Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Treatment
Tired for Months With No Clear Answer
This page is for adults who have been very tired for 6 months or more and still do not know why.
We care for adults with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by telehealth across Washington and Idaho. Our clinic is in Spokane.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a real, long-term illness. It is also called ME/CFS. It is not laziness, and it is not "all in your head." There is no single known cause. Many things can add to it, and they differ from person to person. We look for the ones that can be treated.
Who This Is For
Adults with one or more of these:
- You have been very tired for 6 months or more
- Sleep does not help. You wake up tired.
- You feel worse after activity. A busy day can leave you worse for a day or more.
- Brain fog, or trouble with memory and focus
- You have been told "your labs are normal"
Other health problems can cause the same symptoms. Low iron, sleep apnea, diabetes and depression are a few. We check for these first.
Also ask yourself:
- Do you have cold hands or cold feet?
- Do your feet get so cold that it is hard to fall asleep?
- Are you losing hair, or is your hair getting thin?
- Are you constipated?
- Do you gain weight easily and find it hard to lose?
- Is your skin dry?
- Do your muscles ache or feel weak? Are your joints stiff?
- Do you feel down or sad much of the time?
- Do you forget things easily?
- Is your face puffy, or is your voice hoarse?
- Is your heart rate slow?
- Are your periods heavy or not regular?
If you said yes to several, tell us on your free discovery call. Your answers help us choose which tests to run.
What We Test
No single test can diagnose CFS. Testing helps us find problems that can be treated.
- Full thyroid panel. TSH, Free T4, Free T3, reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies. Most panels check only TSH.
- Iron and ferritin. Ferritin shows how much iron your body has stored. Low stores can cause tiredness.
- Vitamin D and vitamin B12.
- Hormones. Sex hormones and the stress hormone cortisol.
- Organic acid test. An at-home urine test. It shows how well your cells make energy. About the organic acid test
- Food sensitivity and gut testing. Gut problems and trigger foods may add to fatigue and brain fog. About the food sensitivity test
- Mold and heavy metal screening. We check when your history points to an exposure.
Not everyone needs every test. We choose tests based on your history and symptoms.
Treatments We May Use
Your plan depends on what your tests show. It may include:
- Thyroid care. We treat a slow thyroid based on your Free T3 and how you feel, not TSH alone. Thyroid and fatigue
- Hormone therapy. Bioidentical hormones when your levels are low. Women's hormones · Men's hormones
- NAD+. A helper molecule your cells use to make energy. About NAD+
- Glutathione. One of the body's main antioxidants. About glutathione
- Nutrients. Iron, vitamin D, B12 and others when they are low.
- Detox. Support for clearing mold toxins or heavy metals when tests show them. About detox
- Gut repair. Removing trigger foods, treating overgrowth and helping the gut heal.
We also help you pace your activity. With CFS, pushing through can cause a crash. Pacing means staying inside your energy limits so crashes happen less often.
Honest Expectations
- There is no single cure for CFS. No medicine is FDA-approved to treat it.
- We look for causes that can be treated. Some people have several. Some have few.
- Results vary from person to person. Some people feel much better. Some improve a little. Some do not improve.
- Change is often slow. Plan on months, not weeks.
- NAD+ and glutathione are not FDA-approved to treat CFS. The research on them is still early. We will tell you what is known and what is not.
- We do not promise results.
- This care does not replace your primary care doctor.
Common Questions
What is chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)?
CFS is a long-term illness. The main signs are deep tiredness for 6 months or more, feeling worse after activity, and sleep that does not refresh you. Many people also have brain fog. It is also called ME/CFS.
Why do I feel this bad if my labs are normal?
Standard blood work checks for common diseases. It often leaves out Free T3, ferritin and tests of how your cells make energy. A "normal" range is also not the same as the best level for you. We test more, and we read your results against optimal ranges.
Is there a cure for CFS?
No. There is no single cure. We look for causes that can be treated and build a plan around them. Results vary from person to person.
Should I exercise more?
Not by pushing through. Hard exercise can cause a crash in people with CFS. We help you pace your activity and build up slowly, only if your body allows it.
Can I do this by telehealth?
Yes. We see adults in Washington and Idaho by telehealth. Blood work is done at a lab near you. Some tests use a kit you do at home.
Does insurance pay for it?
Visits are not billed to insurance. Blood work and prescriptions can go through your insurance, or you can pay our cash price.
This page is for education only. It is not a substitute for personal medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Are We the Right Fit for You?
Schedule a free 15-minute call with a clinician. We will talk about your health and answer your questions. We serve adults in Washington and Idaho by telehealth.
Call or Text 509-720-6314 Email Care@evergreenmed.health