First post, need a little advice please

Brain and nerves
1

Hi all, well, where do i start...

I was dianosed with ME on Tuesday after months and months of feeling tired and achey.

I would say it mainly started over the last Christmas holiday when i had a very bad illness.

Every 2-3 months since, i have had a cold/flu in which the aches have got worse and i feel soooo tired.

Finally went to the docs on the 4th of this month, got a bloodtest same day in which after the nurse got 2 of 4 viles of blood(i was looking away wink ) she goes "oh! your vein has just collapsed, i'll have to wait a minute or 2 to try again", at first i was feeling ok, relaxed, then all of a sudden i came over all funny, said to the nurse, put my head by my knees than had to lie on the bed for just over 30 mins until i was well enough for to take the remander of blood.

She said it was because my body was in such i tired state.

I went back on tuesday for the results, all bloodtests checked out ok but then he said the swear word, ME.

Sorry for the long post..

The advice i need is that he is trying me on Sertraline (50mg), antidepresant drugs, even though i'm not depressed.

I am finding i am a lot worse on these and even more tired, not sleeping as good as i was before the drugs.

Should i stop taking them ? (i know it's not even quite a week yet)

The main thing i am worried about is driving, either to and from work but mainly that i drive a fork-lift there.

I know i'm not as bad as most of you on this forum.

I'm 30 years old so slong way to go.

The thing that annoys me the most is that i used to be very fit, cycling to and from work every day (10 miles there and back), being on my feet just about all day.

Now, i'm a bit frightened to cycle there now.

I'm still on my feet most of the day (9-5) exept 1hr lunch and a few tea breaks but not for too much longer i think.

Again sorry for long post, i'm really tired now just typing this all out but i thought i'd give as much info as i can and hope someone can give me some advice.

Upon looking up what ME/CFS all about, and finding that i have/had most of the symptoms, i am now resting as much as i can.

Thanks, James.

2

word of advice mate id consider your job as when i was in my first yead of m.e i was working in a warehouse and on my feet all day and in the long run made me far far worse and now i can hardly do anything and my illness has been alot worse so this is just a little warning that fighting on didnt help me it made me worse!

3

Hi welcome to our group. I take sertraline i,m not depsessed was effected at first when taking them I felt terrible but was advised to take them, they are helping alittle, they help relax your muscles they told me.

4

Hi James sorry to hear about your diagnosis it comes as a bit of a shock doesnt it :?: I was diagnosed in February after being ill on and off since 2005 but I have been totally housebound since January. I too would think about your job, I have 2 children and work full time for the Council which isnt physical work but is mentally taxing. Since January however I have been on long term sick as I faint on a regular basis and also have fibromyalgia it seems the haeder you fight against M,E the harder it fights back which most of us only realise when we are at rock bottom :x I am only 29 and it has totally knocked me off my feet but I wonder if instead of trying to be superwoman and carrying on as I did if I had slowed down when my body was telling me to I may not be in the mess that I am now.

Wishing you all the best and keep in touch any symptoms etc there is always someone on this site to help

Lv Nix

5

Hi James

I am 31 yrs and like you too have ME! I have had it a long time but was only dianosed last October.

For me I struggle with many of the symptons of ME too but my cognitive state of affairs is less to be desired (Way in which we process information) :nahnah: Many people think I am just dizzy when I start blabbin on but hey ho!

I would love to tell you to take things slow and listen to your body but with my job, 2 kids and a pony I would be a hypocrit becasue I struggle to accept this illness sometimes and plough on! :roll:

However, Welcome to this forum and dont worry about "bothering" us with your thoughts n feeling we are all in the same boat!

Donna x

:D

6

Hey James

Just another thought (deadly) but watch out for that Kaite she's terrible. She has some fascintation with nurses, pink rabbits, mens motorbikes and often asks her hubbie to pass her a hamburger instaed of a handkerchief! Watch her mate too...Alicia the pair are as thick as thieves! :hug:

hee hee hee

Donnax

7

Who, ME? :angel:

Oh, no, I mean M.E..

Welcome James, good to have another guy on the boards. But sorry you had to become ill to join us.

They are right, if you fight it then your recovery will be delayed. I strongly advise you to ask your doctor to sign you off work. I'm not sure about the advisibility of driving a fork lift truck when your physical and mental resources are not 100%.

I used to cycle to work - 5 miles there and back. In the end I could not push the pedals round but still kept going. Since I have stopped work I have reached a higher degree or recovery, but I am considerably older than you so it matters less.

One thing I do know, I wish I'd had access to this forum inthe beginning. It is great for your morale and makes you feel less isolated and misunderstood.

8

Hi James

Are you sure you know what you are letting yourself in for with this lot!

I am the quiet sensible one :lol:

ME really messes you up but dont let it take your sense of humour :D

Try to rest and dont fight it. My GP gave me prozac (antidepressant) and it did help and took away some of the muscle pains. With thesr tablets you need to give them 2 weeks to kick in so stay with it but make sure you see your GP regularly.

Hi Matt, glad you are still around 8)

Dale xxx

9

Hi there James

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you have had to find us in the first place, but I can assure you, you'll not regret it.

