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'Catching' CFS/ME

Posted , 6 users are following.

olivetree
olivetree

Hi.  I have had this illness for about 10 years but recently my husband seems to be experiencing similar symptoms. I just wondered if any of you have a partner who also has CFS/ME? And how did it come about? I have heard that genetically this can affect other family members but is it possible to 'catch' it? I believe I got ill with this after a bad flu virus coupled with over-work and prolonged stress. So if this came on through a virus does it follow that perhaps this virus, though undetected through the normal blood tests may still be present in my body and therefore possible to pass on to someone with whom you have close and regular contact?

I would be intersted to hear your thoughts/experiences.

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • ImustImust
    ImustImust olivetree

    Posted

    I have had ME for some years and lately my wife has been very tired but she is diabetic so I put it down to that. Her GP however called it Fibromialgia which to me is another name for ME. The symptoms are very similar it seems.
  • ImustImust
    ImustImust olivetree

    Posted

    PS reference the virus. I firmly believe that the Epstein-Barr virus carries a lot of sub viri around the body. EB also 'hides' other viri so that testing won't show them present.

     

  • dawn94288
    dawn94288 olivetree

    Posted

    It is so interesting to me that you should ask this, and I hope that he starts feeling better soon.  Many CFS experts say that the body just gets overloaded by various factors which can include illness, large or ongoing stresses etc. Since my illness puts so much more of a burden on my husband, I have worried that someday he will just collapse and his body will shut down into CFS or Fibro.  I hope that your husband can get some rest right now, and maybe that will get him up and running!
  • jackie00198
    jackie00198 olivetree

    Posted

    I think the jury's still out on the question of "catching" ME/CFS. I've had the illness for over 15 years, and my husband never developed symptoms. On the other hand, a major outbreak of the illness occurred in Incline Village, Nevada (in the U.S.), and I believe hundreds of people became ill. This was considered an epidemic, and sure sounds like there was a contagious element to me. Also, I think people in the U.S. are prevented from donating blood, which also seems to indicate a possible contagious element. I've also read of some families and couples getting the illness. But there's also many who, like me and my husband, are not all sick. By the way, like you and many others, I got ME/CFS after getting the flu and being stressed out at the same time.

  • olivetree
    olivetree

    Posted

    Thanks for your comments. Very interesting. I wonder if we'll ever get to the bottom of this mystery and find a way out.

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