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...
Hello. I am brand new here. I wonder if anyone out there can help me. Back in 2004 I had an episode out of the blue where I felt like I was hit by a truck. Totally mentally, physically, and emotionally unplugged. Bad headache, chills, dead brain-like it almost hurt to think. I was four days in bed. Then, I recovered. These episodes were rare-maybe 2 or three times a year, but the past 2 years they are coming more often-every week or couple of weeks, along with fainting spells and very lightheadedness, and they are preceded by loss of tolerance for ANY kind of mental demands. I get very short tempered and irritable. My co workers can tell when I am about to crash-they say it's in my eyes. I have been to 5 doctors-had all kinds of tests and they just scratch their heads and say, "that's weird.". I am home from work today because I crashed on Tues. It's debilitating. I am researching adrenal fatigue and now CFS. Any guidance at all about what's going on? Does anyone else have the same scenario? Even typing this is almost too taxing
The name "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" was something made up in the 1980's by the Centers For Disease Control in Atlanta, GA. It's not really descriptive of the illness which most researchers are now calling ME/CFS. Fatigue isn't a disease symptom, it's a normal part of life...and almost all serious illnesses cause fatigue. So the name CFS is grossly misleading.
If I were you, I would find a good doctor who is familiar with chronic illnesses. He or she can give you a full exam and take things from there. At the very least you should look up the many websites that describe the actual symptoms of ME/CFS in detail...and see if your symptoms match up.
Just being tired all the time...and depressed...does not mean you have the illness known as ME/CFS. And of course it doesn't mean you don't have it either.
I hope you find some answers. Losing your vitality can be extremely disturbing, no one knows that more than I do.
You need one that specialises in Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Adrenal Axis.
There is a condition called Hypopituitarism caused by various things and symptoms can mimic CFS!
The pituitary gland is very small but causes havoc with hormone imbalances(thyroid, adrenal(cortisol) and human growth hormone to name just 3...there are 8 altogether).
Most endos deal with diabetes so finding Pituitary Specialist can be difficult...
Hypopituitarism is rare but you could start research online! Not many doctors have even seen a case(there are about 50,000 cases in USA)
It has taken 13years for me to find out about this as I came across an article related to head trauma and pituitary gland problems and now I getting nearer to the cause of my problems!
The last thing you want is a diagnosis of CFS!
I hope this is of help!
Take a look at this website, best website for endocrinology information
www.endotext.org
May help you with finding your own answers and narrowing down your search
I wonder if you have been tested for lyme disease?
Have you seen a neurologist?
It's a long road to a dx, sorry to say and there's lots of testing to do... hope they find something treatable!!!
i have the epstein barr virus, and hypothyroidism too plus chronic fatigue. i hope you find your answers . this is a great support group if you do :o)
maybe try lyme disease too if you are an outdoors person.
I went to endocrinologists to check on cortisol problems, took a bunch of tests that all were fine. Went to one doctor who told me endocrinologists are really only working with diabetics and would turn me away even if I landed on their door with full blown Addison's. So I lost faith in them. Just saying that was my experience.
It's so hard to find a doc that can give a diagnosis these days, good luck.
Maybe someday there will be better protocols for diagnosing illnesses like ME/CFS...protocols that are widely publicized among the doctors. I'm sorry to hear that a doctor tried to send you off to a psychiatrist. They will do that, it's the easy way out for them so they don't have to deal with a difficult case.
If it's any consolation, the doctors used to call multiple sclerosis "hysterical paralysis" and send patients to psychiatrists for "treatment". It was only after the invention of the MRI that they finally realized it was a physical illness they couldn't sweep under the carpet.
Dixie