I'm probably just fussing but i thought i could ask you lot if i might have this.
I have recently become very tired most of the time. I always fall asleep on the bus. I find it extremely hard to get up in the mornings. I feel vv.tired in my college lessons. I use to swim twice a week and go to the gym, i use to do about 100 lengths in an hour. Now i hardly ever go, when i do i struggle to do more than 30 lengths.
Once i'm home i do a paper round, i use to run round it, now i can only walk. If i sit down at home at any time i normally fall asleep and have difficulty getting up and motivating myself at anytime. This includes college work, i haven't been able to do any homework about a month, i just can't motivate myself.
I'm sure i'm just fussing, but it would be good to have an opinion.
Thanks
of course...this is just my opinion...but when I am really having trouble with my CFS...I can not sleep...I am tired and sore and can hardly go...but I also...can barely sleep 
Charlie 2 and cfsinTN,
Welcome to HealingWell and the CFS message board!
Well, if you do a bit of research on CFS, Charlie, you will soon learn the typical symptoms. One of the most important factors in getting diagnosed, is to have symptoms for longer than 6 months. If your symptoms have only been occuring for less than 6 months, you might want to see your Dr. There ARE some treatable things that can cause this.
Glad to meet you both, and please feel free to post as often as you like.
All best.
Welcome to HealingWell and the CFS message board!
Well, if you do a bit of research on CFS, Charlie, you will soon learn the typical symptoms. One of the most important factors in getting diagnosed, is to have symptoms for longer than 6 months. If your symptoms have only been occuring for less than 6 months, you might want to see your Dr. There ARE some treatable things that can cause this.
Glad to meet you both, and please feel free to post as often as you like.
All best.
Well, both you guys sound just like I've been in the past !
At the moment I'm sleeping virtually all the time. I have difficulty summoning enough energy to stand upright - even when I do get on my feet I tend to have peroiodic "droops" where all my back muscles seem to just lose energy and my shoulders sag. (I usually look for something to lean on.) Things are looking up though - yesterday I managed to stay on my feet for about three hours, and the same again today.
Oh for the days when I used to bemoan the fact that "I only managed to dig thirty yards of ditch today" or fell forty trees, or build not-quite-two cross drains.
But as I was snoozing to the sound of my downstairs neighbours thumping bass music this afternoon, I was sleepily reflecting how much nicer it was to be able to sleep too much and at least wake up with a little bit of energy for a little while, than the "good old days" when I was too tired to even sit in a chair but had horrendous problems trying to sleep...and would even wake up more tired than when I went to sleep ! Eternity itself spent sleeping does not seem to have enough hours to overcome such fatigue. I'd guess this is your situation, Tennessee. In which case you may be glad to know that I know a fair number of people who have been through this, and come out the other side. It can go away.
When I first started suffering from chronic fatigue, I was extremely active with cycling, ski-ing, backpacking, running etc. The first symptoms I noted were a tendency for my body to over or under heat during exercise - I sweated and chilled more drastically. The other tell-tale sign was that I started to take much longer to recover my energy after any activity. But in between these bouts of severe fatigue where I had no energy at all, I had whiles of almost normal energy levels. During which I tried to get as much done as possible, to make up for lost time...boy, that was a mistake.
Eventually as time went on and I kept on trying to ignore my fatigue, it encroached more and more on my life, I became very depressed, and eventually the fatigue was more or less constant and severe, as opposed to episodic.
Nowadays, in retrospect, I would say that my food intolerances had a huge amount to do with the severe "can't move, can't sleep" fatigue. In fact I call this sort of scenario "instant starvation" and usually try to overcome it by resting in bed if neccessary - not trying to sleep, just lying listening to music is as good - then eating a cooked, protein based meal afterwards.
Generally, I find that I will then have a relatively high level of energy for a few hours, until the nutrition wears off.
