Disability Resource Directory

Chronic Fatigue Patients And Their Physicians

  If I were to speak with or write a letter to chronic fatigue patients and their physicians I would want to put in that letter the very latest information from researchers and highly regarded physicians. Some of the information may be gleaned from the results of a think tank. A think tank is an organization or group of experts researching and advising on issues of society, science, technology, industry, or business. They are opportunities for learning. A think tank may be organized in order to conduct intensive research or to solve specific problems.

During the dates of March 16 - 18 of the year 2000 a think tank was formed in Reno, Nevada. This is the spot where the 1984-85 outbreak of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome occurred. Researchers and Physicians participated in the two-panel event. Nancy Klimas, MD, of the University of Miami, oversaw the Panel. The think tank's purpose was to address the disease by studying and assessing treatment and scientific findings surrounding the disease; so that they could make recommendations on how this information could be useful to those treating CFS patients.

The information that came from this think tank is beneficial to both physicians who treat Chronic Fatigue patients and to the patients themselves, whom can now better understand their own symptoms. The panels made recommendations based on their study. What follows is a brief summary of some of those recommendations.

Chronic Fatigue Fast Facts Vitamins And Supplements That Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients Use As with any treatment plan, patients should discuss any vitamin or supplement therapy with their physician who is treating them for the disease. Vitamins and supplements can have a beneficial affect towards giving some relief to the symptoms CFS patients' experience. Doctors treating patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) have recommended and patients report feeling much better while taking Probiotics. Two brands that patients are taking are called: Health Trinity and one by...

Immune Tests

These tests can be used to rule out other diseases and can suggest by process of elimination the diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The tests can also be used when making out disability claims as illness markers.

Exercise

The CFS patient cannot tolerate normal therapy exercises and therefore any exercise plan must be formulated with improving function as a goal, through gentle exercising.

Sleep Disturbances

CFS patients commonly suffer from wakeful periods during their normal sleeping times and often experience difficulty maintaining adequate amounts of REM sleep. To determine if the patient is suffering from any sleep disorders outside of the normal patterns seen in CFS patients a sleep questionnaire is suggested. Sleep testing should only be ordered if the physician suspects that the patient is suffering from symptoms that suggest a sleep disorder not associated with disturbances seen in CFS patients normally. The physician should be aware that some medications such as Klonopin, Flexeril and Prozac, used in CFS patients could actually exacerbate sleep pattern disturbances. To facilitate better sleep patterns, physicians may wish to include Tricyclic antidepressants and behavioral management such as warm baths, setting bed-times and bed-time routines as suggestions to their patients.