The Relief of Finding a Doctor Who Takes My ME/CFS Seriously

“Your test results are all perfectly normal; you’re completely healthy.” At this stage this sentence makes me want to smack my head against a brick wall.

I understand it must be hard for doctors. I sit across from them complaining of all these horrible symptoms and yet to them I look fine.

The thing is, though, they don’t see the days when I can’t get out of bed. They don’t see the nights when I toss and turn and can’t sleep even though I struggled to find the energy to get up the stairs. They don’t see me break down and sob because I don’t know how to cope.

I can tell them about all this, but still some see a “lazy 21-year-old who doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” Then comes the “advice:” “Have you tried losing weight?,” “How about not sleeping during the day?,” “Exercise more!” The kind of advice that makes me think I know more about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) than they do.

I’m one of the lucky ones, however, to have recently found a doctor who does take me seriously. He actually listens to me and believes I’m ill and that means the world. To someone who is struggling, just hearing the words “I believe you” is fantastic.

I’m still undergoing tests, and I know it might be some time before I can properly get my diagnosis, but to know I’m getting there after 10 years of struggling is amazing.

This post originally appeared on Chronic Fatigue Crusaders.

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