What's the difference?

[deb_o]

Some of the reading I've been doing about FMS says that it is the same as CFS.
I personally don't think so, but what have you heard?

I work with a woman who "combatted" CFS and "overcame" it (her words). She is very insistant that I can, too. BUT- I don't have CFS, I have fibro!

Any help would be appreciated!:help:

[sunnywey]

CF's biggest problem is exhaustion + fatique + FM is more pain than anything else. They have many symptoms that are the same, or overlap. CF does not get the intense pain that FM does. Hope this helps.

[cindy_cfid]

Fatigue and Constant Fatigue Syndrome are not the same thing, I doubt your coworker had CFS. I think CFS & FM are lumped into the same category by doctors who have no clue what causes/cures these illnesses and they only started believing in it when the doctors themselves started coming down with these illnesses. Some believe that they are different ends of the spectrum of the same disease. The muscles become afflicted and they are unusable (CFS) or painful (FMS). I have CFS, my muscles feel like they are starved for oxygen (or something). After 12 years, I developed pain which I believe is fibromyalgia pain. I started guaifenesin therapy as per Dr.St.Amand's protocol and no longer have pain and my body no longer completely shuts down after exertion as it did before, but I still am extremely weak. I was struck overnite at a time when I was at my physical peak and going to the gym a minimum of 3x a week - so this weakness (at that time) was not due to deconditioning.

[moondanzr]

Hi,
I agree that CFS and FMS are not the same thing. My doc says they are related but not the same. I supposedly have both as well as myofasial pain syndrome (MPS) and all are related but not the same. I am fatigued easily and often but my biggest symptom is pain so I would say that I lean more from toward the FMS.
I feel that right now the symptoms of these "syndromes" (honestly don't know why they are not labled as diseases) can be controlled with life style changes including diet as well as medication as well as gentle exercise. Yoga, walking and meditation help me as well as planning rest periods between active periods.
I don't know if anyone is ever "cured" of these "syndromes." There can be periods of remission tho and perhaps that is what your friend is experiencing.
Nancy

[LilaCotton]

In my opinion it's very difficult to find a cure for a disease for which no one knows the exact cause, which is basically the case with both, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I have a sister who has FM along with her myriad other ailments (diabetes, bipolar, heart problems, etc., etc.). She told me what her doctor said about it was that it's very akin to arthritis of the muscle, where the muscle actually becomes inflamed, causing the chronic, massive pain.

Another sister and I both have CFS, and from the looks of things our problems are basically the same--a yeast overgrowth. We both started Atkins last fall and while we feel much better than previously, and she was actually able to start working again a few months ago, neither of us feel super great. However, we both started cutting out the few foods we still eat that causes candida and amazingly enough, we're both starting to feel quite a bit better than before.

I've done some reading on CFS, and it seems there can be several causes: yeast overgrowth, virile infection, allergies to dust, what have you. It's absolutely astonishing to me how I went from being a very healthy, active person to practically helpless overnight. I remember well--it started when my son was about a year old. I came down with the winter flu and it just felt like I never got over it. Sometimes I'd start feeling better and every time would end up sick again. The weakness is the weirdest thing, because it was like all my strength had just been zapped. I couldn't even sit in a chair to load the dishwasher!

I don't know if there's ever a cure, or if it just goes into remission. I do know for the past two weeks I've been more careful about what I eat and have been taking Oil of Oregano and for the past four days have had an almost normal energy level (kept going for almost 12 hours today!). I still have to rest a plenty, but I've been able to keep going through most of the day. Before I was lucky if I could do four or five hours of housework before collapsing into my chair.

All in all, though, I count my blessings that CFS is the worst things have gotten.

[adkpam]

My husband has been diagnosed with CFS, and my mother has fibro. They agree that it's sorta the same thing, only at opposite ends of the spectrum. He's got the brain fog and minimal muscle pain, she had bad muscle pain but no cognitive trouble.

They both have improved following Atkins. My mother went from only being able to work 3 days a week, or less, to what she considers a full remission. My husband has improved in many ways, though he does what I consider half-AssedKins since when he doesn't feel well, which is often, it's back to the chicken soup & the donuts.

[deb_o]

Chicken soup and donuts!

Thanks everyone!