Out of the 48 accounts with a clear outcome; 1 more don’t say how it went.
How it went
Did it last?
- 13 of 49 said the benefit wore off (including the 5 who relapsed).
- 4 of 49 needed to keep doing it to stay well.
Read from what people wrote. A story that ends without a follow-up counts as lasting, so treat these as minimums.
| Outcome described | Accounts | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Full recovery | 11 | 23% |
| Near-full | 5 | 10% |
| Substantial | 16 | 33% |
| Partial | 10 | 21% |
| Relapsed | 5 | 10% |
| No benefit | 1 | 2% |
| Outcome unclear | 1 | — |
By how ill people were
| Severity at worst | How it went | n | Recovered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | 2 | 50% | |
| Severe | 23 | 43% | |
| Very severe | 12 | 33% |
12 accounts don’t say how ill the person was.
Who published these accounts
Right-hand number: share describing a full or near-full recovery. Pages that sell something, and advocacy sites, tend to publish only the successes.
Specific treatments in these accounts
- TreatmentHow it wentRecoveredFaded
- Craniocervical fusion / tethered cord15 accounts
47% 7%
- B12 injections and methylation5 accounts
20% 0%
- Thyroid (T3, T4, NDT)5 accounts
0% 0%
- Selenium, iodine, minerals4 accounts
0% 25%
- Sinus, jaw and tonsil surgery4 accounts
75% 0%
- Antifungals3 accounts
0% 67%
- NAC and glutathione3 accounts
0% 33%
- Herbal and Chinese medicine3 accounts
0% 33%
- Omega-3 and fish oil3 accounts
0% 33%
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork3 accounts
33% 0%
Within the accounts on this page. Grey numbers rest on fewer than 10 accounts.
All 49 accounts
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Improvement story
Across several posts spanning 2023-2026, Gzephyr describes climbing out of EBV-reactivation-driven CFS using valacyclovir as a base, adding NAC and intermittent fasting, and finally a tonsillectomy in early 2025. He says he went from severe (~8/10 fatigue,…
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Has anyone achieved remission or recovery from treatment by any doctor?
Took 25mg of spironolactone plus 4.5mg of low-dose naltrexone (LDN), while already on physiologic cortisol replacement for non-functioning adrenals, following the approach from the Campo and Taylor 2021 clinical trial. The page does not state how long they…
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On the road to recovery from Long Covid
Lauren combined nicotine patches at one-eighth of a patch daily through December with a broad daily supplement regimen, including CoQ10 100mg, Ionic Fulvic Acid 1ml three times a day, Hawthorn Leaves 5ml, and products like Adrenal Complex, Adreno Active,…
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156: Dr. David Hanscom: Surgery and Meds DON'T Solve Chronic Symptoms (Here's What Does)
Credits mind body. David had ME/CFS and is listed among the recovery accounts. Spine surgeon/author, expert not patient.
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This surgery fuses people's skulls to their spines to treat ME-overlapping condition
Jen Brea underwent craniocervical fusion performed by Dr. Paolo Bolognese, using two 2.5-centimeter titanium bars and six screws to fuse her top two vertebrae to her skull and lift her head by 4 millimeters, followed about two weeks later by tethered cord…
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Severe ME/CFS 2013, Remission 2017, Relapse, Remission Dec 2022
Treating what she frames as underlying candida/parasite causes with a long, MD/PhD-supervised rotation of antifungals, antiparasitics and herbs, GlacierBloom reached remission by December 2022 after being severe/bedridden from 2013-2017 and again after a…
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A Patch On It: Melissa's Cerebral Spinal Fluid Leak ME/CFS Recovery Story
Melissa's health declined after a jarring spinal injury in 2019 and she spent a year bedbound with extreme cognitive impairment, having been misdiagnosed with tickborne illness, narcolepsy and POTS. A CT myelogram finally found a spinal fluid leak, and five…
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Recovery (Living with Long COVID group)
User jsmock63 had surgery to remove most of their right lung, followed by six months of the antifungal voriconazole; no dose is given, and the pre-surgery illness severity or duration isn't described on the page. They reported feeling "pretty good" at 6 and…
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ME/CFS in remission from Mold Avoidance
Despite comorbid craniocervical instability, mold avoidance "still helped" and affected symptoms like sound sensitivity and POTS, which he calls "the most impressive [treatment] I've done YET." He says he never achieved full remission from mold avoidance…
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Craniocervical Instability, Neurosurgery and M.E.: Just the Facts, Please - An Editorial by Jeff Wood
After years bedridden with severe ME and a craniocervical instability diagnosis confirmed with objective structural testing, Jeff Wood had skull-to-C2 fusion surgery in January 2018, followed by a second neurosurgery to release a tethered spinal cord. He…
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List of ME/CFS Recovery and Improvement Stories
Took a single 10mg dose of isosorbide dinitrate, a nitrate drug, and within weeks went from severe ME/CFS to full remission, a three-level gain. That remission held for eight years before relapsing after a minor surgery. No retreatment or further outcome is…
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List of ME/CFS Recovery and Improvement Stories
jeff_w is listed reaching remission from severe ME/CFS following craniocervical instability fusion surgery, per the compiled list.
