Re: symptoms of C.F.S./M.E.

[linda]

Here are is a list of common, and maybe not so common symptoms of C.F.S./M.E.

• anxiety
• black outs
• brain fog
• chest infection
• concentration
• dizziness
• dry eyes
• eczema
• fatigue
• Feelings of unreality
• headaches
• high or low blood pressure
• high or low body temp
• insomnia
• irritable bowel
• jelly legs
• labyrinthitis
• lack of motivation
• loss of speach
• low grade fever
• muddled speech
• muscle pain
• muscle spasms
• muscle weakness
• nausia
• night sweats
• numb, tingly wrists / hands
• panic attacks
• runny nose
• sensitivity to prescription medicines
• shakes
• short temperedness
• sore throat
• swollen and painful glands
• teeth clenching
• unrefreshed sleep
• visual disturbances / inability to focus
• waking dreams

You've probably experienced quite a few of these, and more often that not, all at the same time... What i'm after is any other symptoms that you have experienced, that are not on this list, so that we can make it the most comprehensive list of C.F.S./M.E. symptoms available...


Linda x

[jules68]

sorry to hear you had a Sh*t day on Saturday Linda

i'm very much if i'm having a bad day (like Yesterday) i will not give in to "the bloodything" and don't know when enough is enough and should start to look after myself

 i think you did well to cope as long as you did, i'm amazed by reading about how much courage you have

xxxxx

[rox]

Thats sounds awful Linda, you poor thing.  So glad you have Colin for support.  Hope you are feeling a bit better than that now xxx

I'm scared because I go to see my GP on Thursday morning.  I'm scared he will have the same attitude as always.  I feel like an idiot as I cant explain to him how I'm feeling as it sounds crazy.  I have written all my symtpoms down and will present him with my 'list', I dont know if this will help or hinder me.  I'm also scared that he'll send me back to work.  Dont get me wrong, I think I could manage to do a couple of hours a day - even though things at home would slide, but I work 35 hrs a week in an opeating theatre and most of my work involves looking after unconcious patients and you cant really take your eye off the ball for a second.  Our breaks are few and far between and often get called back to work as soon as we have sat down for a drink.  Most of my collegues have been supportive due to my being of sick, but I'm afraid they will resent me if I go back and start asking for breaks etc - I can hear them now 'what makes her so different, we're all tired and overworked'.  The sympathy is fine now, but not in the actual workplace.  Plus I would feel awful about going for a sit down when it all gets too much and then I'd not go for a break and end up back at square one.  I dont want to put my patients life at risk because I'm not 100%.

I also have a 5 year old daughter.  Shes lovely but can be very demanding as all children can be.  I have a boyfriend, but we dont live together, but he is very supportive and comes to see me every day.  He is in the process of moving in, but it's all slowed down because of me being like this.  It will all be much easier when he moves in.

Goodness me I do go on!  Sorry xx

[jules68]

this is the place to share your feelings rox

please never apologise for doing that

i hope your doctor is sympathetic and gives you more time to rest

i also have the doctors on thursday, so we can compare diagnosis'

xx

[rox]

Thanx Jules!

I sound like a right old moaning git dont I?  I think my feelings are all over the place at the moment as I dont know whats going on.  We are in the same boat arnt we?  Just wish I could wave a magic wand and make us all better.  Thanx for your kind words and support.  xx

[jules68]

your welcome rox

and i know what you mean about thoughts being all over the place mine are the same

xx

[rox]

I saw one of the senior nurses from work today.  She asked me what was wrong with me and I tried to explain.  She said I looked really tired and washed out and agreed that CFS could be a possibility. She also said not to worry about work to much as I could always discuss a gradual return to work.  She said she would see the manager about it.  At last something positive!!!  Yay!

[jules68]

i'm pleased rox

xxx

[rox]

Thanx.  It has made me feel happier abot work anyway!  Just have to see what the GP has to say tomorrow.  Hope he dosnt pat me on the back again lol!  I'm not being pushy if I ask him to do more blood tests again or even ask him what he thinks is wrong am I? I wont sleep tonight coz Ill be worrying about my appointment!  xxx

[linda]

Hi Rox...

As in feeling pushy as in asking for more blood tests... you go girl!!! you are entitled to ask, want or even demand them.... keep fighting!!!!!

I am glad to hear that your work is being sympathetic... and I truly hope everything works out for you... and regarding the expected comment as in 'what makes her so different, we're all tired and overworked' you're answer to that... is yes, I agree... but you do not have C.F.S/M.E.

Rox... I have been there... I worked for 7 years in Tesco... I fought for a gradual return, got it... asked for a change in my hours, got it... they promised to support me, which never happened and i had to listen to negativities.. from others.. to cut a long story I was pensioned off... due to ill health...

Previously I had taken a 7 months break from work... returned for a few months... and yipp... you guessed,  I crashed again... hence being pensioned off...

But I will not give up!!! I got 6 weeks in lieu of pay... and on the fifth week, got of my bum and got another job... this is in a call centre... but it is taking it's toll already.. but I need to keep working regardless... as I have bills to pay...

Take your list of symptoms to the doctors, but pre-warning, he/she will try to dismiss you... but be strong, and DO NOT let them undermine you...

