I am 24 and for the past year have been extremley tired along with many other things described on this board - dizziness, achy joints, headaches... I have been treated for depression in the past, but as I know myself and am earning my masters in psychology I don't believe depression to be the cause of my problems. Definitely a symptom.
My mother has been suffering with many of the same symptoms (though more severe) for years and has been diagonased with chronic fatigue by more then one doctor (and dismissed by many others) - we have both had blood tests done and both have low B-12 - also a high number of heavy meatls (Mercury, arsenic, lead).
Basically I am looking for support, suggestions, and want to know if anyone else has found this hereditary link to CFS?

i dont know if this is hereditary, im adopted. but god i can relate! im tired ALL THE TIME. ive had blood work done as well. many times---and its all fine. i do suffer from depression, and have been on meds for years! this could be a side-effect from the meds, but what im on is suppose to pep me up. this is horrible! i have to take a nap nearly every day. at least an 1 1/2 and then i feel great! i dont know what else to say---except i can relate!

Has anything a bit odd ever turned up in your blood-work? I don't even know what to ask for anymore, or if having more bllod-work done will ever uncover anything. What med are you on now? I've been on Celexa, Zoloft and Paxil (none of which I was able to tolarate or 'peped me up') - and my mom is currently on Effexor. Something that would just help me get though the day would be a life saver - I'm afraid i'm going to have to cut back on work, which I can't afford to do and I am so afraid of losing what little health insurance I have

I have had Chronic Fatigue for 10 years. I finally started getting better. I take b12 injections. I almost had NO b12 in my blood tests and I had lots of problems from that. You need to go to a good doctor and/or nutritionist that actually understand the problem and can give you the injections. They will make a world of difference. Hopefully you will not have the damage I did. Takes a long time for the brain to recover from such low levels of B12. The Paxils and all that are usually not the answer. Good vitamins and supplements are. Healthful eating (I was vegetarian- NO MORE) and REST REST REST are imperitive. Here is a good site. Look up fatigue. [url removed] I found this though I am in the US and it is good. Hope you find a good doctor. MOST do not understand or believe it exists. LEAVE them and find a good one. A nutritionist with higher skills like a PH.D can help. You have to take care of yourself and you can't believe the doctors that are clueless. I had those for a while. GOOD LUCK :)

I have had Chronic Fatigue for 10 years. I finally started getting better. I take b12 injections. I almost had NO b12 in my blood tests and I had lots of problems from that. You need to go to a good doctor and/or nutritionist that actually understand the problem and can give you the injections. They will make a world of difference. Hopefully you will not have the damage I did. Takes a long time for the brain to recover from such low levels of B12. The Paxils and all that are usually not the answer. Good vitamins and supplements are. Healthful eating (I was vegetarian- NO MORE) and REST REST REST are imperitive. Here is a good site. Look up fatigue. [url removed]. I found this though I am in the US and it is good. Hope you find a good doctor. MOST do not understand or believe it exists. LEAVE them and find a good one. A nutritionist with higher skills like a PH.D can help. You have to take care of yourself and you can't believe the doctors that are clueless. I had those for a while. GOOD LUCK :)

I did have a B12 injection a few months ago, but wasn't given the impression that this is something that the doctor wanted to do on a regular basis, I since haven't been back to him for various reasons including the fact that my insurance won't cover the visits. My B12 level dosen't seem as if it was as low as yours or my mom's - I have begun to take B12 supplements recently, do you think this will be as helpful?

Also My hands are always cold lately, any suggestions on how to deal with this?

Thanks for all the suggestions! :wave:

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Anyway, you can take b12 under the tongue, but injections are better. The stomach doesn't let it get absorbed. Many Doctors are very strange about the b12 shot. It is safe and good, but they are not intellegent in nutrition. They should be better at that, but many refuse. Just find a doctor that will help you. If your level is low, get it rechecked after a few injections and/or pills for under your tongue. Good luck.

I have been the same way my self. I sleep for about 8-12 hours. No matter how much I sleep (less or more). I get tired 5 hours later and still can go to bed early. I admit I have poor eating habits and suffer from panic disorder, but is this only contributing or is this why I am always tired? Can supplements help?

I was also wandering if I do take a blood test is there a spefic thing that they have to look for to see if I might need b12 etc?

Thanks!

I have been the same way my self. I sleep for about 8-12 hours. No matter how much I sleep (less or more). I get tired 5 hours later and still can go to bed early. I admit I have poor eating habits and suffer from panic disorder, but is this only contributing or is this why I am always tired? Can supplements help?

I was also wandering if I do take a blood test is there a spefic thing that they have to look for to see if I might need b12 etc?

Thanks!

I've been finding that some supplements work for some people and not others and that you just need to find what's right for you? :confused: This is what I've personally discovered. From what I remember the doctor just looked at my B-12 level specifically, though he looked at a lot of other things at the same time - took so much blood from me that I fainted.

I also have poor eating habits though I have been making an effort to be better -my problem is that I never seem to be all that hungry to being with and have to force myself to eat sometimes. Ex. Yesterday I had half a bowl of soup, half a salad and two cookies. Not too much I admit, but that's all I could force myself to eat :yawn:

I'd ask your doctor about supplements, or whoever is treating your panic disorder?

Good luck!