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Adrienne Dellwo Shares Her Fibromyalgia Remission Story
Adrienne Dellwo's regimen included low-dose naltrexone at 3mg (compounded, versus a standard 30mg dose per the article), plus rhodiola rosea, L-theanine, vitamin B and D, a custom herbal blend and acupuncture from her rheumatologist, meditation, yoga, a…
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Health Update #4: Recovery is a %*#*&$@!
Jennifer Brea had been managing severe ME for about 8 years with Valcyte, Valtrex, Mestinon, and fludrocortisone plus mold avoidance, which had only brought her from severe to moderate; in November 2018 she underwent three surgeries over six weeks — a…
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The Temporary ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Recovery Stories (anesthesia case)
A 53-year-old woman with severe ME/CFS and fibromyalgia, functioning at about 15 per cent, underwent an unrelated ten-hour surgery under general anaesthesia. Her functional level jumped to roughly 70 per cent, with brain fog, flu-like feelings and…
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Twitter status re: Karen
Index entry (relayed by JenB) credits Karen with CCI fusion surgery for ME/CFS improvement. Twitter/X content could not be fetched, so no further detail on duration of illness, severity, or durability beyond the index claim is available.
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A College Dropout Cures Himself: Could Doug Lindsay's Story Inform ME/CFS?
Doug Lindsay, a former college track athlete, spent 20 years ill and 11 bedridden after being diagnosed with bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia, an extremely rare condition with only 32 prior known cases. An IV drip of Levophed gave temporary relief,…
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Trauma, EMDR helped remove a lot of pain from my body
After more than a decade of ME/CFS with chronic kidney/adrenal pain and stimulant intolerance, did EMDR therapy followed by about two years of Internal Family Systems (IFS) work with a former Buddhist monk. Reports kidney pain subsiding for the first time in…
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Jennifer Brea's Recovering Story: the Spinal Series Pt II (Mattie)
The same post describes Mattie, a web developer in the Netherlands whose ME/CFS began in 2010 with a gradual decline to being mostly bedridden. Three months after craniocervical and atlantoaxial fusion surgery she was no longer mostly bedridden and her POTS,…
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Jennifer Brea's Amazing ME/CFS Recovering Story: the Spinal Series Pt II
Jennifer Brea, the Unrest filmmaker, had been wheelchair-dependent for nearly all of her eight-year illness, at her lowest with breathing difficulties, flaccid limbs, numbness and speech problems. About six months before this post she underwent spinal…
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Kiki overcomes POTS, MECFS with Chronic Lyme after 10 years of illness
Credits diet, chiropractic and IV therapy. Kiki was ill 10y with severe ME/CFS and is described as fully recovered. Jugular venoplasty surgery plus NUCCA chiropractic.
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Jennifer Brea's Chronic Fatigue (ME/CFS) Recovering Story
Underwent spinal surgeries over several weeks to correct craniocervical instability (CCI) and tethered cord syndrome, wore a neck collar (Philadelphia or Aspen Vista) during recovery, and found the drug Mestinon (pyridostigmine) helpful for symptoms. She had…
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Could Craniocervical Instability Be Causing ME/CFS? (Jennifer)
The same post introduces filmmaker Jennifer Brea, describing severe neurological decline including respiratory-arrest episodes after a surgery-triggered relapse, leading to a diagnosis of craniocervical and atlantoaxial instability. She underwent…
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Could Craniocervical Instability Be Causing ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia and POTS? (Jeff)
Jeff was young, healthy and active before a viral infection with high fever triggered symptoms that progressed until he was bedbound, unable to chew food, and diagnosed with ME/CFS, POTS and mast cell activation syndrome. Years into his decline he learned he…
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I've mostly recovered, but I'm not quite 100% yet. Is the methylation cycle the key?
Eight years after a crash that followed years of exercise intolerance since age 15, he credits cold showers, pantethine and especially adrenal glandular extract — "the most important by far" — with giving him "more or less...a normal life": full-time study…
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Listen to M.E. Part II: Mike Dessin Goes Down Again - A CFS/ME Relapse Story
Mike Dessin had been severely ill for about fifteen years, including a three-year completely bedridden stint so severe his doctor was amazed he was alive, before recovering over about five months through acupuncture, neural therapy and pleo homeopathics.…
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Fasting
ChickenBear tried a 3-day modified cleanse of coconut oil and bone broth rather than a strict water fast. It went badly: they developed hair loss, acne and digestive problems and said they felt "like death" afterward, attributing the crash to adrenal and…
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Cavitations and Root Canals
ERROL_FARNHAMSURREY had suffered 25-30 years of phantom tooth pain, ear/sinus/eye pain and chronic flu-like drainage before a maxillofacial surgeon found and removed a 2.5cm necrotic jawbone cavitation in June 2015. Within 5-10 days of surgery his…
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Going Under the Knife Does It
Diane had sinus surgery, along with herbs, nutritional supplements, hormone supplements, and "serious meditation"; IVIG was also tried but had no effect. None of these interventions are given specific names, doses, or durations. She fell ill in her mid-30s…
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Combination of Supplements Allows Me to Work and Exercise - But causes extreme Gastritis
Built a roughly 60-item daily supplement stack (B12, NADH, high-dose antioxidants/glutathione, SAM-e, CoQ10, glandulars, ribose, phosphatidylserine and more) over three-plus years of trial and error for CFS, fibromyalgia and Hashimoto's. Says the combination…
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Dr. Jay Goldstein's Rapid Remission ME/CFS Treatments
zzz took one 10mg isosorbide dinitrate tablet and says he went from bed-bound to working full-time within three days, with complete remission of all symptoms within three more weeks. That remission held for about eight years until a minor surgery triggered a…
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Sinus Surgery Does the Trick
Diane underwent sinus surgery — the specific procedure isn't named — and also tried IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin), which the page says had no effect; no other treatment names, doses, or durations are given. She had been a high-energy woman in her mid-30s…
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Methylation recovery survey. Recovery stories here!!
