This Is So Lame

Who are these guys Epstein & Barr anyway and why do I feel like crap?

The past few weeks I've felt very tired. More than just tired. Fatigued. Run down. Exhausted. I felt like I did when I had mono.

I wondered if I was getting enough sleep. Was my medication making me tired during the day? Was I getting enough protein in my diet?

Then last week I became forgetful and I couldn't focus on anything at all. Items fell through the cracks at work and I couldn't concentrate enough to read a book or knit. I haven't had the slighest desire to even think about my Gumption List. When I totally spaced out while sitting at a stop sign on Wednesday I decided it was time to call my doctor.

My GP and I ran through everything. My recent blood work was good. We covered the supplements I take for iron, iodine, and B-complex.

She diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Isn't that what every mother has? What? You're serious? How lame does that sound? Kinda sounds like a cop out to me.

But apparently it's a real condition. CFS and serious depression often go hand-in-hand. One can cause the other. Somewhat of a chicken and egg situation.

CFS can also be caused by a B12 deficiency so my doctor prescribed a B12 shot and I felt pretty good afterwards but it wasn't a cure. Since B12 naturally comes from animal sources many vegetarians suffer a deficiency. The two biggest sources are mollusks and liver. I'm not fond of either of those because of a) their functions (filters) and b) mouth-feel. Blech. I do like liverwurst for some reason so I guess I'll eat that and take more supplements.

Another cause of CFS can be a virus such as Epstein-Barr. Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus and I had it for the second half of my senior year in high school. While I can never have mono again, the virus remains dormant in my system. A long period of stress like I've had for the past eight months can activate the virus and cause CFS. Once, again there isn't a cure.

Bottom line: I have a suspicious sounding condition that turns me into a space cadet and makes it feel like my muscles are painfully melting off my bones. The only thing I can do is take care of myself by eating, sleeping, and exercising properly. Oh yea, and hope for the best.