Could I have [mild] ME?

[Christmastreedelivery]

Hello.

have had a bit of a light bulb moment this week. I am starting to wonder if I might have ME, in a mild form?

I have noticed that I seem to go through cycles of being ok. When I am in a cycle of not being ok, I have the things in my list going on.

Aches. Mainly joints, it hurts to walk up and downstairs. My wrists ache, and I get shooting pains through my long bones. My back aches in a tired muscle sort of way. My pelvis and hips ache like I have been running, even when I am just sitting.

Tired: No matter how I catch up on sleep, or get a normal amount of sleep for me, I feel dog tired. Like jet lag, I feel myself nodding at traffic lights.

Words: I get them mxed up, and use the wrong ones. I start a sentence fine and then it runs away from me and I can't finish it without really concentrating and stumbling through.

Skin: Sore. That's the only way I can describe it, especially over my cheeks and arms.

Sweating: I have days [the bad days] where no matter what I do, I just pour sweat. Only my armpits, but still. Could do without it!

Palpitations: yes. These are there on the down days, at rest. I've had a 24hr tape, it was fine. Naturally I didn't have any during that 24 hrs!!

Treacle: Feels like I am wading through treacle. Not surprisingly on these down days I am grumpy and horrid mummy

The thing is the cycle. That's what got me thinking. Yesterday I was great, baked, did crafts, did some plannning for work, tackled some jobs that needed doing [phoning for appointments and stuff like that]. I thought to myself last night, 'OOO you'll pay for this good day tomorrow' and that rang an alarm bell. I shouldn't be thinking like that should I?

I went to town for a 6 hour shopping trip, and seriously I had to go to bed for 2 days afterwards.

What do you think?

BTW, I am very unlikely to be anaemic, and I have had thyroid checked in the past.

Have Dr's appointment tomorrow. Will he think I'm a moaning bored mum who whould loose weight and get out more? I'm scared of getting the face!

Your van sounds fab!

Its just a virus I think but they always knock me out. Also my hayfever has started - bluerrgh.

ds1 is off school on easter hols - will have been off for 2.5 weeks when he goes back! Not surprising I am tired I guess

I HATE my boobs (am a 36ff) would love to be a C cup

I occasionally get tinnitus - for me its like a fax machine noise VERY annoying!

Feeling really fed up today...cant shift my excess weight and am having real issues with my hips/wrist and back. Ugh. Feel about 80 today

My boys went back yesterday after two weeks off, are in tomorrow, then off until next Tuesday, in Wednesday then off Thursday and in Friday. You can just imagine how ds1 is going to cope with all the messing around.

I always say a C cup is my ideal size as well. I am convinced I'd weigh at least a stone less without my chest and would look instantly slimmer to boot.

Don't even get me started on the weight. I've given up completely recently, but hate the way I look so much and am sure I'd feel at least a bit better if I weighed less. I am currently at my heaviest since I had ds2 7 years ago and I put on 4 stone when I was pregnant with him. I'm so low and frustrated about it. When I'm not in crisis I just eat healthily, cut out the chocolate, start walking and slowly build up to 5 miles a day and the weight literally falls off. I haven't been able to do that since I broke my ankle last year though and have had a double whammy this year with the whole ME thing and my ankle still hasn't healed properly, so I can't even manage a short walk without lots of pain - its the pits.

I have a sort of plan forming in my mind to try and lose it slowly between now and Christmas, with an eye on looking and feeling better by our summer holiday. I've ordered Rose Elliott's Low Carb Vegetarian books to read, so I can decide if its an option for me. I tried low carbing without following a plan recently and lost over a stone and a half in two weeks, but felt like death and couldn't keep it up. We shall see, but I really hope I can do it - I can't carry on like this.

moose Are you, in fact, me???

I put on 4 stone with ds2 and I am still carrrying 2.5 stone of it now I lost quite a bit last year - but it wasnt true weight loss...its was due to being ill.

I think I would - literally - starve without carbs I dont eat much meat (no red meat at all really) and am allergic to some dairy so carbs are my main food group!!!

I would love to lose at least a stone but am so hampered with my mobility atm that I cant really exercise without pain....but I am starting to puff as I go upstairs!!!!

