What Drug Treatments Help With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
As more and more evidence stacks up showing a relationship between certain viruses and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), doctors are treating the condition more and more often with antiviral drugs. Still, we don't have a lot of hard evidence that these drugs work.
Does that mean it's a dead end? Not at all! The big roadblock here is that doctors don't have biomarkers to show them exactly which viruses they're dealing with, which means they don't know which antiviral to give you. They're stuck with broad-spectrum drugs, which often have little or no effect on particular bugs.
At the June 2008 Symptosium on Viruses in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Dr. Kenny De Meirleir, who's treated thousands of people with ME/CFS, reviewed antivirals currently in use. (* indicates those approved, for other uses, in the U.S.)
- Ampligen (poly I: poly C12U): May be most effective in post-Epstein-Barr virus cases. Some studies show increased cognitive function and exercise capacity. Awaiting approval by the FDA.
- *Symmetrel (amantadine): Inhibits cellular infection and boosts dopamine activity. Currently used to fight fatigue in MS. Anecdotal success in ME/CFS is not supported by studies.
- *AzaSite (azithromycin): Shows promise against central nervous system infections. Studies report response in 50% of people with ME/CFS.
- Immunoglobulins: May neutralize viral antigens and rebalance the immune system. Mixed results in studies.
- Kutapressin (aka Nexavir): Lab tests show it's effective against EBV. Anecdotal reports of success rate are very promising - as high as 75% in De Meirleir's practice in Australia.
- Zadaxin (thymalfasin): Hepatitis C drug used off-label in Europe for ME/CFS. Placebo-controlled trial is planned.
Research into protein and gene expression, which is expected to separate people with ME/CFS into different subsets, is expected to be a big help with zeroing in on the correct treatment down the road.
Do you have experience with any of these drugs? How did they work? Let us know, either here or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome forum.
Suggested Reading:
- The 7 Genomic Subtypes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Current Research into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Drug Treatments for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Comments
Of all the useless medicines I’ve taken for FMS, amantadine is the one that works the best. I took it for a couple of months and reported back that I thought I had much more energy, hurt less, and was generally better off while taking it. Of course, this is only anecdotal evicence, but the doctor continued prescribing it for me. Then I moved. My new doctor does not ‘believe’ in amantadine. He ‘believes’ in depression as the root cause of FMS, so he will not prescribe it for me. I will not take his antidepresants, so… I am totally disgusted with doctors who ‘believe’ in something with no scientific evicence and refuse to look at anything else.
I have also felt much better while taking various antibiotics. I asked the current doctor if he would prescribe them for me in the quantity that is suggested for Lyme Disease (which is another possible diagnosis) for me. He refused and offered more antidepressants.
Another medication that seems to help is DHEA. I had trouble getting that also, but someone told me it is now available OTC, so I might try this again.
I had good results with Doxycycline, 200mg in the am and 100mg in the pm. It got me out of bed and out of the house….Karen