So why don't I have any energy just now, if I have it sussed, I hear you ask ? ( Good question. )
Because I have Crohn's Disease - which is probably the root cause of my Chronic Fatigue - and when my gut is particularly badly inflamed, it does not absorb nutrients well. Eating makes me ill, and I have to balance the trade-off between improving fatigue and worsening other symptoms.
But that's just me. Lupus, Fibro, MS, and a whole host of other auto-immune disorders can cause severe fatigue, not to mention viruses, infections of almost any sort, thyroid problems etc.
So as Brynn pointed out Charlie, it would be a good idea to see a doctor. IMHO, preferably a rheumatologist (specialist in inflammatory diseases) as they tend to be much better at diagnosing fatigue related disorders. The road to diagnosis I'm afraid is generally long and full of educated idiots. Most doctors are not inclined to consider fatigue a "serious" problem - right, Tennessee ?
Hope this helps....
At the moment I'm sleeping virtually all the time. I have difficulty summoning enough energy to stand upright - even when I do get on my feet I tend to have peroiodic "droops" where all my back muscles seem to just lose energy and my shoulders sag. (I usually look for something to lean on.) Things are looking up though - yesterday I managed to stay on my feet for about three hours, and the same again today.
Oh for the days when I used to bemoan the fact that "I only managed to dig thirty yards of ditch today" or fell forty trees, or build not-quite-two cross drains.
But as I was snoozing to the sound of my downstairs neighbours thumping bass music this afternoon, I was sleepily reflecting how much nicer it was to be able to sleep too much and at least wake up with a little bit of energy for a little while, than the "good old days" when I was too tired to even sit in a chair but had horrendous problems trying to sleep...and would even wake up more tired than when I went to sleep ! Eternity itself spent sleeping does not seem to have enough hours to overcome such fatigue. I'd guess this is your situation, Tennessee. In which case you may be glad to know that I know a fair number of people who have been through this, and come out the other side. It can go away.
When I first started suffering from chronic fatigue, I was extremely active with cycling, ski-ing, backpacking, running etc. The first symptoms I noted were a tendency for my body to over or under heat during exercise - I sweated and chilled more drastically. The other tell-tale sign was that I started to take much longer to recover my energy after any activity. But in between these bouts of severe fatigue where I had no energy at all, I had whiles of almost normal energy levels. During which I tried to get as much done as possible, to make up for lost time...boy, that was a mistake.
Eventually as time went on and I kept on trying to ignore my fatigue, it encroached more and more on my life, I became very depressed, and eventually the fatigue was more or less constant and severe, as opposed to episodic.
Nowadays, in retrospect, I would say that my food intolerances had a huge amount to do with the severe "can't move, can't sleep" fatigue. In fact I call this sort of scenario "instant starvation" and usually try to overcome it by resting in bed if neccessary - not trying to sleep, just lying listening to music is as good - then eating a cooked, protein based meal afterwards.
Generally, I find that I will then have a relatively high level of energy for a few hours, until the nutrition wears off.
So why don't I have any energy just now, if I have it sussed, I hear you ask ? ( Good question. )
Because I have Crohn's Disease - which is probably the root cause of my Chronic Fatigue - and when my gut is particularly badly inflamed, it does not absorb nutrients well. Eating makes me ill, and I have to balance the trade-off between improving fatigue and worsening other symptoms.
But that's just me. Lupus, Fibro, MS, and a whole host of other auto-immune disorders can cause severe fatigue, not to mention viruses, infections of almost any sort, thyroid problems etc.
So as Brynn pointed out Charlie, it would be a good idea to see a doctor. IMHO, preferably a rheumatologist (specialist in inflammatory diseases) as they tend to be much better at diagnosing fatigue related disorders. The road to diagnosis I'm afraid is generally long and full of educated idiots. Most doctors are not inclined to consider fatigue a "serious" problem - right, Tennessee ?
Hope this helps....
I know someone who suffered from Crohn's. I remember him being off work for months at a time. He was in his 30s at the time and he had a very active and stressful job in marketing.
This was about 20 years ago, and I know he recovered and is still living a very active and busy work life. I know he eats and drinks anything he wants, and seems to be completely cured. What could have happened.?
