I was originally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome back in 2007. This terrible illness – the constant feeling of being tired and ‘brain fog’ affected me very badly; it disrupted my life and work. I tried to address it from practically every aspect I could think of. Furthermore, I’ve done a lot of research online and saw several specialists, and consequently, kept coming with more possibilities as to what might be causing or making my symptoms worse (I’ve not even shared everything on this site yet).
Now, three years later, I am much better. It is hard for me to point at one treatment that ‘made the difference’. I’m quite certain that the weekly B-12 shots and supplements helped. I also believe that my mercury poisoning, even though it didn’t cause chronic fatigue by itself, certainly made it much worse. Once the mercury was out of my body I felt much better. Finally, dealing with my sleep apnea helped. There’s another factor which I have not mentioned in any of the articles on the website, frankly, because I am unsure whether it played a part.. though it might’ve.
When I launched my site, my idea was that I could help others benefit from my experiences (since I had so many). Based on the steady increase in the site’s visitors, I’d like to think this has been a success. However, I would like to hear from you. Do you have any experiences and success stories to share? Any attempts that worked, or unfortunately, didn’t work? Please share your story by adding a comment – I would be very happy to hear other experiences.
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I was diagnosed with CFS in 2000. It has been a long time dealing with this syndrome. I have times when I feel fine and normal, but there are times when it knocks me down. I have times when the symptoms are worse than others. I am constantly tired whether or not I get enough sleep. It is almost like having the flu. It does get depressing when you have no energy to do anything especially work or do daily things around the house.
When I was diagnosed I was told that I had to eat a healthy diet and that was it. There was nothing I could do, but treat each symptoms I had. I need to research more about the syndrome to figure out what else I can do to help manage the symptoms so they do not take control of my life. I am currently having a bad time with CFS. It has put me out of commission for a few days and I am not feeling any better. I am relaxing and trying not to exhaust myself, but even washing the dishes is exhausting. I just hope that more research is done to find out the causes and a treatment to help us with this syndrome.
I believe I am suffering from CFS. I am constantly tired. Some days I get so fatigued upon exertion. I have to keep laying down and taking breaks to regain energy to finish the task. I can sleep all day and still feel tired. My doctors just dismiss it as depression, but even after taking antidepressants I am still tired. Not to mention chronic pain as well. I need to know how to get my doctor to listen. I even asked for the B-12 injection and the doctor told me “NO! That’s just anecdotal!”. What can I do to feel better?
Hi Brownie, it does sound like you might be suffering from CFS. Unfortunately many doctors still don’t acknowledge that this is a very real illness – I’ve experienced the same thing until I found a specialist. That would be my recommendation – find someone who specializes in this area, or at the very least, talk to a different doctor!
I suffered from something like chronic fatigue for nearly ten years and decided to share the story of my recovery. I went from being so tired I couldn’t get out of bed to lifting a woman over my head earlier this year when I went to circus school!
It’s a short story that you can find here (for free as an e-book):
http://whatmybodywants.wordpress.com/free-resources/
It’s essentially a guide to learning to listen to what your body is telling you and find your own path to wellbeing, covering subjects like learning to communicate with your doctor, the effect of stress on your body, and giving yourself permission to be still.
I’d love to know what you think. And good luck in your healing.
Rachael West´s last blog ..Western medicine and me
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in July of 2009, and chronic fatigue syndrome goes along with it. Even though I am sorry to hear of others with the same symptoms, it is comforting to know I am at least understood by those who are going thru the same things. Bernadette & Brownie mentioned some of the exact same things I go thru. The two things that have seemed to help me the most are my chiropractor treatments believe it or not, and even some simple accupuncture treatments that help put the body and mind into balance again. The 2nd big help has been that he suggested I take drenamin by standard process. It rebuilds the adrenals and also has B vitamins in it, so helps alot with energy and just feeling better. The Drenamin only costed me $10 for a month supply, and they are small pills. I hope this helps someone else, I know how this condition has taken over my life and how hard it is for others to understand. Take care, I am still in the process of learning about it all.
