Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia do not have insurance coverage. They struggle with low income and high medical costs. One of the most expensive aspects of their medical care is prescriptions.
The United States is home to millions of people without health insurance. In fact, one out of every six Americans pays for doctor visits and medical tests out of his or her own pocket. What may surprise you is that the majority of uninsured Americans are from families in which at least one person works. The good news is that there are programs for people who need …read more

Everyone knows smoking is not good for you. You don’t need me, or anyone else, to tell you that. But did you know that cigarette smoking may be particularly aggravating to a person with chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia? Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), is a condition that is closely linked to CFS and FM. And commercial cigarettes are loaded with chemicals.
Some chemicals found in commercial cigarettes:
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Ammonia
Acetone

I received in my email today a “medical alert.”  I was feeling a bit on the edgy side already but having this come in as an “alert” was more than a little irritating.  The medical alert, which is supposed to be about news and research, was titled, “What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?”  Slow news day I guess.
The only thing I took from this was a good solid list about what needs to be ruled out before a diagnosis of CFS can be made.

alcohol or substance abuse
autoimmune disease
bipolar affective disorders
cancer
chronic mononucleosis
eating disorders
hormonal disorders
hypothyroidism
major depressive disorders
multiple chemical sensitivities
myalgic encephalomyelitis
neurasthenia
obesity
reactions …read more

“This really is the first credible evidence of a biological basis for chronic fatigue syndrome,” Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a Thursday press conference. “It reflects the remarkable confluence of a number of scientific advances that are coming to bear on a problem of great importance to many people in the U.S. It’s an important step forward in the field of chronic fatigue syndrome research.”
When I read something like this, and it comes from the CDC, I have to blink and ask myself if I have dozed off and had …read more

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), is a common problem for people with chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia. It is a difficult problem to explain: Someone has said that it feels like the “creepy-crawlies” are slithering around just under the skin on the legs. It is really not a good feeling! It causes sleep deprivation and worsens the symptoms of both CFS and FM.
The RLS Foundation (Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation) is there for people who need information and support about this condition. It is a difficult condition to treat and information is, as always, the strongest weapon …read more

One of the most common complaints regarding chronic fatigue syndrome is the lack of proof. When people are missing work, filing for disabilities, having relationship issues, it is made that much more difficult with an invisible disease. Not only is chronic fatigue syndrome invisible, its symptoms are subjective, as is also true with fibromyalgia.
“For years, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have suffered from painful symptoms for which there is no blood test, diagnosable physical condition or any method for doctors to measure improvement,” said James Baraniuk, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Georgetown University Medical …read more

Whenever I hear about a “new” treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, I tend to raise an eyebrow. I’m not negative, just a little skeptical and cautious.
I can’t vouch for intravenous miconutrient therapy (IVMT). I can only point you to the articles that can inform you and say that if you are interested, talk to your physician.
News Report on IVMT

Ironically, two diseases that make a person feel as though it would be possible to sleep for 20 hours a day, often cause sleep problems. Sleep disturbances, or sleep disorders as they are more commonly named, cause insomnia, delayed sleep phase syndrome, restless leg syndrome, and an inability to reach a deep stage of sleep.
This article, printed by the “New York Times,” discusses how sleeping pills are overused in the United States. It further goes on to say that physicians should be looking for the underlying problems that cause sleep disorders, rather than cover them up …read more

It is hard to deal with a chronic disease that no one seems to “get.” People with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are often in just exactly that position. They look fine so it is assumed they are attempting to get out of doing something, avoid a situation, are depressed… people come up with the most ridiculous reasons to explain away the behavior of someone who is really feeling quite sick.
Support is a necessary element when you have what is known as an invisible disability. It is invisible because no one can see it and unfortunately, you …read more

There is nothing funny about chronic pain. PWC’s (People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and PWF (People with Fibromyalgia) are all too familiar with chronic pain. With the lack of any way of objectively measuring pain severity, it is very common for people to be left undermedicated. These people are hurting, big-time, and have poor support. They often find themselves living isolated lives.
There are various organizations that help people who live with chronic pain. Two of them are the American Pain Foundation and the American Chronic Pain Foundation. These are both good resources for people …read more