I have CFS

This blog is intended to help me record my diagnosis, treatment, and living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  The story begins in 2000 around the time I became pregnant with my daughter.  I became very ill with cold type symptoms and extreme fatigue.  I went to my OB and she prescribed claritin and told me I had a bad cold.  I didn't improve.  It got harder and harder to do the things I needed to.  I literally had to force myself to do things.  I could barely move, slept a lot, and didn't function well at all.  I forgot things, started missing church(which was very out of character), didn't manage my household well, gained a ton of weight, and just overall wasn't functioning in life as I had once done.  This did not improve.  Through the years I have approached my doctor about how I never feel good, etc. and he'd tell me that the way I felt was "normal" for a person with my stress load.  I've been put on several antidepressants and none of them helped.  They'd help a little bit but not significantly.  Finally after nearly 9 years of this I listened to a friend and made an appt with a different doctor.  The doctor she recommended wasn't taking patients but another one in the group was and I made an appt with them.  Dr. Troung was unlike any doctor I had ever seen.  She took her time with me and listened.  She ordered some tests and I soon got the results and was referred to an infectious disease doctor.  I saw the infectious disease doctor yesterday who is doing further testing but has diagnosed me with CFS.  The reason being that I had two viruses in 2000; cmv and mono.  Both of which can cause CFS.  Treatment options at this time are IV treatments with antivirals, diet changes, antidepressants, and supplements.  For the IV treatments I have to have a pic line inserted and will infuse antivirals 3 times a day for 21 days.  More than likely I will have to do two 21 day infusions but may have to do up to 6 mths depending on the findings with the additonal test results.

There is so much I do not know, and so much to learn still.  I'm hugely relieved that we know what is wrong and there is a possibility I can feel better some day.  The other part of me is a huge chicken and hates doctors, needles, etc.  If Hannah can do it though, surely I can. LOL!

This blog will be full of my highly unorganized ramblings unfortuantely so if you read this don't hold any of what I say against me. :)  It won't be anywhere near entertainment reading. LOL!