Greetings from Germany!! Nick's blog

Hello!

Foggy wanted to spread a little bit more awareness of how M.E. can affect anyone no matter what sex, age or location. The following blog is from a lovely man called Nick. He is Dutch but currently lives in Germany. 

Here is Nick's story....

Hello from Germany!  I am Nick and I am 28 years old 

In 2006 I was suddenly struck down with terrible joint pains and over the next 2 months the pain got worse. I went to see a rheumatologist who could not find a cause.
Soon after I became sicker and I got more and more health problems. I was getting extremely tired and I got more and more pain in my body. I went from doctor to doctor and each time I was told it's a physical health problem.
I had a lot of problems and stress with work; I was unable to work because of my health problems and my work health doctor said I wasn’t ill.
The problem was that no doctor could find anything (only arthritis and liver problems) and they said it was all in my head.
I get no benefits because I ‘do not have a disease’, it's time that ME / CFS become officially recognized as a serious illness (It’s recognised even less in Germany/Netherlands than it is in the UK -Sally).
I was no longer taken seriously, even my friends and family began to doubt whether I was really sick when doctors said they couldn’t find anything wrong.
I found it so bad that everyone thought I was just depressed and not sick! I lost everyone; I have now just my partner and parents.
People who don’t know me well call me lazy and a poser.
The biggest problem is that people see nothing because it is an invisible illness and they believe you are too lazy to work.
I may go into town once in a while and people say it can’t be that bad because I am up and about. What they do not see is that I am very sick for the next 2 weeks and have to lie in a dark room so my senses are not overstimulated.
I have now become so ill I hardly leave my house and almost never do fun activities.

Six years on and I have the following symptoms:
- Extreme fatigue

- Arthritis - pain in my whole body

- Painful lymph nodes in neck / jaw / groin

- Malaise / fever

- Stomach / intestinal pain

- Sore throat and painful salivary glands

- Low blood pressure

- Canker sores attacks

- Severe migraines

- Muscular pains

- Allergic reactions

- Chronic colds/ ear problems

- Sore arms, hands and legs /pinching sensation

- Bad eyes/Sensitivity to lights/ blurred vision

- Forgetfulness and depersonalization

- Rashes

- Abnormal liver function

- Sleep problems

After more than six years , three rheumatologists, one cardiologist, two psychologists and a number of other doctors, I still have no diagnosis.

I have been left to my own devices; it is very difficult to be positive and I am hoping there will soon be a time when research leads to diagnosis and treatment so I can start to live again!

We have to fight together!

7 years ago I was going to the disco every week and I was a very busy person. Now I find pleasure in singing birds and blue sky.

We are not crazy or lazy; we are sick people who want to live!

Never lose hope!

Thanks to Foggy for letting me tell my story.

Please follow Foggy’s campaign, donate and help to raise research funding.

Nick