Neurological disorder - ICD 10, G.93.3, World Health Organisation (WHO) 1969

ME/CFS Tasmania is a not-for-profit organisation run by a small group of volunteers dedicated to providing information, support for the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community in Tasmania. The vision of ME/CFS Tasmania is to be an organisation which has a significant and positive influence on the wellbeing of people affected by ME/CFS throught out the entire state.

"[With ME/CFS] the patient's activity level is reduced by approximately 50% or more. Some patients are housebound or bedridden and dependent on others for their daily care. ME/CFS is "actually more debilitating than most other medical problems in the world" including patients undergoing chemotherapy and HIV/AIDS patients..."

Curruthers, B & van de Sande, M (2005) 'Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A clinical case definition and guidelines for medical practitioners, an overview.

 

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder that causes extreme fatigue. This fatigue is not the kind of tired feeling that goes away after you rest. Instead, it lasts a long time and limits your ability to do ordinary daily activities.

Symptoms of CFS include fatigue for 6 months or more and experiencing other problems such as muscle pain, memory problems, headaches, pain in multiple joints, sleep problems, sore throat and tender lymph nodes. Since other illnesses can cause similar symptoms, CFS is hard to diagnose.

No one knows what causes CFS. It is most common in women mainly from mid teens onwards, but anyone can have it. It can last for years. There is no cure for CFS, so the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms. Medicines maytreat pain, sleep disorders and other problems.