sqbr: Asterix-like magnifying glass over Perth, Western Australia (australia 2)
Sean ([personal profile] sqbr) wrote2008-08-12 02:49 pm
Entry tags:

Sickness in australia

Still sick, but not quite as miserably so. Have decided to try using Chronic Fatigue Syndrome resources to figure out what's making feel so terrible all the time, since while I don't know that I do have big-CF Chronic Fatigue, I do definitely have small-cf chronic fatigue, and the way you diagnose big-CF fatigue is by testing for all the things that cause small-cf fatigue, so either I get diagnosed with one of those or I tun out to have big-CF S after all.
I emailed the WA ME/CFS society to ask if they have any GPs they recommend who are less likely to tell me I just need to eat more vegetables *mutter*, I must remember the one I was seeing in Nedlands back in 2003ish before I ran out of money and patience since he at least was willing to send me in for tests and specialists rather than brushing me off.

Also, since someone asked, a big version of my "Australia" icon. And yes, I was too lazy to finish off the bits I knew would get cropped :)

[identity profile] stephbg.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 07:32 am (UTC)(link)
Has anyone ever raised fibromyalgia as a possible diagnosis? Do you get pain and stiffness? I'll grant you the name isn't much more helpful than CF - it's a "we've eliminated most of the things we're willing to test for but acknowledge that you're still sick" kind of diagnosis. Unfortuately the beige diet isn't enough to eliminate the fibro itself, so the winter weather is hitting hard.

As for helpful GP, nope. I have a friendly one, but he's not big on the inspiration.

Good luck with it all. You seem to be doing a good job of staying sane, at least in public :P

[identity profile] auntpol.livejournal.com 2008-08-12 09:04 am (UTC)(link)
there's a good doctor at the uni doctor's. She wants to send everyone for every test imaginable. But...you're not student or staff anymore, so that doesn't help you.

[identity profile] lilysea.livejournal.com 2008-08-13 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for this! I follow your fatigue stuff with interest, given my own
wildly fluctuating energy levels and sometimes limited number of spoons...

Please keep posting it! (:

I'm currently on day 11 of a really bad cough/cold[1], so...

[1] Went to the GP and she said "I know it's really annoying, but it's not
serious, so go away."

[identity profile] fred-mouse.livejournal.com 2008-08-13 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
doctors - I'm told that one of the people who used to specialise in CFS has retired, which was depressing. I haven't had any luck at all in finding someone any good in dealing with fatigue problems, but I haven't looked very far. I had found a doctor who was competent at acute problems, and willing to try to deal with chronic problems, but wasn't getting anywhere, and the bugger has gone and moved to Vic Park, which means I'm going to have to get used to another one.

But if you find someone who is any good, please let me know.

Oh, and the hardest bit I found with my GP - getting the message through that when I say 'tired all the time' I don't mean the kind of tired you get when you haven't had enough sleep!