# Do I have CFS?



## 16475 (Mar 28, 2005)

As I posted on a weightlifting forum and as listed on the CDC's website.I wanna know what you people who have it may think.


> quote: 1. Have severe chronic fatigue of six months or longer duration with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis, and2. Concurrently have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle pain, multi-joint pain without swelling or redness, headaches of a new type, pattern or severity, unrefreshing sleep, and post-exertional malaise(defined) lasting more than 24 hours.


Well lets see. Number one suits me. And for number two; I do have trouble concentrating in school a lot of times, especially because of my fatique; I do have multi joint pain, especially in my knees; definetely unrefreshing sleep ( I go through that almost nightly); and since I have IBS with anxiety I have Malaise a lot when I am in stressful situations or anxious situations such as school. I may have this? I probaly should e-mail my doctor about this, kinda intersting. BTW thanks and here is the link for anyone who wants to see. Sorry about the lengthy posts.http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/ reguarding my low engergy.


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## Clair (Sep 16, 2000)

dc2005,Welcome to the fibromyalgia and CFS/ME forum







It is very hard to say whether you have CFS/ME based on the description you have provided, the only sure way to know is to get referred by your doctor to a specialist for tests. Usually this can take some time for the official diagnosis to come through because Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a diagnosis by exclusion, in other words they rule out every other possible explanation first including, thyroid problems, lupus, multiple schlerosis, depression and other mental illnesses, diabetes, and other immunological and endocrine disorders.Having chronic fatigue does not necessarily mean you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it could be something much more simple and easily fixed. Each person with CFS is slightly different in terms of their symptoms and severity. For example I have CFS/ME, I fulfil everyone of the CDC criteria for CFS plus some! But then I'm fairly luckily I can manage to get up and go to work where some I know cant even lift a spoon to their mouths.The only way your are ever going to know is to go to your doctor and ask for a referral, that way you will know what your dealing with and hopefully find ways to deal with it or treat it.Good Luck and keep us posted!


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Hello dc!







It's pretty well impossible to know if you have ME/CFIDS based on that information. The symptoms you have mentioned are symptoms that many CFIDS patients have, but they are also the core symptoms of a number of different illnesses and diseases as well. As Clair mentioned, the symptoms you posted can also be indicative of lupus, thyroid problems, Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, diabetes, depression and a number of other illnesses.The best way to know for sure, is to see your doctor and do a number of blood tests to see if you have another disease or illness.Keep us posted!


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