Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: more than just tired
By=A0Simon Leo Brown
Red Symons talks to psychiatrist Dr Nicole Phillips about Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, including some of the misconceptions surrounding the
disease also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Dr Nicole Phillips is medical advisor to ME/CFS Victoria and treats a
number of patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome.
She says that while chonic fatigue is simply ongoing tiredness,
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is much worse than that.
"That's been part of the problem," says Dr Nicole Phillips. "Fatigue's
been central to the name but in fact it's so much more than fatigue."
Dr Philllips likens Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to a really bad hang-over
and the flu and having run a marathon all at the same time.
ME/CFS is diagnosed by recognising clinical symptoms, as there is no
one blood test that will identify it.
"There are a number of blood tests that you can do that will suggest
it but certainly nothing definitive at the moment," says Dr Phillips
Similarly, there is currently no cure for the 180,000 Australians
estimated to be suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
Dr Nicole Phillips talks to Red Symons on=A0774 ABC Melbourne Breakfast
as part of his series 'Diseases I support in case I get them later
on'.
The entire interview can be downloaded or played from this page:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/01/17/3409665.htm
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