Be careful who you room with

[Margaret Diann]

College is starting up soon. Be careful, student, who you room with!

"Do I have CFS?"
I was wondering if those of you out there could maybe confirm for me if I have CFS, since im sure many of you have been dealing with it for a while. Around a month ago I was feeling healthy as can be, on a trip in california with my buddies. When one day I suddenly felt like I had the flu. It came up out of nowhere and completely took me down. Since then I have gotten every blood test you can name, ive gotten an MRI on my head. And ive done skin tests, you name it. And nothing has helped, this is what has led me to believe I have CFS. My symptoms include:
-Really bad brain fog, confusion.
-Extreme fatigue, I am constantly tired and never up for anything.
-I feel hot, mostly at night...but to the touch of someone else they say I feel cold. Which is confusing.
-When I wake up from sleeping over 10 hours Im still dead, haven't felt refreshed in over a month.
-Not as social as I used to be, depressed...and really frustrated.

This has not been letting up at all, the doctors have no answers for me...I have an appointment setup to see a Neurologist. Should I even be going? Thats the next doctor my main doctor suggested I go see...mainly because of my bad brain fog. What Im asking is do these symptoms relate to what you guys started off with? The fatigue is relentless and I basically feel useless 24/7. Im 18 years old, decent physical condition. Dont see how this could have came up on me. Also when it hit, I started off with a swollen gland in my throat...and ive been reading on here about that sometimes being part of the problem.

Thanks for any help you guys can give me. Since im heading off to college very soon, I dont want this to be a burden my whole time there.

Thanks again for any information you guys can help me out with.
Sincerely,
Trevor

getting my family to believe I have CFS isn't going really as planned. I dont think they understand exactly what im feeling. Plus its hard to explain what the Brain fog feels like, and the constant feeling of not wanting to do anything. Anyway im heading to Hi Health today to pick up some of the vitamins, ill buy some herbs to that stormsyke listed, and give those a try. Also when when I came down with it, I felt like I had the flu at first...this was a month ago. I came down with strong nauseau the first day, then the brain fog and fatigue came quickly after. About a week after this happened the symptoms were still strong

Trevor, you say, "one day I suddenly felt like I had the flu."

What was different on this day?

This looks like exposure to 2-butoxyethanol

I suspect it is the cause of CFS or actually, more correctly, CFIDS

Even if someone new entered onto the scene ... with you and your buddies that day ... because the 2nd hand solvent exposure (getting in your eyes the vapors that someone can expel in their breath - is an exposure too!) Did anyone else get 'the flu?' If not, what did you do differently than they?

Definitions on CFS etc www.valdezlink.com/cfid_share.htm

and more about what I'm talking about. I added links to this basic page on what this chemical can do
www.valdezlink.com/acute.htm

... hoping doctors will check more in the blood in immune system. This chemical damages the Central Nervous System, so in my opinion you can skip the neurologist -

But I would find a doctor to do some of these other checks to find the fatigue. I suspect it is compensating autoimmune hemolytic anemia. That's what this chemical causes. www.valdezlink.com/why_fatigue.htm

PS

I would be concerned for the person you are sharing your dorm room with. I learned about this chemical because someone in my family was harmed by it. Right after the 'bioremediation experiment' of the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup, 1989 there were 1,000 young men that returned to college, or like you, went to college for the first time.

Now that I've learned about this chemical & how someone can be affected 2nd hand from someone else, I would surely watch carefully how your dorm room person is doing. Maybe even ask for a private room for health reasons.

