Expert: Candy - 5/18/2006

Question
Dear Candy,
I am unbelievably tired and achey. Would you please provide me with symptoms of this cruel un diagnosable disease?
Im 24 years old, I have a very stable diet, get at least 8 hours of sleep a night (when I can) and dont consume alot of caffine in the evening. I am a slim build and averagely fit.
But I feel ILL. Its the only way I can describe how I am. I feel distanced from any conversation as all I find myself doing is trying sooo hard to keep my eyes open and my mind alert. Its disabling the way I feel, like im so weak and almost spaced out with prolonged tiredness. I can barely even speak properly. Its painful and hard to get up in the mornings, i just feel achy all over.
Do u think this could b something else?
What can I take or do to make myself stay awake without getting exhausted?
Id appreciate any help you can offer. Im going to see the doctor tomorrow. She thinks its depression but I feel fine in my moods, of course constant exhaustion is a bit depressing but im not that sad!
Any advice would be great!
Thank you  

Answer
Have your doctor run an Epstein Barr test, which is a simple blood test to test for the presence of the Epstein Barr Virus.  If you test positive you have Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).  Most people who have it have either had or been exposed to Mononucleosis at some point in their life.  What causes it to rear its ugly head is usually a severe illness (for me it was a kidney infection that put me in the hospital) that they just never really completely bounce back from.  If you test negative, you may look into Fibromyalgia (FM) which I know nothing about.