M.E symptoms?

Question

Is it possible for the symptoms of M.E to come and go? My stepmother retired thru ill health due to M.E. Now whenever there is a job that needs doing that she isnt keen on ie going to the supermarket, or weight watchers or something, she takes to her bed for the day claiming that 'my ME symptoms have come back' The next day if there is something going to happen that she does enjoy, ie going to meet her friends, she is as spritely as they come and bounces round the place.
Can they just come and go just like that? It just seems to happen at convenient times so Im not all that convinced she is being 100% truthful

Answer 1

I have had M.E. for 10 years and it is often confused with CFS. M.E. is a neurological condition (see more recent studies). Some one else has covered the symptoms but I shall elborate.

She may be faking, however, when you get M.E. and have it for a long time (like myself), you develop all sorts of problems. For example, she may have suffered from agorphobia (very common in M.E. sufferers) and the stress of thinking bout leaving the house and going to what she perceives as a very stressful situation CAN lead to symptoms becoming worse. That is why people think it is not a real condition because it can worsen so quickly, within the space of minutes.

Perchance she is just trying to conserve energy for the things that make her less like killing herself (and I say that because you lose virtually every part of your life to the illness). One day of exertion can lead to a week in bed, or sometimes you can go for days and everyone says how well you are doing and then it finally all catches up with you.

I cannot tell whether she is faking parts of it and I commend you for not dismissing the condition itself. I suggest trying to understand if it is stressful situtions (stressful to her) that she aviods and try to help her. Honesty is best when trying to let someone understand your symptoms and I know my mum can now spot things before I do.

The question is, would you help her out if she said she was too afraid to go to the supermarket because of something she feels and that will set her back? What I mean is, because of my lack of social skills (due to a lack of people who want to spend time with me because they can't cope with my illness) I can get to the point where I can't even call for a Doctors' appointment, and not because of being too tired, etc. I can now explain this to my mum and it culd go two ways- she makes the call and I am physically the same or she makes me and I get so stressed my health gets worse.

Stress is a big factor in the condition, and from what you have said she is either:
-Under stress
-Faking it
-Conserving energy.

Anyway, to answer you question, it can easily come and go like that and is part of the reason it it so hard for sufferers and their loved ones.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

i had M.E when i was 13. was in hospital for a year. im now 33 when im ill with a cold or virius it knocks me for six, sleep alot and get pains alot too until im better. When the body is run down and immune system is low is when i get my M.E symptoms still after 20yrs. i wish when i had M.E that i could bounce all over the place. sounds as if she may be pulling your leg at times.

Answer 3

Some thyroid disorders can be cured, but many require lifetime treatment. Learn here https://tr.im/uphzC
For example, sometimes early stage thyroid cancer can be cured by surgery to remove the thyroid gland, but you will need to take thyroid hormone medication afterwards for the rest of your life. Goiters can also be surgically removed and do not always recur after surgery. In most cases, thyroid disorders need treatment over a lifetime. However, with treatment most people with thyroid disorders can live normal, healthy lives.

Answer 4

no matter what illness someone has, there will be good days and bad days.

Answer 5

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVFS), according to the 1994 Fukuda definition there are eight main categories of symptoms in CFS:

* Fatigue: People with CFS experience profound, overwhelming exhaustion, both mental and physical, which is worsened by exertion, and is not relieved (or not completely relieved) by rest. To receive a diagnosis of CFS, this fatigue state must last for six months.
* Pain: Pain in CFS may include muscle pain, joint pain (without joint swelling or redness, and may be transitory), headaches (particularly of a new type, severity, or duration), lymph node pain, sore throats, and abdominal pain (often as a symptom of irritable bowel syndrome). Patients also report; bone, eye and testicular pain, neuralgia and painful skin sensitivity. Chest pain has been attributed variously to microvascular disease or cardiomyopathy by researchers, and many patients also report painful tachycardia.
* Cognitive problems: people with CFS may experience forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty thinking, concentration difficulties, and "mental fatigue" or "brain fog". Additional signs may be experienced; in the 2003 Canadian Definition these include aphasia, agnosia, and loss of cognitive body map.
* Hypersensitivity: people with CFS are often sensitive to light, sound, and multiple chemicals and foods. Many CFS patients report an increase in allergic-type sensitivity to foods, scents, and chemicals, and many also report a sensitivity to medications, which can complicate treatment. Patients with pre-existing allergies, asthma, and similar conditions often report a worsening of symptoms. Sensory overload is commonly reported by patients, leading to increased fatigue and even migraine or seizures.
* Poor temperature control: people with CFS often report either feeling too hot or too cold, possibly due to involvement of the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature. Many CFS patients frequently run a low fever, or report fever-like symptoms (sweating, feeling too hot or cold, etc.) without measurable fever temperature.
* Sleep problems: "Unrefreshing sleep" and rest is a hallmark of CFS, and insomnia is also common. Maintaining a sleep schedule is extremely difficult for many patients. Vivid, "feverish" dreams are a symptom in many people with CFS, exacerbating disturbed sleep patterns. Patients report that exercise, unlike in healthy persons, worsens the insomnia and unrefreshing sleep symptoms alike.
* Psychological/Psychiatric symptoms: emotional lability, anxiety, depression, irritability, and sometimes a curious emotional "flattening" (most likely due to exhaustion), may manifest in CFS patients. Many of these symptoms can be directly caused by the CFS mechanism or, in some cases, may be secondary symptoms created by the syndrome, as many chronic pain or illness patients also show similar psychiatric issues. CFS patients with pre-existing psychiatric symptoms may report that these worsen with the onset of CFS. Treatment for psychiatric symptoms alone does not relieve the physical symptoms of CFS, indicating that the disease is not psychological in nature.
* Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system and hormones:
* People with CFS often have abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system such as low blood volume, orthostatic intolerance, dizziness and light-headedness, especially when standing up quickly.
* Hormonal abnormalities may include abnormal vasopressin metabolism and a blunted ACTH response, leading to hypothyroidism and/or low cortisol and reduced ability to respond to physiological and emotional stress. Patients sometimes show abnormally low levels of testosterone, growth hormone and other important hormones.

Answer 6

GIVE THE WOMAN A BREAK MAN...IT COULD BE YOU ONE DAY