Chronic fatigue ?

[Vixxy]

I happened to come across a link in another thread about Chronic Fatigue syndrome and now I'm wondering if I've got it. I would appreciate advice from anyone that has experienced it.
On a day to day basis I wake up feeling totally exhausted, so bad that my husband has said we need to go to the doctors to get help.
I feel stiff and achy and often have painful joints. Mainly my shoulders, hips, ankles and neck.
I also have painful armpits. I was putting this down to lymph nodes swelling up, but had no idea WHY they were painful. The nodes in my neck and groin keep becoming sore too.
I often wake up with a sore throat that seems to ease during the day and my eyes are usually dry and cannot look at bright light. (I have my pc screen on the lowest brightness setting)
When I'm particularly bad I cannot concentrate on anything and I become irritable and snappy. I also completely lose my sense of humour!

I'm so fed up of waking up like this on a daily basis. It's getting me down. Does anyone have any advice on ways I can improve my situation?
Thanks

[eternally optimistic]

Hi Vicky

I dont have the solution to curing how you feel, but I feel EXACTLY the same way today in terms of some of your symptoms.

I am exahusted toooooo.

[Katie6]

I have chronic fatigue syndrome, i had it when i was 13 and i have been ill with it on off and off since then, i am now 31. and was diagnosed with it again in feb 2008. I have lots of varied symptoms, exhaustion, weakness, dizzyness, tinitus, ibs, food sensitivities, hypoglyceamic type symptoms, sensitive to light, and sound breathless, low vit b12, the list goes on, but these are my worst. I am at the moment bedridden and have to have the doctor visit me at home, the nurses come to my house to give my injections, i have an occupational therepist who visits me home. my case is quite bad but i do know others who live a relativity normal life but have to pace themselves, so it is not a one size fits all illness.

The usuall criteria for being diagnosed with chronic fatigue is that all other possibilities have been excluded and you have had symptoms of the illness for 6 months, there are no real treatments for the condition, but there are some m.e centres, that assist people to manage the illness, and pace their daily activity. also it is quite common for people with m.e/cfs to have a low vitamin B12 and injections of b12 can help with energy levels etc, i have a low b12 and i get monthly injections, also Anti-depressants can occasionally help to increase energy levels in some people, so if you suffer with anxiety too they may help kill two birds with one stone.

I am curently waiting to hear whether i can be granted funding for a 3-6 month inpatient programme, i don't want to be away from my husband and children for that long but i think that is the best option for me to gain some quality of life back.

I don't know if i have given you enough info or answered all you wanted to know, but please feel free to ask me any questions, i feel like i have become quite an expert in this condition
Kate x

[Katie6]

Other significant symptoms i forgot to mention, i am always hot, it can be snowing out side and i will want the window open and my fan on, i have sleep disturbances, however since i have been getting my B12 injections this has improved, as well asa my eyes being sensitive to light i often feel like i can't focus, i find electric lighting unbearable and it makes me feel dizzyer, i have terrible brain fog, sometimes find it so hard to concerntrate, sometimes can barely hold a conversation, i feel sick quite often and get headaches and head pressures. i am sure i have many more to add, but the brain fog is getting in the way lol

[JaneC]

Hi Vixxy, i have cfs too and a lot of your symptoms are familiar (although a lot of them could just as easily be caused by anxiety. Katie's right, cfs is what's left when they've ruled out other things like thyroid probs, diabetes and so on. I recommend you see your doc, although I have to say mine have been very little help since they decided it was cfs.

Katie, sorry you are suffering so badly. Good luck getting the hospital funding. Can I ask if you know what it would involve? I know it would be hard to be away from your family but I also know how desperate one can be to get help with this. Hope you get it and that it's successful xx

[Mogwog]

I have not been diagnosed with anything but often feel like this.

You're not alone.x

[Vixxy]

Thanks for the really good info guys.

[Katie6]

Jane, thank you for your supportive words, as far as i am aware the inpatient programme is for severe cases and it consists of a 2-4 week assesment phase after this a team of physio, occupational therepists, dietician, neurologists, and psychologist work with you from all areas at a pace to suit the individual, to try to get you on the road to recovery. It is the only one in the country they have 8 beds, and it is very difficult to get pct funding, so i am going to need all the luck in the world, they also offer an outpatient programme, but i am jus not well enought o attend.

Below as a link to the website

http://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/cfs/cf1.php

[JaneC]

Very interesting Katie and I really hope you get the funding. I used to live in Havering, wish I still did lol, there's absolutely nothing in my area.

Good luck xxx

[JaneC]

Oh and it's outrageous that there isn't more provision like this xxx