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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Posted 9/25/2004 2:26 PM (GMT -8)
What is the difference of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Syndrome?  Could a person have both, or if someone who has Fibromyalgia, could they get CFS as well or even go from FMS to CFS?  HELP!!!!
Posted 9/26/2004 1:35 AM (GMT -8)
Hi AussieGirl,
There is not much difference between CFS and FMS. Several research studies have been done, to try to determine if they are the same or different illness. And they have all found the result is they are NOT different illnesses.

BUT among certain groups of both patients and Drs, it is a hotly debated topic. There are a LOT of people who aren't convinced they are the same illness. And with such a complicated, and as yet mysterious illness, who's really to say exactly (at this point).

So to answer your questions--the difference between CFS and FMS (on the assumption they ARE different) is that with CFS the major (or most common) symptom is chronic fatigue, and with FMS the most common symptom is chronic pain. After that, they are identical. And again assuming they ARE different, yes one can have both CFS and FMS. And yes, one can have one and then get the other later.

Have you found the FMS forum here at HealingWell? It is much busier than this board, although without a moderator at the moment. You can find support and information on either board, but probably more on the FMS board, at the moment.

Anyway, thanks for "stopping by", I'm glad to meet you. Please feel free to post as often as you want or need.

Take care.
Posted 9/26/2004 7:07 PM (GMT -8)
Wow! Thanks for the clarifying!!! See, I'm new to all this and am trying to learn as much as possible b/c one (my) best friends has FMS for about 10 years now. Right now, she is going through a really bad time and her doc has brought up the option of going to go to some place called "Oschners." Do you know anything about this place? I've tried using Google search engine and pulled up nothing. Yes, I have gone to the FMS forum and have even posted some. One question... what is the difference between Forums and Message boards? Thanks once again!! ^_^

AuSsie
Posted 9/28/2004 3:21 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Aussie,
I've never heard of Oschners. Is it a store or drug supply place or website or spa/resort or what?

A message board is a forum, and a chat room is a forum. Each illness represented at HW has 2 forums--one chat room and one message board. But the terms are often used interchangably :-)
Posted 9/28/2004 8:08 AM (GMT -8)
Bryann,

Oschners is like St Jude from what my friend told me. That's about all I know about it. I was just wondering if anyone, here, would know about it since it is like St Jude.

AuSs
Posted 9/28/2004 3:23 PM (GMT -8)
Oh, well no, I've never heard of it. But maybe someone will come along who has.
Posted 10/10/2004 8:52 PM (GMT -8)
Hey brynn, I read some of that info posted by Jeannie on th efms boarda nd somewhere read that along with what you said about he most prevailent symptom, altough many people ahve both fms and cfs, the top diagnosis will be determined by the onset reason. i can't remember which site i was on but read that they were thinking in most people with prevailent cfs-onset came after a lingering virus wether it be ebv or something else, and people with fms as the prevailent onset was caused by trauma to the body. Prevailent is what is initially dx, then the other follows suit or something to those effects. i have both but normally just tie cfs in with fms fatigue comes w/ pain vise versa-both are pretty equally distributed in my life. Tired and in pain-the story of my life.
Posted 10/11/2004 11:37 PM (GMT -8)
Hi dori
Yes, the way you explain it, is what research indicates at present. But much research remains to be done, so nothing is set in stone (if it ever is).
Posted 10/12/2004 5:17 PM (GMT -8)
oh i know-just reporting what i read- and i read up on oschners-info from the web is not extensive-sounds just like a normal hospital from any other town-from some new england town, and it has nothing specifying fibromyalgia-it's apparently not a specializing hospital, although maybe they have great docs who know about fibro there. Not like St. jude's though or a unversity hospital. check your sources as some info can be misleading or maybe it's not-just speaking from the info i found on this hospital. maybe you, aussiegirl, have better info and could tell us where to look?
just a thought,
-amy
Posted 10/13/2004 1:47 PM (GMT -8)
Amy-- everyone,

I wish I had better information on Oshners to give you, but I'm in the same boat as you guys. I want to know about this place b/c I really wonder if my best friend who has FMS would actually go.... I dunno. See, I'm only 20 and I hope that one day I become "rich and famous" so that I can use my fame and whatnot to find a cure for this and other HORRIBLE diseases (FMS, CFIDS, Alzheimers, Cancer) <---- just to name a few. Anyway, I gotta run.

AuSs
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