Q. Just what is CFIDS?

A. CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome) is a serious and relatively newly identified syndrome that appears to have reached epidemic proportions over the last ten years. It has been called the disease of a thousand names (e.g., Yuppie Flu, Chronic Fatigue, Epstein-Barr). It has probably been around since at least the 1930s in one form or another.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that upwards of 100,000 people in the United States have CFIDS; millions may be affected worldwide. CFIDS strikes human beings of all ages, races, income levels, and gender (with twice a many women as men being diagnosed). Approximately one third of individuals with CFIDS remain functional and employed with major activity/lifestyle adjustments; one third are disabled but partially functional; one third are totally bedridden and may remain sick for years.

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, people may have CFIDS if:

• They suffer from severe, unexplained, debilitating fatigues accompanied by many of the symptoms listed above AND
• The symptoms have persisted for a period of six (6) months or longer, AND
• Ability to function is reduced by fifty percent (50%) or more, AND
• Overall symptoms have been evaluated and other diseases with similar symptoms have been ruled out.

NOTE: CFIDS can be misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, lupus, lyme disease, depression, HIV infection/AIDS/ARC (to name a few).