Looking for Diagnosis

Stan&Bobby

Hi,
similar to alot of threads on health, I've been suffering with an undiagnosed/possibly diagnosed/misdiagnosed illness for 8 years.

Started in 2002 when i started training twice per week with a new football club. 6 weeks into this, i suddenly started feeling very fatigued. I felt like i was always about to get the flu and was like a zombie in work and constantly wanting to go home to bed. Had headaches also and was very lethargic and irritated.

Went to a highly regarded GP who did all the regular blood tests and all came back okay. He then got me tested for heliocobactor and this showed up as positive. Took the antibiotics for this but the bouts as dscribed above kept re-occurring, lasting usually for about 3 weeks. Sometimes pushing myself a bit harder in training would be a trigger.

That doc ran out of ideas: migraines were diagnosed, anxiety, IBS potentially, went on beta blockers, painkillers, pariet (for acid in stomach) but bouts kept coming back.

This continued for another year and a couple of doctors later. Eventually I wrote all my symptoms down and went to see a new doctor who immediately diagnosed it as depression and put me on seroxat. That did the trick, except for when i went drinking when i would then end up with 4-5 day hangovers and a sense of fatigue and lethargy. I put this down to the alcohol.

All continued pretty well from then, did have a couple of issues with breathing difficulties but upping the seroxat temporarily sorted that.

2 years ago, it all started to unravel again. I did 3 hard 10km runs in a week and ended up feeling crap for 3 weeks: couldn't exercise, felt like death warmed up, couldn't concentrate, very tired. Went to another doc near to my job and he didn't have any ideas. 'Viral Infection' etc.

Eased off on the running but got back into it 4 months later and same symptoms again anytime i did a run 2 days in a row. Back to that same clinic and no diagnoses wither other than 'that's strange' type of thing.

Eventually went to a herbalist who told me i had blocked sinus and this was causing 'post exertional malaise'. he did some accupuncture and told me i would be as right as rain after that and a couple of other sessions. No joy after that either as the first time i ran 2 days in a row i crashed the same as before.

Have had all the blood tests done again numerous times, got tested for coeliac disease, gave up wheat & yeast, practically cut out all drink but still no joy.

Went to one of the top sinus consultants in Dublin and he said i had no sinus problems, he sent me for x rays to confirm and all was clear.

Over the last week i've been doing more googling on this and my symptoms are coming back continually to Chronic Fatigue.

Just wondering if any one else suffers from the same symptoms as i have had and has received a diagnosis?

Thanks

sam34

OP, this forum is not for giving out medical advice or making a diagnosis. that would be very dangerous for you. you need to go back to your doctor and discuss your concerns

if people here want to post their experiences of ME or CFS, thats fine, but please, no attempts at diagnosis.

Stan&Bobby

fair enough re. diagnosis but my initial question is has anyone else similar symptoms.

tomcollins97

Depression???

Underactive thyroid??

Lack of food v's excessive exercise?

Could be a number of things. many people feel tired. Best thing is to try to get on with things and do the best with the situation you are in

kangaroo

I have ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It took me 5.5 years to get diagnosed. Went around various professionals in the mean time [gastroenterologist for bowel symptoms, orthopaedic surgeons (for pains in back/along spine and elsewhere in my body - I was young, never overweight, etc and it wasn't simply lower back pain - inflammation showed up along my spine on an x-ray at one stage), various physio appointments, various GPs (e.g. in college and near home), etc). Lots of doctors aren't on the look out for it. But then the more I read, the more I notice that for quite a lot of conditions, diagnosis can often take quite a long time.

I was functional (full-time education) (although it was more of a struggle than it had been) for the first four years because I gave up sport and other types of activity that raised pulse a lot e.g. dancing. This was more by fluke as my muscles would seem strained the next day. Exercise would also make me feel a bit hyper. I did some swimming and eventually cycling. But this was more self-paced. I think it is non-self-paced activity that really hits people with ME or CFS - but looking back it wasn't always clear as it can take till the next day to hit you. Also not exercising two days in a row (I hit on that by chance also - read you lose fitness after 48 hours but I was struggling to keep up with education so didn't have time to exercise every day).

My symptoms unfortunately are much more clearcut now and have the symptoms you mention and a lot more. I've been housebound for the last 16 years.

I was unfortunate of course - most people by the time they get diagnosed don't tend to get worse (I was severely affected by the time I was diagnosed) but ME or CFS shouldn't be taken lightly.

aran murphy

Hi stan&bobby,
Having just read your message asking if anyone has similar symptoms? yes, I was diagnosed in February of this year officially with M.E. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, like you exercise seemed to activate what I would call a crash. I was very fit in my 30s (now in my 50s) played sports, ran in mini marathons, even held an amateur rider's licence and rode on the track. Always the day or so after an event, I would crash, feel so unwell, nothing specific, flu like feelings that would linger, just wanted my bed, slowly over the years these crashes lasted longer and longer. The usual from a lot of Doctors, "are you depressed?" of course you feel sick and tired of feeling sick, depressed no. Had all the tests done i.e: bloods, scans, xrays, colonoscopy, gastroscopy, tested for Haemachromotosis (iron overload) all normal. Like you, I have trouble breathing, and acid reflux, and bowel problems. Am just trying to find out about therapies that might suit, I think you need to get diagnosed first, then you can work on what form of treatment will suit you. But, a diagnosis is important so you can get back on track and get your life back. You're not on your own, and it's not all in your head. Good luck.