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In 2015, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) determined that “chronic fatigue syndrome" (CFS) in the United States, (called "myalgic encephalomyelitis"-ME- in other countries and consequently known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome “ME/CFS” globally), should be considered a "serious, complex, multisystem disease" that physicians need to view as "real" and diagnose. In this same 2015 report, IOM states "It's time to stop saying that this is a just figment of people's imagination. This is a real disease, with real physical manifestations that need to be identified and cared for”.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee recommended that the name Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease (SEID) be used for this disease for two reasons:
1. In this country, the term “chronic fatigue syndrome” affects patients’ perceptions of their illness as well as the reactions of others, including medical personnel, family members, and colleagues. This label can trivialize the seriousness of the condition and promote misunderstanding of the illness.
2. Also, the new name captures a central characteristic of this disease— the fact that exertion of any sort (physical, cognitive, or emotional)—can adversely affect patients in many organ systems and in many aspects of their lives.
Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease is defined in both adults and children by the following:
- A substantial reduction or impairment in the ability to engage in pre-illness levels of occupational, educational, social or personal activities that persists for more than 6 months and is accompanied by fatigue, which is often profound, is of new or definite onset (not lifelong), is not the result of ongoing excessive exertion, and is not substantially alleviated by rest.
- Post exertional malaise (often described by patients as a "crash" or "collapse" after even minor physical or mental exertion);
- Unrefreshing sleep.
- Cognitive impairment and/or orthostatic intolerance.
The issue I have with IOM and the medical profession is that there are no curative measures instituted to treat fatigue. NONE.
Very few people in the medical community take FATIGUE seriously and it is often medically treated as depression, especially because there is a greater percentage of women who present to the doctor with fatigue (DON’T GET ME STARTED!).
Attestation to the fact that we do not know how to medically treat fatigue is substantiated by the number of adults (especially adult women between 35-55 years old) prescribed amphetamines in this country - which is soaring. Mark my words, it is the new medically induced prescribed drug addiction epidemic in the country; amphetamines. Often patients being treated with amphetamines in this country are women diagnosed with “Adult Onset ADD”, Depression, undesired weight gain and yes, FATIGUE.
I have treated Fatigue naturally since 1989 with very good success.
I very carefully review the patient’s lifestyle to especially include their support systems and connections to friends and family, diet, sleep habits, life stressors to include but not limited to occupation, family and friends, as well as their exercise routine on the spectrum from no exercise to over-exertional exercise routines.
Patients present their fatigue with a plethora of symptoms and often have at least one of these three:
"lack of energy," "no motivation," "difficulty concentrating”
They also often have all the SEID symptoms listed above:
- a substantial reduction or impairment in the ability to engage in pre-illness levels of occupational, educational, social, or personal activities that persists for more than 6 months and is accompanied by fatigue, which is often profound, is of new or definite onset (not lifelong), is not the result of ongoing excessive exertion, and is not substantially alleviated by rest.
- post-exertional malaise (often described by patients as a "crash" or "collapse" after even minor physical or mental exertion).
- unrefreshing sleep.
- cognitive impairment and/or orthostatic intolerance.
Because the medical community never looks for Adrenal Fatigue, they do not find that their Systemic Exertional Intolerance Disease IS often ADRENAL FATIGUE.
If you don’t look for it, you won’t find it. Many of my patients who present with fatigue also have mild to profound Adrenal Fatigue. The good news is I look for it and know how to treat it.
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