I know I probably shouldn’t post this, because I haven’t been diagnosed with CFS or anything (yet at least). But… I’m positive I suffer it though, and I think I’ve been suffering for years now. I know how people with it feel. Feeling tired everyday sucks the big one, and I wish it would go away. I mean you know you suffer it when someone tells you that you ALWAYS say “I’m tired” or “I’m so out of it right now”, and you feel like you think slow and can’t comprehend things fast when you know you are a sharp person. I’m still a young adult in my 20s and I’ve been suffering with this since I was young. It sucks to live your childhood/adolescent years like that. No one should have to! You find ways to overcome it and do your best, but the bottom line is you still feel tired. I use to think it was a mental thing, and I was depressed. I know it can’t be though, because I’m not sad. I’m very motivated, positive, and I always push myself. Unfortunately, no matter what I do or how I change my mind set, I still feel tired and in a brain fog. I even exercise daily and have a somewhat okay diet (its not technically a perfectly balanced diet but by no means is it unhealthy). I mean I eat way better than others, but they seem to feel just fine while I feel exhausted. I have mild asthma caused by seasonal allergies, but I don’t that effects fatigue too much. Other than that, I don’t suffer from any abnormal pains or other complications. Sorry about this rant. I just wanted to express how I felt on this topic. I’m going to try the vitamin B12 supplements and see how they work on me.
I have yet to be diagnosed. I fell down some stairs on ice in December 2009 and have not stopped being tired ever since. I have gone to my FP but since September when I suggested CFS he said “you know more about it than I do.” I decided to start looking elsewhere. The 2nd doctor I went to see flat out told me that I was just depressed and needed to see a shrink. Three months ago I was at my whits end and even contiplated suicide but I have 2 daughters that I am a single mom to that I just couldn’t do it. I can’t say I don’t think about it once in a while but I put it out of my mind and focus on my children. I work fulltime which I am going to have to quit soon just because my youngest who is 6 suffers from bipolar and the medical bills are outragious and I can’t even take care of her because I use all of my energy to just get through my work day. I am not sure how I am going to make it without money but my body is shutting down along with my brain. I have for the most part stopped driving because I can’t focus and have had 2 close calls this past month alone. On the weekends my youngest daughter’s father has her I can barely get off the couch to eat. I tried this past weekend and almost blacked out so I asked her (she is 15) if she could make me some food. Just trying to go to the restroom takes work. I wish I could get Social Security so I wouldn’t have to worry about money and could move down south where my family lives to help take care of my 6 yrs old. If anyone has any suggestions on how to go about getting Social Security for this illness please let me know.
The more I read of CFS the more confusing it becomes. For about two years now I too have suffered from the symptoms of CFS. This year I found I have high pressure and take medication for that. In fact that can cause many of the CFS symptoms. My doctor has focused on the meds as a cause and I am currently on my 4th type of med for the pressure. The pressure is about normal now but still I am fatigued. It seems when I do start a different med for the pressure, I have an elevated amount of energy then come back down to being tired after a few weeks. Last Jan I moved from SC to southern Florida and was hit terribly hard with allergies for the first time in my life ( I am 60 ), it turns out it was one of the worst seasons down here in many years. This year so far I am ok.
For Bryan, you are young and hopefully can travel. Have you ever gone someplace for a week or so ( vacation ) where the weather is very different from where your live and grew up? I know studies on MS show geographic location has an affect.
For Chrissy, try to get to where your family is. Make it a goal, get up every morning and tell yourself I am one day closer to moving. You only need the cloths on your back. Goodwill sells everything you will need to get settled and it is far cheaper than bringing everything with you. But bear in mind the unemployment is bad down here. Still there are jobs, part time perhaps till you get going and feel better about yourself.
I am going to try vitamin B12. And Will continue to check this post for other solutions.
