Hello All,
Daveman and Demografx have suggested that it might be helpful to address the issue of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) vs POIS.
CFS is mentioned quite a bit on both forums, and some of you have been given a CSF diagnosis (likely by well-meaning physicians who have no knowledge of POIS). So, it's probably really worthwhile to separate the two conditions out -- because they are entirely separate and different -- despite some similarities in symptoms.
NORD has a great report on CFS, which is where I'm getting my information from. I trust the information, know who wrote it, and know that it's accurate and up-to-date.
To begin, CFS is a real disorder and, like POIS, is not a psychiatric condition. It affects somewhere between 1 to 4 million people in the US (so it's not considered "rare" in the US anymore), and also affects more women than men, statistically.
CFS appears to be less common overseas but definitely exists worldwide. The possibility that it is less common overseas may be more of a reporting requirement issue than the actually reality, particularly in those countries that do not have the resources and/or reporting requirements of the US.
There are three major broad criteria now used to diagnose CFS. (It had become apparent that CFS was being over-diagnosed, as its symptoms mimic some symptoms of other disorders.) These criteria were determined by an international group of physicians brought together by the Centers for Disease Control in the US:
(1) The individual must have severe chronic fatigue of six months or longer duration AND have no other known medical conditions that are known to cause fatigue (i.e no hypothyroidism, diabetes, malnutrition, cancer, HIV, etc);
(2) Concurrently, the individual must have four or more of the following symptoms:
-- substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration;
-- sore throat; tender lymph nodes;
-- muscle pain;
-- multi-joint pain without swelling or redness;
-- headaches of a new type, pattern or severity;
-- unrefreshing sleep;
- post-exertional malaise lasting more than 24 hours.
(3) The listed symptoms (above) must have persisted or recurred during six or more consecutive months, and must not have been present prior to the onset of the chronic fatigue.
So, there are some symptoms that are very similar to those of POIS, but -- THE BIG, MAJOR DIFFERENCE is that CFS is not induced by ejaculation, sexual stimulation, tumescence, or dry ejaculation. CSF is not associated in any way with ejaculation.
Scientists think that either a virus or an immunological issue is involved in CSF. Also, there is some serious data that suggests that pro-inflammatory cytokinines may be involved. (Cytokinines usually help with inflammation -- but pro-inflammatory ones have been discovered -- and they cause the inflammation).
There are some excellent immunologists studying pro-inflammatory cytokinines, and they will be among the researchers who NORD invites to apply for your grant for POIS research, once the funds have been raised. The focus will be -- of course -- strictly POIS, and not any other disorder. Based on experience with all rare disorders and start-up research grants (which can sometimes lead directly to the answer!), looking "outside the box" is the key to unlocking the door.
I hope that this post is helpful to some or all of you!
