WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Burlington, Vermont - May 12, 2008

Lell Forehand used to lead a fairly normal, active life. The mother of two worked as a school psychologist in Athens, Georgia. She ran five miles a day, swam often, and was always busy running from one event to the next. But that all changed after undergoing a minor surgery at the age of 38.

"I just sort of dropped out of life for five years. I spent approximately five years in bed," she says.

Forehand felt like she had the flu-- a flu that wouldn't go away. She visited more than 15 doctors, but none of them could figure out what was wrong.

"It was probably the most frustrating part of the entire illness was not knowing. I was going to work feeling terrible, coming home, crashing, and going to bed and getting up and going again," says Forehand.

A doctor finally diagnosed her with chronic fatigue syndrome. But by that time, she'd quit her job and was sleeping more than 12 hours a day.

"I was told there is no treatment. There is no cure," she explains.

The controversial condition was first diagnosed in the 1980s. For years, doctors debated whether chronic fatigue syndrome was a real condition, but the federal government now says it is real and that more than one million Americans suffer from it.

"It's very debilitating and these people struggle. It's very hard for them to rise everyday to meet the occasion and do some regular activity that you or I wouldn't think twice," says Dr. Carol Gardner.

More than 10% of Gardner's patients suffer from CFS, but she says there's little she can do for them.

"There's no anti-viral at this point or anti-biotic, or any other magic pill treatment, unfortunately."

A group of advocates gathered Monday to recognize International Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Day. The group also announced a new scholarship program in Vermont that will encourage medical students to study the condition.

Forehand is hopeful that awareness events like this one will ultimately lead to better treatment for CFS victims-- allowing them to one day lead normal lives.

Keagan Harsha - WCAX News