Facts About Your Flu-Like Symptoms, Chills/Night Sweats

Last up in our CFS Symptoms Series is the discussion on the flu-like symptoms, chills and night sweats, headaches and sore throat.

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum notes in his book From Fatigued to Fantastic that:

"...the most notorious pattern seen in severe chronic fatigue states is one in which a person who is feeling fine suddenly comes down with a brutal flu-like illness that never goes away. The sudden onset of the illness after an infection is a mark of this classic pattern."

When I first became ill, I had either walking pneumonia or a very severe case of bronchitis. After that I was never the same again. I do blame myself for some of it because I was ordered to be at home in bed and I would not quit working. I often wonder if maybe my CFS would have been prevented if I just would have listened to the doctor. Who knows. I could have possibly already had CFS, as I was always sick and tired growing up. This illness and lack of rest could have just added fuel to the fire.

I have heard a lot of people with CFS say that they thought they had the flu that just never went away only to find out they would just get sicker and sicker. Along with the flu-like symptoms comes the achiness in both the muscles and joints, which is also common in people when they have the flu. But this type of achiness is such that Tylenol and even a lot of the prescription painkillers fail to ease. For most PWCs, the achiness comes from the disordered sleep, low thyroid function, yeast infections and nutritional deficiencies.

When my CFS is acting up, even my teeth hurt. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. The pain I have in my back, hips and knees is like a gnawing or it feels like someone is ringing out my muscles like you would a dish rag.

Also with this achiness and pain comes muscle weakness. I have spent many times at the supermarket driving the handicapped carts because my muscles were so weak I could barely make it into the store.

Along with the achiness, PWCs often complain of pain in their lymph node regions. My armpits will hurt so bad that I can't keep my arms down at my sides.