ME/CFS
Much better
Mostly at home with ME/CFS for 1.5 years, much better with slow in-bed exercise
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Not stated
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Jul 2026
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I had CFS + low cortisol at first, since CFS made my antidepressant start lowering my cortisol.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
but now suddenly its starting to improve quite a lot and I can actually go for long walks again and do minor exercise
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
after covid(thought it was just a bad cold at the time) I quickly started to get more and more tired after each workout
In context ↗
Read from 17 of their posts and comments; links to the 8 this page draws on
Summary
Bramble 13818 developed ME/CFS after a COVID infection they thought was a bad cold: workouts left them more tired each time until a crash that kept them mostly at home for about 1.5 years. Antidepressants and stimulants worsened their symptoms, and nortriptyline lowered their cortisol. By July 2026 slow in-bed exercise, starting with ankle pumps, had eased their orthostatic intolerance, and they could go for long walks again and do minor exercise.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- ADHD meds · Worse
as did any other stimulant I tried
In context ↗ - gym exercise · Much worse
I did gym 3 times a week ... until giga crash eventually where I was just fucked for months
In context ↗ - Nortriptyline · Worse
I slowly removed one antidepressant and have been way better since. Nortriptyline
In context ↗ - Strattera (atomoxetine) · Helped
it prevents me from getting really bad panic attacks
In context ↗ - ultra-slow exercise (ankle pumps in bed) · Helped
Last 2 weeks for me randomly the orthostatic intolerance got a lot better for me because I started doing ankle pumps in bed a bit.
In context ↗ - sunshine · No change
Its all just get more sunshine which doesn't do anything.
In context ↗ - Bupropion (Wellbutrin) · Worse
I also immediately removed Wellbutrin since I quickly noticed it was making it way worse when I took it
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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| onset | ME/CFS after a COVID infection taken for a bad cold; more tired after every workoutafter covid(thought it was just a bad cold at the time) I quickly started to get more and more tired after each workoutIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2026-07-08 | sudden improvement; long walks and minor exercise possible againnow suddenly its starting to improve quite a lot and I can actually go for long walks again and do minor exerciseIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2026-07-10 | orthostatic intolerance much better after starting ankle pumps in bedLast 2 weeks for me randomly the orthostatic intolerance got a lot better for me because I started doing ankle pumps in bed a bitIn context ↗ | Mild | Everyday exercise and activity |
Adverse events
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)“SSRI withdrawals caused crashes, which ye I've experienced too.” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Nortriptyline (Pamelor)“it was made worse than my cortisol was ultra low because of one of my meds(nortrityline)” In context ↗ Side effects
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“I also immediately removed Wellbutrin since I quickly noticed it was making it way worse when I took it” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Stimulants (unspecified)“as did any other stimulant I tried” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I quickly started to get more and more tired after each workout
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Last 2 weeks for me randomly the orthostatic intolerance got a lot better for me
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Personally always had non 24 I don't think its even possible to really treat it
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I basically had severe depression for over 7 years
In context ↗