- Messages
- 26
- Location
- North Carolina
Hi,
Thank you for letting me join the forum. I almost feel comforted in reading some of your posts, it makes me feel not alone. My story would take too long to tell in full, so here is the short version. I really need your help on what to do next. I am a 49 yr old white male, I have worked full time since age 18, and never had to miss much work. I have never been unemployeed. My health background, I have had high blood pressure since age 19, life has always been a bit stressful for me. 12 years ago, I was told I had hypothyroidism and put on meds for that, about the same time I told my dr my sex life was in the dump, so she checked my testosterone levels several times and found my levels very low, so she started me on testosterone injections. I have always had in my adult life what dad called "a nervous stomach", and my doctor one day said I had IBS. Eating cheese or drinking milk makes it much worse. I have always worked retail, standing on my feet, and my knees hurt all the time, popping and crunching if I climb stairs or squat, my mid to lower back, feet and legs hurt/ache as well. Rhuemy dr told me after tests I have ostioarthritis, and I take pain pills for that. I have toenail fungus, athletes foot, and jock itch very often. I have been given all sorts of meds for this, it always comes back. I had a very emotional period last year. My son had to be placed in a group home, and that broke my heart. Around January this year, I began feeling very tired all the time, and nervous. I took a week off of vacation, spent most of it sleeping, or lying in the bed. The week passed, and I dreaded going back to work because I was still very tired. I went to my dr, told her what was going on. She gave me something for anxiety, and something to help me sleep. She ordered many blood tests. The only remarkable tests were cortisol. At 8AM my blood cortisol was 4.3, that was low, but still in the normal range. At 4PM blood cortisol was .4, really low, and at 8PM blood cortisol was .3, also low. So I get sent to an endo for tests for Addisons. He said my numbers were in the low normal range. He let me try hydrocortisone, and said if my cortisol being low was causing my fatigue, I would feel improvement with the hydrocortisone. It did very little, if anything to improve my fatigue. So I go back to my GP, she tests me for hepatitus, all neg. I get a phone call and asked to come in again, and she said she wanted to go over some test results.
EBV AB VCA, IGG >8.0 Flagged as strong positive
EVB AB VCA, IGM <0.2 Negative
Mono Test was negative
AntiNuclear Antibodies Direct Negative
RA Latex Turbid. Result 10.3 Unit IU/ml Range 0.0-13.9
She told me that I had mono recently, that is why I am tired, and according to the test results, I was in the "convalescing" stage. I told her I had never had mono that I was aware of. I am so confused. I still feel overly tired, stay in bed a lot, I used all my vacation time and sick time and I have been out of work now for 16 weeks. No income. I cannot understand what is wrong with me now. I picked a cloudy day last week and mowed my yard on a riding mower, all I had to do was steer. It totally wiped me out for two days. I am sorry my post was so long. I am at the end of my rope. I cannot draw unemployement because I am sick. But if your dead your surviving spouse and child get a check. Your advice would be appreciated.
Thank you for letting me join the forum. I almost feel comforted in reading some of your posts, it makes me feel not alone. My story would take too long to tell in full, so here is the short version. I really need your help on what to do next. I am a 49 yr old white male, I have worked full time since age 18, and never had to miss much work. I have never been unemployeed. My health background, I have had high blood pressure since age 19, life has always been a bit stressful for me. 12 years ago, I was told I had hypothyroidism and put on meds for that, about the same time I told my dr my sex life was in the dump, so she checked my testosterone levels several times and found my levels very low, so she started me on testosterone injections. I have always had in my adult life what dad called "a nervous stomach", and my doctor one day said I had IBS. Eating cheese or drinking milk makes it much worse. I have always worked retail, standing on my feet, and my knees hurt all the time, popping and crunching if I climb stairs or squat, my mid to lower back, feet and legs hurt/ache as well. Rhuemy dr told me after tests I have ostioarthritis, and I take pain pills for that. I have toenail fungus, athletes foot, and jock itch very often. I have been given all sorts of meds for this, it always comes back. I had a very emotional period last year. My son had to be placed in a group home, and that broke my heart. Around January this year, I began feeling very tired all the time, and nervous. I took a week off of vacation, spent most of it sleeping, or lying in the bed. The week passed, and I dreaded going back to work because I was still very tired. I went to my dr, told her what was going on. She gave me something for anxiety, and something to help me sleep. She ordered many blood tests. The only remarkable tests were cortisol. At 8AM my blood cortisol was 4.3, that was low, but still in the normal range. At 4PM blood cortisol was .4, really low, and at 8PM blood cortisol was .3, also low. So I get sent to an endo for tests for Addisons. He said my numbers were in the low normal range. He let me try hydrocortisone, and said if my cortisol being low was causing my fatigue, I would feel improvement with the hydrocortisone. It did very little, if anything to improve my fatigue. So I go back to my GP, she tests me for hepatitus, all neg. I get a phone call and asked to come in again, and she said she wanted to go over some test results.
EBV AB VCA, IGG >8.0 Flagged as strong positive
EVB AB VCA, IGM <0.2 Negative
Mono Test was negative
AntiNuclear Antibodies Direct Negative
RA Latex Turbid. Result 10.3 Unit IU/ml Range 0.0-13.9
She told me that I had mono recently, that is why I am tired, and according to the test results, I was in the "convalescing" stage. I told her I had never had mono that I was aware of. I am so confused. I still feel overly tired, stay in bed a lot, I used all my vacation time and sick time and I have been out of work now for 16 weeks. No income. I cannot understand what is wrong with me now. I picked a cloudy day last week and mowed my yard on a riding mower, all I had to do was steer. It totally wiped me out for two days. I am sorry my post was so long. I am at the end of my rope. I cannot draw unemployement because I am sick. But if your dead your surviving spouse and child get a check. Your advice would be appreciated.