Hello everyone. I’d really appreciate if you would take the time to read my story. I wonder if anyone has been through the same and if you’ve learnt something after this (and if so please do tell).
I’m a 21 year old male. About 6 years ago I remember being bothered by strange symptoms. I would wake up and feel...disgusting. I would feel drugged and fatigued. This would last the entire day. I couldn’t think clearly anymore, my memory got worse and I felt it affected my performance in school. This feeling was constant. I kept pushing myself through high school hoping this thing would go away but it didn’t. I saw doctors and had basic blood work done to check for the most common things. As the years passed by and I entered university I could no longer just push myself and try to ignore how I feel. The workload was more now, so I couldn’t just push myself and get by as I had done in school.
4 years since I started university, I haven’t even finished my degree, I’ve completed half of it and failed course after course several times as I was too fatigued to do anything at all, I wouldn’t read for weeks. Throughout this period I saw doctor after doctor thinking something had to show up as my main troubles were the physical symptoms. The symptoms are constant fatigue and desire to rest, feeling drugged and zombie-like, constant strong tingling all over body, IBS-like symptoms, constant body pain all over. 2-3 years ago I also started having difficulty fully feeling emotions, sort of numb feeling that is constantly there now, like I’m too fatigued to even feel emotions. I also find I don’t have the energy to really care about things the way I used too, as the fatigue has seemed to intensify.
The only abnormalities were an elevated rheumatoid factor which was extremely high (624) and a mildly elevated IgM. Nothing has been found, after an extreme number of doctor appointments and test after test. I saw a psychologist and he said my test score indicated severe depression, but at the same time he said he doesn’t think I’m depressed as I complain mostly of physical symptoms and I still do feel optimistic and am motivated to do things and I do feel happy from time to time. He also said he hasn’t had any depressed patients with a similar picture. Yet the plan now is to try pain medication and antidepressants as nothing helps, not even exercise helps that much (helps for about one hour but then the symptoms are back).
So I’m left a bit confused and wondering if depression can present itself in this way? Maybe I was depressed all this time but didn’t know it? Does anyone have a similar experience?
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WK1010
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sounds like your symptoms would fit in well with Myalgic Encephelomyalitis check out phoenix rising or science for me both sites are very useful for people with M E
So sorry to read how you are struggling. Have you had your thyroid levels checked that TSH T4 T3 though getting T3 done with an NHS GP is highly unlikely also Vit D B12 Folate & Ferritin. You could of course go for private blood testing have a look on the thyroid healthunlocked site.
Wishing you all the best in your search for finding answers and
I’ve had TSH, T3, T4 and anti-TPO checked many times. They’re normal and withing good range. It was the first thing I checked and I thought it was the most probable as thyroid issues runs in my family, with my twin brother as well as my mother diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and my father and grandmother having had issues with their thyroid.
Sounds like Fibromyalgia and M.E. to me. Surely if the Rheumatoid Factor is very high then that isn't right and should be getting dealt with? I think rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease. Fibromyagia doesn't show up in bloods or xrays and I don't know if you are experiencing pains all over.
I was diagnosed with Fibro and M.E. I was looking after my ill parents and sister for years and my own family and if I got dressed in the mornings I felt I could just like back in bed the exhaustion was awful but I knew others depended on me so I had to force myself to keep going. After years I eventually saw my GP who made the diagnosis and told me if I didn't start relaxing I was going to need a Carer.
It sounds as if you are constantly pushing yourself with your university work and it must be so hard for you. It affects your concentration when all you want to do is sleep. My M.E is much better these days sadly since most of my family have passed on but I have chronic knee and back pain along with the fibro.
I read a book years ago if you google you will get it online not sure of Dr's name spelling etc., but he too was a student in the USA I think, and had to give up his studies for a while due to fibro/M.E. He now does talks on Fibromyalgia and M.E which you can see online. Dr. Teitelbaum "from fatigued to fantastic"
To be honest it is only natural you feel depressed (if they want to call it that). I just feel when you are exhausted and in pain it would get anyone down when they can't function and it is an effort to do anything. Wishing you all the best hope you get help soon. Xx
The test score is surely just a guide to the psych making his own mind up? I'd say he is right when he says you are not fitting the depressed model. The extreme fatigue surely is pointing to at least checking for Chronic Fatigue/ME? Has anyone tested you for this?
i am sorry to read of your struggle , i have to say with a rheumatoid factor that high would suggest RA my score was lower than that but was given a diagnosis of RA and and started on MTX straight away ....most of those symptoms would fit with untreated RA , possibly with a second condition such as fibro or M.E.
Please don't give up trying to get a definitive answer , i hope you find it soon
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