Has anyone been to a chronic fatigue clinic before?

[Namechange5555555555]

I have been referred, been so unwell for such a longtime.

What happens? Did you find it helpful?

They sent me to a Rheumatologist and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

Depends on which clinic it is. Expect to be offered a series of group sessions on pacing, coping and CBT-type stuff. No follow-up after that at our local clinic. If you are seriously affected you might be offered physio, diet advice or one-to-one CBT. If the clinic has a doctor (many are just OTs) you might get pain or sleep meds if needed. They might help with supporting letters for DWP benefits etc but my local one won't write letters at all. Research it carefully if you are offered any sort of graded activity program.

You might get more out of it if you have a good idea of what you want in advance.

@AudiobookListener @Moier

Thank you for posting.

I just need to know what is wrong with me. For at least 2 years I have been back and forth to the doctors with extreme fatigue. They run blood tests that are normal and that’s it.

Over the last 6 months it has ramped up. I work part time from home. When I am not working I just want to lie down. I force myself to get up, Hoover, lie down. Another chore and I am done.

No leaving the house, no going to the shop, too tired. I am a shadow of my former self.

Together with the exhaustion I now have daily nausea, shaking, lightheaded, trouble concentrating. They all started in the last 6 months.

In the last month my joints have started aching, thumb, hips, knees and ankles.

I just need to understand what is happening to me, I feel like I am 90 not early forties!

I've just been referred to a CF / ME clinic too OP. I don't know what to expect. In fact, I don't really think I have CF / ME and think something else is going on but GP seems to have run out of ideas and has referred me. I've had various tests and procedures due to a long list of ongoing symptoms. I seem to get lots of results that are slightly out of range or abnormal but not enough to be conclusive so I never get anywhere...

I have similar.
Fibromyalgia.
I did attend a pain clinic and that's where s doctor said it's what he suspected.
Once everything else has been looked at as in your case this could be what they will tell you.

There's a barrage of naysayers, experts, personal opinions on fibromyalgia and it's a condition that I find receives mixed reactions.

This doesn't help and my best advice mainly because there is no actual test of proof is to try and self help yourself.
My doctor advised not going down the route of certain meds if I was determined to try and live with it.

I have bowl issues etc and PTSD and I didn't want to add too many meds to the mix within my system.

I think going can gives you a sense of someone to talk to and therefore perhaps help the mental stress of it.

If it's fibro of course.

They don't know enough about it yet.

Having to regulate your life with the energy thing is frustrating as you can be fine doing one thing but pay for it if say you did it again.

Literally no telling.

I think try to not bring sadness onto yourself about it.

Hard to explain but you have my thoughts as it's really sad at times.
Mine began after a brain injury late 40's.

Oh also have you had your b12 folate and ferritin checked.

X

@BirdInDisguise I feel exactly the same! My bloods are all just below or just over but gp says normal.

@Tcateh Do you mind me asking, did you have pain initially? Only I haven’t, only recently. Can nausea be a symptom?

I also have a bowel condition, ulcerative colitis. My consultant said my uc and meds has nothing to do with how I am feeling

Yes I was having alot of pain in my lower back, everything felt sensitive to touch like hyper painful if I say bumped myself.

I had injections into my back, scans everything.

Then the doctor pressed a few points on my shoulder and breastbone.
Jeez I nearly shot out of the seat.

I didn't have nausea no.

Long term IBS but this pain was different and it was everywhere.

I expect your nausea could be due to stress and colitis.

The other stuff creeping in it's hard to tell.

Early 40s? Could be the start of perimenopause... I am feeling very similar in last few years and I am now 48 so a bit older.

I also have a bowel history, multiple surgeries from adhesions and I think mine has been since that (early 30s) but seems to have worsened with possible peri, and also an episode of shingles on the head

I went to the Optimum Health Clinic (private) and they helped me massively and saw the beginning of many improvements to my health as a result of them. The founder himself had CFS/ME.

Please bear in mind, a lot of people consider the Optimum Health Clinic to be a bunch of quacks.