I really needed help like 16 plus years ago. I started feeling exhausted to a point where at my job every single day i had to go in the bathroom every hour for at least 10 minutes to rest my head on the bathroom stalls! It got so bad luckily i had to retire. It got much worse through the years after loosing all my best friends i couldnt go out and have fun any longer only for a few hours at a time. I must now sleep at least 2 to 3 hours every day! I am so exhausted i cant even have the energy to lift m,y arms up some days. No day is a good day for me. I have to deal with this. Vacations well i go out for a few hours not ever a whole day out then i come back sleep for 2 hours then go back out 2 hours and start the cycle all over again. Its a miserable life i have! Nothing works and the doctors told me to excercise more. It doesnt work i get much worse if i excercise for more than 1 hour. I prayed to find some sort of help somewhere. I am so tired of doctors BULL S…. about im depressed no i am not! Everyone went through this i guess. Is there any vitamins that help???? reply to cathy
I have not been diagnoses with CFS specificaly but I have for moderate depression and CFS is the biggest symptom I have. I will sleep 12-15 hours a day and when I wake up I am more tired. It is fustrating because I do have a small child and husband, but not enogh energy to do the dishes let alone spend time my husband or play with my son. Anti-depressants only help with my mild all over aches and pains, they do help me stay a little more calm when dealing with everyday life, but the fatigue remains. A heathier diet and exercise routine do help if I can literaly force myself to prep meals and spend an hour walking. Sometimes I will get that second wind of energy, but even then it is not enough to make it through a full day. A good day for me is sleeping no more than 10 hours which does happen from time to time if I take my anti-depressants,prep meals, and exercise.
For everyone suffering from CFS remember no two bodies are the same and will have the same results and that sometimes it will be a combination of things that will work for you. Keep trying and stick to what works for you and add on anything that will help. I know it’s truly difficult but we can do it.
It hasn’t been confirmed that I have CFS to date, but it has been mentioned as a possibility. I was always hypothyroid and it was controlled with medications since 1995; in late 2010 I spiraled into hyperthyroidism for some unknown reason. I lost 20+ lbs, started having aches and pains, couldn’t sleep (even with ambien) but was tired constantly, had no energy and the simplist of tasks felt like I did a full days work. My Primary Care provider and Endocrinologist said they can’t diagnose me with CFS until they get my thyroid back to normal which is still in the process. I have been out of work since November 2010 and have been put on prozac for depression, seraquel, ambien & atarax to help me sleep; buspar and ativan for panic/anxiety attacks – which I never had problems with until all of this started. My life has gone to hell – I have a good federal job, no kids at home, and there are days I have to force myself out of bed and days I don’t have the energy to get dressed. I don’t even care to leave the house and have rescheduled appts. because I didn’t have the energy to get up and go to them. I had a full active life and it know consists of getting out of bed, shuffling to the couch, forcing myself to get dressed and do some housework, rest, try to make dinner and rest for the rest of the evening and then a restless night of sleep. It’s a crazy cycle!
For all of you, I strongly urge you to get your vitamin D3 level checked – it should be between 50-80 ng/ml. When I got tested, I was at 9 and tired all the time. I was so tired I could not walk out to my mailbox. Now I’m at 50 and I’m a lot better – until I recently had brain surgery. Now I wake up and feed my animals, then fall asleep for another six hours. I am taking vitamin B12 shots for about a year. There is no depression. I am diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (grave muscle wasting), hypothyroid, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis throughout my body (with bilateral hip replacements), and about nine other autoimmune diseases. My hypothyroid was bad until the doctor realized I needed Armour thyroid instead of synthetic thyroid – and that gave me a boost. The vitamin D3 helped tremendously until this last surgery (brain tumor), which was 8 weeks ago. Now I am sleeping and slurring my speech no matter how much I sleep. I will have a sleep study done to rule out sleep apnea in a week or two. I eat extremely healthy foods – mostly fruits and vegetables with about 3 oz. of meat.
Do I have a form of CFS?
Exactly 9 weeks ago I woke up spaced out and really tired. I didn’t think much of it just maybe work stress (although i didn’t feel stressed).
Later that same day i noticed weird pains in my right knee which lasted most of the day.
Since that day 9 weeks ago I have been constantly tired and spaced out. I feel unable to perform at my best at work and the worst 2 things are the HEADACHES (pretty much constantly) and the fuzzy vision. I have had my eyes checked both for vision and health and all ok…..problem is things are either distorted or fuzzy or a combination of both. My headache changes from all over ache (starting in my neck and radiating to the top of my head) and a sharp stabbing pain (which the Dr says is a nerve trapped??).
I feel ok from my neck downwards and therefore don’t have the other characteristic symptoms of CFS but have horrendous chronic fatigue and pain in my head ALL the time
Pls can anyone tell me if they have had anything similar? I worry this may be the start of CFS or maybe even MS or something (my dad has MS). I just dont understand how this has come out of nowhere one day!
I have been checked for thyroid and anaemia – all ok.
Had head CT and MRI – all ok.
