Recovery from flu-like symptoms
I can recall my first feeling of being unwell back to the Summer of 1999. I had been suffering from flu-like symptoms and instead of taking time off to rest I continued going to work and trying to do the activities I was used to doing like playing football, tennis, golf etc. Over the next few months my health progressively got worse. While participating in sporting activities I would feel tired very quickly almost to the point of fainting and vomiting. This was something alien to someone like me who enjoyed their sport and considered themselves physically fit. Just as noticeable was the period of the time after any kind of physical activity in which it took me to recover. As a result every activity became a struggle. After finishing work I would collapse and be unable to do anything else that night. Incidentally I work in an office which, although busy at that particular time, was not labour extensive and therefore I did not consider work to be a hinderance to my health. I especially remember mornings being particularly difficult. Now most people do not like getting up for work but this was becoming almost physically impossible for me drag myself out of bed. When I did get up I found myself invariably being sick and feeling awful. At this point I was taking paracetamol, ibuprofen, pretty much anything I could get hold off to make me feel better while at work. As well as the feeling lethargy and weakness I was sweating constantly and finding it difficult to concentrate.
While driving to work on Tuesday 2nd November I started suffering with excruciating pains across my chest. Obviously my first thoughts were ‘I’m having a heart attack’. I drove straight to A&E and was checked over and various tests were done including blood pressure cardiography tests. The doctor strongly advised me to take the remainder of the week off and see my GP the next week. I remember going home and sleeping for hour upon hour but instead of feeling better I felt continuously worse. Constant sickness, sweating, muscle weakness, fatigue and dehydration were compounded with loss of appetite and weight loss. Mornings were the biggest struggle as it became increasingly difficult to get out of bed. After 12 hours of sleep I would still feel physically exhausted and while attempting to get in the shower would invariably be sick. The whole getting out of bed, showering and getting dressed process became a 11/2 hour operation. This dramatic decline in health was obviously a big concern to my partner and I. After an initial visit to my GP I was told I was suffering from depression and to go home at rest. I started to take my first prescribed medication at this time – Flouxetine (Prozac). Of course rest was not a problem as that was all I was able to do without feeling bad or uncomfortable. However, it got to the point where even constant rest was not comfortable as I would wake up in the middle of the night with such bad sweats that the sheets would have to be removed and also being violently sick. I was vomiting blood and feeling as low and ill as I could ever imagine. At this point I became extremely worried and feared the worst. Subsequent visits to my GP were met with more concern as my symptoms both increased and also deteriorated. I forgot the amount of blood and urine tests which were taken over the next few months, but it was a lot. Differing results were being recorded. Some of the findings ranged from a low white blood cell count to an abnormal liver function to an underactive thyroid function and it was at this point I was given my second lot of prescribed medication – Thyroxine.
At this time I was also encouraged to try a newly developed energy inducing food supplement called Immufix® to help get me through the day. I have absolutely no doubts that this addition to my diet helped me get kick started in the morning and it is no coincidence that improvements started being made at this time, although they were slow and intermittent. Some days were still bad but the good days were becoming more frequent.
To bring you up to date I returned to work on a part time basis in May 2000. In June 2000 I married my partner Michelle who had helped me with this illness and continues to do so. I returned to work on a full time basis in September 2000 with the allowance that I was still susceptible to having days where I would be weary and fatigued.
I continue with Immufix® and I am working full time again.
Brian from Huntingdon.