Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue is the feeling of always being tired, even if you have had a good night's sleep previously. The condition can leave the sufferer feeling washed out and feeling as though their body is too heavy for them to move. The condition can also be such that it leaves the sufferer feeling listless and unable to concentrate, giving the impression to others that they have not slept.

What Causes Chronic Fatigue?

Chronic Fatigue can be caused by any number of things. For the most part however the most common causes of Chronic Fatigue are as follows:

• Epstein-Barr Virus
• Fibromyalgia
• Adrenal Deficiency
• Kidney Failure
• Lyme Disease
• Hepatitis C

Any of the aforementioned conditions can cause Chronic Fatigue or have Chronic Fatigue as one of their symptoms. It is important therefore that when consulting your doctor you give as much information as you can so that he or she can eliminate any of those conditions mentioned above.

Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

Many sufferers of Fibromyalgia experience Chronic Fatigue at some point in time. Some experience it daily whilst others only experience it occasionally depending on the nature of the 'flare-up'. Those who experience the problem regularly do so knowing that regardless of how much they rest or sleep they will still suffer from the condition when they wake up or begin moving around again.

Some Fibromyalgia sufferers who experience Chronic Fatigue can do so to such a degree that they will quite literally appear to be falling asleep whilst sitting up. This can be disconcerting not only for them but also for others around them. It is especially important that such sufferers do not operate heavy machinery or drive any vehicle on public roads.

Also many Fibromyalgia sufferers who experience Chronic Fatigue will find it difficult to perform everyday tasks that they found easy to carry out before falling foul of the illness. These tasks would include going shopping, going to work, and housework.

A Chronic Fatigue sufferer will also suffer headaches, muscle spasms, depression, mild fevers, sore throats and difficulty with cognitive tasks such as remembering vital pieces of information. Memory impairment is common among fatigue sufferers.

Dealing with Chronic Fatigue

It is not easy dealing with this part of Fibromyalgia; sufferers who sleep through the night and indeed sleep for long periods of time often awake to find that they feel as if they have not slept at all.

It is just as important for those around the fatigue sufferer to understand the nature of the problem as it is for the sufferer. Many families find it extremely frustrating to watch someone close to them try to deal with this aspect of the condition and it can often lead to problems in the home.

If you suffer from Chronic Fatigue then you should do a little and often. Try not to do too much at any one time as this will only seek to make the fatigue seem worse than it is. Light housework should be done in the morning, shopping and other related tasks should be carried out with the help of another individual where possible and if you feel you need to rest then you should do so. Fighting against this fatigue only seeks to make it seem worse.

Treating Chronic Fatigue

Unfortunately there is no known cure for this particular condition. At best you can expect your doctor perhaps to prescribe mild anti-depressants to help with bouts of depression which you will almost undoubtedly suffer as a result of the problem.

As detailed above you should not try to do too much at any one time; it is best to pace yourself and do only what you can and not what you think you can do, this only causes the fatigue to take a stronger hold.

Consult with your doctor and ask about ways in which you can reduce the effects of the condition but you should not expect the condition to improve quickly, unfortunately as many sufferers can vouch, the problem is one that improves in its own time.

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