Chronic Fatigue

[pooh101]

First time posting here, but it seems the right place. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this illness. I know some dr.'s don't even acknowledge it as a "real" disease; but, I'm sure I have it--ever since I had mono. If anyone has had any luck with any type of energy boosters, I'd greatly appreciate hearing about it/them. I'm supposed to take a work-related class next week that will require me to be awake and alert 6 a.m.-4 p.m. then come home to my 2 school aged children. I know this is what most people have to deal with every day, but...I'm really afraid I won't make it. BTW, I'm not lazy or "nuts". It's just this overwhelming need for sleep-as if I've just run a marathon-doesn't matter how active or busy I've been, I just need to sleep. Does anyone know what I mean? Help?

 

[kimis]

I have a couple of questions.....
1. Have you talked to your dr about your symptoms? If the dr isn't willing to
do some blood work or other tests to see what is going on go to another
dr. You could have a thryoid issue or something else.

2. Do you take any vitamens? I am not a big health nut (if you saw me you
see that for yourself) but I have been taking Vitamen B=6, B-12 and
folic acid with a mutlivitamen. It really seems to be helping.

3. Do you have someone to help you with your kids next week while you
have a hard week.

I had health issues for many months and was not willing to tell anyone. My symptoms were very real. When it got to the point I could hardly walk or pick up things I finally went to a dr. I have to tell you the first dr seemed to write me off as a "woman" and really didn't seem to care much. However the dr did feel maybe it was MS. He did send me to a neurologist who did another set of tests and discovered the main problem right now was the spinal cord was pushed out from where it was supposed to be, I then went to a neurosurgeon who did the surgery.

I said all that to say this. You know your body. If you feel like something is not right keep going until you find out what it is. If I would have listened to the first dr I would be hurting big time right now instead of on the road to recovery.

One of the reasons I didn't want to go to the dr earlier because I have several friends who have fibromyalgia (sp?). I do feel that disease and chronic fatigue sydrome are real however I feel like people are told that when the dr doesn't want to find out if something else is wrong.

You can take control of your body and keep going to drs until you have peace of mind. Hang in there and keep us posted. In the meantime you are in my prayers.

 

[Boo Bear]

I have this very badly and for me it's caused by fibromyalgia and an iron deficiency (anemia). Other than vitamins that treat specific deficiencies, taking multivitamins actually won't provide you with energy. Do you have any pain associated with your fatigue like headaches, backaches, or pain in your joints? Have you ever considered depression? Many people don't know that they are depressed or have suppressed anxieties. Believe it or not anxiety can cause fatigue. I get anxiety from the silliest things like thinking about how much I need to do or clean or even just getting in the car to run an errand. I'm not a lazy person by any means I just have absolutely no motivation.

Don't get to fretted about this. Talk to your doctor and there are many ways to treat chronic fatigue, no matter what the cause might be. Hang in there!

 

[pooh101]

I have a couple of questions.....
1. Have you talked to your dr about your symptoms? If the dr isn't willing to
do some blood work or other tests to see what is going on go to another
dr. You could have a thryoid issue or something else.

2. Do you take any vitamens? I am not a big health nut (if you saw me you
see that for yourself) but I have been taking Vitamen B=6, B-12 and
folic acid with a mutlivitamen. It really seems to be helping.

3. Do you have someone to help you with your kids next week while you
have a hard week.

I had health issues for many months and was not willing to tell anyone. My symptoms were very real. When it got to the point I could hardly walk or pick up things I finally went to a dr. I have to tell you the first dr seemed to write me off as a "woman" and really didn't seem to care much. However the dr did feel maybe it was MS. He did send me to a neurologist who did another set of tests and discovered the main problem right now was the spinal cord was pushed out from where it was supposed to be, I then went to a neurosurgeon who did the surgery.

I said all that to say this. You know your body. If you feel like something is not right keep going until you find out what it is. If I would have listened to the first dr I would be hurting big time right now instead of on the road to recovery.

One of the reasons I didn't want to go to the dr earlier because I have several friends who have fibromyalgia (sp?). I do feel that disease and chronic fatigue sydrome are real however I feel like people are told that when the dr doesn't want to find out if something else is wrong.

