October 6, 2004

Crash!!

I first became incapacitated in January of 2000. I began to "crash" for several days at a time. I would just lie in bed on my side, unable to dredge up enough energy to turn over, let alone get out of bed. I hadn't the energy to read or listen to the radio or TV or even think. I would just lie on my side in the quiet. When I did make it to work, I would end each day in absolute desperation to get home to rest.

In January, I had one 4-day crash. In February again one crash, in March two. More in April and May. On May 15th, I took a month sick leave. I thought all I needed was a break from my stressful job and hateful new boss. In June I went back to work. I worked for two days and crashed again. I assumed it was my job that was making me sick and quit.

Crashes continued to come regularly and often. They all had the same sequence:

1) Severe pounding, splitting headaches woke me up anytime from 3 to 7 am. Disappeared when upright, returned when laying down, relieved by excedrine extra strength. The pounding of the headaches was located in the back of my skull.
2) Insatiable hunger - no appetite, constant stomach gas. We discovered that I could drink soy milk by the quart in one sitting. The liquid soothed my stomach and relieved my hunger and even though I was hungry, I just couldn't eat much.
3) Complete exhaustion and weakness, anxiety, dizziness and disorientation on standing
4) Heart pounding as though I had run a marathon, body throbbing as though it were trying to get oxygen.
5) Sound and noise sensitive - I had to have complete silence

January 2001 - My husband came rushing into the house one day. "Turn on the radio!� There's a guy on who sounds just like you! He was Keith Jarrett, a musician who had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I listened to the interview over and over again on the internet. He was me. That's it - it's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. At last - but can it be cured? And is it the cause of all this misery? And will I be all better once I get rid of it? Back to the internet!

Posted by Laureen on October 6, 2004 1:32 PM