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Undernourished the cause to CFS?

Messages
12
Hi guys, I have a question and would love people's opinions. I'm a 23 year old male. Back in summer 2014, I was a whopping 17 stone. I lived an unhealthy lifestyle which consisted of no exercise and plenty of walks to the takeaway.

I decided to totally change my life around and get fit and loose some weight. I started boxing 3 days a week and I was in the gym 2 days a week doing cardio workouts as well as weight training. I was always training hard.

The weight was falling off very quickly, and I was eating around 3,000 to 3,500 cals of quality food a day. I never consciously starved myself and ate to my hunger cues. (Physical sensation in my stomach)

Out of nowehere I started to feel fatigued, but I carried on training hard despite the fatigue. But then the rest of the symptoms of CFS care. My entire body was affected. Muscles, joints, congnitive, heart and cardiovascular. Despite feeling all these symptoms, I carried on exercising vigorously although I was slowly declining becoming more unfit by the day.

So I'm just wondering, could the problem of been I wasn't eating enough? Even though I didn't feel hungry? And obviously carrying on pushing myself when my body was really tired.

Thanks.

I think that my fatigue was caused by an eating disorder which I was suffering with. For over a year I survived on less than 800 calories a day but with extreme tiredness. After that, the fatigue just didn't go away. I think that malnourishment could definitely be a cause of cfs/me...
 

SmokinJoeFraz93

Senior Member
Messages
194
Location
United Kingdom
I think that my fatigue was caused by an eating disorder which I was suffering with. For over a year I survived on less than 800 calories a day but with extreme tiredness. After that, the fatigue just didn't go away. I think that malnourishment could definitely be a cause of cfs/me...


Thank you for the reply. Well that's what I was thinking. Because if no one knows the cause to CFS, maybe there is multiple causes and triggers. It was when I was boxing excessive despite feeling fatigued. And I've also been told that I wasn't eating enough. Have you gained remission from an eating disorder?
 
Messages
12
Thank you for the reply. Well that's what I was thinking. Because if no one knows the cause to CFS, maybe there is multiple causes and triggers. It was when I was boxing excessive despite feeling fatigued. And I've also been told that I wasn't eating enough. Have you gained remission from an eating disorder?

When I pay attention to my body and how it feels, I get the feeling that everything has slowed down... I think that when you're so malnourished your body tries to cope by slowing everything down and conserving energy. It feels like my body is now functioning slowly because of that. I don't know though, its just what I think.

I have gained some sort of remission from my eating disorder, but it is difficult - especially now that I've put on about 10kg due to my condition. I'm not overweight by any means, but as a naturally very slim person I find it difficult to feel like myself...
 

IThinkImTurningJapanese

Senior Member
Messages
3,492
Location
Japan
I think that malnourishment could definitely be a cause of cfs/me...

By definition, you wouldn't be suffering ME/CFS then, as you can see here.

https://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-5.html
https://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-5.html
A patient will be classified as having CFS if he or she meets the following three criteria:

  1. The individual has severe chronic fatigue for 6 or more consecutive months that is not due to ongoing exertion or other medical conditions associated with fatigue (these other conditions need to be ruled out by a doctor after diagnostic tests have been conducted)
  2. The fatigue significantly interferes with daily activities and work
  3. The individual concurrently has 4 or more of the following 8 symptoms:
    • post-exertion malaise lasting more than 24 hours
    • unrefreshing sleep
    • significant impairment of short-term memory or concentration
    • muscle pain
    • multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
    • headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity
    • tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes
    • a sore throat that is frequent or recurring

If malnourishment is your problem then you are suffering "..medical conditions associated with fatigue" rather than ME/CFS. It doesn't mean your pain isn't significant, it does however mean that you have a treatable illness, unlike ME/CFS.

I hope that you are able to sort out what is happening and find some relief for yourself. :thumbsup:
 
Messages
12
By definition, you wouldn't be suffering ME/CFS then, as you can see here.

https://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-5.html


If malnourishment is your problem then you are suffering "..medical conditions associated with fatigue" rather than ME/CFS. It doesn't mean your pain isn't significant, it does however mean that you have a treatable illness, unlike ME/CFS.

