For the up to 2.5 million people in the United States who are estimated to have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), life can change dramatically, and not for the better. CFS can hijack almost every aspect of your life as you struggle with the constant fatigue, the aches and pains, the vertigo, the cognitive difficulties, to say nothing of the mental and emotional impacts.
We believe that CFS shouldn’t turn you into a veritable prisoner and that there are solutions. At HealthFirst, Dr. Jonathan Singer combines traditional and alternative approaches to CFS that help you reclaim your life. These treatments, along with steps that you can take on your own, can help you plug back into the world.
In the following, we present a few coping techniques for CFS, as well as how we can do our part to help you overcome this debilitating condition.
Our first recommendation when it comes to CFS is that you don’t surrender to the condition. We urge you to take action and empower yourself by learning all that you can about CFS so that you’re armed and ready to fight back.
To start, we can perform extensive testing to get to the source of your CFS. We test for hormone issues, environmental toxins, and nutrient deficiencies, as examples of areas that may be responsible for your condition.
If we find any issues, we can quickly address them to promote better health. Examples of some of our CFS treatments include IV nutrient infusions, chelation therapy (detoxing from heavy metals), and hormone replacement therapies.
By taking a comprehensive and proactive approach to your health, you’ll feel more empowered and less willing to surrender to CFS.
We know we’ve just asked you to fight back against CFS, but we also want you to be kind to yourself. CFS is a disease, and there are days when you just won’t feel up to the challenge, and that’s OK.
Ask yourself what advice you would give a friend. Perhaps you would suggest a massage or hunkering down with your favorite book or TV show. This isn’t surrendering, but taking a much-needed break.
You’re having one of those days where you do have energy and you want to make up for lost time. Yes, it’s great to take advantage of your newfound energy, but know your limits. Doing too much, too fast, can make your CFS come roaring back.
Instead, think of building on your good days. Each time you wake up feeling great, plan to do enough to satisfy you, but leave some tasks and activities for another good day the next day.
Treating CFS can take some time as we rebuild your health, so be patient and go slowly. Before you know it, the good days will build, one after the other.
When you have CFS, life can feel awfully lonely, so we urge you to join support groups. In connecting with others who have the same concerns and challenges, you will find ideas, support, and education — and most importantly, you won’t feel so alone.
To get started, click here for examples of CFS support groups.
To learn more about managing your chronic fatigue, please contact one of our offices in Greenwood Village, Colorado, or Cheyenne, Wyoming, to schedule a consultation.
