Are ME,CFS and PVFS all the same thing?: - EDMESH
Are ME,CFS and PVFS all the same thing?
my understanding is that PVFS, post viral syndrome, comes after a viral illness and lasts up to
6 months, but can be longer I think sometimes, and has the same symptoms as the viral illness
but ........... ME has post-exertional fatigue, and only ME has this - it can be up to three days til it kicks in - also brain fog, don't think you have that with PVFS or Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome
a lot of people with ME have muscle pain too - but ME can start with a viral illness so
probably that's why PVFS gets confused with it
CFS can be a part of many illnesses I think, or depression, or 'burn-out' but doesn't have
brain fog or post-exertional fatigue
I agree - PVFS can be an initial diagnosis, but it doesn't go on for years on end. If it does, it's more likely to be ME.
I don't really like CFS as a synonym for ME - in my opinion, they're not the same illness.
We really need proper biomedical research to sort this out. It looks as if there are severeal sub-groups, each with their own set of symptoms, and maybe with different causes and treatments too.
It's confusing terminoology isn't it? I read that up to the 1980s PVFS and ME were the same. PVFS was the new " modern" term, then CFS took over from that. The Wessley School muddied the waters, when they started to use the term CFS to refer to their patients instead of Chronic Fatigue, as they were looking at the symptom of fatigue only. A point that has finally been admitted, after the PACE Trial.
Looking at the research literature, they are using the term CFS or mainly ME-CFS.
Again I read that they use the composite term as researchers use Fukuda and Canadian guidelines to enrol patients into studies and if everyone uses the same criteria, they can compare results.
I saw that the MRC's new call for applicants for research funding, they described ME-CFS, as being considered a broad spectrum disorder or syndrome but bellieve that ME and CFS are discrete illnesses.
At different times during my "struggle" I've been told that I had M.E., PVFS, and CFS. Each time it's been inferred that they are all one and the same. I don't think this helps the sufferer or medical profession. Personally I don't care what they call it as long as they agree that it's real and not just a figment of my imagination.
Hi soulseeker, that sounds familiar. I started of with PVFS then was seen by someone else and was told that I had CFS, even thought I tick all the boxes for ME,There needs to be an agreement on what to call it and educate the medics that it's a real disease not a psychaitric condition. Why can't they look at the biomedical evidence being published and stop believing that we can get better with a bit of therapy and a good walk? Where do you start though?
I was told by my consultant that CFS and ME were the same just different names for the same thing.
they are the same just different names for them x
Hi GrandmaMargB that's what I was told too.
