For years, chronic fatigue has been approached with mixed reactions. Many researchers believe the condition is a serious concern, while others simply dismiss it.

Those who suffer from the condition are often faced with profound fatigue not improved by bed rest, often over a time frame spanning at least six months. Physical and mental activity doesn’t help, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, but instead, makes the condition worse.

When Sara Price moved to Cherokee County to help care for her mother, chronic fatigue wasn’t in the picture - at least, it hadn’t been diagnosed. After a few months, Sara’s mom Diane admitted she felt “exhausted and tired all the time, every day.”

“Now, we sort of think she has chronic fatigue,” said Sara. “The doctor feels like some of her exhaustion is from that.”

It’s a difficult line, as other health condition treatments suggest Diane stay active.

“She’s supposed to exercise to stay healthy, but with this (chronic fatigue), too much exercise is bad,” said Sara.

That’s why Sara takes her mom to the proper medical experts.

“They’ve shown us a way to compromise; it’s just learning how to manage your life,” said Diane. “We just have to follow what the doctor says and hope for the best, since there doesn’t seem to be any real confined treatment.”

Until she and her doctors are sure about it, Diane expects she’ll just have to deal with the occasional aches.

“She has headaches, and before, she never really did,” said Sara. “And she could sleep all day and feel just as tired as before. More like ‘exhausted.’”

It may be difficult to be securely diagnosed; in fact, the CDC says the causes of chronic fatigue have not been identified, and there are no specific diagnostic tests available. CDC estimates more than 1 million Americans have chronic fatigue, and women are four times more likely to have the condition than men.

Dr. Coy Edwards is one of several local physicians who referred questions concerning chronic fatigue elsewhere.

“We could talk about symptoms, but the best person to call would be a doctor of internal medicine,” Edwards offered, saying they may have more insight to give on the nebulous condition.

Several other local physicians offered the same advice through a series of phone calls: Chronic fatigue’s symptoms are commonly understood throughout the medical profession, but treatment and other concerns are best answered by an internal medicine physician, who will know more about his or her patients’ needs.

One such Cherokee County physician, referred by three other local physicians, was unable to return a call at press time.

A recent TV spot, paid for through the CDC, is the focus of a $4.5 million campaign - a 40-year-old woman is shown in slow motion as her family and co-workers buzz all around. When the blurb ends, the woman is sitting alone among the decorations for a birthday party.

“The worst part isn’t even that everyone thinks the problem’s in my head,” says a woman’s voiceover. “The worst part of chronic fatigue syndrome is missing my life.”

The ad comes after a bit of a battle among Congress, researchers, advocates and the CDC.

Congress authorized $22.7 million for the CDC to research chronic fatigue in the 1990s, but in ‘98, advocates learned the center was using nearly $13 million of that money on other research, according to the Associated Press. A federal investigation followed, and the CDC replaced the $13 million.

That, says veteran health advocate and visiting scholar at John Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health Shelley Hearne, was the turning point in how the center deals with and is influenced by advocacy and lawmakers.

While advocates push for more funding to research chronic fatigue, some continue to step forward and speak out against the research. New York-based researcher Dr. Peter Manu is one of those speaking out; Manu doesn’t believe chronic fatigue is a real disease.

“I personally believe the CDC’s emphasis on this has been wrong from day one,” Manu told AP. “They have responded to pressure.”

According to the Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Association of America, recent CDC studies document chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome is as disabling as chronic pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis and severe depression, yet is one of the lowest-funded diseases by the federal government.

Tuesday, May 15, the CFIDS will support Lobby Day, where supporters can work in state delegations to carry the message to the halls of Congress: “ ... that [CFIDS] is real, it is serious and it warrants increased attention and funding,” states the association Web site, www.cfids.org.

The CDC spent nearly $6 million on chronic fatigue research during the 2006 budget year, not including the $4.5 million spent on the TV spot; the National Institutes of Health spent $5.5 million on research.

“It’s kind of bothersome to think our government can spend billions of dollars on other stuff like space shuttles and all that junk, but [isn’t] interested in learning more about this disease,” said Diane. “It’s messing up a lot of people; that’s real enough.”

A few celebrities have claimed to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, including Laura Hillenbrand, author of the best-selling novel “Seabiscuit: An American Legend”; five-time Olympian Amy Peterson; women’s soccer star Michelle Akers; and rock singer Dennis DeYoung.



Learn more

To learn more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, www.cdc.gov.