Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with CFS

Fluctuating TSH / thyroid - normal or weird?

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:39:29 -0800

[Thyroid/CFS-Filter] Do TSH and thyroid levels typically fluctuate within a period of weeks? If so, how much fluctuation is normal? I've looked at previous thyroid questions before but couldn't find any that answered my specific questions... and I know, YANMD. I'll be seeing a doctor next week - but then, I've also seen about 3 doctors this year, with varying results.

I was diagnosed with CFS at the beginning of this year. As a teenager, I went through a period of subclinical hypothyroidism for about a year or so. During the past two years (I'm in my early twenties now), I started experiencing some symptoms of hypothyroidism, the more persistent symptoms being coldness and numbness in extremities, fatigue, dry skin, low blood pressure, hair loss, cold intolerance, constipation, increased sleepiness, inability to concentrate/focus and depression. About 3 months ago, I got my TSH and free T4 tested - which turned out to be 5.082 mIU/L and 14.48 pmol/L respectively. Six and a half weeks after that test, I had another thyroid test done: my TSH was 2.21 mIU/L, free T4 was 18.65 pmol/L and T3 (which hadn't been tested previously) was 1.32 nmol/L.

I had no treatment between the tests (the tests were administered by different doctors), and to my memory, did not make any changes to my diet or the supplements (vitamins and minerals) I was taking. For each test, the doctor administering the test pronounced me healthy and said I had no thyroid problems.

Up until now, I've figured my symptoms were/are just part of the CFS. But I was just looking at the test results again and wondering why my TSH and free T4 seem to fluctuate quite a bit (?) within 6.5 weeks when I didn't really make any changes to my diet or lifestyle, let alone take any hormone supplements. Is this normal? Am I overthinking this?

How to help someone with chronic fatigue syndrome?

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:49:39 -0800

An older female relative who lives in the midwest has recently been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. She's been suffering from it for a few years already, so she's in bed most of the time at this point. What can I do to help? I'd like to send her something to help out, but the amount of information on the web is overwhelming. What's recommended and would be good to try first? Natural nutritional supplements (nothing artificial please), tai chi videos, health diary, anything?

There are also very few doctors in the area that have experience with this disease and they all have waiting lists that are months long (her past doctors all told her to see a psychiatrist). Her husband is unsupportive (thinks if she just exercised more she'd be better) and English is not her first language. So if you have advice on anything she can do to cope in the meantime, that would be really helpful. I read somewhere that warm baths before bedtime help you sleep better?

I've set up a throwaway cfsrelative@gmail.com if you have further questions. Thank you.

CFS and Disability: To Do or Not To Do

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 10:58:15 -0800

A few years back I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For a while I was fairly dubious of this diagnosis but now that it has been confirmed as a genetic disorder I feel maybe I should get over my pride and start treating this like the life-affecting problem it is. I have had to make lots of compromises with my life in order to keep working and supporting myself. I stay on a strict sleep schedule even though this makes a social life largely impossible because I know I need to to stay "on the ball". I have screwed up before and feel I'm at the end of my nine lives, so to speak. I am completely sure that the problem is CFS and not competency; when I am on the ball I perform very, very well and when I'm not, I sleep through multiple alarms for days on end, fall asleep at the drop of a hat, can't focus, etc.

Anyways, I'm not insured and I really think I should be. Because I can't really handle standard full-time work (I have 2-3 part time jobs and make sure one allows me to work at home) I don't really see finding a job with benefits in my future (I also tend to end up with small companies and nonprofits, due to the flexibility and I guess I am a bleeding heart). I think I should try to get on disability for the Medicare.

But I'm worried it will be a huge resource-sapping endeavor with no pay off. I really can't afford to spiral down because of something to help myself. I also can't afford a lawyer. Hivemind, any experience with getting disability insurance for such a borderline-legitimate illness?