What is ME?

I know from experience that not many people understand what ME is, how people get it, or how it can effect people's lives. Lot's of people, through no fault of their own, just think it makes me tired all the time. Some people I know don't even think it's a proper illness.

Part of this blog's aim is to increase awareness and understanding about ME/CFS as well as sharing my personal story, so I'm going to write, in my terms and using the NHS terms that I am still figuring out how to understand, what ME is.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is an illness most commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It's a long term fluctuating illness that can cause many symptoms the most common being persistent fatigue or pain.

Other symptoms include:

• Feeling generally unwell (flu like symptoms) 
• Sore throat
• Substantial impairment in concentration and/or short term memory
• Tender lymph nodes
• Muscle Pain
• Multi-join pain without swelling or stiffness 
• Headaches
• Disturbed Sleep
• Post-exertional malaise lasting more than a day (feeling ill after a busy day or exercise)

with less common symptoms being:

• Night Sweats
• Nausea 
• Tingling sensations
• Morning Stiffness
• Irregular Heartbeat
• Psychological problems, such as depression, panic attacks.
• Alcohol intolerance

How do people get ME?

In a lot of cases the trigger is linked to a viral infection , but other things can include an operation or accident, a stressful event or an unknown cause. One of the reasons it's so hard to diagnose is because Doctor's have to investigate what triggered the illness.