My name is Katie and I am a slightly more mature and genteel lady who brings calm and order back to the forum when it goes astray :angel:

I can only really reiterate what the others have said. Rest, in the early stages of ME is absolutely vital - and can lead to a quicker and better recovery. If you try and plod on with your work (like most of us did sad ) it can really have a detrimental effect - particularly as your job is so physical. An absolute pain, I know .... but it really is the only way.

I take an antidepressant (Dosulepin) not for depression but for the pain of fibromyalgia that I also suffer from. Maybe try the Sertraline for a little longer - it can take the body time to sort out any side effects. We are often very sensitive to any medication - but if you feel it is not right for you, your GP may try something else.

Anyway, it's great to have another guy on the forum (Hey Matt, nice to hear from you again - thought we gals had scared you off :lol: ).

You will find us all very helpful and supportive.

Take no notice of Donna though - she is a fruitcake :cake: We just let her have her little say, and then she goes off merrily on her way. :roll:

Sad really!!

Take care and hope to hear from you again soon.

Katie smile

10

[quote:91e4c28d57="katie.k."]

My name is Katie and I am a slightly more mature and genteel lady who brings calm and order back to the forum when it goes astray :angel:

smile

Yeah, right, says who? :roll:

OK Mrs Robinson, back in your box :lol:

11

Now that WAS a good film!! :wink:

Still quite fancy Dustin Hoffman - have actually met him for real - but he is titchy though :shock:

And I've met Richard Chamberlain too - and he's even smaller, but yummy - that was before I realised he batted for the other side :shock:

The youngsters in this forum will wonder who on earth we are talking about ..... :roll:

Cripes, we've gone off topic again ......... now as I was saying about this wretched ME ......... :lol:

12

What were you saying Katie? That ME makes you man mad? :roll:

Oh, no, sorry, that ME makes your mind wander, I had noticed :lol:

13

James

See what I said! The older you get the wiser you get - obviously not the case for Katie n Alicia :?

Donna x

14

Whoops, Alicia and I are now in detention for going off topic!! :shock:

15

Hi all, thanks for all the replies, well the helpful ones at least wink

I'll try and answer best as i can.

Matt - i have taken note of the advice, i'm going to slow down a bit and take more rests to see how i go.

LouLou, Dale - Thanks, i will keep on taking them. I have to go back the doc in 3 weeks time, it's also when the tablets run out, to find out whats next or if he gives me anything different.

Donna - Thanks for the warnings wink . I too find it difficult to talk quite often, i ask or tell someone something and the words come out different to what i wanted and have to repeat the answer in english :?

Are you saying that i'm not wise at all :wink: :D

Alicia - I'll see how it goes while driving the fork truck for now, if i feel i'm getting bad, i'll have to stop driving it. There are a couple of otheres with a licence so they can do some work for a change wink .

I'll have to have a word about if i was to be off for a while.

Katie - The odd day it's very demanding but when it's calmer, i usally try to make the most of it and take it easy. There's not too much walking involved most of the time, just on my feet all day.

Will stay on the pills a little longer and see what happens.

In all, i'm glad, well so far at least, i have found this forum, it's very helpful and very interesting wink

Just wish my fingers would find the right key first go while typing, takes so long to type anything. Well at least i know where the delete key is :oops: :D

Thanks all for the support.

16

Hi James smile Welcome to this forum - it really is a great support and i am glad i found it too smile

They really are a great bunch, very supportive and if you're feeling low then you will get cheered up. 8)

I was diagnosed with CFS in March this year and have been off work since. I think you should consider taking some time off work to rest. I'm surprised your G.P did not suggest this considering your type of work.

By the way I really am the sensible one, no matter what the rest say :wings: :lol:

Teedie

xx :hug:

17

Hi Teedie, thanks.

The doc didn't suggest anything but then when he said i had CFS, i wasn't too sure what it was, just thought it was just me being a bit tired and the pill he was giving me was to cure it.

But then i looked around the net and my heart sunk, finding out it can take quite some time to recover and even then not get rid of it fully.

When i go back, i'll ask, if i don't have to go back sooner.

To sort out the 'sensible one' matter, i am now it, i'm new so i have now claimed this role :shock:

I might just claim a sausage role instead wink

18

You won't be sensible for long on here that's for sure James :lol:

Yes ur right, it is a bit of a shock being told you have CFS, sad I'm one of the many nurses on this forum and i thought the same as you that it would pass in a couple of weeks and i would be back at work. sad :?

m y symptoms started with flu like aches and pains for a few weeks and then my joints swelled up. I thought once the swelling went down i would have been cured sad but unfortunately the rest is history :roll:

I am not as tired as i was at the start but i do suffer joint and muscle pain. sad

Just out of curiosity, can you tolerate alcohol :?: It has been a discussion on here many times. Some can and some can't. sad

You should go back to your G.P sooner as if you carry on you will feel worse.

Good luck

Teedie

xx smile

19

Just out of curiosity, can you tolerate alcohol

Thats where i am sensible, i don't drink :D well i spill some of it :roll:

I don't drink or smoke.

I am going back to the GP in 3 weeks time anyway, unless it gets worse.

20

You are welcome James.

Just one thought, have you told your employer of your diagnosis? I am thinking of the Health and Safety laws. If you were to have an accident or incident whilst driving the fork lift due to poor concentration and you had not told them, it could invalidate their Employers Liability Insurance and you wouldn't be covered.

It might be better to speak to your direct line manager to cover yourself.