You can take control of your body and keep going to drs until you have peace of mind. Hang in there and keep us posted. In the meantime you are in my prayers.

1. I have had blood work done--the doctors have tested me for everything--only thing that has shown up was Epstein Barr.
2.I take multi vitamin daily, but heard the B vitamin injection works really well, so I'm going to talk to my dr. about that. 3.I have my husband to help with the kids, he's pretty good with them, but I feel like I'm missing out on so much cause "I'm too tired." Thanks for your response and prayers and Good Luck with your recovery.

 

[pooh101]

I have this very badly and for me it's caused by fibromyalgia and an iron deficiency (anemia). Other than vitamins that treat specific deficiencies, taking multivitamins actually won't provide you with energy. Do you have any pain associated with your fatigue like headaches, backaches, or pain in your joints? Have you ever considered depression? Many people don't know that they are depressed or have suppressed anxieties. Believe it or not anxiety can cause fatigue. I get anxiety from the silliest things like thinking about how much I need to do or clean or even just getting in the car to run an errand. I'm not a lazy person by any means I just have absolutely no motivation.

Don't get to fretted about this. Talk to your doctor and there are many ways to treat chronic fatigue, no matter what the cause might be. Hang in there!

Funny you should say this. It seems the symptoms for chronic fatigue and depression/anxiety are very similar--you have no motivation to drag yourself to do anything,no energy, feeling "sad", etc. so my dr. prescribed anti-depressants. I tried several of them within the past few years and nothing has changed my energy level. Besides headaches, I don't get any other aches or pains. I've tried exercise. I've tried stimulants. It seems no matter what I do, what I'm taking, how much sleep I've had the night before,etc.I need a couple hours sleep during the day just to be able to function Thanks for your response and I love your DIS name

 

[arminnie]

-doesn't matter how active or busy I've been, I just need to sleep.

Have you had a sleep study?

Chronic fatigue is a very real disease (even recognized by social security as a potentially disably illness. But there is no test for it.

It literally can only be diagnosed after ruling out everything else.

Obstructive sleep apnea means that you are not really getting any real sleep. I had it (about 15 years ago - corrected by surgery) - I just wanted to sleep all of the time.

Chronic fatigue doesn't necessarily make people want to sleep. Sleeping for a couple of hours (or even days) doesn't help.

 

[dumboiu]

another perspective:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913132933.htm

 

[drjoe]

I have been dealing with CFS for about two years. It is the rare internal medicine doc that has a clue about assessment and appropriate interventions. At the end of the day, you need to get a comprehensive assessment as CFS seems to have multiple etiologies and hence, multiple treatments. Unfortunately, no cure, but there are lots of treatments that can help you become much more functional.

It is pretty common for assessment to reveal difficulties in multiple systems including adrenal, hormonal, and immune functions.

I suggest you take a look at fibroandfatigue website. The docs at these facilities are well trained in diagnosis and treatment of CFS (not cheap though!!!).

If you actually get a diagnosis of CFS, I would recommend you get the updated version of Dr. Teitelbaum's book. He is probably the leading expert on CFS and the book contains a lot of very good information on both assessment and intervention.

You will find that you need to become your own expert. There are lots of quacky suggestions out there but if you do your research and become your own best advocate, you have a much better chance at battling this thing.

Best wishes.

Joe

 

[LPersio]

Have you ever had not just a sleep study but a daytime sleep study? I have been tired during the day pretty much all my life even after 12-14 hours of sleep I would still have trouble getting up and would go downstairs and sleep on the couch. I had a night time sleep study that didn't show anything except that I went into REM sleep really fast, which prompted a daytime sleep study which found that I have a form of Narcolepsy. Not where I fall over sleeping but a form that causes me to become very sleepy all of a sudden, and I would have to either succumb to sleep or fight to stay awake. This is rare and a lot of Drs might not take you seriously but have a sleep study it won't lie. PM me if you have any questions. It is treatable with a daily pill.

 

[arminnie]

Have you ever had not just a sleep study but a daytime sleep study?

Good point. Yes I had a daytime sleep study along with 2 consecutive nights. FYI - The Stanford Sleep Disorder program is just tops. I was fortunate enough to live near by - but people come there from all over the world because it is always on the forefront of sleep disorder treatment and research.