Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Post viral fatigue

2 replies

PickledMoomin · 24/04/2012 13:25

It's rubbish, isn't it!

Last year I was diagnosed after suffering from labrynthitis. I think this was part of the PVF and not the start if it. I'd had Bell's Palsy the year before

After lots of blood tests performed by GP, being admitted to a general health department at the local hospital (where I had a CT and MRI of my brain) and a private visit to a neurologist, I was basically told that there was nothing wrong with me, that was I anxious and a learned behavioural family pattern was the culprit (my dad has been bed bound for twenty years with a chronic illness).

A year ago, I was feeling very anxious. I'd lost a close friend to bowel cancer and I became increasing worried that I had a terminal illness because of the muscle twitching and weakness I experienced constantly. The fatigue, night sweats, tingling and numbness amongst other things bothered me night and day.

A few weeks before seeing the neurologist I started to feel better. The fatigue left me and I returned to work. My muscles still hurt occasionally but I seemed to be on the road to recovery. For six whole months I was absolutely fine. I went to work and did intense exercise twice a week.

Then last week, my left leg began to twitch again and aches constantly. The twitching has reduced now and comes and goes. I've also had fleeting muscle twitches in other parts of my body, as well as an eye twitch and a few bouts of dizziness/spaced out feeling without fatigue. I haven't seen the GP- I know I'll be fobbed off again - the neurologist said at the end of my visit that I had PVF like fibromyalgia.

A very long post. Please excuse typos. I'm posting from my mobile.

If you're still reading, come and share your stories. I'm particularly interested in why relapses happen as I assume that's what I'm experiencing now.

And Whelk, if you read this, please let me know how you are.

OP posts:
belleshell · 24/04/2012 19:05

Hi P Moomin, your story at the begininng could very well be mine, except mine wasnt asa far as i know post viral. 10 years ago i had worse year of my life, my mum had a brain haemorrage, i had a miscarriage, i soent weeks away from my two other kids and my then husband trying to sort my mum out, my dad was screened for prostate cancer........oh i could go one. anyway i collapsed suddenly at work one day( i am a nurse) was taken to A+E sent home without any explanation, my symptoms fgot worse and i was admitted back into hospital. It was thought i had had a stroke, but this wasnt the case, i was investigated for MS, and eventually discharged and told it was all in my head... for a few years i just got on with it, having relapses that where classed as depression..(i had severe fatigue, numbness in right arm and leg, migraine). after breaking down again in work, i too paid to see a neurologist privately. Again was investigated for MS, but it was not the case and eventually diagnosed with migraine.... after lots of different treatment and tooing and frowing to see specialist etc, i approached my GP after another relapse, and suggested CFS/ME. with reluctance he referred me to ME clinic and 6 months later i was diagnosed with ME.

So 2 years on, my sypmton reoccur usually after extreme stressful events..(not just a bad day at work!) they put me in bed for a few weeks and i never quite get back to where i was before. i am now learning (or trying) to balance work and a life....im not doing very well i work all week, do a few chores in the evening , spend most of weekendin bed!!! not really a life...i just need to try harder ....

i think the hardest thing is getting others to understand....but then how can they when i do..

I hope your relapse isnt too bad, but all i can suggest is rest.....which is easier said than done.

good luck

PickledMoomin · 24/04/2012 19:34

Thank you for your reply.

It sounds as though you've had a really tough time. Emotional stress is so closely linked with ME, isn't it. There were lots of difficult events in my life when mine began.

They suspected MS with me too. They also tested for deficiencies, Lupus, Sarcoidosis .....

I still find it difficult to believe that ME can be causing all of this. I think health related anxiety exaggerates my symptoms. Do you suffer from this? The consultant suggested I was hyper-sensitive. I'm sure he'd be aware of his muscles jumping out of his skin! He suggested CBT (were you offered any?) and meds. I'm reluctant to start medication but some days I think I'll try anything.

I also find it difficult to understand how some symptoms can come and go, move around my body and change so much.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page