He now lives in Toronto, which is a long way from me and I have lost touch. I havbe always wondered what cured him.
Snohare, Is there a cure for Crohn's ?
This was about 20 years ago, and I know he recovered and is still living a very active and busy work life. I know he eats and drinks anything he wants, and seems to be completely cured. What could have happened.?
He now lives in Toronto, which is a long way from me and I have lost touch. I havbe always wondered what cured him.
Snohare, Is there a cure for Crohn's ?
Hi Ralph,
Well, I'm sure snohare will be glad to reply when she wakes up! LOL!!
But meanwhile, I'll have a go at answering. I don't know that much about it, but I do know that autoimmune diseases frequently behave as relapses and remissions. (Remission means the disease goes away for some time, sometimes mysteriously, sometimes resulting from successful treatment; and when it recurs, it's called a relapse.) So it could be that he's been in a long period of remission. And also the severity of the disease may vary, so that maybe he had severe symptoms many years ago, but now has more managable symptoms. And I also know that sometimes the disease damages the intestines so badly that the intestines, or portions of it, have to be surgically removed. So another explanation might be something like him having surgery which removed so much diseased tissue, that his body was able to overcome any remaining disease (which would then send him into perhaps a long remission). Or yet another explanation, perhaps some great drug has been discovered that works well for him?
Also, there's a VERY active Crohn's Disease forum here at HW. I'm sure you would be welcome to ask them as well
Well, I'm sure snohare will be glad to reply when she wakes up! LOL!!
But meanwhile, I'll have a go at answering. I don't know that much about it, but I do know that autoimmune diseases frequently behave as relapses and remissions. (Remission means the disease goes away for some time, sometimes mysteriously, sometimes resulting from successful treatment; and when it recurs, it's called a relapse.) So it could be that he's been in a long period of remission. And also the severity of the disease may vary, so that maybe he had severe symptoms many years ago, but now has more managable symptoms. And I also know that sometimes the disease damages the intestines so badly that the intestines, or portions of it, have to be surgically removed. So another explanation might be something like him having surgery which removed so much diseased tissue, that his body was able to overcome any remaining disease (which would then send him into perhaps a long remission). Or yet another explanation, perhaps some great drug has been discovered that works well for him?
Also, there's a VERY active Crohn's Disease forum here at HW. I'm sure you would be welcome to ask them as well
Brynn
Snohare should be awake by now or HE has slept the day away. I guess if you are tired or fatigued, that is what happens, I assume.
I must have come accross as ignorant in my above contribution. However I do know what remissions and relapses are, as I am of a certain age that has made me aware of many subjects. Chron's Desease is not one of them.
Since I suffer from depressions, ( periodic episodes ) relapsing is what I call my "tumbling into the depths of despair" only to recover months or weeks later to live a normal life. I guess I am in a period of remission.
Thanks Brynn for your help.
Snohare should be awake by now or HE has slept the day away. I guess if you are tired or fatigued, that is what happens, I assume.
I must have come accross as ignorant in my above contribution. However I do know what remissions and relapses are, as I am of a certain age that has made me aware of many subjects. Chron's Desease is not one of them.
Since I suffer from depressions, ( periodic episodes ) relapsing is what I call my "tumbling into the depths of despair" only to recover months or weeks later to live a normal life. I guess I am in a period of remission.
Thanks Brynn for your help.
You're welcome, Ralph.
No disrespect intended. I have a tendency towards details, and sometimes, not knowing the knowledge and experience of a member, I present too many!
Yes, snohare did mention that she is going through a "sleeping for days on end" phase. Winters often tend to trigger such, in suceptible individuals. (No offense if you already knew that.)
No disrespect intended. I have a tendency towards details, and sometimes, not knowing the knowledge and experience of a member, I present too many!
Yes, snohare did mention that she is going through a "sleeping for days on end" phase. Winters often tend to trigger such, in suceptible individuals. (No offense if you already knew that.)
