14 years old. Cfs,anxiety, insomnia and bad back pain in need of advice

Hi sorry to hear your not well I would recommend taking more vitamin d separately and also try turmeric in a glass of milk that will help with pain about 1/2 teaspoon it's a Indian spice

My friend who also has CFS/ME uses something called bio freeze for pain which comes in spray and gel forms. Non toxic

Hope that helps

Beverley

Hi Meg,

for my severe shoulder and back pain  [from me], went to chiropractic

clinic for once a month massage, which helped more than pain

killers, complete rest is essential, then on feeling better don't

rush out and do any type of excersie, stay away from the gym,

 join a yoga class, recovery is from rest only, or me/cfs will take

considerably longer to heal, being realistic an 80% return to normal

is the best most people achieve, I then changed my job from building

steel floors to 100% working on computers doing industrial leases

sales,advertising etc etc

good luck

Hi Meg, I've been there done that. Looking back mine started when I was about 12 although I wasn't diagnosed until I was 33 yrs old. My mother told me I had a 'bad back' just like her. So I started going to her Oestopath which didn't do any good! In fact immediately after I would be worse than I was before I went in but my mum said I was to keep going and the Oestopaths over the years kept saying they could help me.

?In terms of pain you learn to accept a certain level because it becomes "normal" to you. The brain then helps you by not keep reminding you about it all the time because it is "normal".  I'm in pain constantly now but it's in different levels. 1 level is "normal" which is usually in the mornings, second level is 'I need to take some extra pain killers" and the third is when it's really bad, I can't be distracted and fell like climbing the walls!

?I have a selection of different ways to help with the pain (on top of the painkillers I am taking). I use heat rather than cold as that bunches my muscles up. Microwave heat packs r great sometimes 2 (one behind the shoulders and the other under my bottom spine whiles laying down). Electric heat mats, at my desk I sit on one and one is behind my back. Magnetic back supports r great too, I wear one all day now.

?I cope a lot through distracting myself from the pain - reading, cross stitch, watching people, talking to friends, internet searching and working. I won't give in, I just keep pushing it ( however it does push back! ).

It took me 30mg Amitriptyline to get to sleep. Most of the time it works but not always. I am on a whole mixture of tablets because I am at the severe level - it's now 13 types of medication = 26 tablets a day.  

?My main advice is don't give in - keep fighting it (at a sensible level), try your best to ignore it by distraction. Find a good knowledgeable doctor in this subject.

All the best xx

Just thought - my shoulder pain reduced greatly after they tested me for Vitamin D. You need to be minimum 50, I was 18 which my doctor had only seen once before. Now they've got me up to 75 my shoulders are looser.

?When you have it young there are a lot of cases of recovery if acknowledged quickly. Mine wasn't recognised so when I was your age I didn't try to follow advice of rest. Maybe I was wrong advising ignoring it, I don't know? xx 

Along with pain relief and anti inflammatory she also takes a supplement with magnesium. She goes for regular massages and her therapist suggested a pink rock salt lamp.

Since having the lamp on in her room over the past several weeks, she has felt it can slightly improve her mood and energy levels.

Anything is worth trying

Hope some of this helps

Dear Meg. Im sorry you are suffering so much from this illness. I sympathise.

My ideas for pain relief.....I dont have those particular problems so this might not work for you but it works for my other pains. I find a hot water bottle very soothing on the place of most pain as it relaxes the muscles that are probably tensed up. It's tricky to get the hot water bottle in the right place but maybe someone can help you. Also you may be able to tie on a hot water bottle with a long scarf. I sometimes rest on my tummy with a hot water bottle on my back ! A hot water bottle will not be enought to relieve pain without pain killers but it can be a great additional help. It is also very good at helping you relax. I now sleep with a hot water bottle every night .

For anxiety and insomnia. I now get up if I have been lying awake a long time and do something relaxing. The best thing of all I found was to go for a walk round the park in front of my house ! This was only possible when I had insomnia at 5 am in the summer and therefore it was quite light . But I found it very helpful . I also spent time with nature outside, sitting under a tree and leaning against the tree. This is good to help control anxiety. Try to tune into the tree and feel the tree supporting you . May sound batty but it works for me !

As regards GCSEs I would strongly advise you to only take as many subjects as you feel you can really manage.  If I was your Mum I would advise you to limit the numnber to 5 subjects max.  If your school is open-minded this should not limit you for a level entry as long as you take the subjects you want to do at A level for gcse, But my experience of helping others here is that it is better to take four or five subjects and pass them than to try to do ten and have to give up with exhaustion . It is always possible to take more exams later if you need to. 

Dont panic about the future. There are many ways to get to where you want to go and it is fine to go slow and steady. My daughter only took 5 GCSEs and because she was classified as home educated ( at the time she was at a v small school of 5 pupils in someone's home) the school allowed her to enter sixth form with just 5 GCSEs. ( She took maths, science, english and art GCSE and then took Engish and Art for A level.  After leaving school she studied for sociology A level at a local college and eventually took a degree in Sociology passing with 2.1   - this is to show you that you need not panic about taking less subjects at GCSE. If your mum wants to talk to me about this , she can.)

I wish you the best of luck with everything.

The most important thing to remember is this - only you know how you feel . tune into your body and listen to what it needs.  Be clear and strong to those around you in expressing what you need. When you need to rest , rest and never ever evefr be ashamed !    Good luck !   Ros