At my local university, an immunologist is conducting a study of women with chronic fatigue and or fibro. It involves surveys on mood, lifestyle, what-not, cognitive testing, blood draw (a pint over the course of three visits), a few minutes of exercise, and keeping track of post exercise activity for a couple of days.

The pluses are that they give you the results of your tests (immunological responses, cortisol, etc.) and cash. The negatives are the blood draw (I think I need my blood for energy), and the fact that the bicycle exercise is intended to take you to the point of heavy exertion/your limit, and it might throw me into a flare.

My daughter, who is a nurse, says a pint of blood is "nothing," particularly since it is taken over three visits that I think run over a two month period. Last time I had a flare was when I did a stress test for a cardio exam and I ran for something like 8 minutes. Spent two days achy and unhappy. That was something like a year ago. I typically have very little pain and I am even managing to swim, more and more each week, so that now I have been swimming a little more than half a mile. No Olympics here, but for a woman who thought she was fast to being bedridden for life, that half mile tastes like gold. What if I precipitate a flare and don't come down?

I asked the receptionist if anyone who had gone through the study had been able to use the results to help guide treatment, I.e., identify a med that would help. She said no, as far as she knew. The money doesn't motivate me.

WhAt would you do?