OK, here goes.
I am 20 y.o and have just been diagnosed with CFS. I was a very active guy, however now I cannot do much. I am constantly tired and in pain. I really cannot see an end in sight. I am hoping for some positive recovery stories to cheer me up. If you have a story though, positive or not I would love to hear it.
Thanks! Hi Adam,
I became ill a bit more then two years ago. I felt extremely tired and had all kind of other symptoms, my muscles where very weak, I had shivers in my body, pain in my neck, couldn't concentrate or sometimes even think, couldn't sleep, and more.
Anyway, at first I thought it was my thyroid gland. They checked my blood and that was what came out, but my doctor said it was strange to have symptoms as bad as I had them because my thyroid was not that much different then normal.
Anyway, the advise was to take it as easy as possible. Rest, rest, rest. So I did, and after a while I started to feel a lot better. I started working full time again and went for two months traveling to Asia, and I thought I was recovered.
This year April the symptoms came back and I became ill again but my thyroid was fine. So what the hell was going on then? After a pretty long process I found out that I have CFS.
I went to see an acupuncturist. According to him I was in a very bad state. Well, I could feel that myself of course, but somehow it was good for me to get the confirmation.
What I did was this: I started to be extremely conscious about my energylevel, and watched myself very closely. Every time when I went too far in spending energy, I fell right back. So, watch your borders!!!!! Even on moments that I do feel kinda fine, I have to take as much rest as possible.
For me, acupuncture helps a lot! He is feeding me back energy, and helps breaking through the energy stagnation in my body. At first it seemed that it hardly worked, but now after a few months of intense treatment I don't feel exausted all the time anymore, but tired. I levelled up so to speak.
;-)
I am still ill, and have to watch every step I take, but I am able now to work half days for 4 days a week. As soon as I feel that I am too tired, I quit working and go home. Like today, I was too tired the last days, so that means I don't push myself into working and I stayed home today.
A few things that I think are most important in fighting the disease, for me, are these:
- I try to be as positive as I can. Even though sometimes my hormones play games with me, and it has an enourmous impact on my life, I try to be positive as much as I can, and to enjoy things as much as I can! This is very important to me, because my body doesn't need the frustration right now.
- Rest, rest, rest! My battery is almost empty, so even on moments I do feel some energy, I need to rest to not spill the energy I have. Slowly, it comes back and I am able to do more things.
- Watch those borders!!!! As soon as you feel something costs you too much energy, don't do it! Don't push yourself!
- For me, acupuncture. I am soooo extremely happy that I have started with acupuncture! I am not fighting this dragon on my own now, I have a brother in arms. It does me so much good, slowly I feel myself getting better and better.
- Be sweet to yourself.....!
I think that I am definitely on my way to recovery. I feel so much better now then a few months ago! I do think that this will be my weak spot, also in the future. So, I know that I should not push myself in doing things I do not want to do, or that are simply too demanding of myself. This is a heavy illness that is not to be taken lighthearted. On the other hand, it could have been much worse. I could have had cancer or whatever.
Dear Adam, I was also a very active person. Now, at least for a while (and sometimes it does seem like forever), I have to be non-active as much as I can. That can be incredibly frustrating at times. But I know that this will only do me good and help me to recover. This is not a disease you have to suffer your whole life from. But you need to constantly watch the balance.
Take yourself seriously, but also don't forget to enjoy what you have. Count your blessings is a big weapon in fighting this dragon!
Take care, and al the best to you! I hear chocolate is the newest cure... what's worse is M.E coupled with insomnia. Good luck and If you need a friend to chat to you can contact me on amykezia2007@yahoo.co.uk. It's tough but you can manage it, I am holding down a job, studying for a degree... one day at a time. Know your abilities. CFS can be caused by infection-many doctors dont treat it as such.The doctors at the site below are quite advanced in how they deal with cfs. |
