WHERE TO START
Life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is hard, before I was diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms I worked full time as well as also being a Wife & Mother.
My life is really tough but that is why I have to share my story with the world. Living every day with this debilitating illness makes me even more determined to raise awareness of how life-changing life with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms is. People and medical professionals need to see the real side of life with a chronic illness so that we can begin to change whatever prehistoric preconceived ideas that exist in today’s society.
I describe ME as the worst Flu you could ever have, living Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms is like the type of Flu that hurts every single part of your body. It even hurts my toenails and the hair on my head, It feels like being head sore from being out in the sun too long but it doesn’t go away no matter what you take or how many days pass. If I get cold and get goosebumps the pain from shivering will leave me crying due to the pain. I haven’t even really got into it yet!
You have problems sleeping, yet you can’t stay awake. No matter how long you are asleep it will never be enough. ME sufferers have poor-quality sleep that doesn’t help with the exhaustion you feel. Its medical term is non-restorative sleep, this means that no matter how many hours a day I sleep, I will never wake up feeling rested and as you can imagine living with very little sleep and extreme pain isn’t the recipe for a happy life.
Muscle Weakness
Nausea
Headaches
Sensitivities
Sore Throats
Post exertial malaise
Difficulty remembering
Difficulty thinking
Intermittent paralysis
Unable to tolerate light or sounds
Tinnitus
Difficulty walking
Joint Pain
Feeling dizzy
Heart palpitations
General Malaise
Muscle cramps
Twitching Muscles
Hypersomnia
Reduced attention span
Sweating
Stomach cramps
Excessive wind
Painful lymph nodes
Double vision
What should you do if you suspect you could have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis?
It isn’t easy or quick to be diagnosed with ME so be prepared to be living with your Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms for a while before your official diagnosis as your Dr must conduct tests for illnesses that have similar symptoms so that they can be excluded first this includes things like thyroid problems or Iron deficiency.
Your Dr will conduct blood and urine tests as well as a complete physical and questions to assess your mental health. As each test is excluded your Dr will be putting together a full picture that in most cases will then be sent across to a specialist ME team. (Some areas do treat ME cases differently)
To reach a diagnosis of ME your Dr has to rule out all other illnesses and you have to be suffering from Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms for at least a minimum of 4 months.
What is ME/CFS
According to the NHS Website, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness
For more information please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/
CFS is also known as ME, which stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. There’s some debate over the correct term to use for the condition, but these pages will refer to it as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or CFS/ME.
CFS/ME can affect anyone, including children. It’s more common in women and tends to develop between your mid-20s and mid-40s. Living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis symptoms differs from sufferer to sufferer, some may still be able to work while others may be living with an NG tube to feed them.
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