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Chronic Fatigue — a living nightmare
by Doris Fleck

As I drove out of Vancouver on a warm sunny day in mid-February, I felt so unwell. Along with fatigue, dizziness and blurred vision I also felt a burning sensation at the base of my neck.

It was the third time in six weeks I had come down with flu-like symptoms, but this time they seemed more intense.

At 25 years of age, I was extremely busy juggling university classes, two part-time jobs and church involvement. I certainly had no time for illness.

The symptoms became more severe and I considered going to the hospital. As I approached the Port Mann Bridge I suddenly became very dizzy. I panicked! What if I passed out while I was driving over the bridge?

My heart was racing and I began to gasp for air. A progressive numbness cascaded over my neck and down my upper body. Was I becoming paralyzed? My panic increased. I thought I might be having a stroke. I began praying out loud, begging God to spare my life.

Thankfully, I was over the bridge in a minute. Relieved, I drove to the look-out station on the other side. I intended to rest for awhile and then continue on, but the numbness had already spread to my legs. I was so frightened I called an ambulance and was rushed to the nearest hospital in Surrey.

Thus began six years of confusion, questions, emergency room visits and medical testing. My symptoms confounded over 40 doctors and specialists until I was finally diagnosed with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) as it is commonly referred to today.

Doris Fleck
A healthy Doris Fleck
- photo courtesy Peter Fleck

When I became sick in 1986, few physicians knew anything about CFS. It is reported that over 70 per cent of people afflicted with CFS in America are Caucasian women in their early 20s to mid-40s.

Although many see a measure of recovery and some regain complete health, others are severely disabled for a period of years. For a few, the disease never goes away. I went from being a very active, energetic, enthusiastic person to bedridden in days.

The fatigue that plagued me was something I had never experienced before. I wasn’t just tired; I felt like I had 20 pound weights attached to my arms and legs. This was combined with a litany of other symptoms that included muscle pain, heart palpitations, night sweats, cold hands and feet, numbness, intense pressure in my head, inability to concentrate, insomnia and nausea. I quickly became intensely afraid of what was happening to me.

I had to drop out of university and spent the next year and a half, using what energy I had, searching for solutions.

Since no quick diagnostic tool is available, most CFS sufferers have to undergo a plethora of medical tests to rule out other diseases and I was no exception. I gave hundreds of blood samples and litres of urine as I was tested for lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, thyroid disfunction, cardiac problems, cancer and a host of other ailments. I underwent a CT-scan to rule out multiple sclerosis and the possibility of a brain tumor.

Necessary functions became almost insurmountable. Walking a few feet to the bathroom was so exhausting, I felt like I was trying to conquer Everest. I began measuring every action in terms of the energy it consumed and how much recovery time I would need afterwards. Over the next nine years fully half of my days were spent lying in bed, trying to gather strength for eating, talking and bathing. It was a living nightmare.

In the early 1990s, it was estimated 90 million people world wide were afflicted with CFS. Treatment options have been scarce. Although doctors have now given credibility to CFS and are capable of making a relatively quick diagnosis (three months to a year), their inability to effectively treat the disease has caused multitudes to turn to alternative health care.

Many people with CFS have been found to be plagued by parasites and on-going candidiasis, a form of yeast infection, as well as suffering from hypoglycemia.

Personally, I found a good naturopath and allergist within the first 18 months. Sticking to a strict diet, fighting off the candida and making use of massage therapy helped me immensely. Even though I had two severely debilitating relapses that lasted at least a year in length, I have found a doctor that keeps apprised of the current research on CFS treatments.

Use of B-12 injections combined with Magnesium Sulfate has proven beneficial. A combination of prescription drugs for sleeping and natural remedies along with on-going prayer have helped keep me relapse free for the last seven years.

I am so thankful to be alive. Each day when I awake with energy to work and enjoy life I am grateful. Without the support of an amazing husband, caring family, compassionate friends, and a church group that supplied meals and prayer, I don’t know if I would be alive today
For more information on CFS, contact The Nightingale Research Foundation at www.nightingale.ca .
Two excellent resource books with solid advice on treatment are; Solving the Puzzle of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Dr. Michael Rosenbaum & Dr. Murray Susser and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Treatment Guide by Erica Verrillo & Lauren Gellman.

If you would like to contact Doris directly, e-mail her at doris@calgarychristian.com .