What is M.E.?

M.E. is short for Myalgic Encephalopathy. Other names for this are Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

If you look any of these up on-line you are sure to get a medical description, detailing exactly what they are by someone who has never experienced them. I will provide you with my interpretation of this terrible disorder as a sufferer, but by all means please read associated websites for further information. The more knowledge people gain about M.E., the better for each and every sufferer.

When I was diagnosed with M.E., I had absolutely no idea what it was. I had been a fun-loving, full-of-life teenager who was always on the go. I then ended up in a very emotional situation which I did not handle well. A month or so later I collapsed while canoeing down a river. That was the beginning of it all for me.

I underwent what felt like every medical test in the world, with blood tests being taken every other day. To be honest, I have no idea what they all tested me for; the only part I was ever aware of was every test result coming back negative. I was then recommended to see a specialist at the local hospital. I think this took a few weeks for my appointment, but he was the man who diagnosed me in the end. (M.E. is diagnosed by negative results to tests as opposed to positive, which suggests to me that each and every sufferer can be suffering differently.) This process took approximately 3 months for me. I have since come to realise, however, that I was very lucky and that many sufferers wait years to have their illness / disorder, whatever you prefer to call it, diagnosed. I can only begin to wonder how they get by in that time. For me those three months were living hell and if anyone ever tried to tell me that I was imagining it all I would have broken down in tears.

That is one of the saddest things about M.E.: society does not understand it, and so sufferers not only have to try to deal with the terribleness of their symptoms, but also the prejudices of the people around them.

As I said earlier, each and every one of us could be suffering differently, but we do all have symptoms that are common. One sufferer may experience each and every symptom at the one time, or the symptoms may change over time, or likewise they may only ever experience a couple of the symptoms.

Here is a list of some of the common symptoms -