| People with chronic fatigue syndrome face many | | | | There will be times when you feel alot better, |
| troubling issues. First, they must cope with the | | | | even if its just for an hour or two. Use this time |
| symptoms of the syndrome. Second, they have | | | | to go for a walk in the park, or shopping, or even |
| to deal with an illness whose cause remains | | | | just enjoying a sit down in your garden. This really |
| mystifying. Third, their illness has no specific tests. | | | | will make you better in the long run and you will |
| Fourth, it doesn't have specific treatment. chronic | | | | find these 'feeling well' times repeating themselves |
| fatigue syndrome, therefore, is a great burden to | | | | more often. |
| those who have it. | | | | - If you are feeling sick, or have similar |
| As the name implies, it's fatigue, not the ordinary | | | | discomfort in your stomach, do not be tempted |
| tiredness that comes from not sleeping or | | | | to stop eating. I find a piece of toast with peanut |
| working too long and too hard. It's an | | | | butter helps no end! Your stomach may just be |
| overwhelming fatigue that makes any effort a | | | | feeling abit more sensitive to being empty now, |
| gigantic challenge, and it's a fatigue that rest and | | | | so a small (plain!) snack will calm it right down. |
| sleep do not resolve. | | | | Remember though, watch your weight and don't |
| In addition to fatigue, people have disturbed sleep. | | | | always eat toast with peanut butter, I did this for |
| They might have joint and muscle pain, their | | | | a long while and it isn't really the most nutritious |
| memory is often not as good as it was, lymph | | | | of diets! Despite feeling ill, eat your normal diet |
| nodes frequently enlarge and become tender and | | | | regardless. (I always keep a packet of ant-acid |
| headaches are common. | | | | indigestion tablets with me too, these can be very |
| I find that if you are unable to sleep at night | | | | helpful with digestive discomfort) |
| because of the more uncomfortable symptoms, | | | | - Do not be afraid to sleep as much as you want |
| laying down in a warm and dark room helps. Lay | | | | if you can, this will only do you good. |
| on your back and relax your whole body. If you | | | | Some experts theorize that the syndrome might |
| are having trouble with this, tense every muscle | | | | come from a disruption of the normal coordination |
| one by one, and then completely relax. Breath | | | | that exists between the pituitary and adrenal |
| through your mouth deeply, but concentrate | | | | glands. Others feel it's an inappropriate activation |
| more on breathing out. Maybe listen to a | | | | of the immune system. No one knows for sure |
| relaxation tape? Rain always helps! | | | | what the cause is. |
| - If you absolutely have to go out (such as if you | | | | There has been no break through in treatment. |
| are a single parent looking after young children, or | | | | Supervised exercise with a gradual increase in its |
| maybe it's a celebration and you are dreading the | | | | intensity is important. Chronic fatigue patients find |
| many birthdays there are to come in the months | | | | exertion difficult. therefore, they become |
| ahead!) do NOT be afraid of purchasing a | | | | deconditioned, and that adds to the problems of |
| wheelchair! These help alot of patients get out and | | | | the syndrome. That's why exercise is important. |
| about when they are too tired or in too much | | | | Medicines such as Elavil can restore refreshing |
| discomfort to walk, and I have heard it is | | | | sleep to some patients. Patients should not take |
| extremely amusing seeing the look on peoples | | | | long naps during the day. Those naps can make |
| faces in a grocery store when you casually pop | | | | nighttime sleep more fragmented. Chronic fatigue |
| out of your wheelchair to reach the high shelf | | | | syndrome is disruptive, but it is not fatal. That's |
| with the milk on it! | | | | one upside to the syndrome. |