Support Group

[Pete's girl]

Hi everyone, I haven't been on here before - I only just discovered this group the other day. I was just wondering if anyone else in here has ME/cfs? I've had it now for 8 years and although I know people who have it, it would be nice to be able to chat to someone on here who knows what it's like. I started trying to read through this thread from the beginning but just don't have the energy as there are so many pages- I'd be here for days! Maybe there isn't anyone else but I thought I'd just give it a shot.

Cal F - it took a while before my dad understood about my ME (my mum understood from the beginning as she's got it herself). I used to not tell my dad how I was feeling and put a brave face on when he was around. It got better when he found me crying alone and I finally told him how hard it was for me. I know your's is a totally different illness and situation but maybe your mum just doesn't know what it's like for you at school and how hard it is for you and it might help if you told her exactly what it is like for you? I'm sorry if you've already tried that or she does know and still thinks your education is more important, limited energy so I could only read the last 2 pages.

[MarMar]

I don't have a diagnosis, but plenty of symptoms - Hey, by the way

[Di]

Jess! hun, I don't don't be so hard on yourself hun, your deff not a failure. You have been thru so much in your life. You going to get crack at times, it's a nothing to be ashamed of. Its a shame your friends don't understand. They prob not been through half what you have, but thats still no excuse for them not to support you.

Antidepressants, will be only a short term soultion. Nowadays you're only on them for about six months. They are just to get you through this difficult patch, also to stop you from getting worse.

Counselling, is hard to start with, but sooooo the best thing in the long run. I'm so glad I demanded and fought which took me a while to get for Tom, to counselling. It great school and your GP have not said its just part of been a teen!! That what they said it was with Tom! for a good year. Clearly it was not.

Tom 's been seeing his councellor since about last October, think it was every fortnight in the beginning! He see's his councellor about once a month now! Everytime alone too, which I soooooooo wanted. Dom and Tom agree between them, how much I'm told when I go back in after each session. So there is no worries about your family knowing, how you really feeling etc...

I wish you the very best of luck, Huge hugs and love Di xx

[Jess]

Thanks, Di.

I dunno, other people see what I've been through, but for me, it's just part of life. I don't see what I've been through as any different to what other people have been through. Does that make sense?

Yeah, I have a family member who's been on antidepressants and they didn't really offer any long-term solution, so I wanna avoid them like the plague. I've pumped enough drugs into my body over the years; I'm kinda wary of them now.

My parents have wanted me to go to counselling before, but it still kinda scares me; probably because I know it'll be the best thing in the long run, and the best things are always the hardest to do. My GP's understanding (which I guess beats totally dismissive) but I still feel kinda stupid - stupid for breaking down and stupid for making such a huge fuss about the whole situation. We'll see. Yeah, I definately couldn't do it if my Mum knew, it'd break her heart. I've considering doing things and thought things that I never want her to hear, I guess I've just got to figure out whether I can handle someone else knowing about them.

Thanks for your support, Di, and everyone else, it means the world to me. It really means more to me than any of you could ever realise.

Can I just ask a question... Is wanting to sleep a lot a sign of depression? Ever since my 'episode' on Tuesday, I've had an intermittently banging headache, and slept a lot more than normal. Normally, if I sleep during the day then I can't sleep at night, but I slept all of Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and have been going to bed between 9:30-10pm at night and slepeing through 'til 7am. This is totally unheard of for me. Normally, I'm lucky if I sleep 11pm-7am, with no naps in the day. The thing is, I don't wanna convince myself that I'm depressed, or something, if I'm not 'cos then it really will make me depressed. But, similarly, I don't wanna fool myself.

[MarMar]

Yes, it is, or can be. Some become insomniac while others sleep all the time. I currently sleep 12-14 hours a day.

[rockagirl]

My grandmother died yesterday, we wore very close (more close than me and my mum) so im really down right now

[Jess]

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother, Natalie.

[aejdude]

Sorry to hear about your grandmother, Natalie.

Cal, your mum should really know you aren't "putting it on" seeing as she is your mum and you've been diagnosed with that i'm pretty sure so how can she think you're faking if the doctor or whoever said you have it i don't know.

I completly know what you are going through, okay maybe not the stomach aches and the crohns disease stuff but the time off of school.

I've had more than three months off of school because of my ankle and the flu - went back earlier this week and my schooling has been messed up too because three months is such a long time i have to repeat a year in september so i know what having time off does and make sure you take off all the time you need.

Hope in some way/s that helps.

Jess, i'll talk to you over msn about it.

[Cal]

Thanks, Aaron.

Natalie, Sorry to hear about your Gran!

Jess, If you need to chat, I'm always here!

[MarMar]

How is it that I feel like I was never depressed, that I'm not really ill in any sense of the word? I really doubt myself on days like these, days when things work out, that I actually laugh and smile. I feel that the 5-HTP has helped, if nothing else than to stabilize my days in such a way that I don't get the extreme downs. I still have downs, but not as often, not as long-lasting and not as bad. I have symptoms of "ups" to (hypo mania, not mania, though) - for instance, I've spent all my money is less than two weeks, I am able to go to the store and ask for something myself (which I normally can't) and I feel like I can do everything. Within reason (hence why it's hypomania and not mania - I'm not God. yet.) T says he thinks it's to early to spot any difference.

Is that normal or is it just a sign that I'm nothing but a poser? Is there still a chance that I'm depressed? Is this something others are familiar with?