Would someone on this board please help me and take my case. I will fill out the questionaire as best I can to get started.

First Name: Mary
Age:46
Height: 5:6"
Weight: 142

CHIEF COMPLAINT:

1. What is your chief complaint (CC)?

Loss of vitality (fatigue and mood). Accelerated aging. Feel like I have gone from 30's to 60's. Need more sleep, still wake groggy, no willpower, lack of energy and movitation even to do things that I used to enjoy, lessened libido and satisfaction, often depressed, sad or angry, disallusioned, sometimes brain fog. Flabby droopy body and weight gain.

2. When did this problem begin? What happened in
your life around that time? What do you think
caused it?
Gradually came over past 4 years. When I think back, I wanted another child and around age 41 or so for various reasons decided to accept and give up. I then decided to focus on myself and wanted to lose weight. Since I was no longer trying to get pregnant, I went on an Ephedra based diet supplement. It worked, I dropped around 10 lbs and felt so great. But I felt guilty that it was bad for my health so I stopped taking it. When I did, I felt wiped out and slept for a few days. Ever since then, I feel my energy level has never returned to what it had been.
3. What aggravates the CC and what brings it on?

Noticed I have become more sensitive to noise. I find the din of my children tiring whereas I never minded before. I am better with company. Small disappointments, a cross look from my husband, disobedience from my children can set me off again (whereas before I was more resilient). More rest makes it better (temporarily) or having time for myself. I am often either too hot or too cold. Praying makes it better but I can't always bring myself to do it. Finishing tasks makes me feel better, if I can actually accomplish something but usually I am feeling so overwhelmed that I can't get started (for example, my taxes) - but that's not new it has always been that way for me.
4. At what time of the day or night is the CC the
worst? Specify an hour if you can.
Groggy in the morning and have trouble facing the day. Irritable and sleepy after 9PM. Energy is okay once I get my day started, but generally feel malaise.
5. What symptoms can you identify that accompany
the CC?

Weight gain and bloating (my highest weight ever), lack of motivation, feeling of giving up, life is over, feeling that I am sliding towards death, fear of something major wrong which is sucking my energy like cancer, I know I need to diet or at least eat healthier but have zero willpower and motivation, hypersensitive to smells, disgusted with myself and my body, never thought I would be the kind of person who lets themselves go like this (lack of exercise or care about appearance). Often get toe or leg cramps which goes away only when I drink orange juice. Lately with the weight gain I am extremely itchy all over especially my torso and legs and my skin is dry. My hair has thinned considerably become dry and seems to be still falling out. Had a hormone profile (30 day saliva test) and they said I needed progesterone. Did that for a few months but it made no discernable difference. Also said I was high in testosterone and high in estrogen which surprises me.

GENERAL QUESTIONS
6. Environment: no difference
I usually like to bundle up and be warm and comfortable. Often leave my coat on in the house until I really warm up (which can be awhile). But once too overheated, takes me a while to cool down. I don't like drafts unless I am really hot.

7. What position is most uncomfortable for you? no difference

8. a)Do you tend to be chilly or warm? see 6.
b) Do you perspire a great deal?
When I exercise (not lately) I sweat a lot. In the summer, if i play tennis, when most women are wiping their brow, I have to change my shirt because it is completely saturated. I feel good after a workout like this but don't get the opportunity anymore.

9. Describe what your tongue looks like.
Thick and large with lots of texture and patches (not smooth).

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL
10. What do you worry about? How do you deal with
worries?
I worry about my kids, their behavior, their faith (or lack of), their future. I either obsess and go on a crusade to find a solution or vent to my friends or just procrastinate and bury or push my worries aside. I worry about my mother who is battling pancreatic cancer. I worry about losing the love of my husband because I am not the wife I want to be.
11. How do you keep your house/your desk/your room/your study/your bathroom? Messy, I have always been scattered. Yet I hate disorganization! But as soon as I clean up and create a system, it gets unorganized all over again.
12. How easily do you cry? In what situations? Not easily, usually I am stoic and cry only when alone. I cry over a movie or when someone has hurt my feelings or at a funeral. Lately I have been more weepy than usual.
13. When you are upset, what do you do to help yourself feel better?

I yell or vent which doesn't usually help. But if I feel that someone understands me and I feel validated, it helps a lot. Exercise or some other total distraction helps. Sleep and prayer helps.
14. What makes you angry? What do you do when you're angry?

I hate when my concerns are dismissed or when I am being ignored. I get outraged when my kids are disrespectful or defiant - mostly because I feel like an utter failure at the most important job of my life. Sometimes being with friends or having a glass of wine helps or just getting distance from the situation. Praying helps.

15. Do you have an emotion that predominates; such as anger, depression, irritability, anxiety, jealousy, joy...or possibly two emotions that tend to alternate predictably?
It used to be that anger was predominant. But lately it is sadness despair and frustration. I feel beaten up by my situation and defeated with no energy to fight anymore.
16. What fears do you have?
Fear of losing my family. Fear of death. Fear of being alone.
17. What have been the most difficult circumstances in your life? How did you cope? Distance between me and my husband, not feeling fulfilled and not having him understand me.
18. What are the greatest joys you have had in
your life? When my husband and I are in tune with each other, the birth of my children and other family milestones, when I see my children touched by the word of God, when I am dancing or singing or playing the guitar.

Wow, this is long. I am going to continue in a separate post so that I don't risk losing the whole thing.

Mary