Help! Fatigue due to physical illness or depression?

Hey all,

Sorry for posting in this section (just joined and am not sure where the right area is, I also just posted in the chronic fatigue syndrome section), I'm just desperate and I'm worried if I might have chronic fatigue syndrome or another physical ailment. Basically my question is, how do you tell whether chronic fatigue is due to depression or another physical ailment?

In addition to bad fatigue these past few months, I've also had a lot of weakness in my legs (sometimes they feel shaky going up and down the stairs), frequent headaches, some slightly painful palpitations (but it's usually only like one/two skipped beat/s at a time) and more recently, frequent dizziness/nausea/bad balance. Routine blood work came back normal and I've been told not to worry, and that perhaps these symptoms are due to depression. However, while I have felt down sometimes this past year, I have started seeing a therapist (who did not diagnose me with depression), and my mood has been getting better while my physical symptoms have gotten worse. Could this possibly still be due to depression? I'm worried that it could be due to something else, but because it's assumed to be due to depression it won't actually be alleviated/will get worse.

Have any of you guys experienced this? How did you guys discover that you had chronic fatigue syndrome, or depression, or etc?

I'm frustrated because I can't get referred to have more specialized tests to rule other things out, since I've been told twice that I'm probably having all of these physical symptoms due to depression (Also worried that this is a gender stereotype?)

Thank you for your time.

WJ

I strongly suggest finding another doctor that is willing to work with you.

Yes it seems like an overwhelming prospect when you feel as you do. However it must be done, we all must be advocates for ourselves, for no one knows how we feel but us.

Depression cause anxiety because it limits us, dark thoughts scare us, fear is new and palatable. This can cause panic attacks, all of which can cause faitque.

I wish you peace and strength.
Trina

I also advise you to get a 2nd opinion.

But, you might check out your meds. Is drowsiness a side effect of any?

Have you had a sleep study done? You don't have to snore or have sleep apnea to have a sleep disorder. Do you wake up often? You might not be going through all the stages of sleep in the correct amount or order. Odd noises can take you out of a sleep stage and take you back to start, eliminating the stages that are the best for you. Look up sleep deprivation, it is amazing what all it can include if you have it. My neuro swore I had MS or a few other debilitating diseases. After running all the tests it wasn't any of them. I was so sleep deprived that it made my body shut down.

Have your thyroid and also your vit D level checked. Also potassium and B levels and probably others as well if they have been in awhile.

Remember, though Chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia and other diseases don't always show up on any test. It's a process of elimination and study of SX and touch.

Hope you get it figured out soon.