Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, more properly called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Myalgic Encephalopathy, is a serious illness. It is not a joke.
Its hallmark is "post-exertional malaise."
I was excited to find a doctor's carefully observed description of his own post-exertional malaise. It may give you some sense of how disabling post-exertional malaise is.
I see a pattern of symptoms, which I call post-exertional debility (PED), that occur following physical or cognitive exertion. This pattern is specific and vastly different from any post-exertional experience I had as an athlete, surgery resident or while practicing surgery.
Dr. Larry Baldwin on Post-Exertional Debility in ME/CFS
He is also correct in saying that the pattern of symptoms is individual; most of us, however, call it a "crash" and know what we mean.
Dr. Leonard A. Jason, PhD, says, "Patients with CFS are more functionally impaired than those suffering from type II diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, multiple sclerosis, and end-stage renal disease." Live Chat Q&A with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research and Policy Leader Dr. Leonard A. Jason, Ph.D. (ProHealth.com, August 14, 2007)
At the November 3, 2006 press conference of the CDC and the CFIDS Association of America, Dr. Anthony Komaroff, MD, spoke about the neurological, immune, and energy metabolism abnormalities of chronic fatigue syndrome patients. "There are now over 4,000 published studies that show underlying biological abnormalities in patients with this illness," he said. "It's not an illness that people can simply imagine that they have and it's not a psychological illness."
Definition
ME/CFS is not a vague or poorly defined complaint. It is well defined by the Canadian Clinical Case Definition.
Clinical Working Case Definition of ME/CFS from the Canadian Expert Consensus Document
More on ME/CFS Definition and Description Updated 1/29/2017
Post-Exertional Malaise
The Canadian case definition requires "post-exertional malaise and/or fatigue" for diagnosis.
There is an inappropriate loss of physical and mental stamina, rapid muscular and cognitive fatiguability, post-exertional malaise and/or fatigue and/or pain and a tendency for other associated symptoms within the patient's cluster of symptoms to worsen. There is a pathologically slow recovery period--usually 24 hours or longer.
The earlier Ramsay Definition describes the phenomenon as "muscle fatiguability."
Even after a minor degree of physical effort, three or more days may elapse before full muscle power is restored. This feature is unique and is the "sheet anchor" of diagnosis. In moderate cases there may be normal muscle power in remission.
Maryann Spurgin (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Society of America) adds, in Founding Principles and M.E. Society Definitional Framework--Discussion:
What all patients must have, at least according to both of these definitional frameworks, is an abnormal muscle metabolism -- a delayed or impaired recovery of muscle function after exercise, which patients experience as paralytic muscle weakness and pain, not "fatigue."
ME/CFS Exercise Studies Updated 6/17/2017
Immune Dysfunction
ME/CFS Immune Dysfunction Updated 1/29/2017
Cardiac Insufficiency
ME/CFS Cardiac Issues Updated 6/15/2017
Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Dr. Sarah Myhill, MD states, "Chronic fatigue syndrome is the symptom caused by mitochondrial failure." The mitochondrion is the structure in a biological cell that supplies energy to the cell. Mitochondrial dysfunction can affect every cell of the body, including the cells of the heart. (See Mitochondrial Dysfunction)
CFS
-
The Central Cause: Mitochondrial Failure
By Dr. Sarah Myhill, MD
Nitric Oxide / Peroxynitrite Cycle
The ultimate source of the mitochondrial dysfunction may be the upregulation of the nitric oxide / peroxynitrite cycle, according to the theory developed by Dr. Martin Pall, PhD. (See Neural Sensitization Protocol)
Research Approaches
Open Medicine Foundation End ME/CFS Project Updated 3/22/2017
Research Articles
Phoenix Rising
The Pathogens
in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Phoenix Rising
Orthostatic Intolerance: The Research
Phoenix Rising
Q&A
Session
With Cort Johnson, Phoenix Rising Founder & ME/CFS/FM Sleuth
ProHealth.com, March 21, 2008
Organizations and Information Sites
ME/CFS Information Sites Updated 10/14/2018
Updated 3/13/2020