All I can say is yes CFS does cause all kind of aliments and new ones come along. I have learned to take one day at a time and try not to worry and keep a positive attitude. The reason being is I need my strength to function the best I can and symptoms, infections, and other things will always develop or be there.

I have done research that indicates that we get hormone deficiencys and so I believe our female hormones are effected as a result. Our immune systems are down and more likely to develop other illnesses.

Don't worry, it only SEEMS like everything is falling appart at the same time. I tell my DR. it's time for me to trade this body in for a new model- the warranty is up on this one.
I hope your appointment goes well.

Thanks for your support guys. Now my insurance company is pressuring me to go back to work, I'm on LTD. It seems as if it never ends. I'm getting so overwhelmed with everything. Sometimes, I feel so hopeless, frustrated, upset and alone :(

Do you have permanent LTD? If so, do NOT go back to work. They try and entice you with the whole "you can keep whatever you make in the first 12 months" but once you WORK then you've given them ammunition. IF you've been granted LTD then the burden of proof is on THEM to prove you are healthy enough to work.

It's sooo tempting to want to do whatever we can because that's just how we ARE. But your health MUST come first!!!!

I totally agree w/ 4sons. There will be soooo many people who "are only looking out for you" as they put it. Including you insurance company, and possibly someone in your HR dept. that may suggest it will help boost your mood if you go back to work- it may make you feel as though you're accomplishing something. Sure you're accomplishing something- helping them shaft you.
Please make sure you trust YOUR gut instinct. There is nothing wrong with taking care of your health. For those of us w/ CFS &/or FM it is a full time job just living and breathing sometimes. Healthy people don't get that.
Insurance companies & buisnesses are in the buisness of making money, they may see your being sick as a roadblock, not a real person suffering. Take the mental, physical & emotional time that's there. It's there for a reason-you.

Were you tested for mycoplasma? I had a severe "stomach bug" and the symptoms that led to my CFS began after it. I believe this organism can be the cause as can others associated with "chronic fatigue". It can be treated with antobiotics. I would not go back to work-take care of yourself and avoid a downward spiral if you can.

Hi Paula, I have stomach issues as well. I go from diarrhea to constipation. If I don't keep an eye when I last went, I get sick and throw up. I also have found stress now makes me sick. And stress leads to a flare. Hope your appt. can shed some light.

Weclome to the club Paula. I've had this syndrome for at least three years and likely longer and I regularly amazed at the different symptoms. Presently, I am battling allergies to mold, dust and dander. Go figure. I never had this stuff before.So, yes, your symptoms could all be related to the underlying cfs....I find having a good doctor who can help discriminate between cfs stuff and other stuff real helpful. And yes...somedays I feel like my whole body is just breaking down...Hang in there.

Sort of like the perfect storm isnt it. In engineering terms its called concurrent multiple system failures. So far as we are engineered its a good sign when everything packs up at the same time, why you may ask? Easy. There are so many flashing red lights in our field of view it makes us stop. We have no other choice. When I went 'wheels up' I had tremour, anger, fatigue, pain, headache, photophobia as well a mosquito born virus to deal with. I had no other choice but to try and rest. It took me nine months to even figure out that level of rest that my body was mandating. In any instant of that journey over the last 4 years there have been more than 100 trillion cells in my body that are constantly fighting for my good health, I kid you not.
I'm really glad they found the ovarian cyst.
I winessed my sister struggle with them while trying to work in a highly stressful job and she developed some far more serious form of cancer. Strees is good in moderation, however most of us in the west have ramped up the action in our lives to a point wher we have lost the ability to destress and the ability to relax.
I hadnt even realised that I had lost the ability to de stress until I became sick. I feel like gettin sick was my bodies last way of trying to slow me down. Stress has probably played its part in you getting sick as it did with me. I didn't stop stressing about my family my future my career and our livelyhood until I decided that I had no other choice but to terminate my role with my employer. It was a very hard faught issue. I know I made the right issue dispite the emotion involved. There's a flip side to every situation. I'm really glad I didnt die of some horrendous cardiac arrest while working in a super stressful situation for my former employer but instead crashed back to earth and my family with CFS. When I was new to CFS I would get very distressed about things because I knew it was far more than just some bad flue. Meditation and letting go of all the worry was very important for me. I used to go to meditation classes run by a cancer servivor. They were brilliant. I'm really glad I'm still around to enjoy my beautiful children even though I'm still unwell.
Rest relax, destress, meditate, do what you need to to offload all thats not essential. I dont have a crystal ball but somehow I still hope that everything will turn out well for me and my family and I hope the same thing for you Paula. In some ways think we are lucky to have CFS and not some terminal cancer or some fatal heart attack. I think our body actually know what they are doing.

I wanted to thank all of you for responding. It did make me feel better and less worried. I do agree that stress is a big factor in triggering CFS and other illnesses as well. I also find meditation to be extremely helpful in reducing stress. Goodness, I'd be a bigger basketcase without the meditation :). I'm grateful to have found this site and all of you on here. Thank you for all of your support!!