Idealist,

I have similar problems - the more fatigued I get and/or the more pain I have the more vunerable I am to developing new symptoms and complications.

In my case, my doctors believe it is because of the underlying autoimmune illness -- at this point they don't know what autoimmune illness it is, they just know that something autoimmune is going on, but they can't define it except to call it "undifferentiated connective tissue disease" (a fancy name for "we don't know what it is").

Anyway, I can relate to your experiences.

Have you ever tried treating the fatigue?

My doctors treat my fatigue 2 ways. The first way is that I take Klonopin and Trazodone at bedtime to help me sleep better, and the second part is that I take Provigil every morning to help me wake up and stay awake. It helps a LOT, because the crushing fatigue was constantly causing pain/symptom flares, and now that the fatigue is better the fatigue-related flares have subsided.

Have you ever been tested for autoimmune stuff? A high WBC and lower body temp can be a sign of autoimmune illness ---- they can be a sign for a lot of things, but autoimmune is one of them and a lot of people with autoimmune problems are usually mis-diagnosed with fibro, myofascial pain, CFS, etc... before the doctors stumble upon the autoimmune aspect.