Hi Yvee. Your sister is really lucky to have someone like you who cares so much about
her. CFS is such a hard illness to cope with, especially for teenagers because they cannot do the normal everyday things that their friends are doing. This disease is probably really hard for her friends to understand too because the tiredness of CFS goes way beyond the nromal kind of "tired" that people feel from not getting enough sleep. It is like your entire body is completely drained of any strength and energy and no matter how much your mind wants your body to get up and do things your body will not cooperate. People with CFS do not feel better or less fatigued no matter how much they rest. CFS is also hard to cope with because most people don't understand it and a lot of people think the disease is "all in the person's head" because they can't see any outward physical symptoms.
As far as what you can do for your sister, the most important thing is to be there for her and truly listen to her. You can't make the illness go away, but you can be there for her and just listen when she gets frustrated or really down and you can enjoy any good days she has. I don't know how old you are or how well you know her friends, but after you learn more about
CFS you could talk to her friends about
it and help to get them educated (I don't know if they'll listen though).
If you us an online search engine such as Google, and type in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome you will find some good information out there that will help you understand CFS better. Just steer clear of the sites that offer a "cure". No matter how great these "cures" sound, these are people who are just trying to prey on people like your sister and get money for a bogus product.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Take care
Diagnosis: Suspected Lupus 2004; Raynauds 2006; Sjogren's 2006; CFS 1991; Mono 1985
Meds: Plaquenil 400mg; Tramadol 100mg 3-4x daily; Amitriptyline 10mg; Neurontin 300mg; Steriod Cream and Mouth Rinse for tongue and mouth ulcers; Hydrocodone 5/500 prn for severe pain
Clickable: LUPUS INFORMATION & LUPUS RESOURCES.
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