CFIDS

[cujo0123]

Anyone been diagnosed with this? If so, what can you tell me? I need all the info I can get! Thanks!

[Jennifer M.]

Just helping to clarify what it is in case anyone didn't know...I had to look it up. I thought that might be what it stood for though.

Chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome

[cujo0123]

Oops, sorry. I should have made that clear.

[tlspiegel]

I have it. I was diagnosed back in 1963 with pneumonia, which turned into mono/related to epstein-barr. I had to drop out of college.

Then to complicate matters back in 1997 I suffered 2 deer tick bites with all the symtoms of lyme disease (also related in similar way to CFIDS) and was treated with the proper anti-bios to prevent the lyme from getting worse.

My immune function is a lot better in the past 2 years because when I get sick now, I take absolutely nothing. Not even a vitamin. No anti-bios/anti-virals. I had to give my body a chance to heal on it's own if I got sick. It is a viscous cycle. Some days I feel great and others I feel awful. It comes and goes with flareups now and then. I rest if and when I feel sick and that helps.

Here's some links for you which provide good information. Links are in no particular order:

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[cujo0123]

I'm sorry to hear you are dealing with it too.
I put something together the other day with it and have been doing some research. I have a thyroid problem (hypothyroidism, which can be cause by the immune system attacking itself/thyroid) and when I discovered that CFS can be caused by the immune system attacking it self I put the two together and then typed it into a search engine and found out there is lots of research on if they are connected.
Now that you say you have this, I remember that you are also on Synthroid for hypothyroidism and it makes me believe even more that it is possible they might be connected.
I just got back from a very short trip to Florida and tonight is the first time I have had any eergy at all. The trip really took alot out of me and I'm only 23 y.o. I should not be phased by it at all but I still have the energy of a sloth! I'm looking for answers, I hate this! If this keeps up I won't be able to hold a job if I get one and I won't be able to finish school.
I have always taken multi-vitamins because when I don't, I feel worse.
Thanks for the links.
Anyone else with info?

[tlspiegel]

Cujo, I had the dr switch me from Synthroid (which I was on almost 6 mos) where I was doing ok, but not terrific - plus my hair was falling out in groups - to natural Armour thyroid. It's made from Pig Thyroid. For starters, my hair in less than 2 weeks was restored to it's health and even better, plus I feel a lot better. Synthroid doesn't convert all the levels the way the natural form can.

Yes, it sucks. I had trouble holding jobs due to my poor health.

[cujo0123]

I have been looking for work, but if my health continues to decline I will have to stop looking. If I can't give my all, I'm not going to work. To me its stealing from the company if I am not doing the work to earn my pay.
The hormone from pigs is against my religion and I don't think (although I could be wrong) that changing the type of hormone I take would make a difference with CFIDS. I'm actually wondering if there is a pill I can take to boost my immune system without terrible side effects. I'm going to see my doctor in a couple of weeks and bring it up and see what happens.

[tlspiegel]

If I was still following the Jewish Religion being raised Orthodox, the pig thyroid would also be against my religion. However, I'm not -but more importantly if something that is medically prescribed to help a condition such as Armour would certainly be endorsed and indeed promoted. I would be encouraged to use it. A good friend of mine back in Pgh., had to have a pig valve inserted for heart function. There was never a thought in his mind or his family to not go forward with it.

[cujo0123]

Its something I would have to seriously think about. I want to try other options first but I will keep it in mind. I've heard there is a human form available but it is supposed to be VERY expensive and not available in the US yet.
I could deal with the pain if I could just get my energy back.

[cujo0123]

I just bought a book on this at e-bay. Does anyone know of any good books on this?
My family does not understand and after I read the book I need to have that one and others to share with my family to teach them about this. I have been told I'm lazy, snap out of it, get a job...etc. I'm not lazy, I try to do things and it backfires and makes me feel worse. You can snap out of it any easier than you can snap out of any other illness. I've been trying to find a job but with the car wreck and other things going on I have been unable to get a job. Now I don't think I could keep a job if I got one.
Are there other resources? Not everyone in my family has the internet.