ME/CFS or just POTS/EDS fatigue?

long post, TL;DR at the end :)))

Hi everyone, I’ve recently felt as though my fatigue symptoms I’m experiencing are much worse than what I usually feel, and was wondering how to distinguish between ‘regular’ pots or eds fatigue and me/cfs?

I’ve just started sixth form/college this year, and I’ve been really struggling with it, a lot more than I was struggling last year. I’ve always experienced flares after over-exerting myself (due to pots and eds), but generally these would either not feel the same as how i am now, or get better if I slept a lot…

Last year, let’s say I could go for a quick walk around the park if I was feeling good, and I’d get home tired and in pain, but unless I didn’t sleep well/much that night, then it’d usually be quite a bit better by the morning. But now I feel as though I can handle much less.

This year, it’s been like, I’ll spend more time out the house than usual (even if sitting down a lot, taking the bus/train, etc.), and it just entirely wears me out. On my way back I’ll begin to feel nauseated, dizzy, in pain, and get a migraine, even if i didn’t actually do much? After I sleep that night, maybe not as much as I’m supposed to, but something I’d usually feel ok with (~6-7 hours), I still feel completely out of it and exhausted, and even if i get more like 8-10h, not much changes…

I’ve been really upset because of this at the moment, I can just handle my lessons but I’ve had to be made exempt from enrichment, and I can’t do anything else I’d usually do like, go out shopping quick for makeup or clothes if I need any, and I feel gross about this but, I’ve only been able to shower like once a week with help, because I cannot handle anything else. And I’ve even had to stop studying as much as I was, because I feel literally just like my brain will not work??

To me, this doesn’t feel like my ‘regular’ fatigue I’d experience with pots or eds, but if it is, I’ll be happy to admit I’m wrong. I’ve heard pots & eds are more easily treated/managed, so of course, I wouldn’t be just asking this for no reason and not admit if i’m wrong. But if anyone could help, that would be really appreciated, thanks.

———————————————

TL;DR: Can’t do things in the week Im usually okay with due to this making me feel awful, not much better with sleep. Have pots and eds, but feels significantly worse to flare-ups I’ve had before, and wondering how to tell whether it is just this or me/cfs.

‘Awful’ includes feeling: fatigued, nauseated, dizzy, and just generally ‘out of it’ (like my brain can’t function properly?).

Can just about handle school, haven’t been able to study/do work as much, but always feel this way after the week is done, have to have naps after school to make it through the evening without feeling just like, dead.