Chronic fatigue syndrome or something else???
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi,
I have been suffering from OCD and general anxiety for about twenty years (am 41 years old), and probably before... Have been on medication for many years. Most recently switched to Fluoxetine 40mg, which seems to be working well for OCD, anxiety etc'. However, throughout the years, no matter how much I manage to improve, I always suffer from daytime fatigue and lack of energy. I am not a very good sleeper. I don't consider myself an insomniac because I can sleep but I've never been a great sleeper and neither are most people in our family. Plus, I have two small kids who sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, etc' etc'. Still, even when I do sleep relatively well, I'm still tired during the day. I've been doing CBT which is helping with the sleep itself and the way I deal with the fatigue - to a certain extent. Would also like to mention that the fatigue pretty much goes away in the evening, which leads me to think it is mostly mental fatigue, but not sure. Had blood tests which seem to be fine, including TSH levels. My ferritin level is within range but at the lower end. I've heard some opinions that the lower end is "too low"...but have also heard opposite onions. I try to exercise at least twice a week and eat well. After so many years, I am truly puzzled as to why I am constantly tired, no matter what. Does this sound like CFS or something else related to the other things I suffer from?
Thanks!
2 likes, 34 replies
dawn94288 violet1975
Posted
Hi! Violet,
It is so great that you are trying to eat healthy! If beleive that this gives you a real advantage. Your question is really hard to answer. I can just say from my own experience that prior to my getting completely overcome by CFS, I had quite a few years of struggling with a much milder fatigue. It was serious enough, though, that I did address the issue with my Dr. His response was that "Everyone is tired". But I knew that what I was experiencing was not at all normal. Is that how you feel? If so, my advice would be to be as nice to yourself as you can for now. Do you tend to be a bit of a perfectionist? If so, then I would see how much I could just relax about things. If you are tired, rest when it is possible (easier said than done with two little children).The reason I say this is because I might not have gotten so terribly sick if I hadn't always been going 100 miles per hour. And don't overdue with the exercise! I'm glad to hear that the med is at least helping with OCD because I have someone I am close to that deals with OCD and I know that it is very tiring in and of itself!
dee53012 dawn94288
Posted
violet1975 dawn94288
Posted
Hi Dawn,
Indeed, part of suffering from OCD is being a perfectionist... Yes, my therapist also tells me to be nice to myself :-) And this is what I'm trying to do but it's really hard to accept the reality of being tired most of the hours of the day :-(
I'm pretty sure the fatigue is mostly mental, even found an article saying the most prevalent mental disorder among people who suffer from chronic fatigue is OCD....
Just hard to accept reality....
Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.
http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages
dawn94288 violet1975
Posted
Hi again Violet,
I really feel for you because I know that it is terribly hard to suffer from OCD. Obviously, I don't know if you are also suffering from CFS or not. But either way, I like how Clive brought up a possible B12. If you are not already, if I were you, I would look into taking supplements that would help your energy levels. You could try one at a time and see if they help. For instance, Acetyl L0Carnitine,D-Ribose or NADH, Ginseng....
GeorgiaS dawn94288
Posted
GeorgiaS
Posted
clivealive violet1975
Posted
Hi Violet,
You don't say what medication you were on before you started Fluoxetine (Prozac) but there is a chance of developing a Vitamin b12 deficiency which is found among people who take Prozac.
Do you know if, among the blood tests you have had taken, your serum B12 and Folate levels were tested as there is a link between CFS/ME and B12 deficiency?
violet1975 clivealive
Posted
Hi Clive,
My B-12 levels were actually very good as I took a supplement for a long while, but have stopped taking it a few months ago. Maybe I'll start again... thanks!
clivealive violet1975
Posted
Do you know what your B12 level was although truth to be told the result would be skewed because of the supplements?
Starting again sounds like a good idea as you cannot overdose on B12 as any excess is excreted in your urine.
Viatmin B12 is only obtained naturally from eating food - red meats, fish, seafoods, poultry, eggs and dairy produce.
Folate (or Folic acid) is essential to process the B12 and is "used up" in the process so it's wise to make sure your level is good. This too can be obtained naturally from eating leafy green vegetables, sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, beans etc although some breakfast cereals are now being fortified with folic acid.
