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Cannot stop sleeping?

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rebeccasmyth09
rebeccasmyth09

Im an 18 year old female and i have been suffering since January. I came down with some sort of illness which i still find hard to describe! I had an extremely high temperature, I wasnt able to stand or move properly, I became very weak, my heart rate was extremely high and my blood pressure was very low. My local doctor immediatley sent me into A&E where i was kept for about 12 hours on a drip, but when the doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong I was sent home with a ton of antibiotics (which did nothing!). It took me almost 2 months to recover enough so that i could get back into a somewhat normal routine and return to finish my school exams. However since the illness I am constantly fatigued and cannot stop sleeping. I sleep from about 10pm-8am and then when i return home i sleep again for another 3/4 hours and fall asleep once more at 10pm. I find it extremely hard to get through the day and it is really holding me back. Ive had several blood tests ran which all came back clear, i also went for an MRI scan as ive been having muscle weakness and fatigue but that also came back clear. Im at my wits end and to be totally honest i feel like my doctor just doesn't care anymore! Has anybody experienced anything like this or have any advice as to where i can go from here. Thank you!

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • caitlin39841
    caitlin39841 rebeccasmyth09

    Posted

    hi Rebecca.  sound u've 've been through a lot of trauma  recently & that ur body has sustained quite  a shock due to the recent acute infection.  have a look at the website ME/CFS - the ME association & compare ur symptom presentaion to the ME/CFS symptom list.    
  • ashleigh65160
    ashleigh65160 rebeccasmyth09

    Posted

    This sounds very similar to what my friend had this time last year. She has all the same symptoms minus the high heart rate and she was diagnosed with glandular fever. She still suffers with exhaustion now ever though it's been a year since she recovered! The symptoms can last from a week to 3 months and some symptoms (such as the fatigue) stay with you for an indefinite amount of time!

    Sounds to me like you just had an extremely serious case of it, maybe so extreme the doctors ruled it out as such?

    Either that or could just be something to do with female hormones. Have you considered changing (if you are already on contraception) or experimenting with different kinds to see which suits you best?

    I know I myself suffered really badly from fatigue when I was on the implant and could literally sleep all weekend and the minute I got home from work too! As soon as I had it removed I went into the mini pill and I'm right as rain now!

    I hope this helps smile get well soon

  • lily65668
    lily65668 rebeccasmyth09

    Posted

    Hi Rebecca, I agree with what the others have said. Another possibility is Lyme disease (transmitted by tick bites). A friend of mine was ill for a year or more - admitted to hospital several times - before this got diagnosed and successfully treated. However, I think it's more likely to be some kind of post-viral condition.

    I would, however, sound a note of caution about going too far down the ME/CFS route. This condition is certainly not imaginary (people have even died of it) but there seems to be a big psychosomatic element involved. And once again - psychosomatic isn't remotely the same thing as imaginary. (I'm a former nurse, btw.) But I've known cases where people got very angry about not getting the treatment they felt they were entitled to for this condition and ended up getting a lot worse.

    All of these conditions will eventually clear up on their own if you don't let yourself get too wound up about them, but I realise that's hard when you're 18 and struggling to get through exams or start a career. But do make sure your doctor explores the Lyme disease if he/she hasn't already.

    Good luck!

    Lily

    • caitlin39841
      caitlin39841 lily65668

      Posted

      The World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) classifies chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) under neurological disorders at Reference 93.3 and uses the terms post-viral fatigue syndrome (PVS) and benign myalgic encephalomyelitis. The Department accepts this classification and recognises CFS/ME as a NEUROLOGICAL  condition of unknown origin.

      ME/CFS  is considered a disease of ''exclusion'' i.e.  a number of conditions with similar symptoms/presentations  must first be excluded through blood profiling & other tests before an ME/CFS diagnosis is given. additionaly, this diagnosis is informed & underpinned by a clearly delinated ''diagnostic criteria'' into which a person must fit before a definitive diagnosis of ME/CFS can be given. see  The Oxford criteria etc. in the UK, the CDC criteria in the US etc. etc.   there are now a number of agreed bio-markers that differentiate ME/CFS  from other neurological conditions.  the ME association & number of other associated professional bodies have identified these. for more indepth information  have a look  @ these organisations.

      Caitlin

    • lily65668
      lily65668 caitlin39841

      Posted

      Neurological signs and symptoms don't preclude psychosomatic elements. This is just the point I was making. Psychosomatic illnesses can affect any of the body's systems, and can also kill. I know this very well. I suffer from an auto-immune condition and have been able to identify psychosomatic inputs in myself. This has helped me keep the condition under control.
    • caitlin39841
      caitlin39841 lily65668

      Posted

      Lyme's disease is caused by a bacteria that can be isolated & therefore  not somatized.  ME/CFS invaraibly is caused by a virus that can be isolated & not ''somatized''. the viral  infection that preceeds / causes ME/CFS  usually comes out of the blue where there has not been a predormal stage when the person is under par or stressed out  ''somatizing'' an illness.

      i, like many others have had this type of ME/CFS onset i.e. a sudden  out of the bue uncharacteristic  infection.   for me, i was in the peak of health & my profession when this happened - no underlying  stress, no psychological unwellness. one day firing on all cylinders, the next knocked for 6.  therefore to isolate/ single out  one particular illness (ME/CFS) and assume or say  ''there's seems to be a BIG  psychosomatic element involved'' is groosly irresponsible & utter nonsence.

      as we all know there are no full stops in research or medicine. both modalities are in their infancy.  unfortunately, until medics & researchers accept that, & realise that cos they haven't got the answers right now, it doesn't mean that the answers don't exist.  the answers  are still waiting to be uncovered.  sadly, in the  meantime medics seem to  feel the need to slap a ''psychomatic'' label on an illness that  hasn't been adequately researched & they don't understand  is equally irresponsible as it stops them from doing the research that needs to be done.   

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