Cfs what can i do

Treatments that are expensive or potentially harmful should be avoided. The experience of chronic fatigue syndrome varies from person to person. Emotional support and counseling may help you and your loved ones deal with the uncertainties and restrictions of this disorder.

You may find it therapeutic to join a support group and meet other people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Support groups aren't for everyone, and you may find that a support group adds to your stress rather than relieves it.

Experiment and use your own judgment to determine what's best for you. If you have signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner.

It can be difficult to absorb all of the information provided during an appointment, so you might want to arrange for a friend or family member to accompany you. Having someone else hear the information can help you later in case there's something you missed or forgot. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version.

Diagnosis There's no single test to confirm a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. Symptoms can mimic those of many other health problems, including: Sleep disorders. Chronic fatigue can be caused by sleep disorders. A sleep study can determine if your rest is being disturbed by disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome or insomnia.

Medical problems. Fatigue is a common symptom in several medical conditions, such as anemia, diabetes and underactive thyroid hypothyroidism. Lab tests can check your blood for evidence of some of the top suspects.

Mental health issues. Fatigue is also a symptom of a variety of mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. A counselor can help determine if one of these problems is causing your fatigue.

Severe and persistent fatigue or exhaustion most, or all of the time is one of the symptoms of ME-CFS that can help diagnosis. This feels very different from ordinary tiredness. Simple physical or mental activities, or combinations of activities, can leave people with chronic fatigue feeling completely exhausted and can also lead to an increase in other symptoms.

This is known as post-exertional malaise PEM or is sometimes called "payback". This is when the body isn't able to recover after using even small amounts of energy. For a fuller list of symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome visit the Action for M. If pain, especially muscle pain, is more of a problem than fatigue, fibromyalgia , may need to be considered. Fibromyalgia is a separate condition with its own diagnosis. Frustration, anxiety , low mood and depression are sometimes experienced by people with chronic fatigue syndrome because of the impact of the condition and its symptoms on their lives.

Further research is needed to confirm what causes chronic fatigue syndrome. New evidence shows that there might be various factors involved and that there may be a number of different types of the illness. These different sub-groups of chronic fatigue syndrome still need more research to be identified, including how they lead to different experiences of the condition and how it develops.

Chronic fatigue syndrome may appear suddenly or more slowly over time. It may follow an infection, typically, but not always, viral.

Other possible triggers can be trauma, surgery and stressful major life events. However in some cases there may be no identifiable trigger for chronic fatigue syndrome. Although there is no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome there are a number of ways to help manage your symptoms. Because of the complexity of the illness, its changing nature and the number of possible symptoms, different things work for different people.

Your GP may be able to support you through managing your individual symptoms. They may be able to refer you to a specialist service or to a service that will help you to manage individual symptoms but this depends on the services available in your area. To decide what treatment is right for you, you should look at the evidence, including published research and patient surveys, and make sure you fully understand what the treatment involve, before you make a decision.

You have the right to decline any treatment option you do not feel comfortable with. Your GP may also need to consider the combined impact of medication for symptoms and possibly for managing other conditions, especially as sensitivity to medicine is a feature of M. This could mean there may be issues around polypharmacy use of many medications for your health professional to consider. Your illness may make it more difficult for you to make sure that you receive the right balance of nutrients in your diet due to loss of appetite and food intolerances.

Your GP may be able to advise you on how you can alter and adjust your diet. Your GP may work with you or refer you to another therapist to suggest aids, activities or support that can help you to recover or adjust so that you can live to your full potential.

Balancing periods of activity and rest and noticing what activities demand most from you, can allow you to reduce the number of episodes of post-exertional malaise PEM. Pacing yourself involves stopping activities before you feel the impact so that you have energy in reserve.

It can take time to change your habits and stop doing something even while things are going well. However, doing this is key to managing your condition in the long term.

A booklet on pacing is available from Action for M. GET aims to gradually increase your ability to function and manage symptoms. It should always be carried out by a therapist who is experienced in chronic fatigue and has appropriate clinical supervision. In a study by Action for M. Counselling can support you to adjust to the impact chronic fatigue can have on your life. It's not the ideal situation, and it continues to perplex me, but living with chronic fatigue syndrome is not all bad news.

Fight the fatigue with these tasty eats. If you have diabetes, you'll likely experience fatigue at some point. We'll tell you what you need to know. Fatigue and nausea combined can leave you feeling sleepy and weary, or simply drained of energy. Learn what may be causing these symptoms. Feeling dizzy and tired at the same time could be a symptom of various conditions.

Read on to learn about possible causes. Malaise is a feeling of weakness, overall discomfort, illness, or simply not feeling well. It can happen suddenly or develop gradually and persist for…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

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