what to do

[alicewoolf]

Thank you for your message Niaholt. Amazing that you managed to overcome the depression on your own. I often think that though antidepressants do help, they are just a sticking plaster for what's going on under the surface, and that to SOME extent there is a tiny element of CHOICE involved. I'll probably be shot down in flames for saying that, but there is a small part of me that is aware that I'm hanging on to the pain/memories etc. I am going to start CBT to try to get to the bottom of that

Your soup regimen sounds interesting, but the problem is I can't trick my body into feeling full. I find the only things that help are bread, pizza, cheese the kinds of things that are disastrous for weight. I'm relieved to be sleeping through the night but I looked in the mirror in a shop today and was shocked by how bad I look. I have deep dark circles and one or two lines under my eyes (I'm only 30yrs old) and I have a rash on my forehead and around my mouth. I no longer feel anxious instead I just want to shut myself away and sleep, (don't know which is worse!) but I am trying to make sure I at least go out once a day. It's so tricky, isn't it.

[myhighfly]

A couple of things I noticed after suffering from CFS for 12 years.

1) Coffee (caffeine) made it worse. I didnt know it at the time and when I quit caffeine it took a month for my body to adjust before I started feeling better.
2) Dont stay in bed all day. In fact, dont try to sleep for over 10 hours at a time. I found that when I got into this habit I started getting worse. Try to sleep around 9 hours and if you need take a nap (no more than an hour) in the middle of the day.
3) Summer does seem to be worse..not sure why. Drink lots of water because dehydration itself can cause fatigue. You should drink lots of water all the time but during summer you probably need more
4) eat well...a diet of high protein, fresh vegis and fruits. Stay away from greasy fried foods..I found they just made me sick!
5) Exercise...now this is a hard one. Try to get out and walk at least. After exercise I felt even more tired but what I found was that if I didnt exercise for a long period of time I would get into an aweful slump. Over time, exercising made me feel better. You may think of exercising in the evening...that way you are near bed time and do not have to go all day long feeling even more tired. I found that I slept better.

Hope that helps..I know none of these things will cure the problem but I found they help the situation.

[alicewoolf]

I am sleeping about 11 hours per night and then wake up feeling awful. often I go back to bed for another hour or so. Been down the road shopping and am SO exhausted. when is it going to pass? I don't know whether to rest all the time or push through the fatigue. Anyone know what I should do? My body is telling me to rest but everyone around me says I should try to do things regardless of how I feel ???????????

[niaholt]

My friend goes thru periodically these bouts like sleeping looong. She goes with it and it passes and she bounces back.

[annie]

I share your frustration Alice. Last week, feeling very drained and with lots of other symptoms, I decided to push through for the umpteenth time, nothing spectacular at all, just caught up with a couple of long neglected friends, and did a bit of sewing, a bit or sorting out paperwork chaos, all carefully paced. In other words I had a go at stopping myself just lying about gathering dust......as is always the case I collapsed a few days later feeling terrible with even worse malaise, anxiety up, flu like, etc etc. So once again I find that pushing is not for me.
However we are all different, look at Neil 25 who seems to have deserted this forum, (is he cured suddenly?)
He used to feel a lot better from going to the gym, I think that would kill me actually. So, have we all got the same illness which responds in the same way, I think not. M.E / C.F.S. is a diagnosis that Dr's come up with when they have tried everything else and are stumped.
I suppose the only way to find out is to try, I'm certain that for the majority of us pushing hard isn't a good idea in the long term, even if it gives temporary relief. At the moment, still recovering from an operation, my energy is even lower than usual, and I am very fed up with it all.
Did you ever do the Gupta Programme Alice? I forget, some people seem to have great results with that, I continue to try, and try, and try, with it but so far no break through.
If anyone has any suggestions as to what to do.......they would be most gratefully received.

[kenvj]

Alice I'm also wondering if you've tried the Gupta Program.
I used to be worse than you are just now. I slept heavily all night long and I would have to lie on the couch and have a nap mid-morning and afternoon and still go to bed early. There was no way I could "go shopping", I could not walk more than 100 yards maximum.
Then I did the Gupta Progam and life changed dramatically. I am still not fully well but I am vastly improved on what I was. Only occasionally do I have an afternoon nap, at night I sleep usually 6 or 7 hours and I have no trouble going shopping now. Before Gupta I would not dare to drive the car because I was so brain fogged and drowsy and I had no social life whatsoever and no hobbies. Thats all changed.
OK I'm not fully well by any means and I occasionally have a bad trot but I do have a life now.
I would say give Gupta a go, you can't lose by it.
However your symptoms also apply to Sleep Apnea - has your doctor advised you to have a Sleep Test - if not you should make sure that you get one. I also have Sleep Apnea in addition to CFS.

[CS1]

Gupta is the foundation of my recovery.
However what Im finding is that I have to dig deeper to resolve past issues and clear all the garbage out whilst doing Gupta also - this is a long process!! Im doing this via a coach ( who is familiar with CFS and deeper issues)who uses a variety of techniques.
Ashok has discussed this only briefly on the retraining day!
For me this has been a major part of my recovery and Im still working on this area! But Im feeling ALOR better for it!!



Thanks
CS

[alicewoolf]

thank you all for your posts. It's good to know I'm not alone in all this, it's a pretty frightening time for me. I can usually push through and function but at the moment the exhaustion is so intense. I did some meditation this afternoon and then went to sleep. when I wake up it feels like I'm been in the deepest sleep. I never normally sleep during the day that's why I'm worried. But I am going to try gupta and so some blood tests just to be sure its not something more sinister. My cousin keeps saying it's my unconscious trying to sabotage my efforts to get better and that I should see an analyst. maybe he's right. I don't know what to think anymore...