ME/CFS
Moderate → no benefitNeeds ongoing treatment
Homebound with ME/CFS and POTS, no improvement from metformin or insulin
- Condition
- ME/CFS
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill for
- Not stated
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: ME/CFS
I have POTS, as well as ME. I've been on pyridostigmine for years.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I'm moderate approaching severe. I usually have 1/3 glass of red wine with supper.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
In my case, my health did not improve. ... Years after escaping, I am moderate/severe.
In context ↗ - Began after: nothing they could name
No known cause of ME, so maybe not viral.
In context ↗
Read from 48 of their posts and comments; links to the 20 this page draws on
Summary
Moderate to severe ME/CFS with POTS, thyroid disease and diabetes left Cove 37802 homebound and living alone. They left an abusive husband while moderate, and years of legal abuse made them worse; they stayed moderate/severe. Metformin gave a slight energy gain, thyroid medication none, and antibiotics for a lung infection produced one normal day that never returned. Insulin lowered their standing heart rate but not their fatigue.
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What they tried
Also tried
antidepressant· Helpedpyridostigmine· Helpedfull length toe to waist tights· Helpedantibiotics· Helped · wore offD-Ribose· HelpedCoQ10· HelpedNADH· HelpedHuawei Band 9· HelpedHR pacing· Helpedmetformin· Helpedcoffee· Helpedpeppermint oil· Helpedthyroid medicine· No changeinsulin· No changeexercise· WorseLibre Freestyle· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- antidepressant · Helped
They worked well for me.
In context ↗ - thyroid medicine · No change
Unfortunately, the thyroid meds didn't really help with the fatigue.
In context ↗ - pyridostigmine · Helped
I've been on pyridostigmine for years. When I have interruptions in my supply, and go off it for days, or weeks, my energy drops a lot.
In context ↗ - full length toe to waist tights · Helped
The only thing that worked was full length toe to waist tights. But they take so much energy to put on that I can't really use them any more.
In context ↗ - antibiotics · Helped
The one, and only day, that I ever felt normal, I had started taking antibiotics for lung infection.
In context ↗ - D-Ribose · Helped
I've been taking it a couple of years. It helps. No side effects noticed.
In context ↗ - CoQ10 · Helped
There is a study that suggests CoQ10 works better when combined with NADH. It seems to help me.
In context ↗ - Huawei Band 9 · Helped
I also have a Huawei Band 9. I love it.
In context ↗ - HR pacing · Helped
Yes. But it only helps with PEM from physical exertion.
In context ↗ - metformin · Helped
Metformin gave me a slight improvement of energy.
In context ↗ - coffee · Helped
For me, I can't manage without two cups of coffee to start the day.
In context ↗ - peppermint oil · Helped
I use a couple of drops of peppermint oil on my handkerchief.
In context ↗ - exercise · Worse
Every time I decided to get serious about exercise, and get in shape, I would feel like I was coming down with a bug.
In context ↗ - insulin · No change
My GP was so disappointed that I didn't have any more energy after I started taking insulin.
In context ↗ - Libre Freestyle · Not said
Would a Libre Freestyle work for you? I'm paying $75 for 28 days, no insurance.
In context ↗
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. 1 step says too little to place on the scale and is only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | ME/CFS with no known causeNo known cause of ME, so maybe not viral.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| — | worsened during years of legal abuse after leaving their husbandThe years long legal abuse, when he could no longer abuse me in person, made me worse.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| — | one normal day after starting antibiotics for a lung infectionThe one, and only day, that I ever felt normal, I had started taking antibiotics for lung infection.In context ↗ | Near normal | Antibiotics (unspecified) |
| — | back to their usual state the next dayThe next day, I went back to my version normal.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2025-08-27 | slight energy improvement on metformin before full doseI started metformin recently. My ME symptoms were slightly improved before I even ramped up to full dose.In context ↗ | Moderate | Metformin |
| 2026-05-16 | still moderate to severe ME, homeboundI have moderate/severe ME.In context ↗ | Moderate |
Adverse events
- NAD+ boosters (NMN, nicotinamide riboside, NADH, ATP)“I seem to have trouble sleeping if I take it in the evening.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
If I hit 600 steps, I've overdone myself.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I also have POTS.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I get very out of breath sitting with my feet on the floor.
In context ↗