My doctor did, he tried to fob it of as depression.. lol a**hole, but he did not know who he was dealing with.. hahaha!!! he tryed to undermine me.. with the the factor of depression being a case of being deep seated, and not that it was a case of just feeling sad.. so I listened... and then in return, I asked him what he knew about C.F.S/M.E... lol

No response... so I told him!!!! hahaha!!! my ten minute appointment turned out to be at least half an hour... lol but what still makes me laugh is the factor of because I had been stayed for so long... when I went to stand my leg was giving way... saw a worried look on his face.. I rubbed my leg.. then turned to him... put up my hand... and told him "Don,t worry, my leg is just a bit depressed.... lol...

Good luck.. and do not let them label you.... it ain't fair... after all... we are ill not depressed.... it is about time they realised that...


~HUGZ~

Linda xx

[linda]

P.s... and in the doctor visit... Jules and Rox... I truly have my fingers and toes crossed, that they will find something that can be treated....
This condition is a blooming nightmare... and what help do we get... NONE!!!! PERIOD!!!!

Linda xx

[jules68]

i told my doctor i was concerned about CFS as no one in the medical profession gives a sh*t

and she said it not that they don't care it's that they "don't know how to treat it"

i know thats true, but the only medicine i want is understanding and not to be made to feel foolish

xx

[passingtime]

Its true drs dont know how to treat CFS but ....... they should know how to treat patients who suffer with it

I had a lot of trouble with my GP who insisted it was part , physical , part psycological and whilst I would agree it does cause psycological problems due to the nature of the illness it is certainly not all in the mind but a very physical illness

It took years to acheive a working relationship with him where by he now believes me and doesnt make me go to the surgery if im too unwell (which is often the case)
he allows me to phone for medical certificates and any other problme i may heave and actually listens !

times are changing thankfullly and it is a recognised illness

and no , we are more than entitled to ask for extra tests , it is our lifes this thing is affecting

[jules68]

colin i forgot to say a "runny nose " i think it has been said before by myself and linda

it drives me mad

xx

[solsticedreamer]

Ho hum... :-/
 
anxiety ... yes

black outs ...nope, thankfully

brain fog ...oh yes!

chest infection ...nope

concentration ...sorry what? :

dizziness ...yup

dry eyes ...blurred vision due to my diabetes

eczema ...now i never knew this...it explains a lot!

fatigue ...oh yes

Feelings of unreality ...yes when i am out shopping on my once weekly trip with keith...i feel like i am walking around in a play or something! funny i never realized what that feeling was until now!

headaches ...uh huh

high or low blood pressure ...nope

high or low body temp ...high temp most of the time

insomnia ...golly yes!

irritable bowel ...ah yes...that explains my random episodes ;D

jelly legs ...yes

labyrinthitis ...what :o

lack of motivation ...yes

loss of speach ...forgetting and mixing up my worms? yes!

low grade fever ...donr know

muddled speech...ah the same as mixing up my worms?

muscle pain ...agonizing, especially over last 6 months :(

muscle spasms ...errrr

muscle weakness ...oh yes, very weedy

nausia ...yes random like the irritable bowel

night sweats ...soggy pyjams ;D

numb, tingly wrists / hands ...hands yes

panic attacks ...ye shad to give up driving my 2CV and h van

runny nose ...always been a bit dewy

sensitivity to prescription medicines ...dont think so

shakes ...oh yes!

short temperedness ...what?? ...oh yes sorry

sore throat ...coff coff

swollen and painful glands ...it hurts to hold a book up

teeth clenching ...yes then i get a headache!

unrefreshed sleep ...allllllll the time

visual disturbances / inability to focus ...yup

waking dreams  ...is that like day dreaming or zoning out???


Wow i would never have thought of half of these myself...its quite scary :-/

[wireman]

HI at different times most of the above but do have one no body mentioned I keep getting a feeling like warm water being poured on my right thigh and no I’m not  incontinent  Not Sure if it CFS or something else???
Andy

[mort]

I'm too scared to go through the list myself... :o I really don't want to make myself feel worse... ;D

[linda]

I'm too scared to go through the list myself... :o I really don't want to make myself feel worse... ;D

Personaly speaking, yeah... I read the list....

What makes me feel worse is the factor of seeing the list of symptoms in black and white so to speak...

Within the make up of this extrordinary illnes... we try to cope with what is thrown at us on a daily basis... and try to forget how we felt yesterday....  :(

Linda x

[jules68]

that is very true linda

have to admit seeing the list of symptoms makes me feel beter as i know it is real and not just me

xx

[wireman]

Hi

Sitting here in pain again possibly most common pain site for me and I don’t think I have read anything on here. My lower ribs are sore all of the time very painful to touch and when I twist the whole side of my rib cage goes into muscle spasm it is excruciating.

Andy

[linda]

Andy... try and take some ibruprofen... they will help...

If after taking the ibruprofen... and you are still in pain.. wait for 2 hours then take 2 paracetimol... then 2 hours later... take 2 ibruprofen.. and so on... but do not exceed the daily dosage within a 24 hour period....

Linda x

[wireman]

thanks linda will try that wife keeps telling me to mix those two tablets so far i had not listend i take one or the other four hours apart

Andy

[Robm]

My doc says its no problem taking both.

[linda]

Hey... Andy.. you are very welcome.. let me know if they help...

~HUGZ~

Linda x

[wireman]

Thanks I will. I am having some benefits from this pacing lark. Only just started to try it I am getting used to going into a dark room and resting with no disturbance like radio or music just like my GP suggested it is helping. I am also spreading physical tasks over the week.

Andy