Hidden Figures

A little-known condition seems to be taking a catastrophic toll on millions and most of them are women, even as the medical fraternity debates whether it exists of not. It's time to talk about chronic fatigue syndrome, finds PARIZAAD KHAN SETHI

- Parizaad khan sethi

By the time Nima Mehta (name changed) was 15, she had the skill, drive and dream to carve out a career as a classical musician. Mehta, who lived in London at the time, attended a specialist music school. Apart from regular schoolwork, her days consisted of six hours of violin practice, and she loved every second of it. Till one day when she couldn’t play any longer. During a routine violin practice, Mehta’s torso was suddenly wracked with immense pain. By the next day, the pain had spread to her entire body. She felt extreme exhaustion and couldn’t get out of bed. Her doctor assured her it would go away, but from that point on she couldn’t get up.

Several blood tests, a neurologist and a rheumatologist later, nothing changed. Mehta was in bed for six weeks straight, unable to hold even a mug. In the end, one doctor gave her the number of a psychiatrist, while another told her it was in her head. “That was so disappointing. It was very true and real, I wasn’t making it up.” Mehta was forced by her mother to take short walks, and she started acupuncture, both of which helped. At school, she was assigned a teacher who focused on remedial education. Rigorous practice sessions were a thing of the past, and Mehta thought her dream of becoming a violinist had come to an abrupt end. She was finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) at a clinic that specialised in it, but was prescribed cognitive behaviour therapy, a psychotherapy treatment.

WIRED BUT TIRED