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Symptoms
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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, which means you cannot test to see if you have it or not. 
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Based on the diagnostic criteria published by the National Academy of Medicine in 2015 which is cited on the U.S. Center for Disease Control's (CDC) website, you may be suffering from this condition if you experience the following symptoms for over six months or more:

  1. Profound, unprecedented fatigue.

  2. Fatigue that is not a result of ongoing or excessive exertion.

  3. Fatigue that does not ease with rest.

  4. Unrefreshing sleep.

  5. Worsening of symptoms after physical, emotional or mental exertion which would not have been a problem beforehand.

  6. Brain fog.

  7. New inability to process information quickly.

  8. Increase in brain fog, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and/or palpation when standing and walking.

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According to the data published by the CDC in 2024, 

  1. About 836,000 to 3.3 millions of people suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome in the United States.

  2. Less than 10% have received the correct diagnosis from their clinicians.

  3. Women are four time more likely than men to suffer from ME/CFS.

  4. Suffers are mostly likely in middle age.

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People with ME/CFS are often bedbound.  They can only take one shower per week or even month due to exhaustion.  They may not be able to cook a meal or put dishes in the dishwasher because of dizziness, a racing heart or muscle aches.  They long to gather with their families without having to leave the event early.  They hope to watch a movie with their children without constantly replaying the same scenes because they cannot comprehending the conversations. 

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From someone who suffers from ME/CFS for 46 years.

 

"I  have had ME since a childhood hypothermia event, ... I am well aware of the masses of people who need help and have no resources to them ... your bold move puts others on notice that there are ways to "do medicine" that reach the most needy..."

From another person with ME/CFS for 37+ years.

 

"I only have a... functional medicine doctor... I like her a lot... but I do not feel she... truly understands how hard it is to live with ME... or how serious this really is... I am mainly homebound... I am almost 60 years old and... feel like my entire life is gone now... I am very low income due to living on disability (Medicare and Medicaid) and I cannot just go see any ME specialist around the country... because I live at poverty level..."

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Email: care@mecfsclinicmn.org

Phone: 612-440-9699

Fax: 833-941-4900

AddressPO Box 26361, St Louis Park, MN 55426

Tax ID (EIN)88-2948473

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