It’s common for an enterovirus to produce symptoms (e.g. intestinal cramps) in the gastrointestinal (gut) tract, even in people who suffer with ME CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Today there is a “Carcinoid tumour associated with enterovirus infection” post from PubMed about how this is directly tied to ME CFS patients.

I encourage you to keep reading… .

Abstract Enteroviruses commonly infect the gastrointestinal tract, and replication of enteroviruses has been well documented in the Peyer patches of the small bowel. Chronic enterovirus infection has been found in the stomach and terminal ileum of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Apparently the problem manifests in these Peyer patches within the small bowel intestinal area. Right now we (e.g. ME, CFS patients) are dealing with different “bugs” that may include enterovirus symptoms. The symptoms may be mild and trivial or so severe you’re ready to call 911. But keep in mind that there are many versions of enterovirus that are prevalent around you. The more study on this topic, obviously the better for everyone. If your once thought of “stomach bug” goes sour and you end up with cancer, you would have to take notice!

In another PubMed citation, the abstract contributes even more information:

Enteroviruses are well-known causes of acute respiratory and/or gastrointestinal infections and non-specific flu-like illness. Although enterovirus protein, RNA and non-cytopathic viruses have been demonstrated in the stomach biopsies of patients with myalgia encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), causality for chronic diseases is difficult to establish without having well-documented cases of acute enterovirus infections. The aim of this study was to link acute enteroviral infection to viral persistence in patients with ME/CFS.

Yes, it’s that time of the year when we’re sniffling and blowing our noses. We’re also visiting the bathroom with unpleasant intestinal symptoms. All I’m saying is to be advised and forewarned…that’s all. Know your body, know your immune system and know your infections. If you keep up on what’s going on with you and you work hard to maintain your immune system so that it operates at peak efficiency, you not only will be better able to handle enterovirus symptoms, but all potential problems that threaten your health.

Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a term that is well understood by those who have the illness and misunderstood by (what seems like) almost everyone else. To diagnose CFS, first determine what you do not have. That is the approach that the medical world suggests that you use, in other words a diagnosis of exclusion.

Catch a great explanatory video here. (Later on when you get a chance, please share it with others!)

Factor #1 professional medical people use a diagnosis of exlusion: because there are no clear-cut laboratory tests, x-rays or even specific bio-markers that one can point to and say, “See there. This person has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” That makes figuring out the presence of CFS in anyone quite challenging. (Note: there is a cluster of symptoms associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and the presence of quite a few of them suggests that someone may be sick with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.)

Recently reported at the…

BMC Medicine website:

At present, and despite much effort, there are no investigative tools or physical signs that can confirm the presence of CFS and it remains a diagnosis of exclusion.

Factor #2 they use the diagnosis of exclusion: because neither scientists nor doctors have come up with any clear-cut methods for getting you well from CFS. Some specialists can get you on the road to health a bit faster, albeit at a high cost, but the average general practice doctor would rather treat you for any other condition which is technically and actually treatable!

Yes, there are a few medicines around to help ease symptoms like depression and pain. But what is the reasoning for having you take prescription drugs? To cure you? No. Hopefully the drugs will help you to feel better. During that time period, you will be giving your body the time it needs to heal itself, if possible. And that is a clear picture because, in the end, your body does all the hard work of getting well.

To most people correcting the symptoms and physical problems caused by CFS can be confusing at best, often impossible to achieve and/or a totally unaffordable and discouraging pursuit for many!

After you view the video, check out the answer for healing yourself that is located at the Get Well Health website, a sister blog and resource to the Health Matters Show. No matter how you go about it, getting well is up to you. I’m betting that you want all the help you can get.

Thank you so much for joining me today on the Health Matters Show. Please take the time to share your healing experiences and how you got diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by leaving a comment.

Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show

Fibromyalgia and weather change is a subject near and dear to many of us.

If you’re like most Fibromyalgia folks, when a weather change is coming, you feel uncomfortable at the least -or- in absolute, undeniable agony at worst.

Plus, since Fibromyalgia symptoms can vary from hour to hour, there is no predicting how you will feel at any one point in time. That makes planning your life darned tough, especially during any seasonal weather changes, like the ones we’re going through now.

I bet it does. I remember feeling like this a lot when I was so sick. My life was unpredictable. Feeling trapped in an endless “weather change” cycle added to the sadness and frustration that I struggled with. When I had something I wanted to do, I would question if I was wise to attempt it at all. At times the fear of letting myself or others down threatened to get the best of me.

So what elements about the weather do you think are at fault? These pesky weather factors that affect so many people? AND, what can you do about them?

(This audio is 4 minutes 17 seconds. Listen to it here or download!)

Many people find they have more symptoms with changes in temperature, air pressure or precipitation. They may experience those symptoms as:

• Feeling more tired (fatigue)
• Sleeping more poorly (sleep dysfunction)
• Additional, specific pains, like migraine headaches
• All over, more generalized pain, like muscles aches

Flare-up episodes of one symptom or several can seem to come from nowhere. These type of symptom and pain flares can be found among people who suffer with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, too.

What are these weather factors that affect so many people? There are basically five.

