| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | tolerated regular consumption of alcohol without |
| The wonders of alcohol. | | | | any adverse effects, now find that even small |
| The achilles heel for many people. The 'norm' for | | | | amounts make them extremely unwell." |
| some others. And poison if you have CFS/PVFS | | | | -- p214, Dr Shepherd, 'Living With M.E.' -- |
| M.E.... | | | | So if you have M.E./CFS, it is likely that you may |
| I remember when I first got Post Viral Fatigue | | | | have developed an intolerance to alcohol. |
| Syndrome/CFS back in 1995, I thought that | | | | And that's not forgetting that alcohol also affects |
| having a drink or two wouldn't affect me any | | | | the effects of antidepressants (often prescribed |
| differently to my PRE-CFS days. | | | | to CFS sufferers to treat their fatigue and to help |
| Unfortunately I didn't realise what I was doing to | | | | sufferers sleep)! So if you're taking |
| myself.I didn't know how badly alcohol can affect | | | | antidepressants, it's definitely something to bear in |
| the severity of CFS... | | | | mind. |
| Nowadays I don't touch alcohol at all, and haven't | | | | Having CFS/FM can be a very lonely and |
| done so for a few years now. I'd rather see at | | | | devastating experience and depression can be a |
| least a few hours in the day instead of being | | | | very real and serious symptom for many CFS |
| bedridden for weeks on end because of one | | | | FM sufferers. |
| alcoholic drink! | | | | So the last thing you need is to take substances |
| Because when you have CFS/M.E., you might as | | | | that make you feel worse. |
| well be pouring arsenic down your throat... | | | | And guess what? |
| ------SIDE NOTE------- | | | | Yep, you've guess it, alcohol is also a depressant. |
| Okay - so that comparison might be a little | | | | So it's not a great thing to drink if you're |
| 'dramatic', but you get what I mean right? | | | | depressed! And according to Dr Shepherd, many |
| ------SIDE NOTE------- | | | | sufferers sadly do turn to alcohol... |
| You see when you have CFS/M.E., you are likely | | | | But alcohol is no answer. |
| to develop **alcohol intolerance**... | | | | Apart from probably making you feel depressed, |
| The smallest alcoholic drink - even a tiny bit, can | | | | you could also develop an alcohol dependency! |
| send you into a relapse - as I learnt the hard way | | | | What's more, if you **are** alcohol intolerant, |
| many years ago. | | | | then it would make it much harder for yourself to |
| Having an alcoholic drink now and again was | | | | recover from M.E./CFS (pretty much impossible |
| enough to tip the severity of my CFS over the | | | | even), while you keep putting alcohol in your body. |
| edge and put me in bed indefinitely. | | | | And here's some more 'food for thought'... |
| When a **normal** person gets drunk they may | | | | When you think about how badly a CFS sufferer |
| feel a bit bad for a day or so, after which, they're | | | | can be affected by **one** alcoholic drink, then |
| back to 'normal', bouncing back and raring to go. | | | | how badly could alcohol be affecting you if you're |
| But when a person with M.E./CFS gets drunk - or | | | | drinking more??? |
| even has just one drink, they're likely to feel like | | | | So there you go - a whole list of reasons why |
| 'death warmed up' for what seems like an | | | | you might think twice about drinking anything |
| eternity!!! | | | | remotely alcoholic while you have CFS/M.E. |
| Personally, I don't actually like alcohol much so I | | | | While you may no longer be alcohol intolerant |
| don't miss it. But even if I did, I have realised that | | | | once you have recovered from CFS/M.E., it may |
| alcohol no longer makes me feel the way it used | | | | well be a major culprit for preventing you from |
| to before I had CFS... | | | | **recovering** from your CFS/M.E while you still |
| Drinking alcohol now feels like I'm feeding myself | | | | have it. |
| poison, and my body reacts accordingly - i.e. a | | | | I didn't know about the possible effects of alcohol |
| relapse - and I suffer the consequences for a | | | | when I first had CFS/M.E... |
| long, long time afterwards. | | | | ... and I suffered the consequences. My M.E./CFS |
| Unfortunately, us CFS sufferers are just not | | | | got worse. A lot worse. And I was only having a |
| strong enough to resist the poisons of alcohol. So | | | | couple of drinks now and again! |
| it's unfortunately a case of accepting it, or getting | | | | So I hope this article arms you with enough info |
| much, much worse. | | | | for you to make an educated decision about |
| As Dr Shepherd writes in his book 'Living With | | | | alcohol either way. |
| M.E.': | | | | You never know - it may well make the |
| "Some people who previously enjoyed and | | | | difference... |