Brynn
I'm starting to worry about snohare. I was sure he would come on this thread by now. It is Sunday 23:10 here in Montreal.
I'm starting to worry about snohare. I was sure he would come on this thread by now. It is Sunday 23:10 here in Montreal.
Aw shucks Ralph ! Thanks ! You know you've got a new friend when you are humbled by someone's concern for you...
I'm not managing to get online everyday at the moment, not least because of brain fog. Saturday morning I felled and dug out a cypress in someone's garden, just to see if I was fit.
Judging by the way I felt later that day, probably not. But my energy levels are rising, v e r y slowly.
BTW, 'fess up. You're calling me "he" because you're always wondering what's happening with the lassie across the street that I said I was interested in, aren't you ? (Of course Brynn wouldn't have read that post.)
Before your jaw drops too far and hits the floor, don't worry, you were right. Sadly, a Valentine's Day planter tub full of flowering crocuses, irises, hyacinths, daffodils etc, were not enough to do the job. Or maybe the accompanying 28 verses of doggerel were overdoing it ? (You could say she was "a verse" to me. )
Ah well, all part of life's rich tapestry. You don't get light without shadows.
I'm not managing to get online everyday at the moment, not least because of brain fog. Saturday morning I felled and dug out a cypress in someone's garden, just to see if I was fit.
Judging by the way I felt later that day, probably not. But my energy levels are rising, v e r y slowly.
BTW, 'fess up. You're calling me "he" because you're always wondering what's happening with the lassie across the street that I said I was interested in, aren't you ? (Of course Brynn wouldn't have read that post.)
Before your jaw drops too far and hits the floor, don't worry, you were right. Sadly, a Valentine's Day planter tub full of flowering crocuses, irises, hyacinths, daffodils etc, were not enough to do the job. Or maybe the accompanying 28 verses of doggerel were overdoing it ? (You could say she was "a verse" to me. )
Ah well, all part of life's rich tapestry. You don't get light without shadows.
I was hoping you would return from the sleepy.
Subconciously, I was "rooting" for you. (Puns are not my thing) If you look back I was asking about the typical manifestations of Chrohn's as I have an aquaintance who seems to be over it.
I guess I should be asking you this on the other board.
Subconciously, I was "rooting" for you. (Puns are not my thing) If you look back I was asking about the typical manifestations of Chrohn's as I have an aquaintance who seems to be over it.
I guess I should be asking you this on the other board.
Hi Ralph,
I am from the Crohns board and was checking out this site for info on Chronic Fatigue.
Hey Snohare, wassssup!
Brynn actually answered you very well. We have what we call flares and remissions. When the bowels are inflamed or have fistulas (ulcer like sores) we are in a flare. We are treated with meds such as steroids and immunosuppresants and can achieve remission with these meds. When remission cannot be achieved then surgery is the next step. The stats are 75% of people with CD will have surgery in there lifetime. Surgery can also put us into remission. The biggest problem with Crohns is everyone is different. I for instance have only had problems with inflammation and never fistulas. I have had to have surgery to remove 12" of diseased bowel while others have had many surgeries or none at all. It is a very individualistic disease which I think is also why it is so hard to diagnose and treat. I am what is termed surgically induced remission and the docs estimate I will get 3-5 years with relatively mild symptoms. I am on year 3 now and hoping for more.
This is very generic but I hope it helps and I hope your friend is enjoying a long remission.
I am from the Crohns board and was checking out this site for info on Chronic Fatigue.
Hey Snohare, wassssup!
Brynn actually answered you very well. We have what we call flares and remissions. When the bowels are inflamed or have fistulas (ulcer like sores) we are in a flare. We are treated with meds such as steroids and immunosuppresants and can achieve remission with these meds. When remission cannot be achieved then surgery is the next step. The stats are 75% of people with CD will have surgery in there lifetime. Surgery can also put us into remission. The biggest problem with Crohns is everyone is different. I for instance have only had problems with inflammation and never fistulas. I have had to have surgery to remove 12" of diseased bowel while others have had many surgeries or none at all. It is a very individualistic disease which I think is also why it is so hard to diagnose and treat. I am what is termed surgically induced remission and the docs estimate I will get 3-5 years with relatively mild symptoms. I am on year 3 now and hoping for more.
