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The Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service is a small multidisciplinary team based within the Physical Health Psychology Service at Cannock Chase Hospital in Staffordshire.
Accessing the service
All referrals to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service are received from GPs within the geographical area of South Staffordshire. We also accept referral from Medical Consultants from the Royal Wolverhampton Trust although the patient needs to reside within South Staffordshire and have a South Staffordshire GP. We are unable to accept self referrals.
The GP / Consultant making the referral should provide a confirmed diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We do not have a medic within our team and therefore the service is unable to provide a diagnosis. GPs / Consultants can complete our CFS referral form or write a confirmation diagnosis letter.
What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or ME) is a condition that comprises of a range of symptoms. The main feature being overwhelming and persistent tiredness and can be triggered by minimal activity. Other symptoms may include muscle and joint pain, sore throats and flu like symptoms, sleep difficulties and waking unrefreshed, headaches and dizziness, temperature and appetite changes, hypersensitivities to noise, light and touch; memory and concentration difficulties and low mood.
Not all individuals have these symptoms, and symptoms may come and go. The symptoms can be very disabling, causing drastic changes in lifestyle, with a person’s job, family and social relationships being affected. The symptoms are usually made worse by physical and mental exhaustion or stress.
This guide is written for people with mild Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and it explains how CFS affects people and what can be done to help with the symptoms. Learning to manage and cope better with the symptoms is often the key to an improved quality of life.
Symptoms of CFS
The main symptom of CFS is overwhelming fatigue that lasts for over four months and does not improve after rest; even small amounts of physical activity increase the feeling of tiredness. There are no outward signs of the condition so other people may not appreciate how fatigued you are, which can cause additional distress. People who have CFS may also have other symptoms, but not limited to:
- sleep difficulties, resulting in waking unrefreshed
- muscle or joint pain / weakness
- headaches and dizziness
- difficulty with memory and concentration
- sore throat and swollen neck glands
- low mood etc
What causes CFS?
No one is completely sure what causes CFS. It can start with a viral infection like glandular fever or flu, and although people recover from viral infections at different rates, some people do not completely recover and are left with symptoms of CFS. The reasons for this happening are not completely clear. Sometimes CFS follows a stressful life event (e.g. a major operation, bereavement, job loss / stress, relationship and family problems), and the trigger factor for the condition may not be the same for everyone. Some people find that CFS starts suddenly, while others are not able to pinpoint an obvious start.
Once the symptoms have been triggered, trying to “push through” the fatigue makes symptoms worse; they can become so overwhelming that rest has to be taken. However, rest only seems to relieve symptoms in the short-term, as on becoming active again, symptoms reappear. Hence, a pattern can develop of activity leading to symptoms, and rest then relieving the symptoms, and if this continues, some activities become limited or even avoided. This pattern is unhelpful in managing fatigue.
How can CFS be managed?
There is no quick-fix cure, but it is possible to manage the symptoms. If you need further help, please ask your GP to refer you to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service at Cannock Chase Hospital.
For some people CFS may be severe and the duration of symptoms can vary. The good news is that many people have learned to manage their symptoms so that they can enjoy their lives. The following strategies can help:
- Pace and moderate activity to control a boom and bust cycle of energy
- Set realistic targets (i.e. break down larger goals into smaller, achievable ones)
- Learn and try different relaxation exercises to find what suits (e.g. visual imagery, passive muscle relaxation)
- Gradually increase activity to build up energy levels
- Remain positive by focussing on what you CAN do
- Tackle problems to prevent worry, stress or unhelpful emotions
- Manage stress by taking time out to do things you enjoy and hence increase your relaxation
- Manage sleep with a routine of “winding down” and relaxing before going to bed. Have a regular time to go to bed and wake up. Avoid alcohol, tea or coffee late at night.
Keep practising these strategies to get used to them.
Other Helpful Ideas
- Learn about CFS. Is there a local Support Group? Talk to people with similar experiences
- Encourage family to find out about CFS for themselves so they can better understand and support you
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet (Eat well - NHS)
- Deal with worries of a practical, financial or personal nature by seeking help from agencies, such as Citizen's Advice Bureau, RELATE, your bank's financial advisor etc.
- Manage stress or problems by talking to family and friends, or ask your GP for a referral to a professional, such as a counsellor or therapist, to help with understanding thoughts and feelings and how to manage them.
Aim of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome service
The aim of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service is to try and help individuals manage their fatigue and related symptoms more effectively once a diagnosis has been established. Our input consists of face to face, or online group and individual therapy from Psychology and Occupational Therapy. We focus on physical, practical and psychological strategies to support people accept their condition and make positive lifestyle changes to regulate symptoms and manage setbacks.
What our service offers
Once a referral has been accepted by our service, patients will be placed on a waiting list. We appreciate that this can be difficult, however we are experiencing a high number of referrals to our service currently.
We will send out a confirmation letter and ask for contact details to be completed. We will arrange an initial assessment appointment as soon as one becomes available and send out an appointment letter alongside some questionnaires. This enables our team to know more about the difficulties within every day life prior to the assessment.
A detailed Initial assessment is conducted by the team to identify current difficulties and if appropriate create a treatment plan. This may be group or individually based.
We offer a pre group workshop to provide an insight into the role of the service and aims of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Education Group. Our group programme, and time limited individual input, can cover:
- the understanding and acceptance of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- thoughts and feelings in relation to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- activity and resting advise
- guidance on sleep, memory and concentration issues
- managing stress
- problem solving techniques
- coping strategies
- the importance of relaxation
Groups also provide the opportunity to meet others who have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, therefore reducing the feelings of isolation that can often be experienced.
Occupational Therapists use skills in occupational analysis, assessing function, problem solving and goal setting to support each person in working towards their goals.
Psychologists have a depth of knowledge regarding thoughts, emotions, behaviour and skills to help people cope and / or improve their management of physical health or illness.