I am also new to this site. I am glad you were finally diagnosed. I have never been diagnosed and it has been about 14 years. I am constantly brushed off by doctors and told there is nothing wrong with me. They say just get more sleep, right like that works. I also have FM and with both comes a host of problems. I have done the B12 shot once and it didn't do anything for me. I am on antidepressants and those work for the depression but not anything else. I go to see a specialist next week so hopefully I will finally get some vindication and written diagnosis for my husband to see. I would really like to be off work so I could rest more but that isn't finacially possible. What is Klonipin? I was thinking of trying some supplements like Passion Flower extract but I am going to wait until next week and see what happens. Good luck you. What state are you in? I need a good doctor.

Hi Sarah and welcome, very good group here and info that helps us.
I have taken Stress Tabs for years, I guess it helps me with CFS there are days you just feel really bad, I take Paxil for my body aches and it does seem to help but yesterday was really bad for me and nothing seem to work. Anyway you might ask the doctor about the Stress Tabs, looking forward to getting to know you. Leeann

LittleOrchid,

My mom suggested taking a plant-based vitamin (the brand Alive is a good one) with plenty of B12, that it might work better and not upset my stomach. She tends to know about things like that, so I'm going to try it. I hope you get your validation soon. That was the one upside to me; finally feeling like I wasn't crazy for ALWAYS feeling tired. I'm in California, Los Angeles to be exact, but my doctor is in Orange County. If you're nearby I can give you her info. Do you know what Passion Flower is supposed to do? I have some already but I haven't tried much of it.

Leeann, thank you also for the warm welcome. Which kind of Stress Tabs do you take? I googled the name, but they appear to have several versions. Thanks for the lead!

Sarah

Hi Sarah...Welcome. I take B-12, not for this but I had gastric bypass in 04. My levels are very good, but I'm still extremely tired. I was just recently diagnosed with migrained, without the headaches. I never heard of such a thing. If it hadn't been for my husband being in the hospital for "a stroke", I would have thought they were crazy in the head...lol He did not have a stroke, all hi tests came out normal. It is however a rare kind of migraine called a Hemipligic Migraine. The symptoms mimic a stroke. The neurologist said that's what he had and not a stroke. He had the speech problems, weakness on one side. We were sure that's what it was and when the neurologist said it was a migraine I thought he was full of it..lol I did some reseach on line, because he did not explain to him what the migraine was called, just said that's what it was and left the room, without giving my husband the chance to ask any questions. I found this rare kind of migraine. I was seeing a different neurologist and he's now seeing him too. He put me on Depekote...it has done nothing so far but make me dizzier than I was. I will give it a few more weeks to settle in and if it does nothing, I'm not going to take it anymore, because I said I don't know I'm having a migraine and the medicine is making me feel worse. Good luck and let us know if you do find anything that makes your symptoms any better.
Stacy

have you ever been checked for sleep apnea..that can cause headaches as well as female hormones not being right??

Stacytray,
Wow, I have also not heard of your kind of migraines! I'm glad you were able to get diagnosed finally. So far I'm just taking advil and vicodin for my headaches. My mom takes Hawthorne root for hers and says that two of those a day really make a big difference for her. I'm going to try that next.

Tomcat,
I haven't been checked for sleep apnea, although my doctor didn't sound like she was concerned about it. I'll have to some reading about it and decide if it sounds likely or not. So far all my bloodwork is coming back very normal, which is good, but means it's not something they can really treat so far.

Welcome. Sorry you have this but isn't it good to know?

I like the B vitamins - especially Choline. Taken with Pantothenic Acid, it creates acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter. It helps with the fogs.

I take Boswellia for pain and find cannabis helpful for several of my issues.

Can't tolerate anti-d's or anti-seizure meds and I'm allergic to opiates.

Tai chi and yoga help also.

