"I could not lift my arm holding the fork..": Living with chronic fatigue syndrome

Söderlund, Atle; Skoge, Ann Marit; Malterud, Kirsti

doi:10.1080/028134300453377

Cited by 28 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Additionally, people with ME/CFS described changes in relationships, activities and social networks because of the illness. ME/CFS has a profound negative impact on the social lives of people that are affected with the illness [20, 47]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In another study, the participants described intense cognitive dysfunction as a key part of their illness experience [21]. Soderlund, Skoge, and Malerud [47] recruited people with ME/CFS from a local support organization. Many of the themes Soderlund and colleagues found focused on symptom experience.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, participants with ME/CFS reported more musculoskeletal pain and influenza-like manifestations than those with cancer-related fatigue. ME/CFS is described in multiple studies as a serious, enigmatic illness that is not psychological in nature and should be understood as a physiological illness mediated by immunological responses [47, 53, 54]. …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Anderson

Jason

Hlavaty

et al. 2012

Patient Education and Counseling

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Objective To review and synthesize findings across qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Methods Articles were systematically reviewed and analyzed within a meta-analytic framework. Analyses included a multi-perspective (e.g., individual, physician, familial) examination of ME/CFS, as well as a comparative analysis of ME/CFS versus other chronic conditions. Results Thirty-four (34) qualitative studies on ME/CFS were identified and included. Findings include three substantive thematic areas that focus on studies concerning: (1) experiences of people with ME/CFS, (2) experiences of physicians, and (3) themes that intersect both of these groups. For patients, illness development influenced identity, reductions in functioning, and coping. Physician-specific themes described lack of awareness about the illness and recommended improvement in medical education. Themes that intersected expressed issues with diagnosis which creates tensions and fuels the stigmatization of ME/CFS. Conclusions Findings indicate multilayered, context-specific experiences and ways in which both people with ME/CFS, as well as the people involved in their lives, such as family or the medical community, understand their illness. Future qualitative studies should coalesce the various facets of the ME/CFS experience, the network members of people with ME/CFS, and the sociocultural environment through which the illness is understood. Practice implications Health care professionals can gain unique insight from patient experiences, allowing for more accurate diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Anderson

Jason

Hlavaty

et al. 2012

Patient Education and Counseling

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“…Many previous qualitative studies have found that people with ME/CFS provide rich accounts describing the physical symptoms they experience as well as precursors to the development of ME/CFS (Anderson & Ferrans, 1997; Lovell, 1999; Soderlund, Skoge, & Malerud, 2000). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Qualitative Natural History Study of ME/CFS in the Community

Anderson

Jason

Hlavaty

2013

Health Care for Women International

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In previous qualitative research on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), researchers have focused on the experiences of patients with ME/CFS in tertiary care samples, which limit the representativeness of the findings to those with access to health care. This qualitative study examined the natural history of a community-based sample of people with ME/CFS. Participants (n=19) were categorized into persisting, incidence, or remitting groups based on their reported illness status across a ten year period. Findings highlighted multilayered themes involving the illness experience embedded in multiple systems and the physical construction of ME/CFS. In addition, this study further illuminated unique subthemes regarding community response and treatment, which have implications for understanding the progression of ME/CFS as well as experiences of those within patient networks. There is a need for more longitudinal qualitative research on epidemiological samples of patients with ME/CFS.

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“…A qualitative study of patients with CFS found patients often feel as though their learning abilities have deteriorated (Soderlund et al, 2000). This could be a result of cognitive impairments.…”

Section: Cognitive Impairments In Cfsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive impairments associated with CFS and POTS

Shanks¹,

Jason²,

Evans³

et al. 2013

Front. Physiol.

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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by fatigue, sleep dysfunction, and cognitive deficits (Fukuda et al., 1994). Research surrounding cognitive functioning among patients with CFS has found difficulty with memory, attention, and information processing. A similar disorder, postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), is characterized by increased heart rate, fatigue, and mental cloudiness (Raj et al., 2009). Potential implications of cognitive deficits for patients with CFS and/or POTS are discussed, including difficulties with school and/or employment. A few biological theories (i.e., kindling, impairments in the central nervous system, and difficulty with blood flow) have emerged as potential explanations for the cognitive deficits reported in both CFS and POTS Future research should continue to examine possible explanations for cognitive impairments in CFS and POTS, and ultimately use this information to try and reduce cognitive impairments for these patients.

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"I could not lift my arm holding the fork..": Living with chronic fatigue syndrome

Cited by 28 publications

References 15 publications

A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

A review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

A Qualitative Natural History Study of ME/CFS in the Community

Cognitive impairments associated with CFS and POTS

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