Second letter to my psych - seeing her in 2 hours... Opinions? *Update to follow*

i hope the nurse is able to help you out, pup. to be honest, however, given that you have problems with disordered eating & anxiety - there isn't anything on that list of symptoms which i think could not be explained as a direct or indirect result of some of what your body has gone through.

which is to say, i dont think an additional diagnosis of CFS is necessary because treatment for it (like you've already pointed out) doesn't differ significantly from treatment for your other issues. but certainly i think you need help dealing with those symptoms and i hope you are able to get it.

for what it's worth, i lost 17kgs at the beginning of last year, and my BMI dropped below 16. i've had the brain scans, and let me tell you - my brain looks pretty lonely and shrunk up inside that skull . my periods aren't normal anymore, my hair falls out in clumps, i sleep with 4 blankets during the height of our australian summer and feel cold the whole time but still manage to wake up in a sweaty mess with drenched sheets. i am lucky i have never wanted children, because my body simply cannot support me, let alone another little life. this is even though i have managed to put back on all that weight and am a "healthy" (but still slightly low) weight range. pretty much, losing all that weight fundamentally messes up the way your body works and how your body processes hormones and chemicals and everything that keeps a normal body functioning properly.

i cant actually stress enough to you how important it is that you focus on the basics of eating properly & following your dr's recommendations. i was told to have a milkshake (full cream milk & icecream) for breakfast each day, with some form of desert after lunch and dinner too. it was gross, especially when my body just didnt feel hungry anymore, and my stomach had shrunken up so much it actually hurt to even eat half of what i was meant to.

but the good news is, i'm back to a normal weight. my hair has grown back and my eyebrows are only slightly patchy . i can exercise if i want to, and my body's absorbing all the silly supplements i take now to keep it functioning as normally as i can. so things do get better. but if you're going to look for a "cure" for CFS, and ignore your weight issues and stress and anxiety and everything else, pup, i don't think you're going to be a very happy young lady. i know i sound all doom and gloom, but i'm saying thing cuz i want to save you the stupid hurt i've gone through.

but, to be honest, i dont think that if someone had said the same stuff to me, if i would have listened. so i wont blame you if you dont either .

deli, Ive been in RECOVERY since I fell ill, I think its an unrelated issue, Ive had many tests done and Im sure if it was ED-related itd have shown up on tests.

Either way, Im seeing a nurse so... Id like answers.

And I know there is no cure for CFS:/, and I am NOT ignoring the other issues, I am working on them and have been for a long time. And I am not clinically underweight or anything, so yeah. Im a bit upset that youve suggested this... as I am recovering, and have been for a long time, yet Im still poorly. And I am focusing on my other issues, bit hard to when Im poorly and bit hard to when Ive been told I cant focus on them until Im healthier, so yeah. Im finally seeing a CFS nurse and Im hoping for answers and solutions.

woops - i just read over my post and it does sound like i'm accusing you of not working hard on your ED/other issues. sorry about that!!

but my main point still stands - even though i was drastically underweight over 18months ago (i'm back in the normal weight range now!) i still having problems associated with that period of time. many of the problems you describe, in fact.

as you know, there aren't physiological tests that will show you if something is "ED-related" or just "underweight-related". but like you said in a previous post on this thread, your issues are probably exacerbated by malnutrition and the ED.

as i said earlier, i hope you are able to find possible solutions to your concerns. i think it is nice that there are things like CFS nurses in the UK.

There are CFS Specialists everywhere... not just the UK. It took ages just to get anyone to take this seriously.

And there are tests to see if it is ED related like imbalances in blood tests or urine tests etc, which all came back as clear for no issues. And again, I'm not underweight. I am according to my BMI a healthy weight.

Yeah, as I said, and as my psych said, the ED is making the CFS worse, but I'm trying harder with recovery, even though I have been since I fell ill.

And yes, I hope I do too find answers and solutions.

Now, I am in a bit of a mess right now from a lot going on, so I won't post further as I don't want to cause arguments or whichever.