Hi Sarah, it's called Stresstabs Advanced and on the back it said

inverness medical made in USA, I've taken these for many years and I know it does help with my muscles. For many years I had the CFS but not the body aches until 5 years ago, now there is days I just hurt all over but do have a few hours where I'm not aching to bad. It is awful and I'm so sorry you have this, I started at 38 feeling so tired and I've been on antidepressants for 10 years but it does help me so whatever it takes to cope,this site does help us to learn other ways to cope, God Bless you and I do pray you can feel better and I do believe there is times we can get some remission. Hugs, Leeann

Hi, I am new to this as well. I have not been formally diagnosed either. It is such a long process of elimination! Ugh! I did find out however that Vit. D deficiency can contribute to the fatigue. I started taking 3000 ius about 3 months ago and that seems to help. I still have bad days, but it has helped over the rest of the time. I had the really bad headache again yesterday, so still wanting that to change! I just feel like I'm being lazy, but I can't help it. Do you feel like that?

Hi all, I have been around a while but have only recently been diagnosed with PVFS. Looking back I have probably had it for about 9 years.
I have B12 jabs every three months and effexor xl and amiltryptiline daily. I was on Lexapro before but switched last April.
I work three days a week and feel tired in between but don't have the pain that others report thankfully.
Don't feel fully supported at home as my OH gets frustrated that I appear to be too lazy to do DIY stuff at home all the time. Sometimes I feel able but mostly I don't. I hate my wife being busy around me it makes me feel guilty but she's one of those people who cannot sit down.
Sorry to jump in on your thread Sarah but it seemed a good a place as any to start in.
Thanks for reading

Unduki,
Yes, there is some peace in knowing I'm not crazy for ALWAYS feeling tired; that it's not that I'm just lazy. Luckily (or not, depending on how you look at it) my bf has already been put through the ringer dealing with my health issues, so I know he's going to be supportive about this one too. Oh, awesome! Thanks for the Pantothenic Acid tip! I think that might help me a lot. I'm going to check out the boswellia too. One of these days I am going to subsist solely on vitamins. :)

Leeann, thank you! I ordered a bottle this morning :)

Jepete,
I've heard that about vit D; I know of one doc who recommends CFS actually get a few minutes of sun every day. I actually hate how I look when I'm tan though, not to mention my fears of sun damage, so vanity is making me pass on that idea ;) Oh yes, I often feel guilty for feeling so tired. I guess what we need to do is just accept that it's not our fault, and just continue working on trying to make the best of it. After all, the wasted emotional energy feeling guilty isn't going to help us feel any better :)

Hi Rool,
Sorry you're in the same boat as the rest of us, but I'm glad you found the site. It's given me a lot of good ideas to look into. I hate how some people can be so unsupportive. It's not like any of us chose to feel this way... it's just the way it is. There seems to be something of a stigma around this condition. If we all had cancer or something else serious and more well-known, and felt tired, no one would blame us or make us feel bad. Sigh. Good luck in your journey trying to find some healing :)

Wow, it feels good to know I'm not alone!
I've been off work for 10 days, first a cold, then the fatigue and muscle pain kicked in.
I only feel like sitting and reading etc, don't want to do anything and feel so guilty bc the job expectation is to be type A, think fast, react fast..etc and I'm just not there anymore. Memory problems, mental mistakes.
I take b12 shots, D, cope w the pain, can't sleep at night, wake up more tired than I did when I went to bed!
My Dr today and I fired each other, he's only into traditional medicine, I'm open to both..I go to a Dr who used to be a Gyno, who was referred to me by our Regional Fibro Association...otherwise, it's impossible to find a Dr who will listen, understand, and HEAR me, offer feedback and possible solutions. The rest just think it's hocus pocus and that nothing's wrong. Frustrating!

Tomcat,

You are not alone! Can you check out a new doctor, or is there anyone in your area who specializes in CFS? Don't let your current doc dissuade you from trying things which might work; clearly the things he's suggesting aren't doing very well. I know what you mean... I usually feel more tired when I wake up then when I went to bed. It's so frustrating!

Tomcatmother,

I also have a job where I'm expected to be a type A (or "driver" as we call it). I'm an accountant and the memory problems and mistakes are causing me to get way behind in my work. Not to mention, I just can't work everyday. I don't feel effective when I am there. I haven't been formally diagnosed with CFS, yet, but will be seeing a rheumetologist soon.

Hang in there. We are NOT lazy, nor are we incompetent. We are just sick at no fault of our own. God bless!