1. Select Tricyclics, Pain Killers and Antidepressants to Treat the Basic Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Tricyclic drugs help relieve the insomnia and mild body aches that often accompany chronic fatigue syndrome. If you have more moderate pain, you may need to take additional pain killers. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most commonly prescribed medication for moderate pain from chronic fatigue syndrome. Opiods are only prescribed rarely, in the most severe cases, due to their addictive nature. Antidepressants are useful for both improving mood (as anxiety and depression are common in chronic fatigue syndrome) and improving sleep. However, if you're already on a tricyclic drug, you probably won't be prescribed a separate antidepressant, as these two types of drugs don't mix.
2. Treat Less Common Symptoms
Take anti-allergy medication to treat the seasonal allergies and food sensitivities that are common to chronic fatigue syndrome patients. You may need to take an oral medication to treat ongoing symptoms, or your doctor may prescribe an inhaled medication to take care of acute symptoms as they occur. Anti-hypotensive medications can treat low blood pressure (also frequently seen in chronic fatigue syndrome), and so can increasing your fluid and salt intake. Anti-hypertensive medications will be prescribed if you develop high blood pressure, as some chronic fatigue syndrome patients do.
3. Try Experimental Medications
DHEA and gamma globulin are being tested in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, and initial reports of these studies have shown noticeable improvement in most patients. These substances can eliminate a wide variety of infectious agents, many of which are suspected in the development of chronic fatigue syndrome. There are a few new medications also being tested right now that are meant to strengthen the immune system in order to cure chronic fatigue syndrome. As with DHEA and gamma globulin, initial test results have been positive. Ask your doctor about getting into a clinical trial for one of these new medications if you're interested in trying it before it gets FDA approval.
