Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
This name really does not do any justice to the illness itself. The name ‘CFS’ provides the reader with a narrow insight into the life of someone with this illness.
So what have you gathered so far from the name ‘Chronic Fatigue?’
Tiredness? Exhaustion? Fatigue?
However this factor only covers the tip of the iceberg.
There are a multitude of symptoms people with CFS face, and it varies from person to person, day to day.
From my personal experience, symptoms include;
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Muscle and joint pain
- Brain fog
- Fluctuating temperatures
- Loss of appetite
- Swollen lymph nodes
Now this list is bound to vary from person to person, day to day. Some may add headaches, forgetfulness or sensitivity to noise and lights along with a range of other symptoms.
This constantly changing, seemingly never-ending list of symptoms can make CFS appear to be an ‘illusion’ fabricated by the mind.
However, this illness is anything but.
CFS has been described as an ‘Invisible Illness’ due to a variety of factors. Primarily, the reason for this categorisation is that no one sees us when we are at our worst.
For example, when my symptoms are mild and manageable in my day-to-day life; I am able to attend school despite the vague feeling of tiredness and joint pain that seeps into my fingers and wrists as I copy class notes.
However, when I’m bedridden by an influx of severe CFS symptoms (i.e. fatigue and dizziness) I’m stuck at home, most likely sleeping. Therefore, when my CFS symptoms are at their worst, few people see me. Hence, the lack of understanding of this ‘Invisible Illness’ in today’s society, as people never see us when we are at our worst. Consequently there is a lack of understanding in our society around just how severe CFS can be.
I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions and potentially even experiences with CFS or similar illnesses. Please feel free to comment, email, or message me (@hayleyrenee.nz) on instagram – with any queries, questions or suggestions. This post is just an introduction into CFS, I will most definitely be posting more; whether it’s regarding my personal experiences or that of others, and maybe even just in general.
Thanks! I hope I have given you a slightly broader understanding around the ‘Invisible Illness’ that is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Hayley 🙂
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