fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome

reneeisorym

I remember when I was in the dubs, there were tons of sisters all with the same set of mild depression and fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrom symptoms. I wonder if this was related to the hell JWs put you through or if it was just something one woman had to have because the other did. I haven't heard of hardly anyone having it outside of the dubs but in the congregation about 75% of the women had it! Did any of you experience seeing or experiencing any of this? My mom is one of those women. I would like to think that life really could get better for her if she left in lots of ways.

Renee

fullofdoubtnow

I didn't have that, but I'd say at least 60% of the congregation did experience those type of symptoms, and some of them were quite ill. It seems to be a common complaint in jws, maybe because of the pressure the org puts them under.

heatherg

I knew lots while I was in, now ironically now that I've been out for 10 yrs I now have sever fibromyalgia.... maybe I should go back HA!!!

reneeisorym

That is so sad..... I saw so many suffering with this problem. It makes me mad to think that the WT could be the cause for some.

By the way: don't go back in.!!

blondie

There are so many possibilities or probabilities.

I have known JWs to use this to hide an alcoholism problem (male and female).

Autoimmune diseases can be dormant in someone and stress can bring it out or trigger it.

I have met JWs (and non-JWs) who are hypochondriacs who seem to develop every disease/condition popular in the congregation. I remember in the 80's it was hypoglycemia.

I think many JWs just can't or don't like the schedule the WTS demands of them. They are able to excuse themselves without guilt if they have a legitimate disease.

Unless someone comes along and say:

"Brother Crippled and in Constant Pain gets in 40 hours a month. Why can't you?" Not that the person asking is getting in 40 hours themselves.

Blondie

Dismembered

Greetings Renee,

I have. Mostly from hypochondriactical ones who'd deserve it if those ailments were for real.

Dismembered

juni

heatherg you have a PM

Juni

MsMcDucket

I keep wondering if that's what I have? This tiredness started during one of my hospitalizations. Actually, I was being treated for out of control diabetes. My doctor comes in and says you know that your lymphocyte count is high. Your white cell count has been high for some time. She says I'm going to be contacting Dr. Moore (hematologist/oncologist). He runs some test and said that he didn't see any cancerous cells that it's probably a viral infection. Well the lymphocytosis continues after my dismissal and plus I developed neutropenia. The hematologist did a bone marrow biopsy, which shows lymphocytosis and neutropenia (but it's not high enough or low enough to call cancer). He says that it could be myelodysplasia. By this time, I'm starting to feel fatigued at work and having hot and cold flashes. I went back to my endocrinologist and she says that I'm going through menopause and puts me on Prempro. I still fill like crap. I end up taking sick leave from my job.

My lymphocytes are still high. The hematologist runs test for Epstein Barr. The test come back positive. Positive for a recent exposure, which is weird because most people have been exposed to the Epstein Barr virus by the time they reach adulthood. Most people my age have been exposed and will test positive for exposure to the virus, but not for a recent or current exposure.

So, here it is a year or more later and my lymphocytes are still messed up. They will not called it Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because of the elevated lymphocytes and Epstein Barr virus exposure. So, I could have something called Chronic Epstein Barr Infection.

I've got to find a doctor that specializes in this to get it diagnosed. I contacted the department of Human Health and Social Services because they are looking for people with this disorder. I'll let you know if they pick me for one of their testing programs.

Ironhead

I know many sisters who have CFS, and they also seem to suffer from depression. I have asked these sisters what hospital and which specialist have they seen for their illness.The answer I've always get back is that they got the symptoms of CFS as outlined in the August 92 Awake, and haven't seen a doctor for it. This really annoys me, as my wife has been seeing a specialist for years, plus she was born with a disability, which may have contributed to it. None of these sisters work, she does, full-time. She has been told by the doc to pace herself and do an normal routine everyday, but don't over do things, and she's a very cheerful woman.

tall penguin

I was diagnosed with cfs/fm at the age of 17, before the awake article came out. After it was released, a number of cases popped up in the organization. Whether these were legitimate or not, I don't know. All I know is that I'm no longer a jw and I still have these conditions.

From what I know of these illnesses, there is possibly a genetic component, something to do with the mitochondrial dna. Yes, stress may exacerbate symptoms and being a jw is stressful. But so is life in general.

tall penguin

fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome

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