Many people, especially young people, get worse with time. Am I right?

[LivingwithFibro]

Please see if you can avail benefits during the exam as someone said. I'm doing my o Levels (after resting for years) and I was able to get 30 minutes extra time, supervised breaks and scriber. It really makes all the difference in the world.

Also, as someone said your parents cannot fully understand the situation because you may be working so hard to keep up. Don't do that. Go at your own pace without any fear. Then only can they see the effect of Cfs on your studies. I was in the same situation, doing my best and exerting myself, prioritising studies over health. I stopped that. I failed a couple of times because I stopped overworking and just working based on my true energy of the moment. This made them realise my situation partially.

Personally, I took many years off but you might be able to study and rest at the same time, if you can balance it. But you really do need to talk to your school and make the situation known. They can give you the benefits I mentioned and ease your study load.

 

[LivingwithFibro]

@Frustrated

Please don't use internet anecdotes to measure the recover for ANY illness. It is very bias. Most people with severe illnesses tend to gather online way more that people with mild illnesses who are able to carry on with their lives somewhat normally.

Until their are accurate studies we won't know. But I do believe that young people have a better chance of recover. It's like that for a lot of illnesses. Our bodies are more likely to have been through less physically and emotionally. Then again I'm bias

On a note of the OPs exams. I think the issue here is that you are pushing yourself far beyond what you are able to manage and you have unintentionally created a facade. Therefore your parents see you as a lot better than you really are.

From what you've said, I don't believe family is being abusive but they are being ignorant. They feel your exams are more important than what they believe is mild fatigue. They want what's best for you in the future.

Honestly the best thing you could do in this case is the ease up on the amount of revision you are doing. Usually around the exam period you et study leave? Your health is more important than your exams and if I were you I'd only study when you feel well enough and then go to your exams which are often only 1 - 2 hrs a day. It's hard to manage but from what you've said it seems like the most realistic option for you. Do not studying unless you feel well enough!

You really should have more support. You could be able to get extra time for your exams as well. You can even get someone to scribe for you in class and take notes if you're too tired. If you get in touch with your school they can submit for extra time last minute sometimes. I've seen it happen before.

Please approach your head of year about your health issues. They may be more understanding than you think. Update us on how it goes. Good luck

I applied last minute and got the special arrangements. It is truly possible and makes all the difference in the world.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

@Frustrated

I would strongly agree with what Ambrosia_angel and Livingwith Fibro say in the last post.

As a doctor I have been involved with hundreds of people coping with chronic illnesses of all sorts over the years. The best advice I ever have ever come across actually came from my sister in law when I was on the receiving end of the problem -

Hang in There

It applies in all situations I think. What I think is never the answer is to 'drop out'. That means the illness has won for good.

There is incontrovertible evidence that a significant number of people who get ME at 18 get better enough to hold down a job consistent with their abilities and live a productive family life. It does not matter whether it is more or less than for older people or what proportion it is. What we know, and I know, is that these people are out there walking the streets. Some of them may have had one or more years out of education but they have hung in there in one way or another. Other people hung in there and things did not work out but that is not the point.

I don't think you should be looking for specific advice on an internet forum and none of us know your real situation but my experience in this situation is that the useful thing to do is focus on optimising options - as Ambrosia_angel suggests.

 

[LivingwithFibro]

Keep us updated! And if you need any suggestions on how to tackle the special arrangements matter, let me know. I can share my experience with you and answer any questions that you may have.

I am in your age group and have had CFS since I was 6. There's much more help out there than you'd think. @Frustrated