My story began (according to mri professor creed) in the middle of my high school years 1994 to be precise and, considering I had just had an operation on my arm, I was a happy normal child. I was 14, had friends, a happy home and a LIFE.
This, as I was about to find out, was all going to change.

I was at school one day when I slipped and fell on the arm that I had just had the operation on causing great pain. My friends carried me to the school nurse where I had an epileptic fit. My life from then on turned for the worst. I started to feel tired a lot, not able to do activities I loved to enjoy and I kept on passing out for no apparent reason.

So to the doctors I went with my mum. I was referred to hospital for routine blood test to rule out other illnesses Bloods came back fine and was told it was probably stress about my GCSEs. By this time I wouldn't go out afraid that it would keep happening and I was too tired.

I kept pushing myself, left school, got a job but still the problems persisted. So back to a different doctor but same routine bloods back fine. Was told probably stress about new job so I continued thinking it was all in my head, that how I was feeling was normal. Hah!

I married my boyfriend and joyfully found out I was pregnant. I got a lot worse. There were days that I couldn't move. I kept on crying, hating myself thinking I should be happy, full of energy. I was only 20 years old and I just felt exhausted I couldn't enjoy it.

My son arrived and the exhaustion stayed worse than before I was pregnant, so yet again back to the doctors. Same tests, same outcome. This time diagnosis was being a new mum. I felt like screaming. How many more excuses were the medical profession going to find for me?

Anyway I carried on with my life thinking it was `NORMAL'. Fell pregnant again - this time I got worse. Still I had to finish work 2 months before I was due because I kept on passing out and taking days off for feeling really ill with chest infections and colds. I moved and I still felt the same. I returned to work and same problems of always feeling ill colds, stomach problems, chest infections, aching muscles, dizziness etc.etc.
I was at work one day when I told a friend of mine how frustrated I was when she told me about a friend of hers suffering the same symptoms. She told me about M.E. So I went back to the doctors. I didn't tell him what I thought it was at that point - didn't want to seem like I wanted him to tell me that's what I had.
He asked me to have the same bloods. They came back the same as they always had and I half expected him to say that it was down to me being alive by that point but I found this doctor actually listened. So I explained what my friend had told me and he referred me to Professor Creed.
When I saw him he took down details of my life and was able to tell me that I had classic symptoms of M.E and was able to pinpoint the time that it started.
I was so relieved I burst into tears I had for so long been told it was stress and in my head that there was nothing wrong with me.
That was 18 months ago. I have since left my job and resting as much as I can.

Please don't let doctors do to you what they did to me. Fight their answer before its too late for a recovery.