Sorry to hear about your ankle....hope the pain gets better soon x

Beca, the interesting thing was that on the low carb thing (well it was no carb really as I did the first two week strict thing) I wasn't ever hungry really. The protein keeps you sated so you don't get hunger pangs.

I ate an awful lot of quorn and eggs though - in fact I still can't face eggs as a result.

I would like to lose 3 stone, but to be honest would be happy with 2.

We went for a walk in a country park with some old friends at the weekend and I was horrified at how much I puffed and panted - I felt at least a hundred years old and the dcs were miles ahead the whole time with the dh's and dogs. It used to be everyone yelling at me to slow down.

I think on this thread we are all each other really.

Oh Moose...everything you have said I'm nodding at! My boobs are 34GG. I've always said that they must weigh about a stone! Also if they were a nice little C cup I would look waaaay slimmer. 34GG on a 5ft 2 lady does not an attractive sight make . I do the whole change when I get in from the school run too into joggies and comfy clothes...but that's mainly because I've put on so much extra weight that most of my clothes are too small for me so the joggies are a comfier option.

Just wanted to say that I get the tinnitus thing too. It's quite intermittent really so i'm not too troubled by it. But on the subject of painful ribs, I often have pain at the bottom of my left rib. Sometimes it feels very swollen and bruised. I thought it may have been an enlarged spleen but my consultant said that she couldn't feel anything and my spleen was fine so I really have no idea what this pain is I've had it off and on for 15 years.

just back tracked and read your post about the tight bra feeling moose.
I used to get that when i had mild pancreatitis and i just thought my tummy was extra bloated. it was a horrible gnawing pain, that would come and go but when it was bad it brought me to my knees. i sympathise with the bra off when you get home... me too.

sorry ive not been able to keep up with this speedy thread...been sooo busy with this new job.

back on the plaquenil again,made me photoensitive so doing impression of a lobster again. not started to help me yet. hope it doesnt take another month to get back in my system

crashing out....catch up tomorrow hopefully. hope you have all got something good planned or the weekend. hope the weather is good for friday....reports say thunder and lightening....poor Kate

Aly, you just post when you want to, a new job takes it out of you even if you haven't got health problems. I hope you have the long weekend to rest up.

Hey Moose, we may have much in common. Hippies R ME. Or not, as the case may be...
So that's what the flower stickers are for! My transporter based van was only just tidyable with minor work, it was clear rust was going to be a major issue soon. That was another reason to move it on.

I used to upholster the odd car as a sideline to sailmaking, a career that chose me and stole me from the hospital. I did a 2CV in denim once, with upscaled seatback pockets with decorative zigzag stitching. I saw that car around town over the years - it looked even better when the denim faded on the seats and shoulders. Denim (14oz) is a genius upholstery material. I made loose covers for our sofas with it after that. It just gets better as you wash it. Cheap, too.

I wouldn't mind being a C cup either. It's the A I became after feeding the girls that used to limit my influence, if you know what I mean. I wore a wonderbra once, to a yacht club do (sounds posh, but it was part of my customer and skipper liason plan) - the reaction was an eye-opener. So much attention! So you see, bras really are superfluous for me. And yes, now, I'm happy about that, but it wasn't always so.

Please don't worry too much about the weight (and yes, I'm fatter than I've ever been) while eating sensibly. Remember Dawn French!

Here's to us, heros of endurance. Great to make friends with you all :)

Clouty, our upholstery wouldn't be anywhere near up to your standards Clouty - very much a DIY job - although I have just remembered we paid someone to do the front seats professionally, as they were a too complicated for us. We did the rock'n'roll bed and all the door panels and bulkhead though and I made all the curtains. Dh even tie dyed the denim himself and it came out in a weird pattern that looks a bit like two angels sitting on the back seat! Its lasted 8 years so far and is still going strong, so we can't have done too bad a job.

Its been nice getting to know you too.

Aly, sorry to hear the plaquenil has made you photosensitive again, hope it starts doing its job again soon and you start to feel better.

Right, must dash. I have two boys to collect from a royal garden party in ten minutes and I'm still in me civvies.

