Kudos and Concerns About Chronic Fatigue
As someone who has had chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) for 20 years, I was grateful for your article, "Beyond Tired" (October/November 2015). However, I feel it contained several misrepresentations. It seemed to state that overachievers and others who don't know how to relax are the ones who get CFS. This is untrue. Anyone can get CFS.
The article also suggests that people shouldn't let CFS become a "lifestyle." The illness is so debilitating and unpredictable that we have no choice but to live within its dictates.
Lastly, the article mentioned an outbreak of the illness in 1955 that was considered "highly contagious." CFS is not contagious. - Maria Brant, Brooklyn, NY
I have had CFS since 2002. I was appalled by the article's subheadline, which read, "Is chronic fatigue syndrome a real medical condition? Yes, according to a report from the Institute of Medicine, which urges physicians to treat it accordingly." Would you ever write a similar article called "Is Alzheimer's a real medical condition?" This debilitating disease was proven decades ago to be a very serious medical condition. Beginning this article with a question mark only exacerbates what the article is actually trying to disprove. - Melissa May, Los Angeles, CA
"Beyond Tired" is validating for those who have felt marginalized by their diagnosis. There are two points I would like to make: First, the acronym SEID (systemic exertion intolerance disease) was proposed despite the objections of the American CFS/ME community. The condition is called ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) everywhere else in the world.
Second, I am a great proponent of cognitive behavioral therapy and have used it extensively as a coping mechanism, though it is not a cure. - Kathleen B. Schulik, Williams, AZ
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for your comments about "Beyond Tired." In the subheadline, we did not mean to imply that chronic fatigue is not a real condition. We were countering the skepticism of some doctors who believe that CFS is a psychological condition. The 1955 outbreak mentioned in the article refers to an illness that was thought to be related to CFS. Indeed, CFS is not contagious. In sharing Gabrielle Marinaccio's story, we did not mean to imply that only overachievers get CFS.
PD and Pregnancy
Regarding your article "Protect your Pregnancy" (October/November 2015) about how drugs for certain neurologic diseases affect pregnancy, I was disappointed that there was no mention of young-onset Parkinson's disease. I know many women of childbearing age who have this condition. Not including it just perpetuates the notion that Parkinson's is a disease of elderly men. - Beverly Ribaudo, Yuma, AZ
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: We plan to publish more stories on neurologic disorders and pregnancy in the future and will address early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). In the meantime, please take a look at "Unconventional Wisdom" to read about an initiative designed to bring more awareness to the needs of women with Parkinson's disease.
A Priceless Publication
I want to thank you for this brilliant publication. My husband has had Parkinson's disease for 27 years. The information and caregiving advice in Neurology Now have changed our lives. I have recommended this publication to the support groups I belong to, and I use it as a reference when I teach partners of people with Parkinson's how to care for themselves.
Lastly, Speak Up is a perfect way to end the magazine. So terrific and inspiring! Thank you so much for your efforts! - Pat Bemis, RN, Honolulu, HI
CORRECTION: The answer to the question, "If I have a neurologic condition, can I still get a flu shot?" (Ask the Experts, October/November 2015), stated that an inactive vaccine is given as a nasal spray, not an injection. In fact, the inactivated vaccine is given as an injection and is more appropriate for people with compromised immune systems or who take immunosuppressive therapy. The nasal spray form contains the live attenuated vaccine and should be avoided in these individuals. The publisher regrets the error.
