You can do an online questionairre on chronic fatigue at The CFIDS Association of America page. Google for this phrase "Diagnosis: Do I Have CFS?" and it should take you to their page and the questionnaire. It may be of some benefit to help you work out what is going on. There are some good articles on their site as well.
Are you having any allergy problems? A background allergy to house dust, dander etc can give you a similiar response. I would stick with seeing a Doctor initially to try and find out what is going on before going off on a major self-curing program.
It is difficult not to be caught up in something that is there annoying you all the time like your fatigue but if you are working very hard you may have to cut yourself a bit of slack and have a couple of days R&R - just for yourself.
A diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome should be one of exclusion and your doctor should check out your current symptoms.
Once you have a known history of anxiety and depression it becomes so much more difficult to be taken seriously by the Doctors but they are still the best bet to sort things out. Looking for answers on the 'net can be a lonely and frustrating experience leading to many false starts if one is not very very careful about what you take notice of.
I hope things turn out OK for you and you have some resolution of your symptoms. (I am not a doctor but have had CFS for many years)
Hello Jess,
Read my posts on "Some things that helped me." Read the part where I talk about hypothyroidism type 2.
Sincerely,
Lord Ugh
You have had a good run of tests done. Was this done through your primary physician or a specialist? Do you remember ever being sick, with a severe sore throat, headache? I ask these questions because it took me years to be diagnosed with CFS and that was after my pulmonologist really listened to me and he ran tests for the Epstein Barr Virus. THEN, I remembered that about 4 years earlier I had been extremely sick. Apparently, I had active EBV and currently I also have active EBV and it has caused numerous health issues for me. I think that normally a rheumatologist or endocrinologist would diagnose you so I would ask for a referral to whichever your primary doctor suggest and get tested for EBV. I too, have hypothyroidism but my medication for that has made no difference on the way I feel. Please get some more tests run and be sure. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you let us know.
Hi Jess,
I've had similar symptoms - do you know off the top off your head what your TSH turned out to be? ~ because even if it's "normal" but over 2, it COULD be sublinical hypothyroidism.
TSH by itself doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot; free T3 is more accurate, and honestly, when it comes to thyroid issues, what's normal, or "comfortable" for you may be different than "normal" standards.
Also, with being so busy, it's possible you could be having an adrenal issue. Stress causes your body to over-tax your adrenals, leading to hypo symptoms.
I've had the swollen glands, dry, itchy eyes (feels sometimes like there's powder in them) ~ and have a looong history of depression & high anxiety.
I've been diagnosed with CFS - but also MDD & GAD. I'm not yet comfortable with my CFS diagnoses. To my mind, EVERYTHING should be checked and ruled out first.
Though I still have symptoms, I just started Acella (dessicated thyroid hormone despite a TSH of 2.83) - and for the first time, there HAS been improvement (hasn't helped my depression yet, but I'm hoping with time)
Have or are you on antidepressants? And have any worked for you? NONE have ever worked for me. Though that's common, I believe it points to something physical causing my depression & anxiety, and I also believe that whatever it is is linked to my physical "CFS" symptoms.
Wish I could help more. Good luck, and have a good holiday,
Christy