Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

[Dune]

Hi - I was wondering if anyone on here has, has had, or thinks they might have CFS?

I feel tired and burnt out all the time, have done for over 12 months now, feel like I get tired really easily if I exert myself - my muscles ache.

This feeling really knocks my motivation, its taken the wind right out of my sails.

I just feel like I could sit round all day long. Maybe its just the effects of long-term anxiety but was wondering if someone has had CFS and if so what the symptoms were as I know it doesnt show up in medical tests.

thanks

[sanderella]

Hi Dune,

I have thought I might have it many times. Even right now I am so tired no matter how much sleep I get, and the slightest exercise makes my muscles and joints ache. Although that might be because I don't get much exercise.

I think that anxiety definitely makes you feel like this. Also I think that sensitive people need more rest and sleep than others. I know several people who are always tired or easily get over-tired. Perhaps something like meditation or deep relaxation techniques would be worth a try?

One common symptom in CFS that I know about is swollen lymph nodes. In some cases they get really very large. But then everyone has the odd swollen lymph node, it doesn't have to mean CFS. My lymph nodes have been swollen on and off for about 2 years now. I've had many tests and nothing has been found. I sometimes wonder if it's maybe a mild form of CFS (if that's not a contradiction in terms!)

In any case probably the best things you can do are try to reduce stress as much as possible, and properly relax before sleeping. Sometimes when your mind is too active with worries, you might sleep a whole night in REM without going into the deep sleep stage, so you don't feel rested.

I find the times I've felt the most energy are when I've been having a lot of exercise regularly; it can be hard to get through the aches and pains at first but I've found it gets a lot easier. The worst is when I'm hardly exercising at all.

I'm not sure if these symptoms of fatigue and aches are "normal" but it seems like a lot of people on here have them, and it's unlikely we all have CFS. Probably anxiety as usual. 

[sanderella]

Has no-one else had fatigue and muscle aches???? Or know anything about CFS? 

[MissWhat_If]

CFS causes debilitating fatigue.  Many people with CFS can't even get out of bed some days.  From what I've read about CFS (and this was a while ago) it's not simply feeling that you want to sit around all day.  People with CFS also have problems with sleep disturbance, which is counterintuitive, I know. 

I have general fatigue and "laziness".  I didn't understand it growing up.  Now that I understand how GAD affects me, and realize it started in my childhood, I know this daily desire to just sit around is a direct result of my anxiety level.  I'm never sleepy and I have massive insomnia.  But every activity seems to take a great deal of effort.

Hope this helps a little.

[Deemet99]

I think there is a big difference between just feeling fatigue/depressed/lazy, and being so tired that you could sleep all day.
I have thought I have had CFS many times lately. I will see a doc soon about this. I just feel so tired and anytime I do anything or go out I could sleep an hour or so afterward.
I also have the aches and pains and stuff like that. I heard it was a hard disease to diagnose, so Im not happy about that. We'll see what happens. (I have been really worried that it could be something even more serious though.)
Anyone fall asleep during the day or find it hard to stay awake?  I have trouble sleeping at night too.

[mermaid]

i was diagnosed with CFS a few years back and had a bad couple years of it. i am certainly over it now and can tell you there was for me an enormous difference between feeling a little tired and having CFS. i hurt all over, esp at the trigger points, and i was so weak and tired i could not walk from one end of our fairly small mall to the other without sitting down 2 or 3 times on the way. i felt like an old old woman and i was only in my early 30s.

good thing i didn't know about ALS back then or i would have been in a panic! heh.

anyhow i treated myself with nutrition, suppliments such an COQ10 and used an excellent book to help me cope - Recovery from CFS it is called.

i went to our top local expert in the field so i know he got the diagnosis right.

do some reading up on it and if you do think you have it get an expert opinion. it's a tough one to deal with but definitley worth arming yourself with knowledge IF you have it.