CFS symptoms

Thanks Jackie.

 Yes, sometimes my legs feel heavy. Also, sometimes they feel weak. And sometimes it's like I almost feel like my brain signals aren't getting through clearly to my legs, like I don't have full control over their movements. Hard to explain. Yet I do control them. As I mentioned, I've had CFS/ME for some years. My last relapse brought all these symptoms. Because of my fatigue, I can only walk for a few minutes. I take it very slow, but I'm pretty steady. Again, David, be careful. There's a fine line between getting some excerise and doing too much, causing symptoms to worsen. Walking 1 mile is a lot, and if you have to stop twice, you might be pushing it. Since your onset is fairly recent, if my memory serves, this is a really important time for you. You have every chance of the illness simply going away, and you want to maximize the possibility of that happening.

Thanks Jackie. I go to bed every night hoping and praying i wake up renewed. This body feels like a dead battery. I'm so hoping the TCM treatments can help.

So does TCM mean "traditional Chinese medicine?" Whatever it is, I hope it helps. 

Jees, this feels like i feel also, you almost pray before you sleep that the next day is a new start

Hi Greg, thanks for that. I had been considering the Genova Chrinic Fatigue screen. I did their comprehensive digestive stool analysis+parasitology and it showed an imbalance of gut flora, so that was a clue and i am fixing this. I refuse to believe the GP with ME/CFS there is no test to show what my body is not doing proprely. To be this ill and have no test to show is impossible. It's a cop out for them if you ask me. They are not trying hard enough ? Keep me updated on the test. I have been doing Traditional Chinese Medicine the past 2 and a half weeks and i have to say it is helping alot. Really feeling it this morning, that my old self is returning. At the TCM clinic they stressed to be patient (which i what i am. a patient, interesting LOL) to re-build my chi and whatever had happened to me has caused my organs to age more rapidly, so basically you are alot old on the inside that you appear, hence why i have said and others 'i feel 94 not 34' and my body is proof of that, EVERYTHING slowed down, i could barely walk prior being a high level amateur triathlete for 6+years. It's been REALLY hard, harder than any event i've ever done, but i never gave up hope i can get myself back, i think it is happening. The next few weeks are crucial. One day at a time. An ELISA test can be used for various things, food allergie etc but in the context of the prior discussion it was in relation to lyme disease, as there are many peopole diagnosed with 'me' who actually have lyme.

I'm kicking myself because i am thinking if ONLY i had tried top TCM clinic sooner ? Early days but extremely promising results thus far.

Hi david

Thats brill.

I must start tcm today.

At doctors todays more stupid crap I expect.

I think gut flora could be at the centre of all this.

Mine all started after a course of metrodonzale.

I have tried all sorts of probiotocs though.

Cant hardly move today legs like timber

Hey Greg, i've never been to the GP so much the past 6 months. Even phoned for an ambulance TWICE because i thought i was about to die, that my entire body was turning to stone and my heartbeat felt so weak like that of a 100 year old man. IReally fed up with it all, in terms of being labelled with CFS and offered no NHS treatments whatsoever besides anti-depressants, not even physiotherapy as i said my muscles were wasting away. I've since managed to summon the will to respond to this, i force myself out for a daily walk for 30-60mins. This morning i did this, with a backpack full of encyclopedias 45 mins and walk the local country trails gingerly. My upper body has deterioriated but i am not letting my legs go the same way. I think with gut flora they are a big part of the puzzle. It seems in my case the gut flora imbalance is a SYMPTOM of CFS, it's not WHY i am unwell, what caused it. Look into doing an intensive course of VSL3 probiotic one month or longer. As you know with CFS there is MULTIPLE issues. That's why i believe the TCM approach is best. It strenghtens the entire body, every organ. The amount of needles the TCM doctor placed in my HEAD one session was a sight to behold. But subsequent sessions have used less needles. I have noticed my digestion is now back to twice/day whereas since becoming unwell it was only once in the morning. My body is also gaining weight for the first time. I know what you mean about timber legs. Personally i feel i've just made it to the TCM clinic in time, there have been some mornings where i can barely walk and it was a truly shocking experience, considering i had been a marathon runner/triathlete prior who never thought for a second this could happen to this. My normal routine was a 10k run or longer most mornings, sometimes twice/day.

