CFS or Depression or both?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Just wondered if any of you long time ME suffers could help me understand my own position here. I definitely had a complete mental collapse due to Work Related Stress and depression before Xmas. There was a definite psychological trigger to this as I was being subjected to some very unpleasant bullying from the parents of some of the pupils I taught. However, to be honest after nearly 30 years in this job it was as if my body had just had enough. I felt worthless and had suicidal thoughts. For a number of days I could hardly move, muscle and joint pains, headache, sore throat, All this is characteristic of depression, I understand that. I was already on antidepressants (for 4 years) but the GP put me on the maximum dose. I have requested counselling via my employer but still waiting and NhS waiting list is 12 months. There is improvement in my mood though silly things can get to me. I will have good days when I manage a walk and do domestic tasks but this is nearly always followed by a day of complete exhaustion. The muscle pains are much improved but the fatigue is overwhelming. lifting a knife and fork can be a struggle. Focus is terrible and I cannot drive when in this state. When I read about ME my symptoms seem so similar that I'm starting to wonder about my diagnosis. Can anyone enlighten me?
0 likes, 5 replies
mary_24931 Sally_66
Posted
Hi Sally, so sorry to hear of your horrible experience with pupils' parents. People can be so nasty but the parents really should know better. It doesn't give much hope to the kind of adults their children will grow into does it!
I'm assuming you have had blood tests done via your GP and anything physical has been ruled out? If so, it sounds as if you body is telling you to rest, and that is the best thing you can do right now. Counselling will help but the waiting time on the NHS can be very long. Have you thought about referring yourself to Health in Mind? This is free on the NHS and I don't think is as long as 12 months. I have just referred myself to help me deal with having chronic fatigue. I feel useless at times as I can't work and I get very bored sitting around at home, with no physical energy to burn off.
I do see a private counsellor, so maybe you could think about this? Some do offer concessions for people on a low income. It is really good to have someone to offload to when so many thoughts are going round and round in one's head. My counsellor has been my lifeline, particularly recently as I have been struggling particularly badly.
Don't put it all down to depression . Sore throats and muscle fatigue could well be due to ME/CFS and post exertional malaise (exhaustion the day after exercise) is common with this condition. Ask your GP for some blood tests to check you're not low in anything, and that your thyroid is working OK.
Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery. You've worked very hard for the last thirty years and because you're not working now doesn't make you worthless! It's time to nurture yourself now, as you've been nurturing your pupils all these years!
Take care, Mary x
Beverley_01 Sally_66
Posted
Hi Sally,
I'm sorry that you had such stress at work before Christmas and this has affected your health so badly.
Did you have a trigger to symptoms would you say? Could you have picked up a virus at the same times as the stress? Also, did you have the exhaustion symptoms before the doctor put up your medication? I ask because the medication could cause some of the syptoms.
Make sure your GP covers all the bases by asking for blood tests etc
For cfs/me they usually expect symptoms for at least 3 months I believe but there is no harm in discussing it with your GP. As you mention muscle pain, you could also research Fibromyalgia and talk to your GP about that too. That can come on with stress and has similar symptoms to cfs/me. I know someone who had fibromyalgia from a relationship breakdown.
Beverley
terry97844 Sally_66
Posted
Do you sleep deeply at night and for how long?
Dono8555 Sally_66
Posted
Dr. Jarred Younger has some great information that help you out with some of your questions. Sine we can't post links here, go to YouTube and enter: ME/CFS Involves Brain Inflammation: Results from a Ramsay Pilot Study you will be able to view it.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend watching it with your loved ones to help them better understand your plight. I also recommend sending it to your new Doctors to help them understand more clearly the scope of the disease.
Dr. Younger gives a presentation of his new research findings that indicate brain inflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS. With pilot funding from SMCI’s Ramsay Award Program, Dr. Younger used a non-invasive imaging technique to measure temperature and other brain chemistry indicators in individuals with ME/CFS and control subjects. The results showed distinctly elevated brain temperature, indicative of inflammation, in patients.
Sally_66
Posted
Thank you to everyone who replied and there are some useful points here, certainly. I have had a much much better day today - almost felt normal. this is the first time since I was signed off that I have felt this way. Still some thigh muscle pain but that is it.
No blood tests as yet but depending on how I am when I see the GP in a week's time she may well test blood.
Your kind thoughts are greatly appreciated,