Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Support Group

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) describes a sense of exhaustion and post-exertion malaise, even when you have gotten enough rest and sleep. The disease is characterized by six months of incapacitating fatigue experienced as profound exhaustion and extremely poor stamina, and problems with concentration and short-term memory. The cause is unknown, but it is a...

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Sleeping 18 hrs HELP ME!

Nicolle-Aileen
Nicolle-Aileen
Im 22 years old... And have graves disease a hyper thyroid disease and my doctor has been saying this is why I'm so tired. I'm so upset I am sooooo tired and sleeping all the time. I have been on depression medicine an nothing has worked. I have been like this for years and am SICK of feeling so crappy twent four seven! I'm at my wits end and am sick of being mis diagnosed. I've had all blood work done and there's nothing wrong. I have been reading about CFS and It all matches up. I need some help from anyone on here that has information for me or who feels the same way. I just need some help
RichieD
RichieD
Do you have any other symptoms? ME/CFS is not about being tired or sleeping too much, there are a long list of symptoms associated with it. Can you exercise without problems? Do you get sore throats often? Are your lymph nodes swollen and sore?

I found some good books at the local public library years ago that were a big help to me in understanding what was going on. There is also a lot of information online about the illness.

I hope you find some answers, it's not good to be stuck in a twilight zone where you know something is wrong, but you don't know what it is.
TDScarlett
TDScarlett
Nicolle A... so sorry you are having so much trouble. I have gastroparesis and CFS. Like you all the tests I took came back "within normal range". But, what has been designated as "normal" for the masses clearly doesn't apply to me. My M.D. finally said he just couldn't help me, so I went to a homeopathic dr.

This decision came to my M.D. and myself through my research on CFS. I read lots of books and did lots of internet searches, and thus decided to seek a natural approach to healing.

The test my homeopathic dr did finally showed some issues like food allergies, extremely high levels of epinephrine and norpornephrine (sp is wrong on both), low vitamins levels, and some other things I can't recall at the moment.

The thing that I think has helped me the most is Vitamin B12 injections. It took a month or more to notice any difference with the B12, but once it kicked in I can definately tell a difference in a good way.

My thoughts are with you for healing and for finding some answers... take care - TD
Ali5tair
Ali5tair
Nicolle, I empathise with your experiance. I slept days, weeks, months and even most of the first year away. Ritchie asks some good questions.
Even though they are getting very close to idenifying the causal genotype/s for ME/CFS, ME/CFS is still a diagnosis of exclusion so its therefore important to see ME/CFS literate Doctor who knows how to exclude other similar illnesses before a ME/CFS diagnosis is made. Many leading researchers are now calling it Neuro Endocrine Immune dysfunction. The order of words is not indicative of the priority, causality or importance. It seems ME/CFS is caused by toxins (Viral , chemical or other) that overwhelm our Immune system then impact on our eendocrine system function, concurrently impacting on our Neurological system.
I see Carlsbad is in California. The good Doctors list at Co-Cure.org (a special ME/CFS discemination network) is a good place to start.

http://www.co-cure.org/USA_CA.htm

Also IACFS/ME has some very good advice in helping find a good ME/CFS literate practitioner.

http://www.iacfsme.org/MECFSManagementAnApproachtoFindingPhysician/tabid/313/Default.aspx

Hope something helps you here.

Sincerely
Al