I've gone from one end of the spectrum to the other. Now looking to maintain that sweet spot. With TCM seek out a traditional doctor from China, i think they are best. My own has 30+ years experience, former tai chi world champion. He's noticing changes in my well-being. They are VERY perceptive and can tell ALOT aobut you just by looking at you.

Anyway still early days but i am feeling so much more optimistic that the end is in sight for me. Still have alot of work to do. CFS is in my view a really serious illness to recover from takes some time, but with the right protocols definetely 3 months max for huge benefits. I'll keep all updated on my TCM progress. This is only week3, going into 6th session of acupuncture.

well the docs are absolutely no use, they cant treat CFS, i rejected anti-depressants, I am a happy go lucky guy when I am right. I told her how can i wake from 11 hours sleep totaly exhausted and expect it to be phycological, totally BS in my case, it 100% physical.

I had full universal blood check done by randox in n.Ireland in oct, every blood test known to man, nothing showed.

The CFS screen is saliva and pee only, shows the complete physical energy cycle, acids, ATP etc, much different to normal blood work.

I also used to be a 2KM morning swimmer, back last year, until bout september ish.

Booked myself for TCM today, at least now I have 2 things in the pipe, the TCM and CFS screen,

What beats me, toward end may I had 8 good days in a row, I cant know why it leaves me.

Last 2 weeks has been hell.

Another reason I believe its gut, is last year I took antibiotics, then thrush, probably internal also, After I took nystatin for about 2 weeks, I got recovery period in dec and jan, but it came back with bang.

Nystatin now has no effect. May have been co-incedental but i think it could be linked.

This why TCM look at your tongue, my is very geographic lots of patches in an otherwise quite furry tongue.

Im glad i found the forum, I think we need to have constant angles to tackle it and always have something in the pipe for trying to get some sort of resolution. 

Best of luck Greg ! I attend the TCM clinic twice/week for acupuncture which was advised rather than one which i have been told would be useless to properly treat CFS. I asked about going 3 times and they said NO, twice is perfect. They have said to me my health is not that bad, i just need a little nudge. So maybe CFS is a deceptive illness. Everything about my clinic has oozed quality and genuine patient care. Alot of people thought i was wasting my money as it's not cheap, about £130/week but TCM makes perfect sense to me. I also drink a tailor made herbal tea 3 times/day 30mins after meals. I think you are likely in an identical situation to myself, TCM theory explains through chronic stress then compunded further by a virus/infection, further weakening the body, our body uses up a great eal of internal 'chi' to fix the problem, trouble is if we are low to begin with it won't be able to go all the way and then after we don't know how to accumulate more chi to solve the problem, we are left in limbo for god knows how long ? This is what i am thinking. Can't wait for my session at 2pm. I moreso feel the effects the next day rather than after, and it is accumulative by my short experience. Another month or 2 of this and i should be good as new.  

And i really miss my swimming. Did a few 5k swimathons, love it and i want to get back. IWILL get back !! This experience has changed me forever though. Wouldn't mind doing things for charity in the future to raise awareness of this illness. It is very REAL.

Let me know what the chronic fatgiue screen shows. TCM are tying my issues to the KIDNEYS, so logically with the test you'd expect to see clear results with regards to this as they look at adrenals.

just back from TCM, very relaxing.

Have me on quite a few tablets, not exactly sure what they will do.

They tell quite a bit from the pulse, I have another issue that started only 2 weeks ago, I feel myself yawning and grasping for air like a deep yawn, not to be confused with breathlessness, more like a satisfaction breath, think air hunger is correct term.

I think its due to anxiety overload caused by CFS, my lungs are good nick, with 850l/m in the peak flow blow test, so for sure not a capacity issue. Anyways, it more a minor nusiance to the overall weight of CFS.

Should be interesting few weeks with tcm and CFS screen. Nought to lose as far as I see. The price you put on this is irrelevant, £100+ a week for TCM, but any gain at all with be well worth it. I would re-mortgage my house to get back to myself.