Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disabling condition of prolonged and severe tiredness or weariness (fatigue) that is not relieved by rest and is not directly caused by other conditions, including fibromyalgia and depression. To be diagnosed with this condition, your tiredness must be severe enough to decrease your ability to participate in ordinary activities by 50%.
A study published last week in the journal Science suggested that a virus be the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome. An article published online Thursday in the journal Science reports that 68 of 101 patients with the syndrome, or 67 percent, were infected with an infectious virus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus, or XMRV, which probably descended from a group of viruses that cause cancer in mice.
Dr. Mikovits, research director at the Whittemore Peterson Institute in Reno said she and her colleagues were drawing up plans to test antiretroviral drugs — some of the same ones used to treat HIV infection — to see whether they could help patients with chronic fatigue. If the drugs work, that will help prove that the virus is causing the illness. She said patients and doctors should wait for the studies to be finished before trying the drugs.
If this syndrome is caused by a virus then I won’t be surprised because my symptoms with regard to both syndromes ie. chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia began after I had a prolonged respiratory virus (flu) that kept recurring.
A tip of the hat to Dannette at Fibrohaven where she is celebrating her blog’s 1st birthday.
Robin Easton
October 21, 2009
Dear TT, I found this fascinating. It made me think of how many people who have this condition or FibroM are regarded or judged as just crazy, lazy, making it up in their heads, and so forth. I’ve seen this with friends and how people often treat them, which causes more pain, more isolation and more shame. I do NOT like that. American culture can often be very cruel toward people who are struggling with these types of conditions, or other conditions like depression, ADD, etc. And our “science” is often very archaic in terms of understanding the whole picture or even knowing what is going on or how to treat it. I would love to see what medicine is like in 4 thousand years, even 4 hundred years.
Sorry I’ve been so out of touch. I am right in the middle of signing a book contract and my work load is over the top, to say the least. But I wanted to stop in and let you know that you are in my thoughts and heart. Always.
Love, Robin
.-= Robin Easton´s last blog ..Five Perspectives on Death =-.
timethief
October 21, 2009
You are likewise in my thoughts and heart at all times. I’m so happy to hear about the book contract.
{{HUG}}