Posted by Larry Hoover on August 20, 2004, at 12:20:32 [reposted on August 20, 2004, at 13:41:42 | original URL]
In reply to Ilene - how was your CFS diagnosed?, posted by dazedandconfused on August 20, 2004, at 11:48:29
> Ilene,
> If you don't mind my asking. The reason is I have been wallowing around for the past four years not making much progress. Suffered episode of major depression four years ago which lifted within the year. However, still have not returned to my initial level of functioning. Major symptoms are debilitating fatigue, hypersomnia, daytime sleepiness. Kept blaming it on depression and/or meds. But the bottom line is I don't feel sad....just so tired. My therapist agrees I don't have major depression but still have dysthmia. Have tried several different meds which don't seem to be doing anything. Starting to search for physical reasons for fatigue...thyroid is fine. My PCP seems to think it is probably CFS. Been to an allergist who told me I was allergic to everything and probably have CFS. Referred to rheaumatolgist.
>
> Bottom line, how do you tease out the fatigue,etc. of CFS from good ole' depression.
>
> Thanks so much in advance!
>
> dazedIt's tough. Traditionally, CFS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Check everything else, and if you don't find a diagnosis, you might have CFS. Check my first post, above. The first link gives some ideas of some biochemical abnormalities that you might be able to test for. Also, your experience with environmental sensitivity is also commonplace, with the same cause as CFS.
For me, it was achieving the stable mood, and then recognizing that a host of symptoms that were once thought to be aspects of severe major depression did not remit along with the mood. This second group of symptoms varies together, suggesting they have a similar cause, and perhaps, treatment. Because you have hypersomnia, and daytime fatigue, it's possible you have a sleep disorder, rather than CFS. Just a thinking point.
CFS is a bit$*. It helps to gently push yourself, then rest, then push a tad harder, then rest, and so on. Gradually build endurance, but always rest after the efforts. It's been called the finger method, because if you spread your hand in front of your face, you see finger-space-finger-space.... the idea is a finger of exercise (a peak on a graph of activity) is followed by the space of rest (a trough on a graph of activity). Over time, your endurance can build substantially. But always be wary of what I call the energy budget.
When I look at what I have to accomplish, or what I would like to accomplish, I assess it in regards to my daily energy budget. I awake with some amount of energy, and I've got a little "savings", so if I need a little extra for that day's budget, it's available to me. But just as with money, if I spend it today, it's not available tomorrow. What I must always guard against is going into the red, overdrawing my energy account. If I let that happen, I fall down, go boom.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:379959
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20040729/msgs/379969.html