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Fibromyalgia Vs. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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pacmanx1

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http://fmcfsme.com/

Fibromyalgia (FM) makes you feel tired and causes muscle pain and "tender points." Tender points are places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. People with fibromyalgia may have other symptoms, such as:

  • Widespread musculoskeletal pain
  • Headaches
  • Non restorative sleep
  • Fatigue
  • Psychological distress
  • Specific regions of localized tenderness
  • Morning stiffness
  • Tingling or numbness in hands and feet
  • Headaches, including migraines
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Problems with thinking and memory (called "fibro fog")
  • Painful menstrual periods and other pain syndromes

    CFS stands for chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic means persistent or long-term. ME stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Myalgic means 'muscle aches or pains'. Encephalomyelitis means inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. CFS/ME is a serious, disabling and chronic neurological illness.

    Symptoms include:

    • excessive fatigue
    • general pain
    • mental fogginess
    • often gastro-intestinal problems
    • fatigue following stressful activities
    • headaches
    • sore throat
    • sleep disorder
    • abnormal temperature
    • and others
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Rating Criteria for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

6354 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS):

Debilitating fatigue, cognitive impairments (such as inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, confusion), or a combination of other signs and symptoms:

Which are nearly constant and so severe as to restrict routine daily activities almost completely and which may occasionally preclude self-care 100%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least six weeks total duration per year 60%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to 50 to 75 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total duration per year 40%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities by less than 25 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least two but less than four weeks total duration per year 20%

Which wax and wane but result in periods of incapacitation of at least one but less than two weeks total duration per year, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication 10%

Note: For the purpose of evaluating this disability, the condition will be considered incapacitating only while it requires bed rest and treatment by a physician. To be awarded 10% to 60% a veteran must be treated by a doctor and prescribed bed rest.

5025 Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome)

With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms:

That are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy 40%

That are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time 20%

That require continuous medication for control 10%

Note: Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton ( i.e. , cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities.

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It is not as cut and dry as this. I work mostly GW vets cases and this is what makes up most of them. you do need a good doctor to do a CFS DX.

CFS and FM have 70% of the same symptoms yet one max out at 40% and one at 100%.

You do not have to have IBS. for the 40% in the FM rating, the courts have rules on this.

Rating Criteria for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

6354 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS):

Debilitating fatigue, cognitive impairments (such as inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, confusion), or a combination of other signs and symptoms:

Which are nearly constant and so severe as to restrict routine daily activities almost completely and which may occasionally preclude self-care 100%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to less than 50 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least six weeks total duration per year 60%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities to 50 to 75 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total duration per year 40%

Which are nearly constant and restrict routine daily activities by less than 25 percent of the pre-illness level, or; which wax and wane, resulting in periods of incapacitation of at least two but less than four weeks total duration per year 20%

Which wax and wane but result in periods of incapacitation of at least one but less than two weeks total duration per year, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication 10%

Note: For the purpose of evaluating this disability, the condition will be considered incapacitating only while it requires bed rest and treatment by a physician. To be awarded 10% to 60% a veteran must be treated by a doctor and prescribed bed rest.

5025 Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome)

With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms:

That are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy 40%

That are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time 20%

That require continuous medication for control 10%

Note: Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton ( i.e. , cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities.

It is not as cut and dry as this. I work mostly GW vets cases and this is what makes up most of them. you do need a good doctor to do a CFS DX.

CFS and FM have 70% of the same symptoms yet one max out at 40% and one at 100%.

You do not have to have IBS. for the 40% in the FM rating, the courts have rules on this.

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I thought I had a pretty solid bid on a CFS and FM rating with GW service and an awesome write up for the VA from my doc, but no bedrest was ever *prescribed* for me. I just stayed home when I couldn't move.

Do you think that takes the wind out of my claim?

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