So, sad that EPA has 'delisted' EGBE. The chemical companies successfully lobbied them saying that 2-butoxyethanol does not bioaccumulate & NOW there is not need to put the pesticide EPA registration number on Lysol Tub 'n tile or disclose in anything. No limits on how much of this chemical can be released from manufacturing plants such as in dry cleaning and plastics industries, etc etc

Thanks for giving me this extra info Mother ill look into it for sure. When I came down with the flu feeling it started as real bad nausea in the afternoon, I had dranken alot of beers the night before so I thought maybe just a bad hangover. But by the 3rd day it was still strong, so I knew it wasnt a hangover. I cant recall anything different I did that day, and no one else got sick. Im still awaiting a lyme diesase test. And im on my second day in the dorm and I feel incredibly bad. I had to expel alot of walking energy today around campus, and this whole night ive felt like I have a severe flu. Also last night I couldnt sleep to save my life. I was up from 6 am to 10am just looking at the clock rolling side to side. Im going home tommorow to hopefully make a doctors appointment to get my lyme test and rule it out. Im gonna have to get out of the dorm there is no way I can pull this off. Constant partying and staying up...I just can't do it with my condition. And its hard because of all the peer pressure to stay here with my buddies so I dont know what im gonna say... But ill look more into your information Margaret and tell that to my doctor. I want to thank you guys for all the help youve been giving me. Its makin it easier to figure this out. The frustration now, is immense. Ive been this way almost two months now and you do get suicidal tendencies. Im holding in there though and plan to beat this anyway I can and still go to school. Ill keep you guys updated. Take care, Trevor

I think that you may have been sitting next to someone that was strongly exposed. In a bar situation, you may have gotten exposed to the chemical I'm concerned about .... second hand

Did your eyes burn and hurt?

Please ask your doctor to check the retic count. It might be elevated & a clue early on, that there is autoimmune hemolytic anemia - the fatigue (biomarker of 2-butoxyethanol poisoning)

http://www.valdezlink.com/check_blood.htm#retic

Ask if the red blood cells look 'ragged and beat up'

Personally, I wouldn't be concerned with Lyme disease test. Lots of other things like that and thyroid go on to add the signs of 2-butoxyethanol poisoning. The signs are there, in my opinion, because they are a 2ndary effect of this chemical, too ... so of course, the other signs are noticed.

Ive made the decision to move out of the dorm. With my condition there is no way I can attempt to take it easy and rest. So the way I see it im just killing myself trying to live there. I will move back home and take it easy. Still attending school, this way Ill be able to get more sleep and also eat healthier. Trevor

An example of 2nd hand solvent Exposure:

Trevor .... THINK .... who were you sitting next to a lot that night? Or did you spend time with someone different than the group? What kind of work did they do?

I can give you an example of 2nd hand solvent exposure:
http://www.valdezlink.com/gwv/2nd-hand.htm

http://www.valdezlink.com/hb/allergic_eyes.htm
Do you remember your eyes burning and hurting?

Also, please air out the house so your mom and dad don't get a chemical exposure 2nd hand also. I was visiting with a lady who commented to me that her CFS started in 1990. I exclaimed, "Peggy, did your son who worked on the Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup come to live with you after that job he did in 1989?" Her answer, "YES"

[Army_Brat84]

The first statement about being careful who you room with is very important. All you parents out there listen up. I speak from experience as a college senior, who had a bad roommate experience. It was my first year and while it started off good, gradually friends would be over playing video games around midnight while I am trying to sleep. And (pray your son/daughter doesn't go through this) he brought a girl into the room while I was asleep and I was awakened by them doing the nasty (apologize for that, but this is what you may face). Firm rules between the roommates must be hammered out within the first couple of days of being on campus if you are going to have a good experience. My experience turned me off of roommates for the next two years. Now going into my last year, I am rooming with someone from my class, who I know well, so it should be better. Here are two tips for parents and students:

1. Be very specific in what qualities you expect in your roommate. Remember this is someone with whom you will be living with in a small space for about nine months. If necessary have your parents talk to your school's director of residence life. I know this sounds like you are still a little kid, but you and your parents are paying good money not to have to put up with BS from someone else's kid.

2. Always meet with your RA (Resident's Assistant). Parents you may want to do this as well. They are paid to handle these things and can help your student if trouble does arise.

Having a roommate is one of those experiences that comes with college so take my advice and it should be a great time for you. To all you first year students, enjoy your time in college because it goes by quicker than you think. Parents, don't try to fight all of your child's battles on campus (only ones that they may not be able to handle, like administration and professors). Let them make mistakes and solve the little problems themselves. Also, let them know that they can call you anytime (I still call my parents every couple of days to talk). Best of luck.