Had hormone levels checked – awaiting results
I have also had very erratic menstrual cycle in the last 6 months (one period lasted 12 days followed by a cycle of 72 days)….i don’t seem to be ovulating either !
Thanks to anyone who can offer any insight
Your’s hopefully,
Mrs F
I feel for all of you on this website.I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and cfs in 2000 at the age of 62.I to am certain that I had it at least 2yrs.earlier.I was a sales clerk and i would try to work all day ,but got where I could,nt.I was so exhausted my husband would have to come in and help me out of the store and to our car.My brain fog was so bad I thought I was loosing my mind.It took another 2 yrs. to be diagnosed.I did get some what better.Now I am so tired I can,t even do my house work or do anything fun.I also have severe back problems.My pain level is at least a 7or 8 daily.I am on meds which help but the fatigue is whats worse.If i was,nt so tired I could handle more of the pain.i have Drs. who are good but still don,t understand.I would go to supporet groups ,but I am no longer able to drive and we live in the country where the distance is far so I don,t ask for a ride.Any help would be great. Thanks ,God bell you all.
Got the flu or some bug in 1987 and was exhausted for 6 months. CFS was in its infancy then and no one really knew much about it. Saw an MD, DO nutritionist who tested me for Candida…said I had the highest levels he’s ever seen…maybe that’s why I could bearly lift my head off my pillow. I’d have 2 hours of normal energy around 9 to 11 PM every night. That’s it. That’s when I’d clean and do laundry. He treated me with diet, supplements, and antifungals. It took 1 year to get 95% better. I developed food allergies from the yeast. Eating anything with vinegar or just smelling it made me exhausted for a good 6 to 8 hours! I was told the Candida could come back. Over the years I’ve come close to or had CFS on and off, each time trying to climb out of the exhaustion pit which is so hard. I would though, but I never was 100%, and functioning was always a push due to low energy. It’s 2011, and my CFS might be back, but not as bad as the first time. I’m being tested again for candida levels but am awaiting results. I also am considering Gluten Intolerance. I might have Sjogren’s syndrome as well since my dry eyes and totatlly dried out nose make me feel like I’m breathing through straws. That robs you of energy too. CFS ruined my life. I was always tired from when I was young with borderline low levels of thyroid which especially after my second child, turned into hypothyroid. CFS feels similar to that. I’ve had both. I feel like crap most of the time, but I push through it since moving around as tired as I am gives me some energy at some point, but it’s far from normal. I spent 20 years doing calligraphy and art work at home during my CFS. I had enough energy to move my arms so I was able to work in that capacity. I’d get tired in the shower raising my arms to wash my hair upon rising. On those days, I knew I’d have a low energy day. I’ll have to go back on the yeast free diet if Candida is found. I believe food allergy is very much a part of this, and sometimes doesn’t show on normal tests so you need to find an alternative doctor and do Elisa blood tests, etc. Having too much bad gut bacteria will also wreck havoc. I think this disease is a matter of imbalance of those systems that most physicians overlook. I’m post menopausal which brings added symptoms to what I’ve already got, so it’s multiple factors keeping me exhausted much of the time. I do have energy for dancing which I love. Somehow, the music moves me, and I can out dance everyone who’s my age (61). It takes it toll since I’ll be exhausted for days from over doing it.
Hi All,
I was diagnosed with CFS by a naturopath 1 year ago. I contracted Hep C when I was 3 from open heart surgery and then I went on the Interferon/Ribaviran treatment in 2007 and was on about 10-11 meds for 11 months. After that, I was never normal. Many of the symptoms from the meds continued after. All tests I’ve had come back normal, and I was going to the dr every other month because I didn’t feel well. They always told me to go home and get rest, but as you know, that doesn’t help. They also always asked if I had depression issues and treated me like I was a hypochondriac. I am neither. I have terrible brain fog, joint pain, muscle pain and I’m very sensitive to the sunlight now. The headaches are never in one place and my skin feels like it’s bruised to the touch. Before my treatment, I was physically fit and I’ve always been energetic. CFS is negatively affecting my worklife, my marriage and everything about me right now. It’s very frustrating and painful. I have booked an appointment at Harborview Hospital in Seattle because I’ve read that they have an underfunded part time staff to help chronic fatigue patients. From other posts I’ve read, they focus on cognitive behavior because apparently your bodies timeclock is knocked out of whack and they help you to get it back on track. I don’t know all of the details, but it looks promising. I don’t have an appointment until November, but I’m really hoping it works. Living like this isn’t an option and I never would have received the treatment for Hep C had I known the repurcussions. A good quality of life is non-existent with this disease. I will post an update on this website after I go to Harborview. Good luck to all of you.
