Ten years of ME/CFS, pacing to 60%, then a crash left them only between bed and couch
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 10 years
- Last post
- Feb 2026
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I've had CFS for ten years and it's the best I've ever been
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
gone from a more severe level to CFS and paced into a "moderate" level of CFS
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I'm tapering off now and I'm so fatigued! My energy envelope has definitely shrunk.
In context ↗
Read from 4 of their posts and comments; links to the 4 this page draws on
Summary
After ten years of CFS, a year of pacing had brought the Reddit user to about 60% on the CFS rating scale, their best ever. In October 2025 they got sick twice, pushed too hard and crashed, two weeks of only moving between bed and couch; ice packs and legs up the wall eased the anxious phase, though they then felt like hibernating. Escitalopram for crash anxiety didn't seem to help, and while tapering they were very fatigued.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- pacing · Helped a lot
For the past year I have paced myself to about 60% on the CFS rating scale, which is huge! I've had CFS for ten years and it's the best I've ever been.
In context ↗ - legs up the wall and ice packs · Helped
putting an ice pack on your chest and forehead with your legs up the wall for about 20 minutes really helps to shift you into a more regulated state. It definitely worked for me.
In context ↗ - escitalopram (Lexapro) · Worse
I didn't really feel it helping and I also felt like a sloth lol. I'm tapering off now and I'm so fatigued! My energy envelope has definitely shrunk.
In context ↗
Approaches: Pacing
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | CFS began at a more severe levelgone from a more severe level to CFS and paced into a "moderate" level of CFSIn context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2025 | paced for a year to about 60% on the CFS rating scale, best everFor the past year I have paced myself to about 60% on the CFS rating scale, which is huge!In context ↗ | Moderate | Pacing and the energy envelope |
| October 2025 | crashed after getting sick twice and pushing hardIt's been two weeks and I've just been able to go from my bed to the couch.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2025-11-06 | anxious "tired but wired" crash eased into exhausted hibernation feelingI followed the advice on this sub and did legs up the wall and ice packs and the anxious feeling has subsided. ... now I feel like a bear hibernating.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| 2026-02-06 | tapered off escitalopram after ten weeks and felt more fatiguedI'm tapering off now and I'm so fatigued! My energy envelope has definitely shrunk.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I didn't really feel it helping and I also felt like a sloth lol” In context ↗ Side effects
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)“I'm tapering off now and I'm so fatigued! My energy envelope has definitely shrunk.” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
pushed myself hard. I'm in a really bad crash right now
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I felt anxious yet exhausted
In context ↗
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