This is very generic but I hope it helps and I hope your friend is enjoying a long remission.
Hello Charlie 2.
If you have not had a complete physical in awhile, I would reccomend that you start there.
You are in college i take it? If you're living on campus in a dorm, there are a number of ills that can befall students in an enclosed
environment. If you are off-campus and living on your own, or getting out alot into the fresh air each day, then that's a different thing.
CFS will knock you plum out and off your feet. You won't feel like 30 laps let alone 3.
But, if you are just in the beginning throes of this illness, you would do well to commit to the multiple physical tests that need to be
ruled out first, to obtain a proper diagnosis.
Also, ask questions of the physician/s with whom you are dealing, to see what, if anything they know about CFS... and or, if they have any or
are treating any CFS patients. It helps to educate yourself as extensively as you possibly can. HealingWell has a CFS Resource Center here, and that's a good start.
I have had CFS, FMS, CMPD, for 27 years. I also have Arthritis, Herniated Disk Pain, and Asthma. Each of these disorders/illnesses was diagnosed individually over a period of
time,including five separate trips to the Mayo Clinic. My CFS was a direct result of a flu vaccine years ago that the government was pushing. I am in the viral sub-set of CFS patients, and as such... suffer on-going viral flares that are really tough on the system.
I just got through viral pneumonia and the subsequent mycoplasma infection that followed.
You need a good physical first.
Then, if nothing is found, ask them to dig a little deeper. See what tests they will run for you based on your suspicions of possible CFS.
They may be a pain in the rear to schedule in, and actually complete ... but they're necessary if you actually believe that you have this disorder.
sincerely,
linc
If you have not had a complete physical in awhile, I would reccomend that you start there.
You are in college i take it? If you're living on campus in a dorm, there are a number of ills that can befall students in an enclosed
environment. If you are off-campus and living on your own, or getting out alot into the fresh air each day, then that's a different thing.
CFS will knock you plum out and off your feet. You won't feel like 30 laps let alone 3.
But, if you are just in the beginning throes of this illness, you would do well to commit to the multiple physical tests that need to be
ruled out first, to obtain a proper diagnosis.
Also, ask questions of the physician/s with whom you are dealing, to see what, if anything they know about CFS... and or, if they have any or
are treating any CFS patients. It helps to educate yourself as extensively as you possibly can. HealingWell has a CFS Resource Center here, and that's a good start.
I have had CFS, FMS, CMPD, for 27 years. I also have Arthritis, Herniated Disk Pain, and Asthma. Each of these disorders/illnesses was diagnosed individually over a period of
time,including five separate trips to the Mayo Clinic. My CFS was a direct result of a flu vaccine years ago that the government was pushing. I am in the viral sub-set of CFS patients, and as such... suffer on-going viral flares that are really tough on the system.
I just got through viral pneumonia and the subsequent mycoplasma infection that followed.
You need a good physical first.
Then, if nothing is found, ask them to dig a little deeper. See what tests they will run for you based on your suspicions of possible CFS.
They may be a pain in the rear to schedule in, and actually complete ... but they're necessary if you actually believe that you have this disorder.
sincerely,
linc
Thanks linc.
Good advice!
I sure hope Charlie is ok (and not seriously ill), and eventually returns to read it
All best.
Good advice!
I sure hope Charlie is ok (and not seriously ill), and eventually returns to read it
All best.
OK!
Snohare, since your last post in this thread, I have re-read every last message I have ever read of yours (those on this board), to try and figure out how I had the impression you're female (which you're apparently not). And just to be clear, I did not read the message you referred to about the woman across the street. I didn't find any clues in the posts. And there's no way to search out ALL your messages, so if the discussion occurred on another board, I can't find it. But I also seem to recall a brief exchange of emails, way back when you first joined, regarding "female problems", however my computer crashed on Dec 1st 2004, and I lost all my old email. So I couldn't confirm whether we actually had such a discussion, or whether the discussin was with someone else.
