My Early Symptoms Were
Fatigue, aching muscles, weakness, a feeling of shortness of breath (later diagnosed as anxiety), several bouts of naso-pharyngitis, constant sneezing with runny nose, and perceived skipped heartbeats (later diagnosed as premature beats).
How Long I Was Sick Before Diagnosis
19 years.
How Many Doctors I Saw
Many - too long ago (36 years) to remember just how many.
How Doctors Treated Me
Concerned, but their tests showed only minor things, if anything. They didn't know what to do with me. I had the feeling they thought I was another hypochondriac.
How I Felt Before My Diagnosis
Extremely frustrated and almost ready to do something drastic.
How My Diagnosis Changed Things
A psychiatrist had already put me on psychotropic drugs 10 years previously, which helped a lot, but I was still fatigued most of the time and was getting to where I couldn't work a full week. I slept through every weekend, day and night.
When I was finally diagnosed, I thought, "Thank God, there really is something wrong and it has a name - and there are others out there like me." I put in for Social Security disability and got it (this was 1992). I remained on psychotropic drugs until my body started rejecting them. Am now pretty sick and have been looking for a workable med for a year now.
Advice
- Go to a very well qualified infectious disease specialist or rheumatologist and get a definitive diagnosis. Keep trying the new drugs or psychotropic drugs until something helps. Try to get disability. Find ways to reduce stress. Learn and use relaxation techniques. Cut down on tiring activities. Eat well and try to exercise (walking is probably the best) as much as possible with-out having to spend a day in bed afterward. Take megavitamins and minerals. I haven't tried the various other supplements (CoQ10, Sam-E, etc.), so don't know what to say about these. Pray a lot. Good luck!
