ME/CFS
Moderate → no benefitIll for 3.5 years
ME/CFS crash left them moderate and almost housebound, with no improvement
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- 3.5 years
- Last post
- Sep 2024
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
meet all the criteria for ME/CFS, trying to push my gp for a diagnosis ... I’ve had cfs symptoms since early 2021
- At worst: Moderate
I had a big crash in May this year that’s taken me from fairly mild to moderate & almost completely housebound
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
I had a big crash in May this year that’s taken me from fairly mild to moderate & almost completely housebound, so if I don’t improve over the coming months
In context ↗
Summary
A Reddit user with ME/CFS symptoms since early 2021 was fairly mildly affected until a crash in May 2024 left them moderate and almost completely housebound. Withdrawal from sertraline had brought months of nausea and eating problems and a relapse, and low-dose citalopram started in summer 2023 coincided with constant lethargy. By September 2024 they were still struggling with all their usual symptoms.
Ask Miruvor AI
What they tried
Also tried
eating little but often· Helpedeating less carb heavy meals· No changecitalopram· Worsesertraline· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- sertraline · Not said
coming off my antidepressant (sertraline) caused severe withdrawals that I think basically sent my body into shock/relapse
In context ↗ - citalopram · Worse
Went back on a low dose of a new antidepressant (citalopram) in summer last year and that seemed to coincide with a constant lethargic feeling and a worsening of symptoms
In context ↗ - eating less carb heavy meals · No change
I've tried eating less carb heavy meals in the day but even a salad can bring it on.
In context ↗ - eating little but often · Helped
Eating little but often helps avoid this sometimes
In context ↗
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, with time counted from when the illness began. Hover or tap a point. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CFS symptoms beganI've had cfs symptoms since 2021In context ↗ | Mild |
| early 2023 | relapse after coming off sertraline, months of nausea and weight losscoming off my antidepressant (sertraline) caused severe withdrawals that I think basically sent my body into shock/relapseIn context ↗ | Mild |
| May 2024 | big crash, almost completely houseboundI had a big crash in May this year that's taken me from fairly mild to moderate & almost completely houseboundIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| September 2024 | still struggling with usual symptomsmy levels are back to normal now and I'm still very much struggling with all my usual symptomsIn context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“coming off my antidepressant (sertraline) caused severe withdrawals that I think basically sent my body into shock/relapse - constant intense nausea and trouble eating for months which caused me to lose like 15% of my body weight.” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Citalopram (Celexa)“Went back on a low dose of a new antidepressant (citalopram) in summer last year and that seemed to coincide with a constant lethargic feeling and a worsening of symptoms” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Have all the usual PEM triggers like exercise etc
In context ↗ - Gut problems
being super hungry makes me nauseous
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
often fall asleep for several hours if it's after lunch
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
feeling like I'm going to pass out from lack of food, super trembly
In context ↗