Here to help

If it wasn't a real condition I don't think we would have a code for it.Give me 2 days and I'll put the information I have together for you.

O.k. this is what I was able to put together so far. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic Fatigue syndrome is a medical condition that until just a few years ago was dismissed by the majority of medical professionals as not being a “real” condition. Today CFS (Chronic Fatigue syndrome) is widely recognized as a genuine condition of the immune system that should be taken very seriously (Shier, Butler, & Lewis, 2007), and has even been assigned it’s very own diagnosis (ICD-9-Cm) code for billing purposes, 780.71 (Buck, 2009). CFS will come on suddenly leaving its victims feeling as if they are completely drained of all energy. For CFS patients even the most basic of activities, such as getting out of bed in the morning, requires far too much effort to accomplish. Accompanying this crippling fatigue patients may also exhibit headaches symptoms such as chills, headache, fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and muscle and joint pain (Shier, Butler, & Lewis, 2007). Patients with CFS have reported as many as twenty other symptoms that are not included in the official list of symptoms that range from dry mouth or abdominal pain to chest pain, visual disturbances, and psychological problems (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2009). It is the muscle and joint pain that serves as an indicator of an overactive immune system,. Other indicators of this are that CFS patients can have interleukin-2 levels up to forty times the norm, an excess of cytotoxic Tcells with a deficiency of interferon. The immune system goes on high defense but doesn’t get the message that the war is over. There an incredible number of theories as to what the actual cause of this condition is. The most commonly believed possible causes of CFS include the following list. ? Depression ? Iron deficiency anemia ? Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) ? History of allergies ? Virus infection, such as Epstein-Barr virus or human herpesvirus 6 ? Dysfunction in the immune system ? Changes in the levels of hormones produced in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands or adrenal glands ? Mild, chronic low blood pressure (hypotension) ? An autoimmune process causing inflammation of certain nervous-system pathways ? A viral infection complicated by a dysfunctional immune response ? A low blood pressure disorder that triggers the fainting reflex (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2009) While there are physical indicators can be found in CFS patients there is no test that can definitively diagnose CFS. There is much debate regarding the testing as some believe that CFS is caused by a mitochondrial dysfunction and that by testing for this they can diagnose CFS. On the other hand there are those that state that this only shows if the patients fatigue is the result of a mitochondrial dysfunction and that the patient could still have CFS if the fatigue is originating from something else (Myhill, 2009). The most commonly accepted way to diagnose CFS is through a system of elimination. The physician will first need to rule out any and all other possible causes of the patients’ symptoms. Only when no other cause can be found can the physician then give the definitive diagnosis of CFS. Without a definite cause there is no way to cure CFS though many patients have been known to recover on their own with time. For those that are suffering though there is hope in the form of relief from the symptoms, both the physical and the psychological. A treatment plan will need to be made on a patient to patient basis to cover all of the symptoms they are exhibiting as each persons’ symptoms will vary (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2009). On their own a patient can help by making a point to take care of their body. Eating healthy, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding stress are all steps that every CFS patient should be taking and have shown to help relieve the severity of the symptoms. Do to the frustrating nature of this condition many patients and their families find it very beneficial to seek out therapy or join a support group. Support groups can be found through the CDC’s website, Daily Strength .org, and Pro Health .com just to name a few. People looking for support groups can also check with their doctor and/or hospital for information on groups in their local area. Works Cited Buck, C. J. (2009). 2009 ICD-9-cm Standard Edition. St.Louis: Saunders Elsevier. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. (2009, June 19). Retrieved October 5, 2010, from Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/DS00395 Myhill, D. S. (2009). NEWS FLASH - A Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). Retrieved 2010, from ProHealth: http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?libid=14274 Shier, D., Butler, J., & Lewis, R. (2007). Hole's Human Anatomy & Physiology Eleventh Edition. New York: McGraw Hill. Hope it helps.

Yeah that copied a little strangly from word.

Sure! I get really wrapped up in this type of stuff so something in a new direction sounds like fun.

Groovy!