The University of Calgary in Canada is recruiting CFS patients for a study of muscle and nervous system mechanisms in post-exertion fatigue. They also need healthy individuals who do not exercise for the study.
The research trial will put CFS patients on a stationary bike to perform a VO2 Max test similar to trials used to evaluate the fitness level of professional athletes. The individual will pedal to the point of fatigue, at which point researchers will take several measurements including a blood sample in which lactate will be quantified. The next day the patient will return and follow the same workout protocol. I had actually had a test like this done but it was for one day only. The test results did show conclusive proof that I am physically disabled.
Dr. Brian MacIntosh, PhD said:
Most healthy individuals should be able to easily match their performance from the previous day. Since CFS patients by definition report profound fatigue from even moderate physical exertion and take greater than 24 hours to recover, we would expect to see a decrease in their physical performance and we should be able to measure that in several ways.
Researchers are hoping that with this study they will be able to determine whether the fatigue experienced by CFS patients is a result of the muscles or if it is primarily in the nervous system.
If you are interested in taking part in this study, you may contact by email: research.macintosh@ucalgary.ca
For more information contact:
Don McSwiney
Director of Communications, Faculty of Kinesiology
University of Calgary
Phone: (403) 220-7652
Cell: (403) 852-7652
Well – I can already tell them that they could put me down as “physically disabled” also. The person who used to run/jog 3 miles each day, who went to fast walking, to walking, to “if I walk I have to come home and go to bed”, to “I can’t walk more than a flight of stairs without getting winded” and my capacity for time on the lightest regime would be 5 minutes. I’m writing this and crying because I am at a place where I don’t want to accept this. Too bad, right? Sandy, I so related to your post a number of days ago, or maybe it was under the forum, where you wrote about weight gain, etc. I am not the person I used to be. Me, Ms. Anorexic, who never wavered an ounce, without vigilently removing it; who lost the weight from 2 pregnancies, is now 80 pounds more than when I met my husband 15 years ago. I’ve gained 50 of it in the last 2-3 years. I don’t recognize myself. I’ve gone through I don’t know how many sizes of clothes. My husband is supportive and tells me “He loves me for the person I am” – that’s when I knew I had reached the “f” word – FAT.
It’s been very difficult recently, particularly with the holidays, to not reflect on the person I once was. Not just in terms of weight and appearance. It’s everything.
The lactic acid thing – if I take a shower (big event these days) – my arms feel as though I’ve bench pressed my weight.
I’m not a a grateful, good attitude place right now. There have been many times that I was going to post or write, but I don’t.
I had my initial visit with the F & F Center in Norwalk, CT, bringing along 80 pages of copies from previous bloodtests, etc., along with that 24 page paper that they required to have completed. I wanted to scream and scribble all over it – “IF I COULD FILL THIS OUT CLEARLY, I WOULDN’T BE HERE”. It felt as though I was writing a thesis and was another reminder of where I am in this pit of crap.
I had a good visit. I have all the stuff, etc., and so on, and we will be returning in January for the test results. I’m frustrated. I’m soooo tired of people asking my husband, “So, is Nancy feeling better YET?”
I know I’m whining. I have gratitude most of the time for most things. For now I’m on the pity pot and have my head up my butt. Sorry. Thanks for a place to write this stuff down. Ugh.
Hi Nancy, I am so sorry to hear about everything you are going through right now! Hey – we all need to vent and we all have our times where we are angry, are mad at the world and feel sorry for ourselves. It’s a natural response. Please, please, please join the forum so you can have someplace to vent! You need the support we offer there. You are always free to comment here too, of course. The forum is a great place though to get reassurance and understanding from multiple people. You can sign up at http://www.fightingfatigue.org/forum.
I hope you feel better soon!