Being diagnosed with the most commonly used definition of CFS, the CDC’s Fukada definition, is not a useful or meaningful diagnosis, and does not mean that you have M.E.

Although Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are classified as synonymous terms by the World Health Organisation in their International Classification of Diseases (and although it was an outbreak of M.E. in the US that this definition was supposed to further clarify), the definitional criteria and epidemic history of CFS as detailed in the Centre’s for Disease Control’s 1994 Fukada definition is virtually unrecognisable from the existing definitions, symptomatology and epidemic history of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis dating back to 1934.

The Fukada definition of CFS requires only that a person experience: 6 months of chronic fatigue and at least 4 of the following; Impaired memory or concentration, sore throat, multi-joint pain, muscle pain, new headaches, non-refreshing sleep, post-exertional malaise.

The CDC guidelines were not written by doctors who had any experience in M.E. (many had not examined ANY patients with the illness) and so it is not surprising that the Fukada guidelines do not describe or define M.E. (They are also far too vague to define any single and distinct disease.) All they do ‘define’ is a heterogeneous population of sufferers from psychiatric and miscellaneous non psychiatric states which have little in common but the symptom of ‘ fatigue’ (a symptom not associated with M.E. at all until the CDC become involved in 1988.)

Thus whether or not you fit the Fukada definition of CFS is entirely irrelevant in determining whether or not a person has M.E. (or any other illness). Fitting these criteria is meaningless and ‘Fukada CFS’ should never be accepted as an end point of the process of diagnosis.

The list of illness and conditions which are often misdiagnosed as CFS due to the misleading and useless Fukada criteria is long and includes: depression, PTSD (and various other organic and non-organic mental illnesses), adrenal deficiency, idiopathic chronic fatigue, various post-viral fatigue syndromes and other fatigue syndromes, systemic yeast infections (candida), vitamin deficiencies, burnout or emotional exhaustion, chronic Epstein-Barr, post-glandular fever (or mononucleosis) fatigue, Fibromyalgia, athletes over-training syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Lupus, Lyme disease or borrelia burgdorferi, multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, gulf war illness and cancer. Many with M.E. will also be diagnosed with Fukada CFS – merely by default.

Patients ’diagnosed’ with Fukada CFS (or any other CFS definition) may have any one of these different illnesses and it is vitally important that each of these patients find out what their true diagnosis is so that they may finally receive appropriate treatment and support. (The good news for the misdiagnosed is that some of these illnesses are very treatable – but only once they have been correctly diagnosed.)

Every patient deserves the best possible opportunity for appropriate treatment for their illness, and for recovery. This process must begin with a correct diagnosis if at all possible; a correct diagnosis is half the battle won.