Depression or CFS
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello,
I’d be so grateful for any responses. I am confused as to whether my problems functioning are down to CFS or Depression.
I am diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and have suffer Clinical Depression in the past.
My main problem now is that I never feel refreshed upon waking. This has been for as long as I can remember.
I also have these “bed days”, where not only can I not get myself into work but I cannot fight the urge to stay in bed all day. Sometimes I sleep on and off throughout these days other times I just stare at my phone. On these days I won’t function at all.
My activity has declined over the years to the point that I haven’t exercised in three years, I have no motivation to prepare food or keep my room tidy. I am only motivated to do things that don’t require effort, like seeing friends. Things I think will be enjoyable.
I am in a new job and have had a number of bed days already so I really fear for my future and whether I’ll ever be able to hold down a job.
Your thoughts please, I am so lost.
0 likes, 4 replies
jackie00198 Girraffe1985
Posted
When you talk about lack of motivation to do things, that sounds like depression. I think the biggest difference between ME/CFS and depression is: with depression, you don't feel like doing anything; with ME/CFS, you want to do stuff but are physically unable to. This results in a ton of frustration.
Fidd Girraffe1985
Posted
It does sound more like what would be classed as depression than CFS. It seems 'depression' is a label that can be applied to a wide range of experiences, and some of them would include the sort of symptoms you describe. It's very hard to say though, and you should be sceptical of any advice from strangers on the internet. Hopefully you'll be able to access some specialist help that leads to some improvement, or at least some better understanding of what's wrong. Good luck.
janet71271 Girraffe1985
Posted
Hi there
I have to agree with Jackie and fidd. It does sounds you are describing clinical depression rather than ME. Depression is a symptom in any medical condition and disease chronic or acute. But as you know it is also a condition within itself.and as you have gone through it in the past you are aware how it affects you.
As Jackie says with ME a person wants does want to do things but the body doesn't have the energy and stamina. Plus chronic pain hinders a lot too. Frustration abounds . And yes feeling very down and anxious and some days feeling depressed are features. But with clinical depression as a stand alone condition, the motivation isn't there. Plus sleeping a lot isn't actually a key feature of ME. Most have a poor sleep pattern with very broken sleep or/ insomnia. There are several key features of ME that are not present in clinical depression.
We are of course not here to make our own diagnosis of your symptoms giraffe. But it does sound like your symptoms lean much more to the diagnosis you have been given by your doctor. You are clearly at a loss here so is probably best to return to your doctor to discuss some treatment that will hopefully help you. Take good care and hope you can find some respite soon . let us know how you get on x
zoe06402 Girraffe1985
Posted
Reading your post caught my attention,
I will try and keep this short as i can.
I had my baby in 2008 i was loving life always happy and on the go. The day i had my little one everything took a drastic change .. i felt like i was dien slowly i felt tiredness what wasnt normal like exhaustion my night sweats came so much more severe the headaches the aching body the pain the lights hurt the noise i didnt want to be in alot of people as i was so disorientated i could go on but i’ll not, for a good 2 years i realised that i felt ‘depressed’ due to feeling ‘different’ .. ‘poorly’
So you can guess i got diagnosed with depression and severe anxiety i thought yes ok thats whats wrong , but i noticed that on a day i woke up and i was in no pain or nothing my mood was great on a day i woke up and my body felt like id been injected with a drug that totally wiped me out i started to see that the depression only came to light that its the poorliness that sets me off to feel low, after 8 and half years of seriously having every test possible and crying so bad at Gps ... one even said to me .. zoe what do you want me to do theres nothin on all these tests.. you no my reply... tears streaming...
‘What do i want u to do? I want u and the NHS T to BELIEVE me BELIEVE there is something wrong i said the only time i get depressed is when im F’in bed ridden, and now i feel that the NHS just does not seriously no bugger all , and its ok for you doc , off u move onto ur next patient while i walk out that door at 27 years of age fighting most days to stay ok so dont u tell me iv got depression im fine until im laid in my bed staring at 4 walls wouldnt u get depressed for few days like when u get a sicky bug or a cold u get abit low well thats me and over my dead body will i allow you the NHS to blame depression’ and thats when i got referred to the chronic fatigure syndrome clinic .
The thing with how you have wrote it is if u can physically move and do things it really could not be CFS as i dont have the choice ,
Buy a diary and write down everything try to see if it is ur moods as depression i have had severly in the past and you can choose how u feel and when u dont want to do things with CFS like i say theres no choice xx