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  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
    Crushing tiredness that doesn’t diminish with rest, CFS can wreck lives. It’s also hard to diagnose, so patients may be seen as hypochondriacs. CFS affects more women than men and is seen mostly between the ages of 30 and 50. The true incidence of CFS is hard to gauge as it often goes undiagnosed due to its varying symptoms.  
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 28 September 2015

Fatigue with all of the following features:

 New or specific onset

 Persistent and/or recurrent 

 Reduction in activity level

 Unexplained by any other conditions

 Post-exertional depression and/or fatigue (seen after 24 hours and with slow recovery time)

One or more of the following symptoms:

 Muscle and/or joint pain at multiple places and without any inflammation

 Sleep problems such as insomnia, hypersomnia, unrefreshing sleep, disturbed sleep-wake cycle

 Painful lymph nodes without pathological enlargement

 Recurring headaches

 Flu-like symptoms, constant sore throat

 Dizziness and/or nausea

 Cognitive dysfunction, such as difficulty thinking or focusing, short-term memory loss, inability to find words/ organise thoughts or process information

 Physical or mental exertion

 Palpitations in the absence of any heart problems

Stories

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