1) Barometric pressure: Barometric pressure is a measurement of the weight of the air in your environment. When the weather is warm, sunny and the barometric pressure is high, most people feel better.

But when a weather front is moving in and the barometric pressure suddenly drops, a Fibromyalgia person suddenly feels horrible! It’s also why we occasionally can laugh at ourselves and say that we can predict the weather. Note: barometric pressure dropping usually proceeds the actual weather change itself.

2) Temperature: Whether it’s hot to cold or cold to hot, wild temperature changes can really trigger symptoms. “Change” is the word to notice here. Note: most Fibromyalgia folks are comforted long into the warmer month by their heating pad and sock buddies.

3) Humidity: When there is a high concentration of moisture in the air, we say it’s humid or sticky. I’ve found any elevated degree of humidity brings about sweating and interrupted sleep for me. Low humidity is generally more comfortable for everyone, except a few can suffer from an increase in headaches and stiffness, while also enduring all over body pain.

4) Actual precipitation: When any type of moisture is falling from the sky, you have precipitation. Rain tends to bring on the most symptoms, but don’t discount snow, ice or sleet completely. That’s probably because precipitation events are often accompanied or preceded by changes in barometric pressure.

5) Wind: Here’s another culprit that is a partner in crime with barometric pressure. They are like two inseparable buddies, except maybe at the sea shore. If you’re inland and the wind is blowing, you may experience more fatigue, headaches and muscle aches when the wind is blowing.

I think the really tough thing about all of these 5 factors is thinking that there’s so little you can do about them because they still affect your life, whether you’re indoors or out. Here a few more abc’s to keep in mind that may help:

a) Turn up the heat if you’re cold, but do it too much and you’ll tend to dry out your nose, mouth and lungs, setting you up to be more susceptible for allergy symptoms, colds and the like. Try adding a fraction of moisture to your heat. The added moisture will make your room actually feel warmer to the skin and you won’t run up your heat bill any further.

b) Turn on your air conditioning. Beware that lowering the temperature around you may cause your muscles to ache. A person who is chilly tends not to move much. That’s a human reaction. Then that lack of activity exacerbates your symptoms, partially because the lymph fluid in your lymph system will back up and be stagnant when you don’t move around enough. To solve this problem, put on enough clothes in an air conditioned environment to keep you warm and able to move around!
c) Stay out of the wind. Either stay in for the day if it’s really windy outside or at least put on a jacket or coat with a hood. I find that if I cover up my head, that that act alone keeps away a world of sin and hurt.
d) Dress in layers. Whether you’re hot, cold, dry or sweating your face off, having layers of clothing that you can put on and take off is a powerful tool. Sometimes you can’t change the environment you in very quickly, but you can look out for yourself in this powerful way.

During the years I was so sick, I really only had one wardrobe. My summer clothes weren’t too cool and my winter clothes weren’t too warm. I simply had my basic wardrobe set up where I could put on or take off layers of clothing as needed. It really worked for me, saved on my wardrobe bill and meant I had fewer clothes to manage on a daily and seasonal basis.

If you have some “weather” gripes or tips, feel free to share them here, or Tweet me, or jot me a Facebook note. But, dear one, know that no matter what your symptoms are, weather related or not, you deserve to feel better. In dreaming and planning for just such an actuality as feeling better, fill out an inquiry to find out more about my new How to Heal Yourself Memberhip course today. The sign up box to get notices about it is in the top right box underneath the video. Or, if you like, you’re welcomed to learn more about it at my Get Well Health website, Learn How to Heal page.

Thanks so much for joining me at the Health Matters Show blog and podcast today. I’m Cinda Crawford, your host. Now remember… don’t let the weather get you down!

Anyone with CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) who is a bit busier and more active than usual easily can endure massive and uncomfortable symptom flares. This challenge is one of the many constant, nagging struggles that a CFS patient must live with while trying to get well. Proof of such symptom flares is documented in a recent study:

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients often report symptom flare (SF) for >24 h after moderate exercise (post-ex). We hypothesized that SF is linked to increases in circulating cytokines and CD40 Ligand (CD40L). In 19 CFS patients and 17 controls, mental and physical fatigue and pain symptom ratings were obtained together with serum for 11 cytokines and CD40L before and at 0.5, 8, 24, and 48 h post-ex.

Before exercise, CFS had lower CD40L (p<.05) but similar cytokines versus controls. In subgroups based on SF at 48 h, high SF patients (n=11) increased in IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-13 (p<.05) 8 h post-ex. Low SF patients (n=8) showed post-ex decreases in IL-10, IL-13, and CD40L, and controls decreased in IL-10, CD40L, and TNFalpha (p<.05). Thus, in CFS, cytokine activity may vary directly with SF, which may explain prior inconsistent findings.

You can find the entire resource at NCBI, Pubmed.com.

We’re talking an activation of cytokines, folks, and that’s not a new topic. At the least, they cause pain!

Does this type of thing happen to you when you’re a little busier?

When you try to get something accomplished?

Comment away. Do you think cytokines could be at fault?
Thanks, Cinda Crawford, host of the Health Matters Show