Swollen glands, Fatigue, Low energy levels, constant viral infection, muscle pain and stiffness

littlelady329287 · Newbie Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 11

I need Help! I am a 20 yr old female.
Here is a list of my symptoms:
-Swollen glands in neck, which are also painful, and have been swollen since before christmas. Doc said they aren't hugely swollen.
-Fatigue that isn't relieved by rest.
-Sleeping for long periods of time, when I wake it feels like I have a brick in my head its so heavy. The sleep is also really deep. needing a nap in the middle of the day.
-Having energy for a few hours and then it feels like someone has pulled the plug.
-pain under arms and in my lower abdomen.
- Poor short-term memory and concentration problems.
-Regular feelings of dizziness, and when I'm walking sometimes it feels like the ground is rising up to meet me, and I feel like my legs aren't really there.
-weight gain, ( I had lost weight and its all back on plus some)
- regularly light-headed.
- regular headaches
- thinning hair, dry skin.
-diarrhoea at least once a week, (i'm not eating anything different, and there doesn't seem to be a specific food that sets it off.)
- stiff muscles and muscle pain, occasional numbness espec in hands,
I also had a tremor in my right hand the other day, it only lasted a few minutes but my arm remained weak for hours afterwards.
- really heavy painful periods (although I have had these for quite some time), also my cycle is getting longer.
I first went to doc in jan where they ran bloods everything was normal except TSH was 8.96 normal range is between 0.5 and 5.
I was told that I had an underactive thyroid but that they had to wait 6 weeks and recheck it, because my t4 was 15.1 and was in normal range as was T3. Second blood test showed TSH had come down to 5.96 however t4 had dropped to 11.1 normal range is between 9 and 20. So it is still normal. The doctor wanted to keep seeing me and test again in 2-3 months time which will be the beginning of may.
The doctor told me the last time I was there that my Tsh alone wouldnt be causing my symptoms and that she doesnt know what is wrong with me, she just said that every time she sees me its another piece of the puzzle. She said that perhaps we have just jumped to the wrong conclusion because of the Tsh and maybe it isnt the thyroid that has been causing the symptoms, and it was just the obvious assumption because of th abnormal TSH and the fact that hypothyroidism runs in the women in my Father's family.
But to be honest I don't know how much more of this I can take, everyone seems to have an opinion whats wrong with me aside from the doctors, and I have noticed mood swings which really isn't like me. I had to take time off work, and then had to go back because the isolation on top of feeling so wretched was beginning to get me down. I don't drink alcohol very often (less than once a month) and I don't take drugs, nor have I ever dabbled, I don't smoke (although both my parents do), I've been so tired I haven't been able to go out with my friends, or if I do I always have to go home really early. They have been really understanding but it's hard because in the surface I don't really look sick, tired most of the time but not gaunt. I've had friends ask if it could be in my head, I've even wondered that myself, but in my heart of hearts I don't believe that it is, I just want my life back! The doctor has told me she doesn't think its in my head which is reassuring in some small measure, but I still have no answers. I have went from someone who was rarely sick to someone who is attending the doctor once every two weeks, and no offence to the doc but I'm sick of the sight of her.
I've been missing uni and am finding it almost impossible to keep on top of the work load, I'm frightened this is going to cost me my career.
I have tried everything I can think of from multivitamins to herbal supplements ,to trying to limit the amount of sleep to allowing myself to waken naturally, tried only sleeping in 4 hour blocks, eating really healthily, drinking lots of water.
I also can't seem to cope with a lot of heat but I am really intolerant of the cold, I feel cold when my friends all think its not.
I really hope someone out there can tell me they know how I feel. and have some idea what might be wrong with me. I'm at my wits end. I am on no treatment from the doctor, she recommended the multivitamin/ multimineral supplement and has ok'd the stuff from the health-shop.
I also have been told that I seem to be having very frequent viral infections, i'm not over one before the other hits, and my immune system seems very suppressed.
I've also felt underneath my tongue swell up from time to time.
any insight or advice would be gr8tly appreciated.

Guest · Guest

I so much feel your frustration, and when you stated "I want my life back". I could totally feel your pain, cause I too have all these symptoms plus more. There's been signs for years, numbness, dizziness..etc..But what my doctor is looking at is my liver, pancreas. I've been told I have gallstones in my bile ducts, which would explain my nausea and vomiting and lack of energy, but getting my doctor to listen is next to impossible. I have gone from high energetic, to the last 6 weeks on the couch. And If I don't get it together soon I might lose my job...(stress) I should say I had my gallbladder out 5 years ago,,,,but if your blood sugars are low, and you gained weight ..I would think you have a digestive problem. Just an idea and maybe a new direction to search...good luck

littlelady329287 · Newbie Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 11

My blood sugar levels are normal, I've got more blood tests next week, but unless my T3 and/ or T4 shows up as abnormal or the blood reveal anything different then the doc is giving me till the end of may and if I'm not better she is referring me to a specialist. I think she said that he is an immunologist, and deals with people who have Post-viral fatigue and M.e and things like that, she says he'll prob want to do a sleep-study on me as well as some other tests, but he rarely finds anything the G.P hasn't although it can help with a diagnosis.
I am just completely at my wits end I'm studying mathematics at uni and being like this is having a huge effect on my studies. not to mention my life. I'm 20 and I'm too tired to go out with my friends! its soo frustrating, and then the doc made me take a test for depression and anxiety! I haven't been feeling well for over 6 months! I'd say its fairly unlikely that I'd be on top form! but they both came back as being at insignificant levels ie normal. I'm not depressed I just want some answers! its getting ridiculous!

jeremyfeelgood · Newbie Joined: 04 May 2008 Posts: 1

It sounds like you need to stop pushing yourself so hard juggling uni, and work and tryng to make everyone happy.

