Symptoms of M.E.
According to the ME
Association:
"Despite the fact
that the Department
of Health now
accepts ME/CFS as a
genuine medical
condition, diagnosis
can still pose a
problem because
ME/CFS symptoms are
similar to those
present in a number
of other medical
conditions. In
addition, there are
no examination
findings which can
confirm the
diagnosis. This
means there has to
be a process of
elimination (the
exclusion of other
conditions) before a
diagnosis of ME/CFS
can be made.
Several different
diagnostic criteria
have now been
published in the UK,
USA and Australia.
The CDC criteria
(ref: Annals of
Internal Medicine,
1994, 121, 953-959)
are frequently used
when selecting
ME/CFS patients for
research studies.
However, these
criteria have a
number of defects
(e.g. you have to
have been ill for at
least six months
before CFS is
confirmed) and
anecdotal reports
suggest there are a
significant minority
of people with
genuine ME/CFS who
do not have a
sufficient number of
different symptoms
to fulfil the strict
CDC definition. Such
conditions may have
a relevance when
selecting people for
research studies,
but the delaying or
withholding of a
diagnosis on these
grounds can prove to
be particularly
unhelpful in any
individual case, as
it can cause
problems with
employers, schools,
benefit claims etc.,
and quite probably
affect the
individual's
recovery if they are
unable take
sufficient rest
early on and then
manage their
condition sensibly,
rather than having
to 'soldier on'. It
is known that stress
exacerbates the
condition. "
According to Dr.
David S. Bell, it is
truly remarkable
that a patient can
feel so bad yet look
relatively well. In
his book The Disease
of a Thousand Names
[Lyndonville,
Pollard
Publications, 1991],
he has listed the
following symptoms
for M.E. along with
the percentage of
M.E. patients who
experience them.
The numbers in
parentheses are the
percentage of CFIDS
patients who
experience those
symptoms.
1. Fatigue (100%) -
usually made worse
by physical exertion
2. Cognitive
function problems
(80%)
attention
deficit disorder
calculation
difficulties
memory
disturbance
spatial
disorientation
frequently
saying the wrong
word
3. Psychological
problems (80%)
depression
anxiety
personality
changes, usually
a worsening of a
previously mild
tendency
emotional
lability (mood
swings)
psychosis (1%)
4. Other nervous
system problems
(100%)
sleep
disturbance
headaches
changes in
visual acuity
seizures
numb or tingling
feelings
disequilibrium
lightheadedness
- feeling
"spaced out"
frequent and
unusual
nightmares
difficulty
moving your
tongue to speak
ringing in ears
paralysis
severe muscle
weakness
blackouts
intolerance of
bright lights
intolerance of
alcohol
alteration of
taste, smell,
hearing
non-restorative
sleep
decreased libido
twitching
muscles ("benign
fasciculations")
5. Recurrent
flu-like illnesses
(75%) - often with
chronic sore throat
6. Painful lymph
nodes - especially
on sides of neck and
under the arms(60%)
7. Severe nasal and
other allergies -
often worsening of
previous mild
problems (40%)
8. Weight changes -
usually gain (70%)
9. Muscle and joint
aches with tender
"trigger points" or
Fibromyalgia(65%)
10. Abdominal pain,
diarrhea, nausea,
intestinal gas -
"irritable bowel
syndrome" (50%)
11. Low grade fevers
or feeling hot often
(70%)
12. Night sweats
(40%)
13. Heart
palpitations (40%)
14. Severe
premenstrual
syndrome - PMS (70%
of women)
15. Rash of herpes
simplex or shingles
(20%)
16. Uncomfortable or
recurrent urination
- pain in prostate
(20%)
17. Other symptoms:
rashes
hair loss
impotence
chest pain
dry eyes and
mouth
cough
TMJ syndrome
mitral valve
prolapse
frequent canker
sores
cold hands and
feet
serious rhythm
disturbances of
the heart
carpal tunnel
syndrome
pyriform muscle
syndrome causing
sciatica
thyroid
inflammation
various cancers
(a rare
occurrence)
periodontal
(gum) disease
endometriosis
easily getting
out of breath ("dyspnea
on exertion")
symptoms
worsened by
extremes of
temperature
multiple
sensitivities to
medicines, food
and other
substances
A list of CFIDS
symptoms is
misleading. At first
glance it appears
that almost every
symptom possible is
part of the list.
This is another
reason many
physicians have not
accepted the reality
of CFIDS- there are
simply too many
symptoms. But a
patient relating
these symptoms does
not list them in a
random manner. They
fit a precise
pattern that is
nearly identical
from one patient to
the next.