Followed a "Yasko lite" methylation protocol blending Rich Van Konynenburg/Freddd/Ben Lynch approaches for about 1.5 years, including methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum and methylfolate. She discontinued long-term antifungal…
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The Woman Who Healed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Naturally
Edie used a wide-ranging natural protocol: topical arnica gel, papaya and devil's claw for inflammation, Cell Food (a liquid oxygen supplement), homeopathic thyroid, adrenal, hypothalamus and pituitary remedies, spirulina, herbal melatonin and 5-HTP for…
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Ten Years of healing: No more congestive heart failure, FMS, CFS and minus 100 pounds
After 13+ years of CFS that left her unable to walk well, she added transdermal cyanocobalamin spray and methylcobalamin/methylfolate to her regimen and reported "the first time in over 13 years that my energy has really come back," with markedly improved…
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Improved (5yr)-sometimes dont notice it -now new baseline
After 5 years of severe illness with autonomic dysfunction, cognitive problems, sleep apnea and spinal compressions needing three surgeries, he combined a broad stack - Adderall, Celexa, omeprazole, dopamine- and adrenal-support supplements, B12, an…
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Feel better on Prednisone?
Tapering prednisone down to as low as 2.5mg/day over a month, this poster reports "no CFS symptoms!" at the lowest doses, but relief lasted only about four days after finishing the taper before malaise returned. She says she's "half-tempted" to keep…
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What treatment has worked for you?
Took Famvir and Cycloferon alongside rotating sleep medications and adrenal hormone support, adjusted based on ongoing lab testing. Describes "an improvement and still improving" as he tweaks the regimen, explicitly calling it "not a cure but an…
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My recovery story
Ian says a specialist identified necrotic "cavitation" lesions in his jawbone and that surgical removal eliminated his years-long feeling of being "chronically poisoned," resolving most CFS symptoms. The first surgery's benefit faded months later when the…
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Diagnosis Unknown - Story of CFS Recovery
Book-excerpt account (from "Diagnosis Unknown") quoted on the forum describing Linda Smith's illness, which had left her unable to walk unassisted, in constant pain, with swollen feet/fingers and largely bedridden after 5+ years. Following an extended…
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List of ME/CFS Recovery and Improvement Stories
Danielle is listed reaching remission from severe ME/CFS after the same combination of craniocervical fusion and tethered-cord surgery, per the compiled list.
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List of ME/CFS Recovery and Improvement Stories
JenB is listed as cured of severe ME/CFS by a combination of craniocervical fusion and tethered-cord surgery, per the compiled list.
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Jen Brea Talking to GMT News
Index entries credit JenB first with Valcyte (antiviral) for some improvement, and later, more substantially, with CCI/AAI fusion plus tethered-cord surgery (detailed on her own Medium blog, not fetched here) after she was found to have spinal instability.…
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Gcmaf-reactions and side effects
Monthly injections of GcMAF at 1/5 dose from a new "blue-top vial" batch produced an unusual immediate headache, and within the following week she "relapsed terribly" with daily severe depression, near-daily adrenal crashes and head inflammation. She…
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Primal Trust testimonials: Marla Hall
Credits brain retraining. Marla had ME/CFS and reports a substantial improvement. CFS and fibromyalgia; avoided planned colon surgery.
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Sinus Surgery Does the Trick
Credits surgery. An unnamed patient had ME/CFS and is described as fully recovered. Sinus surgery.
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Going Under the Knife Does It
Credits surgery. An unnamed patient had ME/CFS and reports a substantial improvement. Unspecified surgery.
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Lessons from my life-saving surgery that might save yours
Credits brain retraining. Dan was ill 5y with severe ME/CFS and is described as fully recovered. Confirms his ME/CFS recovery held 8+ years later.
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My Story of Craniocervical Instability, ME/CFS, and Tethered Cord
Jeff Wood's treatment progressed from a Philadelphia cervical collar (worn over a month) to a halo brace with four skull screws (worn several months) to skull-to-C2 fusion surgery in early 2018, guided by a dynamic CT scan with flexion and extension views;…