Been to the doctor this morning, he sent me here to look through the cfs bits. He thinks I have cfs

anybody there?

im new here also and looking for information - hopefully we can all help eachother on the path to recovery or at least some normality...

How long have you been ill?

Mine has been over a year now and fluctuates

Hi both , I hope you manage to get the help you need for your cfs! , I've had fibromyalgia for 14 yrs and now

Dr seem to think I also have cfs !

All I can say is that you will need to listen to your body & rest if you push too hard you will totally burn out

Try & read up as much as you can & make sure your dr understands cfs if not change dr because you will

Waste valuable energy trying to be understood

I hope I don't come over as scary but a good support network makes our lives so much easier !

Take care

hi there - docs think i have either fibro or cfs if not both also - i have been receiving treatment for fibro, but im strongly suspecting cfs now

so far I am on amitriptyline, i have tried so many things (i posted on another thread about this)

Mine fluctuates, sometimes the pain is bad sometimes the fatigue,

I have been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue also - which was tested at a private clinic

I have an ok doctor - she listens to me and is willing to work with me, but doesnt know much about either condition...she has referred me to a CFS clinic of which I am on waiting list for

I am about to try gluten free, as this can help with both illnesses

I know so much about fibro as have researched this to death! over last year - but i think I have been looking down the wrong path

I have a great support network in my friends and homeopath and mum, also my husband...I have two small kids 3 and 5 and they take all my energy, had to give up work 3 weeks ago as couldnt do that and bring up the kids

Just a little background on me

Will look forward to getting to know you all better

Jacquie

Hi. I have just been diagnosed with CFS, or rather other things have been ruled out which seems to be the way to get this diagnosis. I also have fibromyalgia and IBS and these were 'diagnosed' in a similar way, i.e. we know that it isn't x,y or z so it must be...

I am really struggling at the moment. I work full time as a teacher and have two teenage children. Is it normal to feel nauseous and light headed with CFS? I keep having bouts of almost hypothermia and have to wrap up and have a hot water bottle. Does anyone else have that? I have really high anxiety at the moment as well - no real reason for it - and just feel like going to bed for a very long time.

The only thing the doctor has suggested is going on a low dose antidepressant but I am not keen. I was on 50mg of Sertraline for 18 months until summer last year and at first it was great but when I felt it was time to come off I just felt like I was emotionally numb all the time. Also, my labido is only just recovering so bit worried about losing that completely again!

Does gluten free really help? I am having terrible gastro problems at the moment - much worse than usual IBS symptoms. I stopped having milk 4 years ago and that helped a lot but going gluten free seems pretty scary as I love bread, biscuits, cakes etc.

Anyone got any other tips on living with CFS?

Hi Laura

This link is a really good one to explain fibro a lot better;

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fibromyalgia_nausea.html

Nausea and lightheadedness can also be a symptom of fibro...its really hard to know where one begins and the other ends with terms of symptoms

Gluten free might not be for everyone, but it can certainly help a lot of people...maybe try it for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a differnce? Keep a food diary - if this works then stick with it, if it makes no difference then go back to what you love eating - this is what I am lgoing to try - but might not be right for others

Hot and cold feeling also comes with fibro

I am really amazed how you can work full time as s teacher - that is a lot of stress!

Keep us updated

Hi all, thankyou for replying and sharing

I had glandular fever when I was 17 and I don't think I have ever recovered from then really

I have the stamina of half a butterfly

I have joint problems and have never thought that I was ill, I just thought I was crap.

I got married, moved into my first family home and had my first daughter all in the space of six months

when I was 21/22. (2000)

I have never been able to keep up with the housework, never been able to get organised

I'm always exhausted, joint pain is constantly low level with flare ups

weakness and pain in my muscles

I have to nap as my head just gets all jangly (for want of a better word) and I cant cope plus I just feel

like I'm going to fall down with fatigue.

in 2005 and 2007 I had my other daughters

in 2009 my husband was killed in a car accident

things got a lot worse after that

I met someone else in 2011

he died if a heart attack in my house in may 2013

I have just wanted to pause the world and get off for over a decade now

I'm scared of the diagnosis but also a little relieved that maybe I'm not just useless

I

I'm sorry if I'm posting too much or not right, I'm completely new to this forum

Blimey! You have been through a heck of a lot. I'm not surprised you are struggling. Have you had any counselling? You can get it through the NHS.

I feel like that - stop the ride I want to get off - kind of thing. I get all the symptoms you have listed above. The weakness is really annoying as it can come on quite suddenly. The joint and muscle pains and stiffness is awful too because it makes me feel like I'm about 80!

Don't think there is anything wrong with your posts. It's good to talk/type.

thanks laura

I used to have cbt for emetophbia but when my husband died they said I needed grief counselling and not cbt

That never happened though

I think you should go back to your doctor and ask to be referred for grief counselling. My health problems started after my dad died after a sudden illness and I think that's what has caused the cfs. I had a really stressful year, followed by a year of getting virus after virus, followed by a year of stress at work.

Emotions that have not been dealt with can have a massive impact on our health.

and blimey again!! Its definitely a great thing to talk and especially here where you know people can empathise and not just sympathise! Counselling currently sounds like the right path. It would be good to read through some of the other discussions that people have started here, as it can help give you more info about what helps them.

I guess you also take strength from your daughters...children can be a brilliant source of strength..its just the trying to keep positive that can be draining sometimes. I try to put a positive spin on things with my childrensothe thankfully rare times I use a wheelchair, they see it as a necessary but fun thing rather than getting down about me having to use one. I hope you get what I'm trying to say?!

You know now there is a valid reason for feeling these symptoms and its the illness not you. You just have to try and manage it rather than fight it. Keep strong JK