A compiled list of symtoms I feel, where do I go from here?
I am in no way diagnosing myself, but I have compiled a list of symptoms I feel from what I have researched.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is one of several names given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder of uncertain cause/causes.
Symptoms I feel: www.wikipedia.com
Fatigue: Unexplained, persistent, or recurrent physical and mental fatigue/exhaustion that substantially reduces activity levels and is not relieved (or not completely relieved) by rest.
Post-exertional malaise: An inappropriate loss of physical and mental stamina, rapid muscular and cognitive fatigability,
Sleep dysfunction: "Unrefreshing" sleep/rest, poor sleep quantity, insomnia or rhythm disturbances
Several studies suggest that while CFS patients may experience altered sleep architecture (such as reduced sleep efficiency, a reduction of deep sleep, prolonged sleep initiation, and alpha-wave intrusion during deep sleep) and mildly disordered breathing,
Neurological/cognitive manifestations: Common occurrences include confusion, forgetfulness, mental fatigue/brain fog, impairment of concentration and short-term memory consolidation, disorientation, difficulty with information processing, categorizing and word retrieval, and perceptual and sensory disturbances (e.g. spatial instability and disorientation and inability to focus vision) There may also be cognitive or sensory overload (e.g. photophobia and hypersensitivity to noise and/or emotional overload, which may lead to "crash" periods and/or anxiety).
Lyme disease: (symptoms I feel myself) www.canlyme.com
Head pressure
Twitching of facial and sometimes other muscles
Facial flushing
Stiff, painful neck (sometimes)
Double, blurry vision (my eyes were recently checked 20/15, don’t need glasses)
Increased floating spots
Oversensitivity to light
Plugged ears (never goes away)
Pain in ears, oversensitivity to sounds
Ringing in both ears
Coughing (seems to be all year round, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little)
Fatigue
Pressure in the head
Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks
Dizziness
Lightheadedness (I seem to control myself pretty well)
Irritability (sometimes)
Feeling as if I am losing my mind (again, I can control it pretty well)
Difficulty staying asleep (wake up to any noise in an instant)
Short term memory loss (was not as bad 4 years ago, now it’s increasing)
Confusion, difficulty thinking (again, getting worse)
Speech difficulty (only once in awhile, when my head feels really spacey)
Extreme fatigue (non stop, no matter how much I sleep)
Low body temperature (my hands, feet and face usually feel cold)
I will now describe how I usually feel in my own words.
All my symptoms started around 2003 and I have felt them up to this day. (It’s important to know that I was perfectly well before hand, and never experienced any of the symptoms mentioned, except for ringing in the ears (tinnitus) I am not allergic to anything (not that I know of) and was extremely healthy all my life. I still believe I am healthy, this just needs to be dealt with.
Since 2003 I have always felt a pressure/vibration/buzzing in my head. It makes it hard for me to focus, and most of the time when I am having a conversation with someone, I stare right though them until I realize I am doing it and try to focus again. I usually feel spacey, like I am zoning out.
I get severe pressure in my ears almost constant, and most of the time I need to “pop” them. It usually never helps as the pressure is too much. It always feels as if I am under water. I have severe ringing in both my ears (gets worse with louder environments)
I sometimes see blurryness, mostly when I zone out and then refocus to what I was doing. I have quite a few black spots (floaters) that I never had 4 years ago. Sometimes I get snowy vision, but usually when I am out of focus. I have an oversensitivity to light, especially in grocery stores. When I walk in I usually squint, until my eyes readjust. Most of the time I look tired, my eyes are smaller, if I rub them just a little bit, I will look really out of it.
When I sleep, I toss and turn, I need to be in a dark room, and I wake up to every noise. Sometimes I can wake up very hour, but quickly fall asleep again. This happens numerous times throughout the night. When I wake up, I feel like I never even slept, and it takes me hours to get into the day. I can be super tired, but still find it difficult to sleep unless the conditions are right. I also yawn quite a bit all day long. I usually struggle just to do simple tasks.
Overall, I feel extremely tired almost every minute of the day, the symptoms are always there, even when I have slept 8-9 hours. If I don’t get that much sleep, I usually can’t function for the day, so I need to make sure I at least sleep that much. I need to relax almost all the time, and I make my life around me as peaceful as possible. Everything I mentioned above has been around since 2003, before then, I always had extra energy and never experienced this. I am a salesman, and I usually can keep myself looking in good condition. I look normal, act normal, and get along with almost every person I come in contact with. Inside though, I do not feel well, these ongoing symptoms are very draining on my system. It’s a good thing I have a very good head on my shoulders, and I keep fighting to go on. I am learning more and more as this has persisted for so long. I can’t let this destroy my life, as it has some.
I have been to many GP’s, a neurologist, an ENT, audiologist, homeopathic doctor, done an MRI, encephlograph, and have had many blood tests done, to no avail. I am hoping that one day some doctor will be able to recognize the symptoms I have and then something can be done, or at least taken seriously enough and understood.
I have just completed this, what should I do now?
Last edited by Knight~Ryder; 29-04-08 at 02:36 AM.
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