Decisions, decisions

Hello everyone,

I have never posted here on the CFS forum, I used to post frequently on another of the healing well threads. I am not diagnosed with CFS, but I am a dysautonomia sufferer. I saw someone had posted about it on your boards and for the purpose of my inquiry there are many parallels between the symptoms I suffer from and the issues that many CFS sufferers deal with. I hope I am not amiss in posting here, if I am intruding please let me know. I just need someone to talk to about a decision I am trying to make that is influenced by my heath and all of the people on the healing well forums have been very kind.

I am a college student. I have migraines and suffer from undiagnosed joint pain. I also have POTs. I get dizzy when standing or if I am sitting for long periods. In the past I have fainted. However, my two worst symptoms have probably been the fatigue and how stupid this syndrome has made me! I tire easily and am completely spent most days by 2 in the afternoon. I also have been having memory and concentration issues that make it difficult for me to get my schoolwork done, and also do things like cook. This month alone I have cut or burned myself 5 times and have locked myself out of the car and had to call a locksmith twice. I go to school a long way away from home and have recently had most of my close friends move away. Right now I don't have anyone to call if I wasn't able to drive if I needed to go to the doctor.

I also have not been very satisfied with the opportunities and professors in my department of study at the college I attend. The department has been downsized since I first started attending. Therefore, I am considering transferring to a college near my home town that has a wonderful program. I would also be living with my family. My younger brother still lives at home and I generally spend the summers back there. I would have some support from my parents and would be able to start a medication to try and improve my symptoms that I need to be monitored carefully while beginning. I would also be close to my doctor.

However, I am concerned about how living at home will affect my health. For the most part my family is great, but our house could use some major repairs. It is very old and outdated and very hard to keep clean, especially with a teenage boy running around. There are also some mold problems and the house tends to be very hot or very cold and the air quality is often poor-- especially in the winter. I am also concerned because of the number of colds that my brother in particular brings home. He isn't very courteous and I tend to pick up every germ that is brought into the house. Colds and the like really knock me out.

I really don't know what to do . . .