A fifteen year old girl, involved in student council, dance, soccer and track ... not your typical idea of a patient with Chronic Fatigue, is it? My life before being diagnosed consisted mainly of my family, schoolwork, and sports. At the time, I was a sophomore in high school and was constantly involved in some sort of activity. However, very quickly I began to feel awful. I went from being highly-active to barely being able to get out of my bed in the morning. When I went to see my pediatrician, they did some blood work, most of which came back normal. The pediatrician did not know what was wrong and thought maybe it was a virus and that my symptoms would soon disappear. They did not disappear however, they only became worse. Every muscle ached, I constantly had headaches, I could not concentrate in school, and even though I was extremely tired, I had trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep.
Eventually, my symptoms began to take a toll, and I was missing a lot of school. I went to the hospital to see an infectious disease physician. He diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and basically said that there was not much that he could do, except to maybe try an anti-depressant like Prozac, which has been found helpful with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My mom was reluctant to do this, however I did start it and after a few weeks I saw no improvement. The doctor assured me that it would take time to work and eventually I should feel better. This answer only angered me because the doctor dismissed me as if I did not have anything wrong with me, and also because he said that there was little he could do to assist me.
I continued to feel awful; on an average day my most strenuous activity was moving from my bed to the couch, to watch TV. I hated being so inactive, because I love school and I love always having something to do. Soon, my mom discovered the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Center. We made an appointment, and I was amazed at the first visit. My doctor explained what Chronic Fatigue was and told me of all the treatments that they had. I began treatment immediately, and a dramatic change took place. I actually had energy! Since then, I have just continued to improve. I'm sure the fact that I am young had something to do with me recovering so quickly. I have learned that I need to listen to my body and know when to stop and rest.
I am now a junior and looking forward to this year's seasons of soccer and track. I am taking many courses this year and I finally feel as though I am back to my old self. My concentration is back, my muscles don't ache, and I sleep great! I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't found the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers. The kindness, support, and understanding they have shown has been more than I could have hoped for.