I am 45 yo female. I suffer CFS for many years ( around 12-13years). The symptoms have developed quite slowly so I could not tell exactly how many years I have the illness. Many years I was convinced that it was due to very frequent Flu and Cold. Just a year ago I had realized I could not live like that any more. I started my investigation. I had Hormone Evaluation Test which has shown an Adrenal Dysfunction. DHEAS (blood spot) was 44 ug/dl. Cortisol morning, day and evening was normal, but cortisol night was low – 0.3ng/ml. Accordingly, testosterone was at low boundary of the range – 20ng/dl. I tried to have a sort of advice from GP but he told me that everything was fine and he did not know what DHEA was. Now I feel much worse than a year ago. Having read the information about CFS I now consider a private hospital treatment. What I should start with?

Hi janna,

From your post, it looks like you may be new to this forum. I am fairly new myself, but want to welcome you here anyway.

It looks to me like you are already taking some great first steps. By \"investigation\" I think you mean that you have started researching and self-educating yourself. I think this is one of the most important steps a person with an environmental disease can do because as you probably already know, the medical community, your MD may not know anything about your condition. Keeping a health journal (tracking symptoms, reactions, sensitivities, foods eaten, time of day, sleep patterns, etc--keeping track of \"everything\") and gleaning from other people's experiences, as well as applying a healthy dose of research should connect you with the healthcare you need.

My symptoms grew slowly over a period of years too, but in April 2009 I could no longer \"ignore\" them. In my research into why I have the CFS/MCS symptoms, I have discovered a phenomenon called \"toxic load.\" With this new awareness, I have come to believe that everyone in industrialized countries today need to be aware of this and act responsibly to protect themselves and others. I think the best place to begin is by asking some basic questions like: Do you eat processed, refined food? Are you gluten intolerant? Do you have food allergies or reactions to chemicals on/in foods? Do you drink tap water? Does your water contain heavy metals, chloride, flouride, etc? Do you have mercury amalgams in your teeth? Do you have root canals? Have you been exposed to heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, or other agricultural chemicals? What ingredients were in the immunizations you have had? Have you had a great deal of physical or emotional stress in your life? Was it acute or chronic, or a combination of both? How much EMF are you exposed to? Your answer to these and other similar questions will clue you as to your next steps. I suggest that you find a naturopath, nutritionist or Integrative Medicine physician who is knowledgeable about CFS, and if you have dental issues, find a wholistic dentist. (see websites below)

I eliminated refined, processed food and now eat organic. I eliminated tap water and now drink distilled or purified water. I got several air purifiers but my house was still toxic to me. I went on several detox programs to get the chemicals and poisons out of my body. I picked up daily exercise and tried to sleep regularly but my health still goes up and down. (This disease has cost me my job, career and home. I have either sold or given away most of my possessions; there is no money left for possessions. My priority is the recovery of my health. I have enough money for about three more months and then I MUST be well enough to return to work. My future is tenuous pending the outcome of naturopathic and dental treatments. I've even lost friends over this illness, (mostly the MCS; people don't understand chemical/EMF sensitivities) but am blessed by the few who remain in my life. Remember, whatever troubles you are going through, you are not alone. )

My goal is to (and you may too) regularly detoxify our bodies and rejuvenate our health for the rest of our lives. However, I believe in the beginning of these processes, it is crucial for us to have knowledgeable, professional healthcare so we don't end up sicker due to the detox program. I feel very blessed to have found a naturopath who can help me with both detox and rejuvenation. He was a successful engineer who, in his own words, became deathly ill (He is 6' tall and said he lost to 140 lbs...he thought he was going to die...) but he got well and now, he has become a naturapath to help people with similar conditions. I also found a great dentist who will get the mercury out of my teeth. Last week I secured a small loan for dental work, so this resource helps me have hope that I will recover. (so I can pay the loan off!)

Here are some sites that you might find helpful in your online research.

www.thetenthparadigm.org/
www.thinktwice.com
educate-yourself.org/cn/rootcanalcoverup02apr04.html
www.iaomt.org
www.mercola.com

Be proactive for your health. Send emails and make phone calls to doctors and websites. Ask specific questions based on the information that you will learn as you educate yourself. I hope you find some answers, resources and excellent healthcare practitioners to help you too.

Take care and God bless,
gr8ful*

Hi Janna,

Welcome to the site

Well done for taking your health into your own hands and starting to investigate what's going on. As gr8tful said that's an important step.

I was diagnosed with ME/CFS 18 years ago aged 12 and spent my teens doing everything I shouldn't have until I couldn't get out of bed any more by the time I was 19. It took me a few years to begin finding answers to my own health concerns and then I set up this website to share what I had learned and continue to learn. I am certainly not cured but I have found many things that have helped me. I now run the site (about 30 hours per week) and am in the final year of a bachelor's degree in nutritional health.

Gr8tful has given you some excellent advice so I won't add anything more on that or we might overwhelm you!

I would like to talk about your adrenal test results however. Your DHEA-S is within the normal range for your age but at the low end as you can see on the Medline Plus DHEA-S page. Normal cortisol levels during the day is a good sign as you need cortisol during the day to enable you to motivate yourself and give you the ability to deal with the stresses of the day. Low night time cortisol may be an early sign of adrenal fatigue but is not a major problem in itself. You want low cortisol at night so you can sleep and your body can repair itself.

I would say that your results are suggestive of the early stages of adrenal fatigue and recommend some basic nutritional and lifestyle strategies to support adrenal function. This would include eating a healthy diet (lots of whole foods, fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry) and taking supplements of vitamin C (perhaps 2g/day), vitamin B5/panthothenic acid (250-500mg/day) and perhaps using some siberian ginseng in modest doses. You also need to relax as much as possible and make sure to get sufficient quality sleep every night. I have found meditation very useful for relaxation and melatonin supplements good for sleep but everyone is different so you need to find what works for you.

Please take a look at the adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism and hypoglycemia pages on the site for more information and treatment options. Hypothyroidism and hypoglycaemia go hand in hand with adrenal fatigue.

Myself and other members will always be here if you have any more questions <br /><br />Post edited by: Maff, at: 2009/11/23 21:44

I find it strangely comforting and alarming reading through all of the related posts.
Comforting to learn there are others out there experiencing similar problems and that support is with in reach.
However, alarming as I am new to these conditions and answered yes to most of Gr8ful4life's questions. Only last week I was diagnosed with CFS/ME. I have adrenal insufficency and Type 1 Diabetes which is a nightmare to control successfully. I am a qualified counsellor and
must say that the prospect of not being able to remain in employment is both scary and hard to accept!I am currently off work sick.
Thank goodness websites like this exist as a wealth of information, hope and support!

Jesslm wrote:
Hi Jesslm, are you better? I'm gr8tful4life from above (with all those questions you answered last year) How are you? Are you better? If not, maybe the things I did can give you some ideas for you getting well too. I am so improved that I am looking for full time work again!!! Needless to say, I am very happy to be so much better and hope to hear that you are better too!