Condition

ME/CFS: recovery stories and what people tried

Ask about ME/CFS

28,680

people with ME/CFS

1,579

recovered or near normal: 8% of the 19,276 who say how they are now

1,013

treatments with 5+ of them

How many people here recovered?

recovered or near normal

1,579 of 19,276

47%

much or somewhat better

8,977 of 19,276

11%

relapsed

2,173 of 19,276

34%

no benefit

6,547 of 19,276

9,404

outcome unclear

not in the shares

Shares are out of the 19,276 people with a clear outcome; 9,404 more don’t say how they are.

Show as a table

Outcome described	People	Share
Recovered	850	4%
Near normal	729	4%
Much better	2,750	14%
Somewhat better	6,227	33%
Relapsed	2,173	11%
No benefit	6,547	34%
Outcome unclear	9,404	—

“I now have been fully recovered for over 6 months.”

Jay · Recovered

Recovery stories, in their own words

Recovered

850

Near normal

729

Each dot is about 20 people; a filled dot carries one person’s own words. Point at, tap or focus one to read it.

Recovered I struggled to survive cfs for over 20 years and I can now work full time. Owl 32652
Recovered I am now 20 and have been in full remission for over 6 months. nolongerdiseased
Recovered · Ill 14 months I have now fully recovered and can do whatever I want without any trouble. Lynx 51739
Recovered · Ill 28 years All of cfs my symptoms are gone. I can exercise with no PEM. Meadow 29308
Recovered · Ill 2 years I went from being housebound unable to work to working full time and working out in the gym etc. Ridge 84219
Recovered · Ill 6 months I have fully recovered from severe ME/CFS! Crocus 81605
Recovered After >25 years I have normal energy and no brain fog. Comet 74272
Near normal · Ill 2 years I'm basically in remission now. I have more energy than my introvert friends. Fjord 16567
Recovered I happen to be one of the people who recovered after 8 months. Prairie 94836
Near normal · Ill 21 years I started slowly recovering in November of 23 and I do feel that I am mostly recovered from CFS/ME now. Cedar 50851
Recovered · Ill 6 years I fully recovered and recently finished my PhD. Swan 75128
Recovered · Ill 2.5 years Now, I'm physically 100% back on my feet. Plover 19454
Near normal At the seventh month of my cfs, I now feel 90% normal! Hawk 72490
Recovered · Ill 10 years I am able to work full time and have a good quality of life. Birch 70296
Recovered · Ill 4.5 years I’m fully recovered and living my life as I want to, not how some illness dictates me to. Susie
Recovered Back to old me, now 3+ years past the original onset of symptoms. Gull 77881
Near normal I am 85-90% recovered from moderate CFS, going on 25 years now since onset. Otter 10354
Recovered I fully recovered after being sick for three years! Kestrel 78119
Recovered · Ill 18 months I no longer experience any symptoms of CFS and have resumed my university studies. Kite 96691
Near normal I have a full time job and I’m actually able to go to the gym during the week. Tulip 94262
Recovered I have been in remission for quite a few years now, back to work full time, healthy. Sandpiper 40114
Near normal · Ill 11 months I've recovered about 90%. I'm back at work part-time, and I can do almost everything I used to. Alpine 77747
Near normal · Ill 3 years I went from moderate-ish ME/CFS to mild. I mostly have my life back. Wave 93769
Recovered · Ill 15 years I would say I am fully recovered, and I do believe that. Coast 97740
Near normal · Ill 27 years I consider myself to be in remission. I hold a full-time job and I have friends and hobbies and something that almost looks like a normal life. Sparrow 36157
Near normal · Ill 20 years I am nearly recovered - worst was 20 hours bedridden. I work a full-time job. Dove 89759

Now	People
Recovered	850
Near normal	729

See all 1,579 recovered or near normal All 28,680 stories

What did people with ME/CFS try, and how did they say it went?

