Are Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms actually MS? Posted: 09-08-06 17:19pm
have been experiencing M.E. type symptoms
for some time (diagnosed by GP as Post
viral fatigue) however have been getting
new symptoms such as severe pain, weakness
and painful pins and needles in legs and
sometimes arms. I have also experienced
about a week of stabbing pains in my eye,
and wondered if I should be checked for
M.S.? I would be grateful for any advice
you could give.
According to the symptoms you report
(fatigue, muscle pain, muscle
weakness…), you might be experiencing
myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Another
term for ME is chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS). ME or CFS has an unknown etiology
but it is believed that it iss caused by a
virus or inadequate immune response to the
viral infection. Symptoms (fatigue) last
more than 6 months before diagnosis. But
before establishing the diagnosis for ME
or CFS, several other conditions that can
also cause chronic fatigue must first be
excluded: infections; autoimmune diseases;
tumors; some neurological diseases;
endocrine diseases like hypothyroidism;
psychiatric disorders such as depression;
drug dependence, and other illnesses (such
as heart, kidney, liver diseases). One of
the neurological diseases to be excluded
is multiple sclerosis (MS). You can
request a CT-scan or a MRI to investigate
possible brain changes typical during MS.
If there are such brain changes, you
should then perform a laboratory analysis
of the cerebral-spinal liquid. You can
ask for expert help from a neurologist.
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