CFS is the top 10 symptoms of fibromyalgia. Those 2 symptoms go hand in hand. Most Drs. don't call CFS or fibro a disease, they call it a symptom . The symptoms are caused by stress and emotional problems. That ticks me off right there. Fatigue, the headaches, the severe pains everywhere, tinnitus, fibrofog (I call it memory loss) and so much more. I can't tell you how many times I finally decide to get out , put on makeup and style my hair only to fall in a complete utter exhaustion. I collapse in bed. The tinnitus is getting worse and now sounds like a smoke alarm 24/7. Then I begin to get severe pains in different areas of my body. Then go to the ER , my blood pressure is up and I don't want another ruptured cranial anerysum. So here's the 1st question from the Dr. " Have you been under stress lately"? HERE WE GO AGAIN. MY BLOOD BOILS. I always remain calm because if I get panicked , I'm am diagnosed a lunatic . I said Dr. I did not choose these diseases , they chose me. Do you think that I like feeling horrible all damn day. I am sick and I didn't come here for your abuse and insensitivity. I'm sick and if you won't help me perhaps The Patient Advocate will. I was finally admitted and I was fortunate nothing was serious. I'm on different medications for pain but, still exhausted. If you have fatigue, feeling malaise , dizzy spells that's the norm of fibromyalgia. I am 60 years old and have had fibromyalgia since I was 16. The older I get the worse it gets. When I go to my Dr. I make sure he hears me and not pass judgement because I have fibromyalgia. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy because it's debilating. Now that I've dumped my issues on you all , I'm so sorry that you all are going through this. My prayers and thoughts go out to all. Michelle

I think you certainly do have chronic fatigue syndrome. Some doctors just lump the 2 together, mine did, untill a rheumatologist said otherwise. She said the difference is the severity of cfs. In fibro its debilitating fatigue. But cfs is fatigue that flares up to a point you think how can i even roll over in bed. When you do roll over its taken all yoyr energy and your hearts pumping and your breathless. Its difficult to distinguish the 2 its the severity and length of flare up. Many times ive thought how the hell am i alive!! X

Hi @A MyFibroTeam Member, yes you are correct, they are two different diseases. I should have explained it better. CFS involves overwhelming and debilitating fatigue. Fibromyalgia has three main components which are pain, fatigue, and sleep disorders.

Studies have shown that most patients with fibromyalgia do not go into the REM stage during sleep. The REM stage is needed in order to refresh and restore the body. This is why patients with fibromyalgia will often say that even if they get 8,9,10 hours of sleep, they feel like they barely slept at all, and feel even more exhausted than before they went to sleep. Doctors say this type of fatigue can be very debilitating for fibro patients because their bodies have not refreshed and restored itself, and this is adds to their already unrelenting pain, so the combination is exhausting.

Like you mentioned, patients also suffer from sleep disorders with fibromyalgia which of course cause constant fatigue. Insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and sleep apnea is quite common with fibro.

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A MyFibro...

I have both CFS and Fibro. I was first diagnosed with CFS by a researcher
at a Boston hospital. That was in 1980. There is criteria that has to be met.
I'm sure it can be googled.
I was and am pretty much bedridden. I agree that the fatigue can
be so bad that as someone said, rolling over in bed is too hard.
Initially, I really did not think I would make it. I moved around on floors.
It's awfully hard as many here know.
I actually did not have pain until a few months later. which is when I
was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
In a way I was fortunate that I found the right doctors.
They are debilitating illnesses for sure.

I have fibromyalgia & it took years to get my Dx. Finally my GP dx me abt 5 years ago & I’ve had since atleast 2007. So mostly I did my own research on my symptoms & fibromyalgia kept coming up. So I know a lot about fibro & it’s really long list of co conditions like fatigue, IBD, depression, anxiety, TMJ , sleep disorders , of course all over body pain on both sides lasting 3mths or longer with 18 tender points (;need 11 I believe to be Dx) etc.. but for the last year I’ve been under much stress & I already have other pain conditions like failed back surgery from a cervical spinal fusion that lead to nerve damage, herniated disk above my plate, ddd , & cervical arthritis. My spine burns & I lose mobility in my hand. I have arthritis , osteoarthritis & more. So like I said I was thinking I’m getting worse could I have chronic fatigue syndrome along with fibromyalgia? I’m still unsure, I’m no Dr. I do know as of last year my thyroid is fine, but I do have a vitamin D deficiency. My fatigue is like something I’ve never experienced in my life! I’m taking vitamin D3 & yet I’m still so exhausted & sometimes won’t sleep for 30 hours & sometimes I’ll sleep 12 hrs & either way I’m always exhausted. So OP I think it’s a great question and I often wonder myself. I’ve never seen a Rheumatologist or specialism for Chronic Fatigue Syndrom. I feel like I’m looking for answers & I wanna be herd by my doctor. Hopefully together we can figure out why I’m in the worst of it all as of yet. Gosh my hand hurts from writing this lol 😆