Starting my journey

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I'm so thankful for this site. I don't know if a cure will come my way, but at least there is community here.

I'm a 35 year old, who in January of last year (2015) took on a new job and was pushing himself teaching a number of fitness classes including spin classes. I was probably physically the healthiest...but also most stressed...I've been my whole life. In March of 2015 I learned I had mono which appeared to clear up in about 4-6 weeks. I felt recovered over the summer, but as fall proceeded last year a number of strange events found me backing away from my typical activities. I had a number of instances where I felt nervous and panicky when I never had before, such as in loud restaurants or meetings at work. At the same time these experiences were accompanied by an overwhelming need to lay down. A few weeks in an overwhelming tiredness and panic before a flight left me unable to fly to Canada on a trip I had planned all summer.

As fall changed to winter (if I'm allowed to say we have winter in Florida) I became more and more tired. Often dropping my fitness classes, thankful each work week that I had saved extra vacation days for the end of the year. During the first weekend of 2016 I had a terrible fever and though it passed, I only made it through two days of work before coming home to pass out in exhaustion. I missed six days of work and gradually transitioned to 1/2, 3/4, and eventually full time days over a month's period. It was painfully hard to make it through my work day. As I lead a team I was constantly questioning their perceptions of me during this tie, but mostly they thought I was okay. I waited to sleep each evening and all weekend. I was very disappointed as I experienced a sore throat and tiredness the next day after I even tried to exercise.

After working with several therapists and a psychiatrist - all of which led me to realize that depression and anxiety were not my root issue - I began reading more about CFS. We tried several antidepressants before landing on Cymbalta which at least numbed the nervousness a bit. Finally in April of 2016 I was able to go visit Dr. Dantini in Ormond Beach. I had my GP test me for mono beforehand and had found my IGG levels at 4x (3.68) the norm, which based on his book, is Dr. Dantini's base for prescribing Valtrex. I'm on 1000mg 3x a day of Valtrex and 1000mg 3x a day of L-Lysine. I felt VERY GOOD two weeks in, but now through my third week I found myself experiencing another weekend in bed. My initial hopes for a quick recovery have vanished, but I'm feeling hopeful for now as I was able to recognize the illness quickly and find a doctor with experince. Fingers crossed at this point.