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female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes: Hello,My question is about being tired. I am 19 and for as long as i can remember i have been tired. And i dont just mean a little bit, i am ALWAYS tired and it seriously affects my life. Half the time i dont have the energy to go out with my friends and have fun, i would rather stay in and rest or sleep.I have been to the doctors on many occasions and i have changed sleeping habits, changed diets, changed activity and fitness levels and habits. I have been told it could be due to stress which it isnt. I have had blood tests which have come back perfectly fine. But none of these have helped in any way shape or form. I just dont no what to do anymore. Its as if i am destined to be tired and weak but it is ruining my life and is ruining my life at university. Everytime i go back to the doctors they tell me everything is fine but i know it isnt. They give me no help whatsoever and seem to think im making it up.Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
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female
reader, Fiona xxx  +, writes (17 May 2008):
 Hi
Sadly I have ME/CFS.
They go off your symptoms, and how you have been over the last 6 months. They do blood tests to rule out other illnesses.
In a nutshell, it is like having the flu, hangover and get lag all at once, and that is on a good day.
I feel for you an hope you get a giagnosis soon.
Fiona x
A
male
reader, Uncle Sneaker +, writes (17 May 2008):
 From what you describe, it sounds very much like myalgic encephalomyelitis or "chronic fatigue syndrome". Does "always feeling like the first day you got out of bed after the 'flu" sound as though it describes your symptoms?
If that's what is causing your constant tiredness, then the latest research suggests it is a malfunction of a gland called the "hypothalmus" that regulates the general speed your body functions. The doctors might have been on the right track if they said it's down to stress, but it is usually caused by one particular event, sometimes relatively minor, that kicks the hypothalmus into its proper function of slowing you down so you can recover and then for some unknown reason it doesn't kick back to normal afterwards or goes into slow-down mode at the slightest provocation.
Tests for this, to establish whether this may be the actual cause, include looking for lower than normal levels of thyroxin and cortisol in the body. My guess is that the blood tests you had would not have tested for this. Ask your doctor. Levels of those chemicals can be artificially boosted, and that may help. Also, identifying situations and activities that make you feel worse and then modifying your lifestyle to avoid them will start to improve the symptoms and may eventually eliminate them altogether.
It may also be that some new herbal products made from the sutherlandia plant might work - see http://www.sutherlandia.org/chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html but personally I always treat herbal products with deep suspicion.
Any help? Let me know.
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A
female
reader, cd206 +, writes (17 May 2008):
 Persist with the blood tests. I am quite seriously anaemic and a normal red blood cell ferritin count is anything between 20 and 60. I had three tests that put my ferritin level around 40 and then the last one I had put it at 2.... I think there is a pretty big margin for error where theyre concerned. Ask the doc if you can at least try iron supplements for a bit. I won't lie to you, theyre not pleasant, they gave me stomach cramps while I got used to them but that's better than being totally exhausted all the time hey?
Cat
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A
female
reader, Emilysanswers +, writes (17 May 2008):
It sounds like you might have ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome. Here is a link about it, see if anything on here sounds familiar:
http://www.meassociation.org.uk/
Go back to your doctors and keep nagging them to figure out what is wrong. Suggest ME to them and if they fob you off then ask for a second opinion. Complain until something gets done.
Good Luck!! xx
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