appointment
So, the nurse practitioner that the compounding pharmacist recommended actually e-mailed me back. Miracle? I don't know. She said she was familiar with CFS but not an expert, but she is an expert with adrenal fatigue and hormones. I'll take it.
***
I called to make an appointment and guess what? They are only in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Today is Friday. Hello! Why don't these people have real jobs? (just kidding)
***
I haven't been to a doctor for my chronic fatigue in years. Seriously. I just pretty much have given up on anyone's ability to help me. I know that sounds weak-minded perhaps. I went through so many years of trying EVERYTHING I could find that I just sort of gave up and carried on the best I could.
***
Well, I think my peri-menopause changed that. I think it whipped up my CFS symptoms. One or the other or both or whatever, I don't know. I just know that I have passed through a lot of storms and believed that this was my life, the end. I feel strongly that I must do something to try to help myself. Anything, really.
***
It's been five weeks or so that I haven't "slept". I sleep, but not normal or even semi-normal. It's affecting everything. Of course, physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. I've had droughts of sleep before, but this is harder to push through emotionally. I think because of all of the droughts the reservoir is dry, so this period of time is especially critical.
***
Oh, man. I don't want to have to go through 11 years of medical history. I don't have the mental energy to go through everything. I really, really, really don't like going to the doctor. Really.
***
Carry on.
***
I called to make an appointment and guess what? They are only in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Today is Friday. Hello! Why don't these people have real jobs? (just kidding)
***
I haven't been to a doctor for my chronic fatigue in years. Seriously. I just pretty much have given up on anyone's ability to help me. I know that sounds weak-minded perhaps. I went through so many years of trying EVERYTHING I could find that I just sort of gave up and carried on the best I could.
***
Well, I think my peri-menopause changed that. I think it whipped up my CFS symptoms. One or the other or both or whatever, I don't know. I just know that I have passed through a lot of storms and believed that this was my life, the end. I feel strongly that I must do something to try to help myself. Anything, really.
***
It's been five weeks or so that I haven't "slept". I sleep, but not normal or even semi-normal. It's affecting everything. Of course, physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. I've had droughts of sleep before, but this is harder to push through emotionally. I think because of all of the droughts the reservoir is dry, so this period of time is especially critical.
***
Oh, man. I don't want to have to go through 11 years of medical history. I don't have the mental energy to go through everything. I really, really, really don't like going to the doctor. Really.
***
Carry on.
Replies
I know EXACTLY what you\'re going through. I didn\'t sleep for almost 8 weeks. There are dents in our kitchen floor from me throwing dishes. I NEVER did that EVER in my life up until then. I was approaching psychotic.
I could also have written your third paragraph.
I know there are no guarantees, but I think you will get some good things from the nurse prac. It won\'t help your CFS. But why suffer with \'two things\' when it could only be one.
And - you may not return to the same person you were before this. This is going to be the deepest soul cleansing you\'ll ever have... And you may not know that until it\'s over.
Hugs and Mojo
Weebs
PS - I had to do the history for my comp pharm consult too. Was the best thing I ever did, as NO ONE had asked me before. She steered me in better directions than anyone had.
I love hearing your perspective. Thank you.
You know, Weebs, it\'s all about hope, isn\'t it? If we have just a little bit of something to hang on to we can carry on a bit longer. I\'m hoping there is maybe a little bit of something that can be done to help me alleviate the intensity and duration of some of my symptoms.
I\'m not sure exactly what to expect. I\'ve been in this place before. Nevertheless, just a little bit of hope goes a long way.
In the meantime, look into a product called Brevail, and get a little chelated Calcium-Magnesium if you can take those, and take them with dinner. They may help take some edge off. You may still not sleep, but you may not be as \'fidgety\'.
Avoiding doctors is not weak-minded in my opinion. I have found that I do a lot better if I stay away from them. The last visit, to my eye doctor, left me with a sinus infection.
I hate trying to remember my medical history, too. Maybe in our lifetimes we will see that great day when doctors finally leave the nineteenth century and move into the twentieth. Then they\'ll discover that there are ways to share records with other doctors so you don\'t have to go through the ordeal of trying to remember it all, and get retested for everything under the sun.
Don\'t tell a doctor that this is the twenty-first century, he\'s liable to pass out from shock. Keeping up with new developments in the outside world is not their strong suit.
Finding that combination of things that lower your stress level so you can sleep at night is a tough one. A great many of us just avoid getting involved with things and become housebound so we can sleep at night and keep our stress levels down. I hope you find out what will work for you, going without sleep really makes this illness a lot worse.
I know it\'s so unbelievably disheartening and frustrating to go to medical professionals, especially new ones. And Richie is right, you\'d think these docs would come into the 21st century and use computers for files because being tested repeatedly by skeptical doctors gets pretty old. But, it is worth it, in my opinion, after you go through the torturous process of getting to the stage where you doctor throws up his hands, realizes you have CFS and does his/her best to help you at least manage/medicate the symptoms. I\'ve got my second appointment with my new doctor, I\'m going to print out information on CFS, along with different medications I want to try and bring that to the appointment. It\'s an idea for you maybe?
I hope you get some decent sleep soon.