The latest in chronic fatigue syndrome treatments

Chronic fatigue syndrome treatments involve lifestyle changes, exercise, medication therapy, cognitive therapy, and bodywork. That is the conventional treatment. Patients are advised to practice good sleep hygiene, follow a proper diet, do little movement such as exercise, and rest frequently between each exercise session. Traditionally, they are also given sleeping pills, antidepressants, stimulants, muscle relaxants, beta-blockers, anticonvulsants, and vasopressors to control symptoms accordingly. But did you know that there are newer approaches to treating chronic fatigue syndrome?

There is an FDA-approved antiviral drug to fight cytomegalovirus. It’s called Valcyte. It has also been shown to be effective against the Epstein-Barr virus and the herpes virus 6, which may be responsible for various cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Another drug used for narcolepsy is now used as one of the treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome. Provigil is a drug that acts on the central nervous system (CNS), and CFS patients who take it feel more alert. Some reports also claim to have increased exercise tolerance with the use of Provigil.

Since chronic fatigue syndrome patients tend to have lower blood volume, they experience hypotension and a rapid heart rate as their body compensates. To address this, certain steps are taken. Before, only vasopressors such as midodrine were prescribed to increase blood pressure. Today, along with vasopressors, methylphenidate, epoetin alfa, and tyrosine can also be prescribed. Tyrosine is an amino acid that has been found to have an effect on circulating blood volume. Methylphenidate is a drug of choice for ADHD, but it is also used to increase blood pressure. Epoetin alfa is injected to stimulate the growth of red blood cells, thereby increasing blood volume and blood pressure. Beta blockers are sometimes used to increase blood pressure, although it is more common as an antihypertensive. Patients are also advised to increase their salt and water intake if they have low blood pressure so that water can be retained in the body and thus increase blood volume.

Although these newer treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome are available, they are still under investigation, so conventional treatment options should still be used. Exercise is one part of the treatment options that you should not miss. People with CFS cannot tolerate regular exercise programs, so your program must be individualized. They should also avoid extremes, which means they can’t overdo or avoid exercise altogether. A matter of balance between their daily activities is all they need. You should break your exercise into 2-3 sessions per day so that you can take breaks in between.

Cognitive therapy and counseling is another part of CFS treatments that should not be overlooked. Usually, this chronic condition is related to the psychological health of the patient. Therefore, issues related to grievance or anger need to be identified and managed appropriately. Doctors also have to correct the bad beliefs and behaviors of the patients, so this therapy is really necessary for them to cope with stress. Support groups are always available for chronic fatigue patients to help them with their social needs.