Sorry that you're struggling with being so tired all the time. My husband has been struggling with the same thing for many many years, ever since he was just in his twenties, and he continued like you to push himself to work and to be strong whenever and however possible. But when he started involuntarily collapsing at work because he became so extremely weak that he could no longer stand up or remain in an upright position, and started missing so much work etc., he finally became completely and totally bedridden and unable to even get to the bathroom without falling down onto the floor (at the young age of just 31). The stupid doctors couldn't even figure out what was wrong with him and told him it was all in his head. He later was diagnosed with severe chronic fatigue & immune dysfunction syndrome, along with fibromyalgia which is like having arthritis in all the muscles. He's in constant severe pain. It wasn't until he almost died in 1996 and blew up like a ballon that the stupid doctors finally figured out that he had severe congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy, with the heart only pumping out 12% of it's blood when it should be pumping out at least 60%. They were going to give him a heart transplant, except that all the heart medications they put him on worked much better than they expected and his life was saved. (Thank God). But even though his heart is working much better now, he continues to be extremely weak and tired, and unable to be up for anymore than 6-10 hours of the 24 hour day. He has to sleep for atleast 14-18 hours a day just to get by. If he doesn't his heart starts to act up and he can't even stay up in his living room recliner. We very seldom can go out to eat, like on anniversaries or birthdays because it's too much for him most of the time, and he's doing really well if we can just go over to visit his parents 2-3 times a year, and they only live 25 miles away. By now, I'm sure you realize that it is impossible for him to work and that he's on social security disability (which took 16 months of me fighting to get it). So we can certainly relate to the way you're feeling, and offer our sympathy for your struggle, but please remember to be thankful that you actually CAN WORK a job, and that you CAN function and hopefully go out once in a while. Have you ever tried Coemzyme Q10 to help your energy levels, or 3-4 grahms of Vitamin C with bioflavanoids per day to help? It just might help you out some. God Bless, and hope you start feeling better soon. By the way, it's ok to vent sometimes, and if you don't think anyone is listening, remember that God hears, and sometimes He even helps too (if we ask Him to).
Posted on Mar 10, 2002, 7:53 PM from IP address 12.83.70.3