Yes I do remember that you are a witch , dear Nina.Thankyou for your kind support as usual.You could never shock me with anything from your past.

Sounds like you've been through hell Di. I wouldn't read too much into it if no one responds. I hadn't even seen your post and I check in here regularly and sometimes maybe people are just taking it in and the support is invisible. I haven't found Hare Krishna's at all sympathetic to illness...I think maybe they have ideas about avoiding 'negative' stuff...it's not at all compassionate and can feel really judgemental. Also, I think low self esteem from childhood lands us in all sorts of situations where we end up being hurt and used and more damaged. Maybe you should write a book..it might help you to heal. I'm thinking of writing one to process everything when I can. To get through all that and still be a loving person you must be a survivor.

My symptoms started in -- really during childhood with a dysfunctional parent in the house so the symptoms were on and off. I got married so they re-surfaced -- migraines. They disappeared and resurfaced when I started school again at age 30 but since I was young I could handle it better. The symptoms were very mild but never thought anything of them -- brain fog, feeling cold, waking up tired, super dry skin; these symptoms remained kinda mild meaning they never affected my day-to-day living.
They got worse around 2000 with the weight gain, super red face.

By 2002, I changed jobs and remember clearly that the brain fog was affecting my performance at work and at school. I gained more weight, got colder, migraines every weekend, sleeping less, body aches and pains, hair falling out.

Lost the job due to buy out in 2004 so I used the insurance for a check up. Dr walks in and says, your face is too red; something is wrong, you have LUPUS. Do you have any other symptoms? I calmly said, I don't know where this weight came from. I got diagnosed with Hypothyroid disease BECAUSE she never checked my OTHER hormones so for 10 years I was on thyroid hormones that never helped me -- just helped me LOSE the extra weight.
2014- I received a referral to see the Endo. I thought he was going to run an extensive blood work panel. Nope! I had to INSIST that my OTHER hormones be checked. He said, they will probably come back normal. I'm the type that I could be dying but look normal, just like my Mom. They came back showing that I was producing very little hormone. within weeks, I off of ALL thyroid hormones! I was sent to a Compounding Pharmacy for the hormones so there is where I got treated by the Pharmacist for ADRENAL FATIGUE. She gave me these super good adrenal supplements that gave me back my life within an -- hour. These took away the tension in the my shoulder & neck area relieving me of the migraines.

Feb 2015- I was still dealing with SEVERE brain fog, RLS, sleeping 1-2 hours at night, waking up tired, SEVERE lethargy and low stamina, mild depression, SEVERE sugar cravings, Eyes were very sensitive to the morning light. I discovered breathing exercises by Dr. Weil 4-7-8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Wg-UAYGa2A

I felt an immediate calmness throughout my body on the first 4 breathing exercise.

On the third day, I had substantial improvement in school, restless leg syndrome is gone, tightness in chest is gone, pain in shoulders and neck is gone.

Later on, I remember starting to sleep 5 hours then 7.

Within 2 weeks, I began sleeping 8 hours AND waking up rested, the anxiety attacks are less severe, no more migraines, no longer waking up nauseous, brain fog is gone, along with ALL of the other symptoms -- gone.

I can't say any illness triggered CFS, except in 1982 I started having asthma attacks and was on and off steroids for long periods. I believe the steroids lowered my Immune System and I had symptoms ever since.
I didn't stop working altogether until 1995, but many aspects of the syndrome or disease were slowly affecting my body: IBS, swollen glands, major weakness at times. I really thought I was in need of therapy and obtained it for feeling depressed, because I was not able to be as active as I was accustomed. I thought it was depression, because I cancelled out on many activities that I usually enjoyed. I was a single parent of my one son, a registered Trader/Broker in Futures (Commodities) at the WTC in New York before the 9/11 nightmare. I was a dynamic person involved in many active hobbies and attending Broadway shows, the Met operas, ballets, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. But I started canceling on arrangements with friends to attend any events. When I started canceling on Fine Dinners at New York's Gormet restaurants I knew then I was NOT just depressed! I started the gauntlet of doctor shopping until I found an Immunologist that diagnosed me and I had to succumb to applying for SSDI.

I think my CFS began after I had acute viral labyrinthitis (an inner ear infection, a virus).

I still haven't been officially diagnosed because decades ago when this began, physicians still didn't believe it was real.

So, EnergyLost -- You are feeling much recovered now after doing the breathing exercises from Dr. Weil? Thanks for the heads up. I have his CD, but have not been disciplined about using the techniques. Just watched the 478 video you typed in. I'll give it a go. It'll be a breath of fresh air!

2097Maris, I hope the Breathing works well for you as it did me.

I wish I had known of the impact of this type of breathing. WE all sorta do this during times of stress but just not often enough. This type of breathing must be an ongoing exercise to also keep the symptoms from re-surfacing in a worse state. I still get anxiety attacks but the breathing keeps it form getting worse. It eliminates waking up nauseous and having this all day. On the third day, I was doing 98% better in school and I'm still maintaining due to the brain fog being gone. Feel free to keep me updated.