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I think I have CFS, please help.
I'm a 23 year old female and I think I have CFS. It all started with getting mono. It took over 6 months for the INITIAL mono infection to go away in the blood tests (the doctors said it usually takes 6-8 weeks for this). After that, I have continued to get worse and worse with new bad symptoms. It has now been 17 months.
My symptoms are:
-extreme fatigue, doesnt go away no matter how much sleep I get, when I do anything it takes all my energy - example, I go to the grocery store and I am completely exhausted and need to rest for the rest of the day
-pain in my legs and arms, not only a constant achy sore feeling but sometimes a literal excruciating pain that makes me cry, this pain is esp in my joints - knees, ankles, wrists and elbows but no swelling or anything. Also if I do anything like going to the store, then a few hours later, the excruiating pain will start. I have even woken up in the night with this excruiating pain. I have tried exercising every other day at the recommendation of a doctor but that was disasterous and the pain was horrible and constant so I gave up on that.
-headaches. bad bad headaches, almost every day, not like any headaches I have previoulsy gotten
Im really suffering. I was down to working only 9 hours a week before I had to give up work completely. I'm an accountant and a high achiever and this has been really hard on me. I have now been out of work for 7 months and had to move home with my parents.
I have seen doctors throughout this whole process and no one knows how to help me. I have seen my regular doctor approximately once a month throughout this, and she has done all the tests she can think of but now she keeps trying to send me to others who might be able to help. I have seen an internist who determined he couldn't find anything wrong with me after he did tons of tests and a psychiatrist who wanted to put me on more antidepressents but I assure you, my mood is not the problem. I am now waiting to get into a rheumatologist.
So this is my situation. How can I finally get a CFS diagnosis? Who do I need to see? My life is completely stopped. Will this go away? Is it permament? What do I do to manage this? How can I hold down a job and support myself when I am this ill?
I have done so much research on so many illnesses and the doctors have tested me for everything and CFS seems to be the only thing that fits. I need help. I dont know what to do anymore. Please help me.
This discussion is related to Leg Pain and Soreness.
My symptoms are:
-extreme fatigue, doesnt go away no matter how much sleep I get, when I do anything it takes all my energy - example, I go to the grocery store and I am completely exhausted and need to rest for the rest of the day
-pain in my legs and arms, not only a constant achy sore feeling but sometimes a literal excruciating pain that makes me cry, this pain is esp in my joints - knees, ankles, wrists and elbows but no swelling or anything. Also if I do anything like going to the store, then a few hours later, the excruiating pain will start. I have even woken up in the night with this excruiating pain. I have tried exercising every other day at the recommendation of a doctor but that was disasterous and the pain was horrible and constant so I gave up on that.
-headaches. bad bad headaches, almost every day, not like any headaches I have previoulsy gotten
Im really suffering. I was down to working only 9 hours a week before I had to give up work completely. I'm an accountant and a high achiever and this has been really hard on me. I have now been out of work for 7 months and had to move home with my parents.
I have seen doctors throughout this whole process and no one knows how to help me. I have seen my regular doctor approximately once a month throughout this, and she has done all the tests she can think of but now she keeps trying to send me to others who might be able to help. I have seen an internist who determined he couldn't find anything wrong with me after he did tons of tests and a psychiatrist who wanted to put me on more antidepressents but I assure you, my mood is not the problem. I am now waiting to get into a rheumatologist.
So this is my situation. How can I finally get a CFS diagnosis? Who do I need to see? My life is completely stopped. Will this go away? Is it permament? What do I do to manage this? How can I hold down a job and support myself when I am this ill?
I have done so much research on so many illnesses and the doctors have tested me for everything and CFS seems to be the only thing that fits. I need help. I dont know what to do anymore. Please help me.
This discussion is related to Leg Pain and Soreness.
No. I havent taken any antibiotics.
I saw another doctor today and the doctor doesnt listen to me!!! He said I shouldnt have this pain, said maybe its in my head, said maybe I'm a hypochondriac, said I should force myself to do things (which I already do), said that I shouldnt let myself "think" that I'm sick. Like honestly, I'm not crazy, these are REAL symptoms I am feeling. Its SO discouraging when the doctor makes me feel like I'm a fake. I dont understand.
I saw another doctor today and the doctor doesnt listen to me!!! He said I shouldnt have this pain, said maybe its in my head, said maybe I'm a hypochondriac, said I should force myself to do things (which I already do), said that I shouldnt let myself "think" that I'm sick. Like honestly, I'm not crazy, these are REAL symptoms I am feeling. Its SO discouraging when the doctor makes me feel like I'm a fake. I dont understand.
Did you take a quinolone antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin, levaquin, avolox or others?
this is terrible. you clearly have severe fatigue, which has followed viral illness - typical of fatigue syndrome. plus inflammation and pain...
work is almost impossible, in fact if you can possibly stop as much as you can - sorry - it will give you a chance to recover. some say exercise, i say this is impossible, although i think if you can maintain 'range of movement', then that could be translated as exercise. you really need to listen to your body. high-achiever types tend to be headstrong and ignore the body's needs.
after that experience with the dud doctor who suggested you exercise - now you know what to NOT have in a doctor; you need to find a fatigue specialist - word of mouth? - a naturopath, hopefully someone on these forums near you can refer; rheumatologist appointment is good idea - find one who understands fibromyalgia, and go from there...
no work suxx. i have been off work for over 2 years. i wish i had just done it earlier. i had to sell an investment property.
good info on adrenalfatigue . org
if you can remove any elements of stress, or remove yourself from these situations - do this...
there is an autoimmune forum on medhelp which might have info on the joint pain, i had mild joint inflammation and cut back on dairy and wheat, which i am sure helped.
best,
acker
work is almost impossible, in fact if you can possibly stop as much as you can - sorry - it will give you a chance to recover. some say exercise, i say this is impossible, although i think if you can maintain 'range of movement', then that could be translated as exercise. you really need to listen to your body. high-achiever types tend to be headstrong and ignore the body's needs.
after that experience with the dud doctor who suggested you exercise - now you know what to NOT have in a doctor; you need to find a fatigue specialist - word of mouth? - a naturopath, hopefully someone on these forums near you can refer; rheumatologist appointment is good idea - find one who understands fibromyalgia, and go from there...
no work suxx. i have been off work for over 2 years. i wish i had just done it earlier. i had to sell an investment property.
good info on adrenalfatigue . org
if you can remove any elements of stress, or remove yourself from these situations - do this...
there is an autoimmune forum on medhelp which might have info on the joint pain, i had mild joint inflammation and cut back on dairy and wheat, which i am sure helped.
best,
acker
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