BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Do I Have CFS?

I've always been one of those people that needs a lot of sleep. That's just the way my body was made. My brother could get by with 6-7 hours of sleep, but i've always needed a minimum of 9. It sucks, but i dealt with it.

That's all it was for most of my life. If i didn't get enough sleep, i knew i was in for a doozy the next day or days until i was able to catch back up on my sleep. But over the last 2-3 years it's gotten worse and worse (i'm 24 years old now). Now, unless i get 10-11 hours of sleep, i have very little energy. And obviously i would have time for little else other than sleep and work if i allowed myself 10-11 hours for sleep each night. So i try to get my 9 and just live with the tiredness. But i just can't live with it anymore!

I've been trying everything i can think of for the past few months. I got my blood tested (found nothing abnormal), i tried taking more vitamin supplements (I'm now taking a one-a-day max, vitamin e, folic acid and b-12 every morning), i've tried energy pills (those hi-energy ones with ginseng, etc in them and Altovis - one advertised on tv), i've tried changing my diet (i'm eating so healthy now it's ridiculous) but NOTHING HELPS. I'm immune to caffeine...it does nothing for me. I've also tried exercising, but it wears me out! When you have so little energy to start with, you're not so ready to use up that precious energy jumping around for 30 minutes when you could be using it to run errands, clean house, etc.

I'm at a loss. Maybe i should see my doctor again, but what should i be telling him to look for? What other tests can be done? What on earth could be causing this? It's so difficult to cope with <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

RainbowBrite,

You could have CFS. I am not a doctor and can't make that determination. When you mention that you've had blood tests, which ones? Sometimes, getting a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue syndrome hard because you almost have to rule out everything else, just like Fibromyalgia. It can be a frustrating process.

If you are so easily fatigued, that's a big one. Are you also depressed? Have difficulty sleeping at 'bed-time'? Is this a recent development? Do you notice muscle weakness, pain? Do you feel like you have the flu all the time?

I would suggest that you go back to see your doctor. Check this site out as a starting point:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cfs/

This site has a good checklist that you can print out and take to your doctor:
http://www.cfsfibromyalgia.com/info/checklist.htm

I hope this helps and please let me know how it goes.

Hello Rainbowbrite,

I was dx'd with CFS because doc tested my thyroid and though the bloodwork up came back normal he had me do a type of ultrasound for the thyroid and there it was - a nodule on the thyroid that is NOT malignant but showing that the thyroid is not working to capacity.

Ive been on Armour Thyroid for about a year now which helped MAYBE 40% - and JUST had Provigil rx'd to try because it is suppose to be great for fighting fatigue -

Cant say whether it will also improve my fatigue and need AS YOU to get at LEAST 10 hrs. a sleep a night - will report back later but if anyone else has tried Provigil with success maybe they'll holler out.

GOOD LUCK and please keep hounding doc until you get "something" that may help - even if a little.

Serbianbaba