Nine-Year Follow-Up of Danish Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Patients
Impact on Health, Social, Vocational, and Personal Lives
Journal: J of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2007, pp. 7-23
Authors: Mette Marie Andersen, Henrik Permin, Frank Albrecht
Objective: To determine quality of life (QOL) and health in Danish
CFS patients 9 years after diagnosis.
Methods: Thirty-four adults with CFS responded to questions regarding
QOL at diagnosis, and again 5 and 9 years later. At 9-year followup
patients also responded to questions regarding health, fatigue, use
of Health Care system, alcohol and exercise.
Results: Two patients (6%) had recovered and 3 patients (10%) had
received secondary diagnoses. Overall, there was no improvement,
except with depression/anxiety. The order of severity among
disabilities remained the same. Work had the highest disability
score, followed by post-exertional malaise. Patients slept and rested
13.6 hours a day (mean). Self-reported physical health correlated
with hours sleeping and resting. Rheumatic symptoms dominated the
health symptoms. Alcohol consumption was low, and the use of the
Health Care system was modest.
Conclusion: After 9 years QOL was the same as at diagnosis, only
mental health had improved.
* * *
I did, for a while, have monthly doctor appointments, when we were trying to find a prescription that worked and I needed to check in about the results and get a different prescription (which they wouldn't do by phone). But once we found something that worked, I'm back to once a year: an annual physical that everyone should have and getting my prescription renewed. So, anyone who thinks that CFS patients are a drain on the health care system is wrong: in fact, as prior blog posts have shown, most of us have totally given up on doctors and won't waste our time and money on going unless absolutely necessary.
The simple fact is, quality of life is not going to improve until Modern Medical Science comes up with a cure. Right now, they can only address symptoms: pain, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea. But the virus itself chugs along unchecked (except for what your immune system can do on its own).
No comments:
Post a Comment