You like me probably just need a long vacation away from all the stress.

I have had my fair share of illnesses, muslce. joint pain, fatigue, sleep disorders. I did not however go to a doctor for a diagnosis, i figured it was just my lifestyle, and it probably was, uni, work. Its just not work it if its going to take your life from you by not feelin well. I got so tired that when it came to the evening I was unable to stand and this was when i was out with my friends.

When you find out what the blood tests reveal please let me know.

Good Luck. Take time out. Mediate, turn off the noise.

Guest · Guest

I feel your pain. I have had these problems about five years now and the doctors all seem to think i'm just lazy or hyopchondriac. I just want to know what to do. I've tried jsut about every diet, cleanse, possible. and still have no clue...

I am sure we are not the only ones with these kinds of issues!

elisa4408 · Newbie Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 1

Meaning not yet detectable by testing but still causing symptoms. I would see an internal medicne specialist or endocrinologist. They might try you on a low dose of hormone supplement to see if it helps. Even if you are within the 'normal' ranges, if the levels are somewhat borderline it may be an early form of the condition. If you are solidly in the normal range, something else is probably going on. Best wishes!

littlelady329287 · Newbie Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 11

Hey guys sorry it has taken me so long to reply with an update.
I am in the middle of my exams and so things have been more than a little busy, I was at the doctor at the end of April and I'm still no further forward, aside from the prospect of being referred to a specialist.
Since then I have had more blood tests taken and my TSH has gone down to 4.6, slightly abnormal but better than it was, so they just want to recheck it again in 3 months time. I am not due to visit the gp again till after my exams she wants to wait and see how I get on with the exams, incase I feel better once the stress has eased off a bit, and she wants to see if taking the focus off "being sick" helps me recover.
I'm just soo frustrated with this whole situation, I just feel so tired, take today for example I have an exam tomorrow and so had planned to get up and revise this morning. Instead I managed to turn the alarm off/sleep through it and slept until 3pm got up cooked some tea and fell back at 5, face down in my books! and didn't wake until 9. I just can't understand how I could possibly sleep for so long, and now its 11pm and I am soo tired I just want to sleep again.

Guest · Guest

Hm, sounds like i have the same as you. It started with a virus a year ago and never really went away. Been consistantly ill for 7 months now. I'm a single parent with a three year old and finding extremely tough. I've had all the tests done - same as you prob. Aneamia, diabetes, thyroid, liver function, collesterol, glandular fever (which I had once, and was CONVINVED it was a relapse), blood pressure ect probably some others i forgot about! Oh - even been to the hospital for a full exam, including a chest xray but they could find anything. Dr has decided it's depression and anxiety. But - I don't think I'm depressed other than being sick of being sick and wanting to enjoy motherhood, not just struggling to get from the start of the day to the end of it.....

Guest · Guest

Hi.

I understand exactly what you are all feeling. I have been through much of the same, continuous viral infections, subsequent chest and sinus infections and abdominal pain with no apparent cause. I also recently ended up in hospital with fears of some nasty contagious viral disease which they are yet to identify 4 weeks later. I had an enlarged liver, inflammed lymph nodes/glands, extreme fatigue, vomitting, nausea, and all the tests, scans and chest x-rays they did came back 'normal'. There was an indication that there is a virus present but not what! I have since been battling extreme fatigue and tiredness, confusion and irritability (frustration), odd muscle and joint pains and stiffness, dizziness, headaches, abdominal pain, and all this while the tests all come back negative or inconclusive...

I have been sick with viral infections amongst others for almost 2 years and have experienced many pains and discomfort for the better part of the past 15 years. I am now 31 and was fortunate to have my son very young - 11 years ago. My abdominal pains and subsequent deterioration this past year have brough me to the point where I was ready to give up.

I have recently been fortunate enough to have a specialist taking care of me for a year now and he has managed to differentiate between continuous viral infections and the symptoms of which we now know to be something called Interstitial Cystitis - a bladder infection of sorts which causes some or all of the symptoms you mention; and something else called Fibromyalgia which, with Interstitial Cystitis, includes symptoms like unexplained muscle and joint pain, swollen lymph nodes, kidney pain, bladder pain, lower and general unexplained abdonimal pain, difficulty breathing or breathlessness, dizziness, headache, "gynae" pains, fatigue, abdominal pressure, just to mention some of them.

With Fibromyalgia and Interstitial Cystitis being diagnosed I finally feel like I can face whatever happens because I now know what it is and I can make decisions as to how I am going to continue living my life to the full. Dealing with the fatigue is hard and actually finding a diagnosis appears to be even harder, I wish you all the best.

It may be an idea to research these conditions on the net and discuss them with your caregivers/doctors when you next see them.
**Fibromyalgia
**Interstitial Cystitis

Best of luck to you all. Very Happy

There is ALWAYS HOPE!!

Guest · Guest

hoptechno.com/bookautoimmune.htm

Swollen glands, Fatigue, Low energy levels, constant viral infection, muscle pain and stiffness

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