@Quse wrote:
I had Epstein Barr when I was younger and have battled chronic fatigue, joint/muscle pain my whole life. Chronic fatigue is difficult to diagnose, I'm not sure there is an actual test for it. I always thought it was more of a catch all when the doctors don't know what else to call it.
I've never tried a Naturopathic doc, as there aren't any near me, but what has made the biggest differences to me are lifestyle changes and some supplements. Most of these syndromes feed off of stress and sugar and cause systemic and chronic inflammation in the body. Cortisol gets released and makes the situation worse.Stress can be anything from what you typically think of (job, kids, etc) or things like you're too hot, too cold, workout was too intense...
I systematically learned to tune into my body's reactions to pretty much everything. I used to work several jobs, school, etc...burned the candle at both ends, the middle...the whole candle was in flames. I was also a sugar junkie, vascilating from sugar to salt.
I had to learn to balance my life drastically, most by trial and error. I cut down on sugar and eventually have gotten to the point where I don't eat much of it (that includes very starchy vegetables and limited nightshades like peppers and tomatoes) I learned to say no, and when I'm tired, I stop and rest. I stopped beating the tar out of my body in the gym and exchanged my routine to more walking (also relaxes), lighter weights, pilates..instead of running, stairmaster, heavy weights.
I have to sleep at the same time and for a certain number of hours. Lysine, Coq10, Magnesium and B vitamins have helped.
Mainly, for me, I discovered it was the sugar. I realize now that it's cause and effect: when I eat sugar my joints and muscles WILL hurt and I will feel fatigued.
A Naturopath may help, if you are fortunate enough to have one near you. Mainstream docs want to medicate you mainly.
Learning to tune into your body helps. If you can, get a small book that you can carry with you and write down what you eat, what you do, how you feel, the weather and how your body reacts to xyz. It may seem daunting but worth it. You may have a pattern that you never knew about until you see it in writing.
@tsavoriteThis is a very wise post @Quse. I agree with everything you wrote - I have experienced many of the same things. Having had EBV 30 odd years ago and Hashimotos for 6 or 7, I feel for the OP. I also found sugar to be poison for me. Luckily, I don't crave it and never have. If I eat one small piece of candy, I will pay the next day with joint pain. Weather is another factor you might want to keep track of.....barometric pressure, etc and pain levels. As far as the EBV, this was so long ago and I was seeing a conventional doctor at the time. They gave the same advice - rest. I did a lot of reading and found that vitamin c will work against/kill ? this virus. I took ALOT of it and it knocked it out of me. I don't have fatigue, even with the Hashimotos. I would look for a naturopath or at least, a progressive, open thinking clinic. Perhaps vitamin C IV's would benefit you. I go to a clinic that gives an injection called GABY. I am not sure of all that is in it, but glutathione and B complex vitamins are. I take the same supplements that you suggested plus many more. Two in particular for thyroid health are tyrosine and iodide. I don't believe there is an actual lab test for CFS, but rather certain pressure points on the body that are painful. There is a scoring system that perhaps you could find on line.
I wish you all the best with this journey. You have to put the work into it to find something that makes life pleasureable again. With the help of the right person, you will reach this place. The suggestion for keeping track of diet, etc. is a good place to start while you are searching out a health practitioner.
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