The medications you are on can cause malabsorption of B12 via your diet, especially if you have tummy troubles like IBS etc., so supplementing is a good idea and can do you no harm.
I wish you well for the future.
GeorgiaS violet1975
Posted
It might be a good idea to use a transdermal vit B 12 spray because if you have malabsorption of it in foods because of your medications you will in supplements too.
I'll message you with a great one.
clivealive GeorgiaS
Posted
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
dee53012 violet1975
Posted
Hi Violet,
If you have not been tested for celiac disease, I would. symptoms can be very mild like yours, or severe. Even if you eat "right", it might not be right if you have CD because we with CD cannot eat gluten, or anything that has come in contact with gluten.
hope you feel better soon!
GeorgiaS violet1975
Posted
I'd like to know if you have brain fog? Sometimes it's listed as memory loss etc but to me my brain actually feels as though there's literal fog in it or as if there's some kind of pressure on my brain but not a headache.
If you have it you'll know what I mean and it's likely to be ME.
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
i know exaclty what you mean. I never really know if it is from menopause, the CD or the PM, triple wammy!
dee53012
Posted
I am grateful, I have had three good days. dreading the next flare, but for now, it's pretty nice
the fog comes with flares for me, can't have one without the other.
clivealive dee53012
Posted
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
I have the brain fog all the time but it's worse with the flares, and I'm in one now! It's really hanging on and it's worse than usual. I can't work out why.
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
I'm glad you're having some good days Dee!
May they continue.
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
Hang in there sweet lady!!!
gentle ❣Hugz❣
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
Count me in on the island Dee!
There would always be people who are having flares and people who aren't so we could all help each other.
I think my flare could be a detox effect because I've been doing a lot of new healthy things, and if so then it's a good thing and it'll end soon when my body adjusts, hopefully.
I will hang in; thanks Dee Hugs xxx
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
I never thought of it as being a detox. How long would a detox last? I have been eating very well for over a year. about 6 months back, I did notice things like little tiny pellets of sand were working their way out of my skin. Not pimple or blackheads. Not like that. just little tiny sand like pellets like things.
interesting theory! I am looking forward to pondering that idea
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
I don't think there's a particular time period that detox reaction symptoms last. Perhaps it depends on how much rubbish is coming out of our systems. It's bound to take time isn't it, what with all the toxins we've ingested over the years from addatives, electromagnetic radiation, nasty chemicals, moulds etc.
That's fascinating about the tiny sand like pellets! Amazing how the body works. I get tiny black things when I do a number 2 and I wonder if they're parasites being killed by some of the herbs I use. It's been happening for ages so there must be a lot of them.
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
I was reading an article today about how when we were young, they were putting in our food supply 500 new chemies a year. They are changing that they say, but instead, we have round up and gmo's to contend with. even when I buy organic they add, "natural" flavors to chicken and turkey, which are no better then artificial. WTF is wrong with our food industy, why must they poison us?
Ooohh don't get me started. breeeethe
clivealive GeorgiaS
Posted
"Brain Fog" and exhaustion (amongst many others) are also symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
No wonder there are all these auto-immune diseases!
It makes me fume too!
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
Not bad but very brain fogged. I'm just going to sort that out now; there are things I can do to ease it.
I hope you're ok?
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
Please share your head defogging startigies with me (all of us!)! I don't care how woowoo it sounds, I am open to try anything!!!
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
Not allowed to tell you!
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
I keep forgetting we are always being watched 😆
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
I mentioned a complementary therapy!
And it's one anyone can do at home really easily, and for free so it's nothing to do with advertising any website or therapists or anything.
dee53012 GeorgiaS
Posted
hmmmm. maybe someone reported it?
What are you doing awake right now!? It is 1:30 PM here. Shoudn't you be sleeping now?
GeorgiaS dee53012
Posted
They have technical stuff that reads what you write as you write it and there are keywords etc that you can't say. It sort of flags it and then a moderator reads it later and decides whether it can be posted.
It's only 10.30pm here but I thought you were about 5 hours behind us in America. I'm going to sleep soon. I'll finish my assignment tomorrow hopefully.
You know you said you get flashes are you in the menopause? I'm just about over it but I still get them now and then when I'm stressed or too tired. We call them hot flushes here because you feel all flushed.