I hope that you are able to sort out what is happening and find some relief for yourself. :thumbsup:

That makes sense, except I'm not malnourished anymore... I WAS malnourished, but I am now a perfect weight with no other health problems. The fatigue has lasted long past the eating disorder and its other side-effects. I feel like malnourishment could have been the initial cause, just as how it can be kick-started by a virus etc.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
I feel like malnourishment could have been the initial cause, just as how it can be kick-started by a virus etc.

Many people develop ME/CFS at a time of high stress. Malnourishment must place a lot of stress on a body and would probably weaken the immune system. If the right infection came along while your body was stressed and your immune system was weak then maybe ME/CFS could develop. In that case long term malnourishment itself wouldn't have been the cause of ME/CFS, but the effects of malnourishment would have set up the right conditions for an opportunistic infection.
 

IThinkImTurningJapanese

Senior Member
Messages
3,492
Location
Japan
.. I WAS malnourished, but I am now a perfect weight with no other health problems.
Well, a diagnosis of ME/CFS involves more than simply fatigue, as you can see here,
https://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-5.html
The individual concurrently has 4 or more of the following 8 symptoms:
  • post-exertion malaise lasting more than 24 hours
  • unrefreshing sleep
  • significant impairment of short-term memory or concentration
  • muscle pain
  • multi-joint pain without swelling or redness
  • headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity
  • tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes
  • a sore throat that is frequent or recurring
...and you said,
I feel like malnourishment could have been the initial cause, just as how it can be kick-started by a virus etc.
Being "kick-started by a virus" is merely speculation, good speculation, but still unproven.

Relax, you can find a solution if malnourishment has caused your fatigue.
 
Messages
12
Well, a diagnosis of ME/CFS involves more than simply fatigue, as you can see here,
https://www.cdc.gov/cfs/diagnosis/step-5.html

...and you said,

Being "kick-started by a virus" is merely speculation, good speculation, but still unproven.

Relax, you can find a solution if malnourishment has caused your fatigue.

Ha I didn't mean that I had no other SYMPTOMS, just that I have no other health problems other than CFS. My idea that my CFS could be caused by malnourishment is merely a speculation, as I cannot think of anything else that could cause it... I suppose it is natural for us humans to search for answers
 

IThinkImTurningJapanese

Senior Member
Messages
3,492
Location
Japan
My idea that my CFS could be caused by malnourishment is merely a speculation, as I cannot think of anything else that could cause it... I suppose it is natural for us humans to search for answers
I'm hoping that you do not have ME/CFS. It is an incurable and relatively untreatable illness.

You have said your problems started with an eating disorder and the malnutrition that resulted. There is a good chance that you are still suffering a nutritional imbalance. A sympathetic Doctor could determine if that is the case, and provide you with effective treatment.

You're wise to search for answers, and in the age of the internet your opportunities are immense.

Practice Google-fu. :rofl:
 
Messages
12
I'm hoping that you do not have ME/CFS. It is an incurable and relatively untreatable illness.

You have said your problems started with an eating disorder and the malnutrition that resulted. There is a good chance that you are still suffering a nutritional imbalance. A sympathetic Doctor could determine if that is the case, and provide you with effective treatment.

You're wise to search for answers, and in the age of the internet your opportunities are immense.

Practice Google-fu. :rofl:

I have honestly had every nutritional test under the sun... That always comes with the close monitoring while recovering from an eating disorder. All my bloods are absolutely perfect! I'm hoping its not CFS too, but my doctor thinks its the only explanation xxx
 

SmokinJoeFraz93

Senior Member
Messages
194
Location
United Kingdom
I'm hoping that you do not have ME/CFS. It is an incurable and relatively untreatable illness.

You have said your problems started with an eating disorder and the malnutrition that resulted. There is a good chance that you are still suffering a nutritional imbalance. A sympathetic Doctor could determine if that is the case, and provide you with effective treatment.

You're wise to search for answers, and in the age of the internet your opportunities are immense.

Practice Google-fu. :rofl:

Thanks for your reply. I've seen so many specialists and according to tests, my body is functioning well. But I know it's not. I have Fatigue that puts me on my sofa because I'm so tired after walking. My joints hurt and I have cognitive impairment. But I know that through excessive exercise and not eating enough, you can create an energy defect within the body, and an eating disorder can become present. (Which I have)

So I've done lots of research and I'm trying my hardest to rest and eat more, hoping I can rectify any energy deficits.