What is the difference between M E (myalgic encephalopathy)and FMS/CFS (fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome)

[Phoenixstepf]

Some people say it's the same others don't cud u enlighten me to the answer please

[Hidden]

Hello it`s a question that I looked into some time ago.I can tell you that ME and CFS are the same thing, As for the difference between FMS and CFS It is harder to explain. I think the best explanation I can find is on this site ...About.com...fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. But even then there is a lot of doubt as to the connection between them or even if there is any

hope this helps hugs sue xx

[Phoenixstepf in reply to Hidden]

Thanks sue it is a start point lol people were saying all sorts lol

[Fran_Russell in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your reply..I'm newly diagnosed with F/M..

[Mdaisy]

Hello ilovemy5boys,

This question comes up a lot as the two condition have very similar symptoms, here is a post about it some time ago which may help explain further;

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

Hope this helps

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Ian123 in reply to Mdaisy]

I am a member of an ME support group and at least half of us have Fibromyalgia as a co-morbidity or is it just another symptom. A tangled web for medical science treating the symptoms for sufferers who find the boundaries blurred.

[Mdaisy in reply to Ian123]

Hello Ian,

You are right many experience both conditions it seems and the symptoms are fairly synonymous. The boundaries are fairly blurred between the two conditions and as the symptoms are reported are based on personal experiences therefore may be subjective. One could argue that diagnosis could be an issue as to whether the patient is presenting with Fibro or M.E or both?

In my opinion (no FibroAction hat on) problems may lie with the criteria for diagnosis for both conditions and the abilities of the physician to be able to appropriately perform the Tender Point Test among other things. It would be far easier of course if there was a medical diagnostic test for either condition which we all wish for to help to dispell the stigma associated with these invisible illnesses

Adequate testing of many aspects should be reconsidered in my personal opinion (no FibroAction hat) including thorough Thyroid testing & the use of the criteria for both conditions being used more appropriately after exclusion of other illnesses.

A recent poll here does show that the TPT is being used and now we have the new 2010 American Rheumatology College (ACR) criteria.

healthunlocked.com/fibroact...

I certainly had TPT and it was about 5 days before I recovered however as you say until more research it may be as you described a tangled web.It seems that there is are differences but diagnosis may be difficult issue for Healthcare Professionals to differentiate between the two without the use of any medical diagnostic tests.

With this in my mind, you could ask the question how many people are being misdiagnosed? Any thoughts?

Best Wishes

Emma

FibroAction Administrator

[Ian123 in reply to Mdaisy]

Professor Stephen Holgate has said ME/CFS could cover as many as fifteen conditions when taking this into account a standard one size fits all diagnostic test would appear unlikely in the near future continuing the possibility of misdiagnosis.

Considering one NICE recommended treatment is GET (the other CBT) I would think ME/CFS is not well understood by the medical community a dustbin diagnosis where unexplained conditions can be dumped as dealt with.

As fibro - muscle and tendon, myalgia - pain does little in describing everything that comes with Fibromyalgia it is blessed with similar diagnostic limits that would define any differences between conditions, should they even exist.

Looking at muscle and pain from an ME/CFS view:

phoenixrising.me/archives/2...

The boundaries will remain blurred for me until a more specific label for the conditions is applied the overlapping symptoms hint at common causality making clinical distinction a Gordian knot the medical professionals are ill equipped for.

[MehitabeltheCat in reply to Mdaisy]

You can check your thyroid by, first thing in the morning, putting a basal metabolism thermometer under your armpit until done. If you are hypothyroid, your temp will be low. For me, 98.6 is a fever!

Don't drink water or sit up before testing; reach over for thermometer first thing. After a couple of weeks you will have an idea; my temperature on Nature Throid is still 97.6!

thyroid imbalance is very serious and harms many aspects of your health; can't lose weight, bad complexion, lack of drive or energy of any kind, serial weeping, always cold! Hope this helps some of you!

[TheAuthor]

Hi ilovemy5boys

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I can see that you have had some wonderful and very informative answers to your question so I just thought that I would paste the NHS Choices Website link for ME / CFS below for you as this is also another good source of information you may find useful?

nhs.uk/conditions/Chronic-f...

I genuinely hope that all the answers you have received have helped answer your query?

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken

[lcm27]

Hi,

On what I have read, ME/CFS present less symptoms than Fibro. ME/CFS the main criteria is fatigue whereas with Fibro its the pain. Plus the pain is in more points with fibro. We also have trouble sleeping whereas with ME/CFS they don't have a problem sleeping. We seem to get far more little things (well not little when you've got them) associated with fibro than you seem to get with ME/CFS. I'm due to see a new Rheumotologist at a different hospital at the end of this month and to help me I did a list of what wrong with me, Its a full A4 page and I'm not a hypochondriac honest! The ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia are definately not the same. See this websites pages on Fibromyalgia for a fuller overview on this condition.

Hope this is helpful, Lynn x

[Ian123 in reply to lcm27]

A range of symptoms beyond the fatigue that is used when defining the condition for the purpose of clarification and increased understanding;

actionforme.org.uk/get-info...

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a debilitating acquired neurological disease which has been recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) since 1969 as a distinct organic neurological disorder with the code G.93.3. the chronic fatigue label feels akin to labelling lung cancer a nasty cough when it is clearly much more than that.

[Hidden]

Hi Ian I agree with you as to the labelling of chronic fatigue it makes it sound as though you are just a little over tired The same goes for fibromyalgia ,It simply means muscle pain, As someone living with fibro and all that entails, plus having fatigue as my most debilitating symptom I can testify as to there being a lot more to both illnesses than their names imply. sue xx

[woodbon]

Hi, When my GP was off sick, I saw a different person from the same practice and he said he thought I could have both, I'm not sure why! Never bothered to ask as I was under the care of a consultant rhuemmy, who specialises in FA and she diagnosed me after tests and scans and I never really thought about it.

[Betty67]

I have been told by some medical people that I have ME and other Fibro. As both are a collection of similar symptoms then yes I think they are connected. Being a coward I usually say Fibro as ME still has a "yuppy flu" tag .

Jacqueline

[Boronia]

I totally agree mayrose54 fatigue is my biggest problem although the pain ain't much fun. The Rheumy who diagnosed me refused to write CFS in his diagnosis as he said it is a symptom of Fibro.I didn't think much of him or this comment but it seems there is a massive variety of views as to what these things are or are not.