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ME/CFS South Australia Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.
Disclaimer
ME/CFS South Australia Inc aims to keep members informed of various research projects, diets, medications, therapies, news items, etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.
Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.
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I'm 18 Years Old And Living With Three Chronic Conditions You Can't See
Friday 28 February 2020
 Chloe in hospital after her endometriosis diagnosis. (Source: Supplied) |
I'm 18 years old and living with three chronic conditions you can't see
You may not be able to see Chloe’s medical conditions, but before you judge her she wants you to know they are there, they are real, and she’s not alone.
Most fifteen-year olds are carefree, active, and happy teenagers, but I wasn’t. Instead I felt exhausted every day, to the point I was almost bedridden, and battled severe joint and abdominal pain - but no one had any idea why.
The pain – in my hips, knees, collarbones and back – was so intense and debilitating that I started missing school and was forced to do a lot of my school work from home.
I’d been to the doctors but I was told my tiredness was normal teenage behaviour and my pains were growing pains. So, I brushed it off and continued my daily life as best as I could.
Months went by and nothing changed. I knew my body and knew that this was abnormal. When the pain was at its worst it didn’t only impact me physically but cognitively – I would struggle to piece sentences together.
I sought answers again from doctors and finally, nine months after I first started getting symptoms, I was diagnosed with glandular fever and iron deficiency. It made sense, it explained the fatigue and I felt relieved and hopeful when my doctor told me I should recover between three to six months. But six months rolled around and I was feeling worse than ever. One year came by and I could barely function. My glands were so inflamed, I had chronic tonsillitis and underwent surgery to remove both the adenoids and tonsils. By this point I was sleeping between 12-16 hours a day and went days without eating because I felt so nauseous.
With the support from my Mum, who has battled her own auto immune disease, we started doing our own research in the hope for some other answers. We discovered fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis, more commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). While they were certainly not conditions I wanted to have, I seemed to tick all the boxes, and it gave me some clarity.
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Registered Charity 3104
Email:
sacfs@sacfs.asn.au
Mailing address:
PO Box 322,
Modbury North,
South Australia 5092
Phone:
1300 128 339
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday,
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(phone)