I've had a real shitty day due to a huge fight with DS1(18) earlier. I feel like the worst mother in the whole of mothersville. Anyway I've just ate three packets of crisps on an emotional binge in attempt to stop myself from from crying and getting too upset. I hasn't worked though...surprisingly enough. Sorry. I know it isn't M.E related but I just needed to vent and I haven't got the strength or energy to start a whole new thread in the parenting section and also I knew I could get this off my chest here without having to justify anything. Sorry for babbling and probably making no sense whatsoever. I hate being me

Oh Celestial have some very un MNetty ((hugs)).

I don't think everything on here has to be ME related, we are here to support each other and although life does tend get taken over by ME, we all still have more going on in our lives - the two aren't mutually exclusive and as you know, they can have an extreme effect on one another.

So, venting here is good for your health.

Is there anything we can help with (not that I know much, if anything about parenting an 18 year old boy) or do you just need to vent?

My ds1 has just come home from school in a terrible state. I was expecting him to be a little unsettled, as they had a garden party this afternoon, so change of routine etc - but he was distraught. Turns out he was bullied/injured during a lesson this morning. The teachers have dealt with it, the whole thing has been documented and the other child's parents informed. He also had a horrible time at the garden party, the whole school was having scones with jame and cream, but he dropped the gf scones we sent in for him and obviously there were no replacements, he also got stung by a nettle and couldn't find his best friend. It has taken me almost an hour to calm him down. He's perked up slightly now, after a packet of sweets and a cuddle though and at least we have four days of no school now for him to relax a bit. Poor kid.

Starlight, I remember so well the fights I used to have with my youngest. The older two kept their feet pretty much on the ground through adolescence, but my youngest, aged 15 - 20, well, all I can say is I have a good idea of what you are going through.

Now, she's 25, has two babies, the violent man has left her (good) and we are the best of friends, talking on the phone for hours, most days. Grannydom by wire.. apart from short visits and the odd free hour I manage to give her.

She's a better mum than I was!

So what I'm trying to say here is breath deep, don't beat yourself up, and try and let it pass.

On another point, I found the new address forLP didn't work for me, re Dinamum.

moose oh your poor ds! Its so hard when they get themselves worked up isnt it?? A few weeks ago I was - shock horror - 2 mins late picking ds1 up from school. Cue total meltdown from him.....tears/anger/fear....although I am glad his teacher saw him like that in one way - they are seeing some of the behaviours I am concerned about at school now.

I have a child free evening - which will be spent ironing sadly - may manage to watch some trashy TV too! Have spent 2 hours in bed this afternoon - which I really try not to do but am sooo tired atm.....was falling asleep on the sofa!!

Enjoy the bank hol everyone x

celestial no advice but I am sorry you have had a horrid day...on the plus side, he wont be 18 forever?????

LP WORKED for me

Thanks for the links.

celestial i sympathise,i have an 18 yr old and a 23 year old.

Thank you for all the hugs and support. It was really a shitty day but thankfully it has all blown over now ... sort of. I'm still furious with him and the fact remains that he is still a selfish ungrateful thankless immature disrespectful person. I live in hope that one day he will grow up! I hope that will be soon

Moose hope you are having a better too

better day - oops

Am pleased it has all blown over now Celestial. They don't half put us through the mill sometimes these dcs!

We have had a better day today, I've put away the Tesco shop but done little else and dh has had all three dcs out working on the camper with him. Ds1 is in a much better frame of mind today and is looking forward to making some gf scones with dh tomorrow to replace the ones he dropped, then eating them on a picnic in the camper somewhere nice on Sunday.

May all our good days grow! So happy that things have been a bit brighter recently for some :)

Hmm interesting about LP don't think it is for me. Can I ask how others cope with other peoples perceptions of nonvisible illness coping mechanisms such as pacing ( lazy) acceptance ( health anxiety) - especially when its family. ( Fortunately my work collegues are mostly very understanding) I am very susceptable to guilt and take things personally when slighted. Am struggling a bit at the moment.

Magso, I find that nobody ever remembers that I have an invisible illness tbh and I don't often remind them.
Work (when I was there before and no doubt when I go back) don't give a crap. The only thing I am given is that I don't get warnings for being off sick when it's ME related...don't get paid either :( which of course stresses me out which in turn makes me ill...'O' 'O' 'O' 'O' 'O' 'O' 'O' 'O' Those are vicious circles btw.