BUT! I did find a message where you had mistaken me as male (which I'm not). So I guess one good turn deserves another! LOL!! And such is life on the old bb!! Just glad to be friends, one way or the other
Snohare, since your last post in this thread, I have re-read every last message I have ever read of yours (those on this board), to try and figure out how I had the impression you're female (which you're apparently not). And just to be clear, I did not read the message you referred to about the woman across the street. I didn't find any clues in the posts. And there's no way to search out ALL your messages, so if the discussion occurred on another board, I can't find it. But I also seem to recall a brief exchange of emails, way back when you first joined, regarding "female problems", however my computer crashed on Dec 1st 2004, and I lost all my old email. So I couldn't confirm whether we actually had such a discussion, or whether the discussin was with someone else.
BUT! I did find a message where you had mistaken me as male (which I'm not). So I guess one good turn deserves another! LOL!! And such is life on the old bb!! Just glad to be friends, one way or the other
Thank you for all your advice everyone!!!!!
I have been thinking about it alot lately and i have come to the decision that it is probably my anxiety and depression that has made me soooo tired. It's been good to have all this support though, thanks!!
I have been thinking about it alot lately and i have come to the decision that it is probably my anxiety and depression that has made me soooo tired. It's been good to have all this support though, thanks!!
Well, not sure if that's good news or not! LOL!!
But I do wish you all the best, and hope you can find treatments that work, and that you get better, one way or another! Take care
But I do wish you all the best, and hope you can find treatments that work, and that you get better, one way or another! Take care
Well, I'm with Brynn here... not sure if that's good or bad news... BUT... ongoing depression and anxiety are nothing to
fool around with either so, if symptoms persist longer than say... six weeks or so, go see a doc about it, ok?
And we're here for ya regardless. Hang in there!!
and P.S.
guys are notorius for NOT going to seek out medical help/physicals... at least all the ones immediately surrounding me anyway,
so if it's been awhile since you've actually HAD a physical, they don't take that long to do & maybe consider one???? Ok, I'll quit now.
Don't want to nag.
fool around with either so, if symptoms persist longer than say... six weeks or so, go see a doc about it, ok?
And we're here for ya regardless.
Hang in there!!and P.S.
guys are notorius for NOT going to seek out medical help/physicals... at least all the ones immediately surrounding me anyway,
so if it's been awhile since you've actually HAD a physical, they don't take that long to do & maybe consider one???? Ok, I'll quit now.
Don't want to nag.
My names actually charlotte, but that name was already taken, so had to use Charlie!!!! Haha. LOL
But thank you for your advice. I've been suffering from anxiety for about 5 months now. I have been to the doctors, but they weren't much help. I'll go back again if things get worse.
Thanks for all the support.
But thank you for your advice. I've been suffering from anxiety for about 5 months now. I have been to the doctors, but they weren't much help. I'll go back again if things get worse.
Thanks for all the support.
Oh geeeze...
Imagine my red face... tsk...tsk...tsk... I guess between Brynn & myself, we really are putting
ya'll through some real gender crises' of late! :lol: :lol:
Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake Charlotte
Hope you'll forgive my assumption.
Glad to hear that you'll consider going back if it continues though.
Sometimes we don't take our emotional symptoms seriously enough & I know that
the right dr. can help sort things out and maybe help.
and keep hopeful that things will improve!!
Imagine my red face... tsk...tsk...tsk... I guess between Brynn & myself, we really are putting
ya'll through some real gender crises' of late! :lol: :lol:
Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake Charlotte
Hope you'll forgive my assumption.
Glad to hear that you'll consider going back if it continues though.
Sometimes we don't take our emotional symptoms seriously enough & I know that
the right dr. can help sort things out and maybe help.
and keep hopeful that things will improve!!