcoidosis. Here is an exclusive interview conducted in July 2004 with Trevor Marshall, PhD, who devised the still-controversial protocol and explains why he believes it may be helpful for CFS and FM patients, and others.
Do CFS symptoms stem from a sort of “heart failure” associated with inefficient energy production at the cellular level? UK-based preventive medicine specialist Dr. Sarah Myhill, MD, believes that it is. Her “patient handout” – based on the work of several eminent CFS researchers – explains the cellular mechanisms involved, a beneficial nutritional protocol, and baseline tests for relevant deficiencies. more
Women are no more likely to get Chronic Fatigue Syndrome than men, nor are neurotic types more prone, according to new myth-debunking Australian research.* Scientists from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have discovered who is most likely to get the debilitating condition, and it has nothing to do with age, sex, personality traits, or mental health as many people thought.
The Social Security Disability Insurance system, which is supposed to protect workers from suddenly losing all sources of income with an unexpected disability, is seriously flawed and becoming more so.
Derek Enlander, MD, is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and is Physician-in-Waiting to the British Royal Family and to several members of the British government during their visits to New York. He is presently in private practice in New York where he sees CFS and FM patients, is on the faculty of Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City, and serves as President of the Israel Medical Research Foundation.
CDC Launches Chronic Fatigue Syndrome “Get Informed. Get Diagnosed. Get Help” Awareness Campaign
The exhibit, which is drawing media attention and generating public understanding at every stop, will visit three cities in Calfornia over the next four weeks. The exhibit’s huge banners feature people of all ages and different walks of life, to demonstrate that CFS patients are indeed America’s “next door neighbors.”
The 2006 Pain Awarenesss Month campaign site is featuring free access to audio recordings of a series of interviews with pain specialists, at http://www.painawarenessmonth.org/
Santa Barbara, Calif----Rich Carson, founder of ProHealth, Inc., will be honored with the Outstanding Advocate Award for ME/CFS at a fundraiser on September 15 called “I Hope You Dance” to benefit the future Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease and the HHV-6 and Nevada CFS Foundations.
The next online CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help discussion program, held four times a year, will start soon - on September 11, 2006.
You can listen to an audiofile of a one-hour Minnesota Public Radio program on CFS, originally broadcast Wednesday, August 9. This program was featured in conjunction with the appearance of the Faces of CFS Traveling Photo Exhibit at the Mall of America in Minneapolis.
I suffer with CFS and FM. I have been a member of the [ImmuneSupport.com] CFIDS/FMS and Worship message boards since October 2005. I will admit that at the beginning I did not have a clue what a tremendous impact this would have on my life. Joining the ProHealth community is the single most important step I have taken on my road to wellness.
Look for full-page CFS Public Awareness Campaign ads in the August Ladies’ Home Journal and Better Homes and Gardens, going out to 20 million readers. This is the second month these publications have run ads for the campaign.
As we reported in June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has informed the CFS community that it has new numbers on the incidence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but prefers to keep them confidential until publication of its recent study explaining those numbers. At that time, the ballyhoo of a major national press event should provide a booster rocket for official kickoff of the CDC’s CFS Awareness Campaign – initially scheduled for June 7 and now expected soon.
For almost three years, an 11-member committee of experts has been updating and advising the Department of Health and Human Services on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome issues.
The first-ever large population-based analysis of U.S. Fibromyalgia incidence, just released, indicated an occurrence rate of about 4.2 percent.
Thirty-second public service announcements to raise awareness of Fibromyalgia started to run Monday, June 26 on the Adelphia cable TV network, the nation’s fifth largest with a presence in 31 states
Nelson Gantz, MD, passed away on June 20, 2006 of cancer. Dr. Gantz, a noted epidemiologist and expert on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, was Chief of Infectious Diseases at Boulder (Colorado) Community Hospital.
If there's one message Rich Carson would like to get across to fellow sufferers of the hard-to-diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome, it's that the disease is real and treatable.
Press Briefing on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Interview with Dr. Julie Gerberding, Dr. William Reeves and Dr. Suzanne Vernon.
The Fibromyalgia Coalition International is hosting their 6th Annual Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Awareness Conference.
CDC scientists will be discussing results from the largest clinical study of CFS patients to date published in the April issue of Pharmacogenomics.
Some cases of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome could be due to brain "injuries" caused during the early stages of glandular fever, scientists suggest.
Bruce Campbell, Ph.D., writes, "If there was a secret to my recovery, it was my use of planned rests...when I was first ill [with CFS], I often experienced the cycle of push and crash, swinging back and forth from too much activity to periods of rest."
The results of this study show that a decreased availability of omega3 PUFAs plays a role in the pathophysiology of CFS and is related to the immune pathophysiology of CFS.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have found that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be rooted in distinct neurological abnormalities that can be medically tested.
According to respected physician Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., "I do not view CFS and Fibromyalgia as the enemy. Rather, I see them as attempts on the body’s part to protect itself from further harm and damage in the face of any of a number of overwhelming stresses. Research has implicated mitochondrial and hypothalamic dysfunction as common denominators in these syndromes. Dysfunction of hormonal, sleep and autonomic control (all centered in the hypothalamus) and energy production centers can explain the large number of symptoms and why most patients have a similar set of complaints."
Gloria Gilbere, N.D., D.A.Hom., Ph.D., is a traditional naturopath, homeopath, and doctor of natural health. She is internationally respected for her work with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and chemically-induced immune and digestive disorders.
According to Bruce Campbell, "Relapses are an inevitable part of chronic illness, but their causes can be understood, and their frequency and severity reduced through the use of self-help strategies."
CFS patient Carol Sieverling writes, "The following is my interpretation of transcripts and tapes of conversations that took place between Dr. Paul Cheney and two different patients, including myself, during September and November of 2004. Any treatments mentioned are highly individualized and should not be generalized to all CFS patients. Dr. Cheney’s treatment approach is rapidly evolving as new information and insights unfold."
Scientists believe they have pinpointed biological markers of chronic fatigue syndrome which could help develop a test and treatment for the condition.
The HHV-6 Foundation, an association formed to raise awareness, funding and further research for human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), has today announced that some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be linked to human herpesvirus 6 A variant (HHV-6A).
A Temple University researcher seeking physiological evidence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has found a link between creatine and metabolic energy.
We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat.” While there is no question that diet and nutrition have a significant impact on overall good health, the extent to which this is true in people suffering from disease is a subject of much debate and has been the topic of many research studies. When you’re struggling with a chronic illness such as fibromyalgia (FM) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), this expression takes on a whole new meaning and weight.
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