Katrina Berne, Ph.D.
This is not a complete list of symptoms but those most commonly experienced in CFS/ME.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS
Fatigue, worsened by physical exertion or stress
Activity level decreased to less than 50% of preillness
activity level
Symptoms worsened by stress (physical,
emotional and/or cognitive)
Shortness of breath with little or no exertion
Recurrent flu-like illness
(usually predominant in early stages of illness
although some patients continue to have
frequent infections)
Sore throat; hoarseness
Tender or swollen lymph nodes (glands)
Low-grade fevers
Night sweats
Severe nasal allergies (new or worsened)
Feeling cold often or feeling hot often
Cold extremities (hands and feet)
Low body temperature (below 97.6)
Low blood pressure (below 110/70)
Heart palpitations
Dryness of eyes and/or mouth
Increased thirst
Symptoms worsened by temperature changes
PAIN
Headache
Tender points or trigger points
Muscle pain
Muscle weakness
Joint pain
Chest pain
EYES AND VISION
Eye pain
Changes in visual acuity (ability to see well)
Difficulty with accommodation (switching focus
from one thing to another)
SENSITIVITIES
Sensitivities to medications (unable to tolerate a
"normal" dosage)
Sensitivities to odors (e.g., cleaning products,
exhaust fumes, colognes, hairsprays)
Sensitivities to foods
Sensitivities to chemicals: petrochemicals,
cleaning products, fragrances, etc.
Alcohol intolerance
Alteration of taste, smell, and/or hearing
UROGENITAL
Frequent urination
Painful urination or bladder pain
Decreased libido (sex drive)
Pain in prostate (males) or vulva (females)
GASTROINTESTINAL
Stomach ache; abdominal cramps
Nausea; vomiting
Esophageal reflux (heartburn)
Frequent diarrhea
Frequent constipation
Bloating; intestinal gas
Weight gain or loss
OTHER
Rashes or sores
Hair loss
Increased dental and periodontal problems
NEUROLOGICAL
Lightheadedness; feeling "spacey"
Inability to think clearly (“brain fog”)
Feeling spatially disoriented
Dysequilibrium (balance difficulty)
Seizures or seizure-like episodes
Syncope (fainting) or blackouts or pre-syncope
Vertigo or dizziness
Photophobia (light sensitivity)
Numbness or tingling sensations
Tinnitus (ringing in one or both ears)
Noise intolerance
Clumsiness; frequently dropping things
Perceptual problems, e.g., difficulty judging
distances (e.g. when driving; placing
objects on surfaces)
Sensory overload phenomenon: overwhelmed by
noise, odors, visual input movement in
environment
SLEEP DISORDER
Hypersomnia, often alternating with hyposomnia
(sleeping too much or too little)
Sleep disturbance:
unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep
difficulty falling asleep
difficulty staying asleep (awakenings)
vivid or disturbing dreams or nightmares
Altered sleep/wake schedule (alertness/energy
best late at night)
Sleep disorders, e.g., apnea, leg movement
disorders
COGNITIVE
Difficulty with simple calculations
Word-finding difficulty, e.g., remembering names
of people or objects
Saying the wrong word
Concentration impairment
Easy distractibility
Difficulty following a conversation when
background noise is present
Losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence
Difficulty putting tasks or things in proper
sequence
Memory impairment, especially short-term
memory
Forgetting how to do routine things
Comprehension difficulty
Transposition (reversal) of numbers, words
and/or letters when you speak or write
Difficulty recognizing faces
Difficulty making decisions
Poor judgment
Difficulty following instructions:
simple or complicated
written or spoken
Difficulty integrating information (putting ideas
together to form a concept)
Difficulty following directions while driving
Becoming lost in familiar locations when driving
Feeling too disoriented to drive
MOOD/EMOTIONS
Depressed mood (feeling hopeless, helpless)
Anxiety with no obvious cause
Suicidal thoughts; suicide attempt(s)
Feeling worthless
Frequent crying
Appetite change: Increased or decreased
Irritability; overreaction
Abrupt, unpredictable mood swings
© copyright 1999, 2006 by Katrina H. Berne, Ph.D.
