This is for those of you who think they are a fraud, which is a common complaint for those suffering with this hidden illness.

This is a test to use while you are feeling unwell. So the bad is the worst your illness can be and the good is the best you can feel while ill.

Using the scale of 1 – 10 give a score for the following questions:
(To measure pain: Any awareness of sensation is pain, 1 would mean very soft like a feather on your face and 10 would mean agony.
To measure concentration or fatigue: 1 is good, 10 is very bad)

My scores are in brackets.

How bad is your pain when it is at its worst? (8)
How good is your pain when it is at its best? (2)
For how long can you maintain the good? (2 days)

How bad is your sitting/standing/walking at its worst? (9)
How good is your sitting/standing/walking at its best? (4)
For how long can you maintain the good? (30-60 minutes)

How poor is your memory at its worst? (7)
How good is your memory at its best? (2)
For how long can you maintain the good? (2 days)

How dibilitating is your fatigue at its worst? (10)
How good is your fatigue at its best? (4)
For how long can you maintain the good? (2 days)

How dibilitating is your concentration at its worst? (10)
How good is your concentration at its best? (5)
For how long can you maintain the good? (2 days)

How bad are your communication skills at their worst? (20!!)
How good are your communication skills at their best? (2)
For how long can you maintain the good? (2 days)

Do this test on yourself and then ask a well friend or partner to take the test. Add up the scores and then compare.

You can also do the test based on how you used to be to how you feel now.
For example if I was to complete the test on how I used to be there would be a 1 by every ‘How … ’ question and 24/7 by every ‘For how long … ’ question