ME/CFS pain and nerve pain, somewhat better with weekly drinking and gabapentin
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- May 2025
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
Went off because doctors insist that my symptoms were CAUSED by the alcohol
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I can't walk without a cane/use a wheelchair
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I was able to hobble around my flat without my cane, hold my head up without pain, feel more awake
In context ↗
Read from 8 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Owl 17776, a woman in England, had ME/CFS with pain and nerve pain; a decade of daily drinking left her feeling almost normal. When doctors blamed the alcohol she stopped for nine months, was miserable, could not walk without a cane and used a wheelchair. Weekly drinking days and gabapentin, first taken from a friend's supply, eased the pain and let her garden and enjoy hobbies again.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- alcohol · Helped a lot
It's really the only thing that lets me relieve pain and be social.
In context ↗ - NSAIDs · Worse
NSAIDS make me feel sickly and want to sleep, and barely cut into the pain.
In context ↗ - medical pot · Not said
My medical pot has its stigmas when randos smell it.
In context ↗ - NAC · Helped
I also take NAC before, when I am going to drink. It works on me to prevent hangovers
In context ↗ - Mediterranean diet · Helped
I feel really good eating this style but WITHOUT red sauces.
In context ↗ - salt · Helped
I need salt me because it helps stabilise my blood pressure
In context ↗ - FODMAP · Not said
FODMAP too is really generic, and doesn't account for a lot of things.
In context ↗ - duloxetine · Worse
I'm on the dulox too still because I don't like coming off of them, I get the brain zaps.
In context ↗ - mirtazapine · Worse
And mirtazapine too still ... They said those would help with pain but it mostly just makes me really tired lol.
In context ↗ - gabapentin · Helped
It helps my nerve pain but I also found it helped my mood and stuff too, and I feel like I have more energy on it.
In context ↗
Approaches: Diet · Other drugs and medicines
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. Hover or tap a point. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were |
|---|---|---|
| — | drank every day and had close to a normal life for a decadeI have basically a normal person's life for 10 years, but I was drink-as-soon-as-you-wake-up drunk for a decade.In context ↗ | Near normal |
| — | stopped drinking for nine months on doctors' advice; miserable, needed a cane or wheelchairWent off because doctors insist that my symptoms were CAUSED by the alcohol, went off for 9 months not a drop and was miserable, and I can't walk without a cane/use a wheelchair.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2024-10-31 | weekly drinking days eased pain and let her move around without the caneI was able to hobble around my flat without my cane, hold my head up without pain, feel more awakeIn context ↗ | Mild |
| 2025-05-23 | gabapentin eased pain and gave more energy and motivationit helps me so much with pain and motivation. But I asked before and my gp wouldn't give them to me.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- NSAIDs (unspecified)“NSAIDS make me feel sickly and want to sleep, and barely cut into the pain.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)“I don't like coming off of them, I get the brain zaps” In context ↗ Withdrawal problems
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta), Mirtazapine (Remeron)“They said those would help with pain but it mostly just makes me really tired lol.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
NSAIDS make me feel sickly and want to sleep, and barely cut into the pain.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
It helps my nerve pain but I also found it helped my mood and stuff too
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I don't know your age but I was like this, when I hit my late thirties I suddenly shifted
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I can't do raw onions or garlic but I'm fine when they're cooked. Fine with whole milk and full fat cream, but skim milk will gastromurder me.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
ah yeah it's the histamines in leftovers, I turned the fridge up to colder and it helps.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I need salt me because it helps stabilise my blood pressure
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
it keeps my mental health from getting the best of me
In context ↗
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