I saw my real doctor today

[ailbhe]

"How long will post-viral fatigue last?"

"Piece of string," she said sympathetically.

She ordered a battery of blood tests. Glandular fever - in fact, a full virus scan or screen - and thyroid and iron levels and lots of things. She renewed my antidepressants prescription, which I was too ill to renew, which made things worse because they're not a thing one is supposed to come off cold turkey. She also got us to make another appointment for next week to review progress.

She thinks basically I am just incredibly run down. Hard work, depression, medical stress, recovering from serious abdominal surgery, et cetera. There's not a lot we can do about it. But she's checking, anyway.

So I will get with the vitamin pills, antidepressants, and evening primrose oil, I guess. I already eat well. Not much else I can think of to do, off-hand.

With luck, next week I'll be able to cross a room without holding on to the wall and the furniture.

Tonight I plan to have a bath and then go to sleep. Being taken to the doctor in the trike was incredibly tiring, though the waiting room was empty enough that I was able to lie down on the seats. Mind you, I appear to be getting insomnia a leetle bit, presumably because I am bored out of my tiny, non-functional mind.

Comments

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

blah! to help with the boredom, i recommend randomly messaging people in other timezones, and also maybe crosswords or sudoku?

[barakta]

I'm glad your GP was sympathetic, even if nothing else can be done.

I should go through my books and see if there's any you'd like me to send you as I'm clearing some out.

[livi-short.livejournal.com]

it's horrible not being able to function and do the simple day to day things.

I hope that things get better soon.

[rmc28]

Have you read/do you have the Green Knowe books? Just thinking of nice reading I could bring along on Saturday to leave with you.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

I was diagnosed with post-viral/ chronic fatigue a few years ago - for me, it lasted about six months from the onset of symptoms, and seemed to be related to having had undiagnosed glandular fever (came up in the viral screening). And, yes, was also related to stress and overwork, even though I didn't have a child then (though I did have a resident lunatic stepchild). There really wasn't anything I found helped apart from acknowledging that it was a real thing that had gone wrong with me, and get actual rest. Good luck with that.

[velcro-kitten.livejournal.com]

and when you get those little energy spurts (they will come eventually), don't go nuts, take it slowly.

[pariyal.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, same here (except for the lunatic stepchild). Thinking of you!

[sidheag.livejournal.com]

Hugs - and here's hoping the blood tests show nothing other than what's expected after a nasty virus. Flu alone (for example) can easily knock even a person in robust health out like that for several weeks, as I know from experience even though I was childless at the time, so it doesn't seem that surprising, even without invoking the other reasons why you are run-down. I guess I'm saying try not to worry about it in addition to living through it.

[rpdom.livejournal.com]

Hugs, I hope you recover soon and get out and about again. Until then, rest and take it easy.

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

Will phoning help? I have lots of time. Not much brain, but lots of time. If being on the phone is exhausting, then I won't.

It is very boring. I tell myself stories in my head, which helps. Sometimes. If I am not in too much pain or too depressed, it does help. Silly computer games can sometimes help, but not always. Really, really brainless TV, put on quietly, can make a pleasant change from lying doing nothing at all.

I think it will pass, if you manage the very, very difficult task of doing nothing. (No sarcasm intended: it's difficult to sit and do nothing when you know that, if you tried hard, you could do a little, and that little is just sitting there, right there and you've done nothing useful all day.)

I am so very, very glad that you have a sympathetic GP. They are worth their weight in gold.

Would it perhaps help to have meal-replacements as well as your food? It does help me, a lot, but I am not you so it might not.

All the very very best. *hugs*

[perceval.livejournal.com]

Nothing special or particularly insightful - just to let you know that I'm thinking of the four of you.

[tassie-gal.livejournal.com]

***HUGS** Did you find someone to write that letter? C's said she can help if you want.

[ai731.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you have seen a sympathetic GP, and very glad to hear they're doing blood tests, just to be sure. Could you manage knitting or crocheting, or some similar hands-busy work?