"After months of being sick and not knowing why, my doctor diagnosed me with chronic fatigue syndrome. I'm not even sure what that means or what I can do about it. I'm really overwhelmed right now. Where do I start?"
First, what you're feeling right now is completely normal. Hearing that you have a chronic illness is frightening, and we all struggle to get a handle on it.
Second, as hard as a diagnosis can be, it's a good step – now you know what is wrong and you can start figuring out what to do about it. There's no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome and you may always have some symptoms, but with proper treatment and management, many people make significant improvements and put their lives back together.
Here are some articles that can help you wrap your head around chronic fatigue syndrome and see what treatment directions you can go:
- A Simple Explanation of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms List
- Lifestyle Changes
- What Causes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
- Grieving for Your Pre-Illness Life
- Accepting Your Illness
You're bound to have more questions, so explore the many articles here for answers:
- Symptoms & Basics: Get information about chronic fatigue syndrome, it's many symptoms, myths, sleep problems, overlapping conditions and more.
- Treatment: Learn about your at treatment options, including prescription drugs, supplements, and complementary and alternative treatments.
- Daily Life: Get help living with chronic fatigue syndrome, including diet and exercise information, how to stay as functional as possible, dealing with work and school, and how to cope with the emotional toll of your illness.