I have struggled with intense fatigue, fibromyalgia, migraines/headaches, and brain fog since I was 16. Some days I’m able to push myself out the door and do whatever work I can do; other days I simply cannot go anywhere and spend my day lying in bed, exhausted. If I get a cold or simple flu after a particularly tiring week, I often will be overcome with chills, exhaustion so deep that it’s frightening, and headache and nausea – but usually only once the cold has faded away. I suppose that is when my immune system is vulnerable?
At any rate, life is growing increasingly difficult. I find myself staying at home more and more, because I’m just too tired to do anything else. I’d rather stay home than face the exhaustion of a large crowd. Weddings are absolutely overwhelming. Going to church is exhausting. College is nearly beyond my ability; one class a day is about all I can handle.
I have seen a local physician, only to be told that it’s depression. At that point, I was experiencing the feverish chills, exhaustion, brain fog and fibromyalgia due to a particularly busy week. The doctor could give me no help. I’m hesitant to go back again, fearful of the same diagnosis, and of being left with no help.
At the present, I’ve been in bed for two days, exhausted. Hope in sight? Not yet.
I feel for all of y’all. This is the pits. Here are some things that help me…. tea rather than coffee. Especially green tea, hot or iced. No coffee. Lots of water or flavored water through out the day. A multi vitamin every single day without fail. B complex vitamin * it comes in liquid form for better absorption. Getting out in the sunshine for at least fifteen minutes a day….even if I just lay down on the hammock. Baths in warm but not hot water with Dead Sea salts. Look for the real deal they can be pricey, but they do make a difference, at least for me. Do not soak for more than 15 minutes, even though it may be tempting,,,,,just breathe deep and relax.
Take breaks between tasks, break down big projects into small ones, meditate if you can and pray. Accept help without feeling guilty and ask for help, pay for help….just realize that you cannot do it all, this syndrome makes life a struggle at times so give yourself a break. Be good to you. Do not beat yourself up over what you just can no longer do. All we can do is the best we can do. That is OK.
I have been battling constant fatigue for years. Tired of going to the doc. Just went to see a specialist for my ddd and my fatigue and got told to go see a shrink,to rule out depression. So sick of teling them I’m not depressed. My family doc. put me on a med. to help with my ddd. It helps with the nerve ends for the pain. Seems to be working. Also take a pain pill for my ddd. Along with my fatigue I was nausated alot and had a lot of headaches.They seemed to subside with the nerve meds.Was missing alot of work due to my constant fatigue and muscle and joint pain.For now I’m gonna stay on the meds i’m on. Don’t have the money to get all the test the specialist wants me to have.It’s a shame people with medical ins. still can’t afford the part that the ins. companies don’t pay.Good luck to every one that is going through the constant fatigue. It can be such a battle to start feeling better.
I went to my doctor about this and he told me that it was all in my head and I should just suck it up and do my job. I will sleep 10 hours at a time and still I wake up and my muscles are so TIRED that its hard to move. I’m depressed. Everyone says I am tired because I am depressed but they are wrong. I am depressed because I am TIRED
So this C F S sounds like how i feel the past two years, I went from trainning for triathalons, and trail running races to maybe run 3 miles on a day I feel somewhat myself, my mind is set to run, bike, rock climb,or just a hike with the fam, but my body just hurts and aches like I’ve ran 10 miles or something but I did nothing. I’ve asked the doctors an they actally told me I’m getting older I say BS my friends that are 10 years older never have this prob. they wake refreshed I don’t. This leaves me fustrated that I know what I’m capeable of, yet lately I just can’t I’m too tweaked everything hurts, I feel bad for every one else with these same symptoms. I’m 28 and a very active guy that wants this feeling of tierd gone >i’ve found that alieve, or advil is the only way I can still work out or have fun< to dull the aches. I'm not depressed, I take great care myself with the best food choices, got multi's, glucosamine for joints,I sleep good all night. I just don't know what else to try. best wishes to everyone to find a soultion