Most tried first

How it went for the people with ME/CFS here who tried it and said so

TreatmentHow it wentRecoveredFadedGot worse
Pacing and the energy envelope7,513 tried it6,008 of the 7,513 who tried it here said how it went. 93% helped and 1% got worse.
8% recovered or near normal: 281 of 3,430 who credit it here and said how they are now3% faded: 102 of 3,433 who credit it here1% got worse: 68 of 6,008 who said how it went here
Meditation, yoga, breathwork3,827 tried it3,197 of the 3,827 who tried it here said how it went. 83% helped and 8% got worse.
26% recovered or near normal: 234 of 909 who credit it here and said how they are now2% faded: 21 of 910 who credit it here8% got worse: 261 of 3,197 who said how it went here
Low-dose naltrexone3,511 tried it3,134 of the 3,511 who tried it here said how it went. 66% helped and 18% got worse.
6% recovered or near normal: 73 of 1,281 who credit it here and said how they are now11% faded: 138 of 1,282 who credit it here18% got worse: 567 of 3,134 who said how it went here
CBT and psychotherapy3,329 tried it2,615 of the 3,329 who tried it here said how it went. 67% helped and 11% got worse.
19% recovered or near normal: 107 of 576 who credit it here2% faded: 9 of 576 who credit it here11% got worse: 294 of 2,615 who said how it went here
Everyday exercise and activity3,245 tried it2,809 of the 3,245 who tried it here said how it went. 35% helped and 58% got worse.
18% recovered or near normal: 84 of 460 who credit it here and said how they are now4% faded: 20 of 461 who credit it here58% got worse: 1,644 of 2,809 who said how it went here
Salt, electrolytes and fluids2,651 tried it2,148 of the 2,651 who tried it here said how it went. 87% helped and 3% got worse.
7% recovered or near normal: 42 of 568 who credit it here and said how they are now1% faded: 5 of 569 who credit it here3% got worse: 71 of 2,148 who said how it went here
Vitamin D and sun exposure2,397 tried it1,680 of the 2,397 who tried it here said how it went. 68% helped and 7% got worse.
14% recovered or near normal: 88 of 611 who credit it here and said how they are now4% faded: 23 of 612 who credit it here7% got worse: 117 of 1,680 who said how it went here
Magnesium2,384 tried it1,848 of the 2,384 who tried it here said how it went. 80% helped and 7% got worse.
13% recovered or near normal: 57 of 429 who credit it here and said how they are now3% faded: 15 of 430 who credit it here7% got worse: 136 of 1,848 who said how it went here
Radical rest2,204 tried it1,936 of the 2,204 who tried it here said how it went. 80% helped and 7% got worse.
8% recovered or near normal: 84 of 1,089 who credit it here8% faded: 90 of 1,089 who credit it here7% got worse: 144 of 1,936 who said how it went here
Symptom-tracking apps and wearables (Visible)2,143 tried it1,574 of the 2,143 who tried it here said how it went. 88% helped and 4% got worse.
3% recovered or near normal: 13 of 394 who credit it here and said how they are now1% faded: 3 of 395 who credit it here4% got worse: 70 of 1,574 who said how it went here

All 1,013 treatments

How long had people been ill before they improved?

Under 2 years 82014%
2–5 years 1,64529%
5–10 years 1,32523%
10+ years 1,94834%

People with ME/CFS who say they improved (recovered, near normal, much or somewhat better); shares are of the 5,738 who say how long, 4,818 more don’t.

Show as a table

Years ill before improving or writing	People	Of 5,738
Under 2 years	820	14%
2–5 years	1,645	29%
5–10 years	1,325	23%
10+ years	1,948	34%

Which symptoms do people here describe most?

All 20 symptoms, across both conditions

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Long COVID

What 40,623 people with long COVID tried, and how they are now.

people with long COVID: 40,623
recovered or near normal: 6,553

See Long COVID