What is Fatigue Syndrome?

What is fatigue syndrome? Fatigue syndrome is another name for ME, the so-called “yuppie flu” of the 1980s. In simple terms, fatigue syndrome is a permanent state of fatigue so severe that it leaves the sufferer completely unable to function in their normal life. At its extreme, a person with chronic fatigue syndrome will be confined to bed and even doing the smallest of tasks will leave them exhausted for hours.

What is fatigue syndrome caused by?

The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome are not really understood, but experts think that the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae could at least be partly to blame since many sufferers do respond to antibiotics known to kill this particular bug. There is also a known link between the Epstein Barr virus and chronic fatigue syndrome and some people who are afflicted with Epstein Barr subsequently develop the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Bronchitis and pneumonia have also been linked to cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.

What are the symptoms of fatigue syndrome?

The main and overriding symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is extreme tiredness. This can come on very quickly, but many patients develop the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome following a flu-like illness, so some of their existing symptoms, including aching joints, sore throat, headaches, and swollen lymph glands, can seemingly continue for no obvious explanation.

The patient might also experience problems with concentration and memory, suffer from visual disturbances, poor circulation, dizziness, abdominal pain, dry eyes and mouth, jaw pain, stiffness in the morning, chest pain, a cough, and any number of other vague problems that are often attributable to lots of other health problems.

What is fatigue strength in CFS?

One of the characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome is that the person will not feel rested after a reasonable amount of sleep and physical activity will make the symptoms considerably worse. The disorder can cause extreme muscle weakness and a lack of strength in muscles that are normally strong, which makes the illness incredibly debilitating—so much so, that people with severe chronic fatigue syndrome are classed as disabled and end up bedridden.

What is fatigue during pregnancy?

Unremitting fatigue during the first and last trimester of pregnancy is very common and extreme tiredness with no apparent cause is often one of the first signs that a woman is pregnant. But what happens if a woman with CFS becomes pregnant?

Some women will find that their symptoms do not change once they become pregnant whereas others may experience a worsening of their chronic fatigue symptoms during the pregnancy—every woman is different. However, women with CFS are at higher risk of miscarriage during the first trimester and one study found that babies born to mothers with CFS were more likely to suffer from developmental delays. It is also worth noting that more than 50% of women studied during the same research program reported a relapse in their chronic fatigue syndrome following the birth of their baby, probably due to the stress of giving birth and caring for a newborn.