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do i have chronic fatigue syndrome?
here are my symptoms that lead me to believe i do:
i'm always tired, no matter how much sleep i get.
i have depression
i'm dizzy a lot
i have very poor balance
i get muscle pains, especially in my back
my joints are sometimes sore or weak, and they sometimes grind
i read something on chronic fatigue syndrome and i had most of the symptoms, others i didnt. like weight gain and loss, panic attacks, sore throat, bloating, and a few others. but the main ones i do. i also might be anemic so some of these may have to do with that. i haven't been diagnosed by any doctors yet, but should i? i'm 17/f, by the way
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I am a great deal older than most of the advisers on this site, so my advice will be somewhat different from what you may have received and may continue to receive from others.
You should see a doctor to be properly diagnosed, but it sounds as if you are suffering some form of depression. It could be the changes your body is going through that are causing you to feel depressed. You are old enough to make doctor’s appointments on your own, please do so. Teenage depression is quite common and easily treatable.
Just what cause’s teenage depression I cannot say, I am not a doctor. If you look at this problem from a realistic standpoint it is easy to see some of the stressors a teenager has to deal with. You have all these hormones raging through your body; there are higher expectations of you at school and at home. You have a new social structure to navigate. College expectations come in to play as well. Being female you have the added stressors of the physical changes in your body to deal with. And this is the short list.
There is nothing wrong in asking for a little help while all this is going on. Medication and talk therapy can help you deal with the changes and the stressors. Help you put things in the proper prospective and to help relieve some of the stress you impose on yourself.
When your parents and I were your age life was a lot easier than today; when some of us suffered as you are, parents said it was something we would grow out of. Some of us did and some of us did not. Today when a child says they are feeling depressed we need to be cautious and have a doctor screen the child for depression. You may or may not fit the parameters of a clinically depressed teenager but only a healthcare professional can make that judgment. Once screened it is something your doctor can keep tabs on regardless of the results of the initial screening.
Some, but not all of your symptoms fit symptoms of depression: These other symptoms may be triggers for the depression and need to be diagnosed and treated as well. Please make an appointment with your family doctor. Make sure you tell the doctor of all the symptoms you have listed here. Some of the symptoms you list, your family doctor will treat, the others you will be referred to a psychiatrist to treat. No you are not mentally ill; most depression is caused by the body inability to produce enough of a chemical the brain needs to prevent depression. A psychiatrist is the best doctor to diagnose and treat to depression.
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You have some symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. You have many symptoms of depression. You also have symptoms of anemia.
Given that you are a 17 year old female, your most likely diagnosis is depression. Depression is SO common, add to that you are a teenage girl and you can multiply the likelihood of this being your problem. Depression can cause the most unusual things to happen to our bodies.
Depression can cause difficulty in concentrating, extreme fatigue where even the smallest task seems daunting. Weight loss and gain, headaches, unexplained body aches. CFS frequently has other physical issues such as enlarged lymph nodes and sore throat.
Without sitting down with you and having a conversation and evaluating you, and possibly blood tests to rule out such things as anemia it is impossible to give a diagnosis here... but your symptoms are quite indicative of depression. Again, add to your symptoms that you are 17... you should certainly see a doctor. There is no reason for you to have these issues. If you see a doctor he/she may be able to suggest some lifestyle changes that can make you feel better or even prescribe a medication that make you feel better.
I have had 3 kids and had post partum depression after each, and it got worse with each pregnancy/delivery as well. The difference between being on medication and NOT being on medication was indescribable. It takes a couple of weeks for the medication to really kick in but once it does you feel back to yourself again and it is GREAT.
But... what if it is not depression? If you are anemic or have another underlying condition, you need to get clinically diagnosed so you can continue to take care of yourself, mind and body.
Don't ignore this. You may be thinking "its not a big deal, I just dont feel good most of the time"... but your quality of life can be so much better if you nip this in the bud. Good luck.
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