CFS or Depression?

» energynow - chronic fatigue vs. depression article

Thanks for posting this, Tamara.

I thought it gave a good distinction between the 2. It was a good article, but I didn't consider it a great one. However, I'm grateful for the author taking time to explain the difference.
Helpful.

Jean

-- posted by energynow

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» biogardener - How about abuse?

I want to cite something which supports what you are saying in the article. An abused woman will also suffer depression and suffer chronic fatigue in the presence of the abuser. Take her out of the situation and put her in a safe environment, and she won't feel tired at all. The chronic fatigue can come and go from one day to the next depending on whether the abuser is around or not.

-- posted by biogardener

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» MsPersephone - Re: chronic fatigue vs. depression article

In response to message posted by energynow:

Jean -

Thank you for reading the article and taking the time to post your impressions.

-- posted by MsPersephone

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» MsPersephone - Re: How about abuse?

In response to message posted by biogardener:

Traute - This relationship between abuse and CFS is very interesting!! Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I definitely want to know more. Do you have a reference - magazine article, book, journal article, etc.? Something that I can read and/or quote.

-- posted by MsPersephone

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» biogardener - Just experience.

No references, just personal experience.

-- posted by biogardener

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» Tery01 - How about abuse?

In response to message posted by biogardener:

Yes, I agree with the CFS, depression, and the abuse.

Of course, the abuse is so traumatizing that the aftermath or the results can lead to depression and CFS. Same as Fibromyalgia and PSTD.

-- posted by Tery01

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» jerrib - It's only been recently

that doctors have acknowledged that depression may be the root of a person's illness. I can't imagine what skill it must take to distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome.

-- posted by jerrib

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» biogardener - Chronic Fatigue

As I understand it, chronic fatigue is a symptom of other underlying conditions. It cannot be treated as a disease. The underlying cause needs to be found and treated.

This is similar to treating asthma, for example, a problem which I understand better. Asthma is the apparent result of allergies. When asthma is treated as a disease, it never gets better. Its symptoms are merely covered up. If the allergies are discovered and treated or avoided, the asthma disappears without treatment.

In the same way, if chronic fatigue happens to be the result of abuse, no amount of treatment will help unless the abuse is stopped. If chronic fatigue is the result of lack of proper nutrition, on the other hand, it needs to be treated that way. There is therefore no standard treatment for chronic fatigue. It may take a whole team of practitioners to diagnose the cause, and most of the time, the patient knows what the cause it, she may just not be willing to share it, and sometimes, no one believes her when she does share it.

-- posted by biogardener

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» MsPersephone - Jerri -

Jerri -
It takes a lot of listening, gathering the person's medical and psychological history, and ruling out other diseases (such as MS, depression, etc.) - as well as a lot of patience to make the distinction between CFS and depression. It has been immensely helpful for me to have assembled a number of specialists who will work well with my patients (including a primary care doctor, a neurologist, an endocrinologist, an ob/gyn, and a psychologist who who specializes in neuropsych evaluations).

It's a challenge, but one that I feel needs to be taken more seriously than it is has been by the various medical specialties.

-- posted by MsPersephone

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» MsPersephone - Traute -

Traute -
You're right. CFS has many and varied causes, and a person with its symptoms deserves a very thorough evaluation from compassionate and open-minded medical people.

My personal opinion is that the underlying problem with CFS is prolonged stress (abuse; long periods of sleep deprivation; etc.), which eventually depletes the immune system. When the immune system gets into trouble, we become very susceptible to viruses (and it has been postulated, in the medical community, that a large number of diseases may be caused by "slow" viruses and/or viruses which haven't yet been discovered), as well as to autoimmune problems - like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, certain types of thyroid problems, allergies (e.g. to mildew, which has been found to cause or worsen CFS), etc. That's why the symptoms of CFS can be so diffuse and hard to track down.

In fact, there is often a viral onset with CFS. The person will come down with a cold or flu and never quite recover from it - and develop CFS.

I agree that the underlying cause has to be addressed - if it can be found. It can be fairly straightforward to have a person move from a mold-infested home to one that isn't. If there are also psychological components, however, treatment is much less straightforward. Ideally, it should be treated with an integrated (mind, body, spirit) approach.

-- posted by MsPersephone

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